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SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
Tuesday <strong>August</strong> 1 2<strong>01</strong>7 3<br />
News<br />
Kayak park plan for The Willows<br />
• By Georgia O’Connor-Harding<br />
A KAYAKING facility could be<br />
constructed to complement The<br />
Willows Park development near<br />
the Waimakariri River.<br />
Environment Canterbury is<br />
running a series of workshops<br />
to discuss how they could develop<br />
The Willows at the end of<br />
Thompsons Rd.<br />
Kayaker Bruce Leslie has<br />
pitched an idea to<br />
construct a new<br />
white water course<br />
and swimming hole<br />
downstream from<br />
the irrigation canal<br />
Tom<br />
Lambie<br />
on Intake Rd near<br />
Kirwee.<br />
The kayaking<br />
facility and swimming<br />
hole aims to discourage<br />
people from swimming near the<br />
irrigation canal.<br />
But ECan parks and forest<br />
team leader David Owen said<br />
while these ideas could be considered<br />
in the future, it was not<br />
part of The Willows planning.<br />
There was no consultation<br />
document available for The Willows<br />
development.<br />
However, the kayaking facility<br />
and swimming hole were discussed<br />
at a Christchurch West<br />
Melton Water Management<br />
Zone Committee meeting last<br />
IDEA: An image drawn by kayaker Bruce Leslie of a proposed<br />
new water facility which could be developed near the<br />
Waimakariri River at the end of Thompsons Rd.<br />
week, but no formal resolution<br />
was made.<br />
Committee member and<br />
ECan councillor Tom Lambie<br />
said while the committee was<br />
willing to explore the option,<br />
a lot of work would need to be<br />
done to see if the project was<br />
feasible.<br />
Although Mr Leslie was yet to<br />
find the funding for the project,<br />
he would like to see it completed<br />
by the end of the year.<br />
He said there has been one<br />
death in the irrigation canal and<br />
the aim of his project is to move<br />
people away from the dangerous<br />
structure.<br />
In 2<strong>01</strong>2, Ashleigh Kumar<br />
died while swimming in the<br />
irrigation pond when she was<br />
dragged facedown beneath a<br />
narrow underwater gateway<br />
leading from the storage pond<br />
to the river.<br />
Every warning sign at the<br />
canal had been vandalised the<br />
day Miss Kumar and her friends<br />
visited, but they have since been<br />
replaced.<br />
In spite of Miss Kumar’s<br />
death, Mr Leslie said people are<br />
still swimming in the area.<br />
He said there was potential<br />
for Environment Canterbury<br />
and the district council to put<br />
more fencing around the canal<br />
structure.<br />
Car parking, picnic areas,<br />
toilets and native plantings are<br />
included in the plan for the<br />
kayaking facility and swimming<br />
hole.<br />
Another reason for the plan<br />
was so kayakers did not have to<br />
travel as far to train. Mr Leslie<br />
said kayakers have a long way to<br />
travel with the Hurunui River<br />
being the closest training venue.<br />
The idea has been supported<br />
by the kayaking community.<br />
Kirwee kayaker Ross McLeod<br />
said it would be an excellent<br />
spot for the facility.<br />
“There are not many swimming<br />
holes for teenagers to go<br />
really,” he said.<br />
•HAVE YOUR SAY: Would<br />
you use the new kayaking<br />
facility at Thompsons Rd?<br />
Email your views to georgia.<br />
oconnor@starmedia.kiwi<br />
In Brief<br />
SHEFFIELD FENCE<br />
Sheffield will get a chain fence<br />
beside the railway line to stop<br />
motorists backing into a ditch.<br />
The Sheffield/Waddington<br />
Community Committee approved<br />
fencing the area last week. The<br />
district council’s disposals and<br />
leasing manager Rob Allen said<br />
a contractor has been instructed<br />
to install the fence. However,<br />
this requires final approval from<br />
KiwiRail.<br />
CENTRE OPENING<br />
A celebration for the opening<br />
of the Dunsandel Community<br />
Centre will be held on Friday. The<br />
new facility replaces the original<br />
Dunsandel Community Hall after<br />
it was damaged beyond repair<br />
in the 2<strong>01</strong>0/2<strong>01</strong>1 earthquakes.<br />
The opening will be attended<br />
by Mayor Sam Broughton,<br />
MP for <strong>Selwyn</strong> Amy Adams<br />
and Dunsandel Community<br />
Committee chairman Russell<br />
Dalzell.<br />
PLAYCENTRE TO MOVE<br />
The Hororata Playcentre is<br />
planning to move behind<br />
the Hororata Fire Station<br />
on Bealey Rd. District council<br />
property and commercial<br />
manager Douglas Marshall<br />
is completing a time frame to<br />
make sure the land is safe and<br />
uncontaminated.<br />
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