Beckenham, New Zealand
Beckenham is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located three kilometres south of the city centre. The Heathcote River winds through this predominantly residential suburb, a section of which is often referred to locally as the "Beckenham Loop". Beckenham is bounded by Sydenham to the north, Somerfield to the west, Cashmere and Huntsbury to the south and St Martins to the east.
History
European settlement of Beckenham dates back to the first arrival of British settlers in Christchurch, and was part of the initial allocation of land to the new settlers. The Beckenham area, which was known as Middle Heathcote at the time, was divided into two plots of farmland - the first of which was purchased by brothers Stephen and James Fisher, with the other going to James' father-in-law. Stephen Fisher named the area Beckenham after the English town of the same name, although the name Fisherton was also used in honour of the brothers. The brothers and their family farmed the area until their deaths, at which point demand for residential land in Christchurch was growing. The farms were subdivided in 1906, forming the new suburbs of Beckenham and Fisherton in the process. The suburb grew in size as the Christchurch tramway system expanded into the area, down Colombo Street to Devon Street, then Tennyson Street and finally to the Port Hills, providing easy access from the suburb to the central city. During this process, the name Fisherton gradually fell into disuse, with the name Beckenham being applied to the whole area. Electricity was provided to Beckenham in 1912 and a waste water scheme was provided in the 1920s.Amenities
The Beckenham shopping area on Colombo St, had a number of buildings demolished as a result of the 2010–11 earthquakes, but overall the area continues to thrive, with a butcher, café, pharmacy and post shop, among other businesses. The Christchurch South Police Station is located on Colombo Street.Beckenham is home to the Beckenham Methodist Church, Beckenham Baptist Church and St Peters Beckenham Catholic Church.
Beckenham Park has duck ponds, is the home to the Southern Districts Cricket Club and the Beckenham Tennis Club. The Opawa-Saint Martins Toy Library is located in the former Beckenham Library on Sandwich Road.
Houses
There are many original houses built in the 1900s–1950s consisting of single- and the occasional two-storey villas, some brick single-storey dwellings, wooden bungalows, and a few Art Deco houses. There are a number of larger houses on Fisher Avenue. Many houses throughout the suburb have well established front gardens. The streets are relatively wide, with many mature street trees, including London Planes. Some subdivision has occurred with new houses located behind the original houses with separate driveways and associated fencing. The trees on Fisher Avenue and Norwood Street contribute to Beckenham by creating a pleasant street appearance.Flooding issues
Beckenham's location on the banks of the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River means that streets along the river are prone to flooding during heavy rain events, like many suburbs in the lower reaches of the Ōpāwaho. The Christchurch City Council continues to implement flood mitigation strategies to lessen the impact of this.Demographics
Beckenham covers. It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.Beckenham had a population of 2,403 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 39 people since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 48 people since the 2006 census. There were 897 households, comprising 1,125 males and 1,275 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.88 males per female. The median age was 41.2 years, with 492 people aged under 15 years, 396 aged 15 to 29, 1,149 aged 30 to 64, and 363 aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 93.4% European/Pākehā, 6.2% Māori, 0.9% Pasifika, 3.4% Asian, and 2.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 24.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 61.7% had no religion, 29.8% were Christian, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.4% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 747 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 198 people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $39,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 483 people earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,005 people were employed full-time, 342 were part-time, and 48 were unemployed.