Riccarton, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Suburb: | Riccarton |
| City: | Christchurch |
| Island: | South Island |
| Surrounded by: | |
| to the north | Ilam and Fendalton |
| to the east | Hagley Park |
| to the south | Addington and Middleton |
| to the west | Sockburn, Hornby |
Riccarton is a major residential suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is on the main approach to the city from the south, but due to the gradual curve of State Highway 1, it is actually due west of the city centre.
Riccarton's location on this busy thoroughfare and its proximity to the University of Canterbury in nearby Ilam make it one of the city's busiest retail zones.
A prominent feature is Riccarton Bush, also known as Deans Bush and Putaringamotu. It was one of only two remnants of the original forest which covered the Canterbury plains, escaping the huge fires which swept across the province during the moa hunter period, before European settlement - the other remnant, at Papanui, was cut down in the 1850s. It is dominated by kahikatea trees. A predator-proof perimeter fence has now been erected, with the hope of reintroducing kiwi to the reserve. Immediately adjacent to the bush is Riccarton House, homestead of the Deans family, who along with the Gebbies and the Mansons were the first Europeans to settle in Christchurch in 1840. There is also a replica of their original cob cottage. Riccarton House is now a function centre.
The Deans brothers, John and William, named the suburb after the parish in Ayrshire, Scotland in which they were born. They were also responsible for naming the River Avon after the river of the same name in Lanarkshire, Scotland.
The western end of Riccarton is known as Upper Riccarton and is widely accepted as a separate suburb. Upper Riccarton includes a major intersection known as "Church Corner", at the start of State Highway 73 to the West Coast. Riccarton High School is located close to Church Corner.
Until local government amalgamation in 1989, Riccarton was an independent borough.
Due to its proximity to the university and the relatively low rents in much of the area it is one of the main areas of the city for students.
Over 1984-85 the South Island's first mosque - the "Masjid An-Nur" or Mosque of Light - was constructed in Riccarton. The suburb is home to many of Christchurch's 2000 Muslim residents.
