22/02/2026
Today marks 15 years to the day our city split open.
At 12:51pm on 22 February 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck shallow and close, and in a moment the familiar became unrecognisable. 185 people lost their lives. Thousands carried injuries you could see, and countless more carried injuries and trauma you couldn’t see.
We too were very blessed to be safe and missed being trapped by 2 metres.
To everyone who dug in, big or small, thank you.
15 years on, that pain is still very real. But so is what’s risen from it. We have a city with momentum, identity, and heart.