Antigua Boat Sheds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Antigua Boat Sheds |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Location | 43°32′02″S 172°37′41″E / 43.533831°S 172.627995°E |
| Address | 2 Cambridge Terrace |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Construction started | 1882 |
| Completed | 1883 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Albert Shaw and J T Tidd |
| Designated: | 10 September 2004 |
| Reference #: | 1825 |
The Antigua Boat Sheds are a very old and special building in Christchurch, New Zealand. They sit right on the banks of the Avon River. This building is thought to be the only one of its kind from the 1800s in New Zealand. It has been used as a place to rent boats for fun on the river since it was built in 1882.
Contents
Where to Find the Boat Sheds
The boat sheds get their name from Antigua Street and the Antigua Bridge. Today, the bridge is at the very end of Antigua Street. The boat sheds are located right next to the northern side of the Antigua Bridge. They are also across the river from Christchurch Hospital.
A Look Back: History of the Boat Sheds
Building the Sheds
The Antigua Boat Sheds were built between 1882 and 1883. Two boat builders from Lyttelton, Albert Shaw and J.T. Tidd, created them. They launched their very first boat on July 28, 1882.
New Owners and a Fire
In 1896, a man named Samuel Anstey took over the boat sheds. He even started offering photo services there! Sadly, on May 14, 1907, a fire damaged half of the boat sheds. Many boats were also lost. The part that was burned was rebuilt with a new two-story section.
Modern Times and Earthquakes
Maurice and Diane Phipps took over the business in 1978. In 1986, they sold the business to their daughter and son-in-law, Mike and Sally Jones. Later, they also sold them the building. As of 2017, the Jones family still owned and ran the boat sheds.
The building was strong enough to survive the big earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. This was because it had recently been fixed up and made stronger.
A Special Historic Place
The Antigua Boat Sheds are considered a very important historic building. On September 10, 2004, Heritage New Zealand listed it as a "Category II" historic place. This means it has special historical importance. It was then upgraded to "Category I" on February 19, 2010. This is the highest level of heritage protection.
