Avondale, Christchurch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Avondale
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Suburb
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Aftermath of the 2011 earthquake in Avondale
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 Avondale
Location in New Zealand
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Local authority | Christchurch |
| Electoral ward | Burwood |
| Area | |
| • Land | 125 ha (309 acre) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 2,390 |
  Avondale, Christchurch  |
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Avondale is a suburb in Christchurch, a city on the South Island of New Zealand. It's about 6 kilometers (4 miles) northeast of the city center. Avondale is very close to the Avon River, also known as Ōtākaro. The suburb gets its name because it's near this river.
Avondale has a nice place called Avondale Park on Mervyn Drive. This park is great for kids, with a playground, tennis court, and basketball court. In winter, it becomes a football field. There's also a lot of open "red zone" land in Avondale. This land is perfect for outdoor activities like walking your dog or just enjoying nature.
Christchurch Earthquakes
Avondale was greatly affected by the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. The ground and buildings were damaged by something called soil liquefaction. This happens when strong shaking makes wet soil act like a liquid.
Because of this damage, some parts of Avondale were called a "residential red zone" by the government. This meant it was too difficult and expensive to rebuild the roads and services in these areas. The government offered to buy homes from people living there. Even though people could choose not to sell, the government warned that staying would mean no insurance, no proper roads, and no city services.
Even in 2014, many roads in Avondale were still damaged. This made it hard for people to get around. The banks of the Avon River also had to be built up to stop flooding. Some streets even had temporary toilets because the sewer systems were broken. Luckily, repairs to buildings, sewers, and roads have been happening in Avondale.
About the People of Avondale
Avondale covers an area of about 1.25 square kilometers (0.48 square miles). As of 2023, about 2,500 people live there.
Let's look at how the population has changed:
- In 2006, there were 2,733 people.
- In 2013, the number dropped to 2,352.
- In 2018, it went up slightly to 2,373 people.
In 2018, there were 894 households in Avondale. There were a few more females than males. The average age was about 36.7 years old.
Here's a breakdown of age groups:
- Almost 20% of the people were under 15 years old.
- About 21% were between 15 and 29 years old.
- About 45% were between 30 and 64 years old.
- About 14% were 65 years or older.
Most people in Avondale are of European (Pākehā) background, making up about 84.5% of the population. Other groups include Māori (15.5%), Pasifika (5.3%), and Asian (5.3%).
When it comes to religion, many people (about 54%) said they had no religion. About 33% were Christian. Smaller numbers followed other religions like Hinduism, Islam, or Buddhism.
Education
Chisnallwood Intermediate is an important school in the eastern suburbs, and it's located right in Avondale. This school opened in 1967 and teaches students in their intermediate years. As of 2023, it has about 600 students.
