Armagh Street Bridge
History
The original wooden bridge crossing the Avon River at Armagh Street was built in 1873, and by early 1883 heavy traffic had contributed to the planking and cross-bearers wearing out. At the recommendation of the city surveyor, Charles Walkden, the Christchurch City Council commissioned a new bridge with an estimated cost of £1,700.
The bridge was constructed in 1883 by builders William Greig and John Hunter using stone quarried from Hoon Hay. Construction of the bridge took only six months, despite some delays. The bridge was opened at noon on 11 December 1883 and was one of the last public duties carried out by George Ruddenklau, who had chosen to retire from public office and had not contested the mayoral election a fortnight earlier. Speeches at the opening were given by Mayor Ruddenklau, Mayor-elect Charles Hulbert, and senior councillor Aaron Ayers. With a span of 40 feet (12 m), the bridge was initially much wider than the river, but the Minister of Lands in late 1883 declined permission to widen the river from 26 feet (7.9 m). The river was ultimately widened to fill the full span of the bridge when Market Place was landscaped to become Victoria Square.
Today the bridge carries normal vehicle traffic, as well as tram tracks on the northern lane that were installed in the 1990s as part of the Christchurch tramway system. In 2004 the bridge was registered by Heritage New Zealand as a category-II historic place due to its significance to Victorian era Christchurch and its neo-Gothic design.
The bridge experienced major damage during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and was repaired and reinforced in 2016 for less than NZ$1,000,000.