Wainoni, Christchurch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wainoni
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Suburb
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Aerial view of Porritt Park after the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, showing extensive soil liquefaction
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 Wainoni
Location in New Zealand
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Local authority | Christchurch |
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| • Land | 152 ha (376 acre) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 2,850 |
  Wainoni, Christchurch  |
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Wainoni is a suburb located in the eastern part of Christchurch, a major city in New Zealand. It's known as an area where many families live.
Contents
What Does the Name Wainoni Mean?
The name Wainoni comes from the Māori language. The word wai means 'stream' or 'water'. The word noni means 'a bend' or 'a turn'. So, Wainoni means 'bending stream'. This name was first used by Alexander William Bickerton for his home near the Avon River.
A Look Back: Wainoni's History
In 1884, a professor named Alexander William Bickerton moved to a new home near New Brighton, Christchurch. He named his property Wainoni. Bickerton had bought about 30 acres of land. This land is now around Bickerton Street.
Bickerton was a professor of Chemistry at Canterbury College. His home became a popular spot for students to gather. The property had a small theatre, a large garden, and even fireworks shows. Bickerton wanted to create a new type of community based on his ideas. However, this social experiment did not last very long.
The Wainoni Pleasure Gardens
From 1903, the property changed into a fun theme park. This park was a way for Bickerton's family to earn money. It had a zoo, a huge outdoor theatre for 7,000 people, and aquariums. There was also a cinema and factories that made medicine and fireworks. One of the most exciting parts was the mock naval battles held on a man-made lake!
The Wainoni Pleasure Gardens attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors over the years. But eventually, the park started losing money. It closed down by 1914. After the park closed, the Wainoni area slowly developed into a residential suburb during the 1960s.
Exploring Wainoni's Geography
Wainoni is about 7 kilometers (about 4.3 miles) away from the city centre. Inside Wainoni, you'll find Porritt Park. This park is an old loop of the Avon River. The main roads that form the boundaries of Wainoni are Wainoni, Breezes, Pages, and Kerrs Roads.
Wainoni and Aranui: Close Neighbours
Wainoni is very close to its neighbour, Aranui. Sometimes, people talk about them as if they are one area. For example, Wainoni School and Wainoni Park are actually located in Aranui. Also, the former Aranui High School was located in Wainoni. The Christchurch City Council even shares information about both suburbs together.
Who Lives in Wainoni?
Wainoni covers an area of about 1.52 square kilometers (about 0.59 square miles). As of 2023, it has an estimated population of 2,850 people.
A Snapshot of the Community
In 2018, Wainoni had a population of 2,799 people. There were slightly more males than females. The average age of people in Wainoni was 36 years old. About one-fifth of the population was under 15 years old.
Most people in Wainoni are of European (Pākehā) background, making up about 78.6% of residents. About 19.8% are Māori, and 9.5% are Pasifika. There are also people of Asian and other backgrounds. About 16.2% of people living in Wainoni were born outside of New Zealand.
When it comes to religion, many people (53.1%) said they had no religion. About 33.1% were Christian. Smaller numbers of people followed Māori religious beliefs, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, or other religions.
In terms of work, about 48.6% of people aged 15 and over had full-time jobs. Another 15.4% worked part-time.
Education in Wainoni
Haeata Community Campus is the main school in the area. It's a large school that teaches students from Year 1 all the way up to Year 13. As of 2023, it has 536 students.
Haeata Community Campus was formed in January 2017. It was created by combining several older schools: Aranui School, Avondale School, Wainoni School, and Aranui High School. The new campus is located on the old Aranui High School site.
