Ava Place in Dallington Red Zone – Named after Ava Lavinia Gardner (1922-2001). Ava Gardner was an Academy Award nominated American screen actress. One of two streets named by Harry Morgan, a draughtsman with the Ministry of Works. First appears in street directories in 1957. Information supplied in 2006 by Bob Pritchard, subdivisions officer, Christchurch City Council.
A small amount of information from the library website and nothing that I can add about the name of the street.
Not much information on Papers Past with just a few death notices and a couple of engagement notices. There were sections for sale in 1956.
Another street where google maps no longer show what the street looked like before the earthquakes
Lytteltonwitch's Walking the streets of Christchurch Project 