New Brighton 5.55

New Brighton is a coastal suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, about 8km to the east of the city center. In the 2013 census, New Brighton had a population of 2,442. At the heart of the suburb is the New Brighton mall, which once was the suburb's primary shopping and entertainment precinct. After the Christchurch earthquakes, this area was significantly damaged.New Brighton is one of Eastern Christchurch's main entertainment and tourist centers with its architecturally unique pier and its scenic coastline being the suburbs best known features.NamingThe naming of New Brighton was apparently done on a 'spur of moment' decision by William Fee, an early settler of the area. When Guise Brittan, the Waste Lands Commissioner, visited the area in December 1860, he was recognised and Fee chalked 'New Brighton' on a wooden plank, supposedly in reference to his fellow settler Stephen Brooker, who had come from New Brighton in England. The Māori name for the area is Kaiuau (kai means food and aua is Yellow-eye mullet) or O-ruapaeroa (an east wind blowing along the shore).The suburb is frequently referred to simply as Brighton, occasionally leading to confusion with Brighton near Dunedin.New Brighton PierThere have been two piers in New Brighton. The first pier, of wooden construction, opened on 18 January 1894 and was demolished on 12 October 1965. The current concrete pier was opened on 1 November 1997. It is one of the icons of Christchurch. The pier will close for earthquake repairs later in 2016, and is expected to reopen in early 2018.