April 2018
Students from The Cathedral Grammar School in Christchurch have helped place a time capsule in Victoria Square to mark the recently completed restoration work.
“These young people spend a lot of time in an everchanging central city so we hope this time capsule helps them develop a connection to Victoria Square, as a place that will be the same for a long time,” says Ōtākaro Limited Chief Executive, Albert Brantley.
The time capsule will be opened for Cathedral Grammar School’s bicentenary on 16 May 2081.
To acknowledge the preservation of Victoria Square as a heritage space the seven and eight-year-old students were asked to include items in the time capsule that are popular in 2018, and might be of interest in 63 years.
“The children were thoroughly excited to be involved in developing the time capsule. They decided to include items that were popular and relevant in their lives now. They wrote stories about themselves and how life is for them in this day and age. A time capsule is something children usually read about. To be a part of such an auspicious moment has been a wonderful memory for them to create,” says Teacher, Clare Erasmus.
“There is a toy owl, our class mascot, in there and we think a 2018 cell phone will be the source of some amusement at the capsule’s opening. The class had to repeatedly freeze items to reduce the bacteria before they went in the capsule. It was a fascinating process for the students,” says Teacher, Brigid Ladley.
Mr Brantley says items related to the restoration of Victoria Square have also been included in the time capsule.
“Photos of the restoration work and the people who carried it out have been printed on special archival paper and put in the time capsule.”
“We hope whoever opens the time capsule will be able to appreciate how important this space was in Christchurch’s regeneration.”