Five minutes on a wrecking ball motivates student ideas

Lured by free burgers University of Canterbury students gathered to hear Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) Chief Executive Roger Sutton speak on campus earlier today.

While the food got them in the door, the prize Mr Sutton announced would be awarded for the best idea submitted by the students for CERA’s Recovery Strategy for the greater Christchurch area got the students attention and had them scribbling on their forms.

Mr Sutton, who was on campus as part of CERA’s consultation process, said the authority was keen to get young people’s ideas and encouraged students to fill in one of the blue submission forms that were distributed at the meeting.

“Fill out the form and the best idea wins five minutes on the wrecking ball of Buzz March’s demolition train,” he said.

“What are the most important things we need to make happen to make sure we keep the University a strong and vibrant place?

“I think it’s really important this document reflects our own values, our own culture. It’s not about the pipes and the wires and the roads. It’s about how are we going to make the people better. Because at the end of the day it’s about people, it’s about making this a better place to live.”

Submissions on CERA’s Recovery Strategy close this evening at 5pm and can be made by visiting: www.cera.govt.nz/recovery-strategy.