Sydenham surrenders...

What the developers had not quite completed in retail Sydenham, the quake has. Over the years I've watched with dismay as the old commercial buildings along Colombo Street have been demolished and replaced with tacky, jerry-built boxes devoid of character or integrity. The remaining little two-story, lightly embellished brick facades were the retail face of an early working-class and semi-industrial suburb. Now  the massive cordons on each side of Colombo Street suggest they are likely to go. I doubt they will be considered of sufficient 'heritage' value to be restored/rebuilt, though I would be delighted to be proved wrong. And it could yet be that the damage is superficial and easily repairable. One thing this quake has shown is that appearances are hugely deceptive.


We don't have a good track record as far as our industrial built heritage is concerned. Two examples from 'my' side of the city are the 'iconic' Edmonds Sure to Rise factory which was demolished to make way for a (no linger existent) petrol station and the Malt Works in Heathcote which will shortly give way to a subdivision. The Malt Works buildings could have accommodated a wonderful craft centre along the lines of Saltaire's Salt Building in Yorkshire.


Adjacent to the Governor's Bay jetty there are the remains of an old  slipway and cradle that belonged to Lionel Jeffcote the boatbuilder. A while back there was talk of tidying up this area and removing the slipway piles and rusty metal cradle. I have since thought it would be good if they could stay - a reminder of a local industry, a little bit of visual variety and a convenient resting place for the shags as they dry their wings.