Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Giant chess board a feature of Christchurch again

Updated at 9:26 am on 26 November 2011

Christchurch chess fans can again test their skills on a giant outdoor chess set thanks to the efforts of Canterbury University management students.

An oversize community chess board was a feature of Cathedral Square for many years until the area was made off limits due to the February earthquake.

The students, who are required to work on a project that engages with the community, have created a new chess board on an empty site on Colombo Street in Sydenham.

The students worked in partnership with Gap Filler, an urban regeneration scheme that has been running creative projects on vacant city sites since the earthquakes.

Gap Filler spokesperson Coralie Winn says the first pawn was played on Friday night.

She says the chess board will bring life and activity to a site where there was previously nothing but gravel and rubbish.

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