Despite taking another hit this week, morale in Lyttelton is high, real estate agent Lynnette Baird says.
Yesterday, she said a lot of positive things were happening in Lyttelton. Recovery was happening fast, and it was likely the port town would become the envy of other parts of Christchurch.
After the February earthquake that smashed the port town, people seemed a "little bit more resilient".
Importantly, Lyttelton did not have the land use issues afflicting parts of Christchurch, and had a very strong community spirit.
District "politics" had been put aside and groups were working together on rebuilding the shattered town centre.
"Everyone is just pulling together."
While it was too early to say, Monday's shock appeared only to have damaged - or finished off - already-compromised buildings - such as the landmark Lyttelton time ball station.
Power and water to her rental property and workplace were restored the same day as the quake, although they were out to some Lyttelton homes.
Mrs Baird said the real estate market in Lyttelton, as in Christchurch, was quiet, with rentals busier than sales.
She and her husband Phil were told recently that getting consent to rebuild on the same "footprint" in Lyttelton was a "technicality". That underscored the huge toll the land use issues were taking in Christchurch, where many people could not move forward yet, she said.
Mrs Baird said she felt extremely sorry for those facing great uncertainty about their future.
