At 12.51pm on February 22, 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch and the surrounding area, killing 185 people and leaving many more injured.
Homes and livelihoods were destroyed and a year later, the country's second-largest city is still feeling the effects.
It was New Zealand's second-deadliest natural disaster, after the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake, and the fourth-deadliest disaster of any kind recorded in New Zealand.
"As we look to our South Island neighbours and prepare to reflect on the challenges of the last 12 months, it seems to me that we can make this date an annual milestone to prepare in another way," Ms van Uden said.
It seemed appropriate to call on the community to respectfully use the time before the anniversary to look to their own preparedness.
"If remembering the tragic loss of life on [February 22] 2011 and the continuing challenges that face the Canterbury communities does not spur people to think about how they would cope in the same circumstances, then I don't know what will."
Lakes district residents had less than a week to make sure they had equipped their homes with emergency food, water, torches and battery powered radios.
"This date will be with us all our lives, and I think it is poignant to use the days ahead of February 22 every year to ensure that we have, at the very least, learned from Canterbury's experience," she said.
A full list of emergency kit items could be found on the council's website, www.qldc.govt.nz.
