Armagh Street Park Bridge

Bridge near Hagley Park, Christchurch, New Zealand

43°31′44″S 172°37′38″E / 43.52878°S 172.62733°E / -43.52878; 172.62733 (Armagh Street Park Bridge)Carriescars, pedestrians, cyclistsCrossesAvon River / ŌtākaroLocaleHagley Park, Christchurch, New ZealandMaintained byChristchurch City CouncilCharacteristicsDesignbrick archMaterialClay brick, stone, cast-ironWidth41 feet (12 m)[1]Longest span40 feet (12 m)[2]No. of spans1HistoryDesignerCharles WalkdenConstructed byGreig and Hunter[3]Opened26 November 1885 (1885-11-26)[2]
Heritage New Zealand – Category 2
Designated6 June 2004Reference no.1834 LocationMap

The Armagh Street Park Bridge, also known as the Park Bridge, College Bridge and Armagh Street Hagley Bridge,[1] is located in Christchurch, New Zealand. The structure, built in 1885, spans the Avon River / Ōtākaro at Park Terrace and leads into Hagley Park.[4] The bridge is registered as a Category II heritage structure with Heritage New Zealand.

History

The original bridge at the end of Armagh Street crossing the Avon River / Ōtākaro into Hagley Park was a two-span wooden footbridge, built in 1860.[1] The desire to enable a horse and carriage to drive through the park from Christchurch to Riccarton prompted the council to commission a more permanent bridge in 1885.[1] Much like the Armagh Street Bridge a few blocks away, Charles Walkden (1824–1908), the City Surveyor, provided the design while Greig & Hunter were the builders.[3]

Around 1935 Abigail Mickle donated iron gates to be installed at the western end of the bridge in Hagley Park as a memorial to her late husband, Dr Adam Mickle, a surgeon and former city councillor.[3]

Today the bridge primarily provides vehicle access to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens car parking area, and is also part of the Uni-Cycle bike path.[5]

In 2004, the bridge was registered as a Category II heritage structure with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.[3]

Architecture and fittings

Cast iron railings

It is constructed of brick, stone from Mount Somers,[3] cast iron, as well as unreinforced concrete ribbing, unreinforced concrete thrust blocks, and unreinforced concrete footings. The masonry arch features a clear span of 40 feet (12 m).[2] At 41 feet (12 m) wide,[2] the bridge accommodates two lanes of vehicle traffic as well as pedestrian footpaths on both sides. Along with the balustrade's neo-gothic ornamentation, the structure coheres with the established pattern for central city bridges.[3]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Ince 1998, p. 92.
  2. ^ a b c d Ince 1998, p. 93.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Park bridge", Heritage New Zealand, retrieved 15 April 2024
  4. ^ "The Armagh Street Bridge, Park Terrace, Christchurch". The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 73. Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Christchurch bike map", Christchurch City Council, archived from the original on 28 February 2024, retrieved 15 April 2024

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Armagh Street Park Bridge.
  • Ince, John (1998). A City of Bridges: A History of Bridges over the Avon and Heathcote Rivers. Christchurch: Christchurch City Council. ISBN 0958369623.