Pegasus Post: February 06, 2018

PEGASUS POST Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tuesday February 6 2018 5
Local
News
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Fire rages, homes at risk
Council bins full of household rubbish
SCORCHING temperatures may
have sent people to the beach,
but it also put pressure on
rubbish bins.
The city council says the
problem is being exacerbated
by people dumping household
rubbish, including umbrellas,
televisions and boogie boards, in
public bins.
The city council has been
criticised for failing to keep up
with clearing rubbish bins, firstly
at the popular New Brighton
ISSUES: More rubbish bins
were installed at the New
Brighton seaside playground
after over-flowing issues.
seaside playground and then
again last week at beaches in the
Bay area.
Extra bins have now been
added near the playground.
City council acting head
of parks Brent Smith said its
contractor has collected 20 per
cent more rubbish compared to
the same period last year.
“While the warm weather is
partly to blame for the increase,
people misusing the bins has
been another contributing
factor,” he said.
Joe’s Garage, a cafe in Sumner,
has even offered people a free
coffee if they fill a bucket with
rubbish and bring it back to the
cafe.
Mr Smith said the city council
has added an extra bin collection
in the Sumner area in the
evening.
“We’re also investigating some
long-term changes that could
help ensure we keep on top of
the rubbish. We’re looking at
the number and style of bins we
provide and we are also looking
at improved signage to inform
and encourage appropriate
behaviour,’’ Mr Smith said.
He said the city council had
also had a high number of
illegal rubbish dumping
reported.
“We have had 72 requests for
service come in over the past two
months that relate to rubbish
being dumped illegally, which is
an unacceptably high number,”
he said.
“We do our best to keep our
beaches, parks and public spaces
tidy by making sure we regularly
empty the rubbish bins, but we
need the public to play their
part too and take some civic
responsibility,’’ Mr Smith said.
Aranui Primary future may lie with community
Options for site to be discussed
at meeting tomorrow
• By Sophie Cornish
THE MINISTRY of Education
has said it has no plans to
demolish any of the
buildings at the Aranui
Primary School site,
allowing community
groups to come together
to discuss its future.
Coastal-Burwood
Community Board
member Tim Baker
wants the community
to be involved with
what happens to the
site.
“We want to discuss
what is best for the future . . . let’s
talk about it as a community and
let the community decide,” said
Mr Baker.
The school closed in December
2016 and merged with Avondale
Tim Baker
Primary, Wainoni School and
Aranui High School to form
Haeata Community Campus.
A meeting will be held
tomorrow about the
possibility of using
the site for affordable
housing.
Mr Baker said he
will be one of several
individuals, including
Christchurch East
MP Poto Williams,
meeting about
affordable housing
in the east, with the
Aranui Primary
site (right) being
one option for housing.
He suggested another option
for the site is that it may be
purchased by a community
organisation.
“Why pull down buildings
that an organisation may want
to purchase the whole lot of,”
said Mr Baker, hinting at the
possibility there may be a group
interested.
The site is currently used
by two groups: The Incredible
Years, an under five parenting
programme, and Te Kupenga o
Aranui, an alternative education
programme for teenagers with
learning difficulties.
The community board is
waiting on Minister of Education
Chris Hipkins to arrange a time
to discuss several school sites on
the east.
“We know they have been busy
with the 100-day plan and we are
a very small priority,” said Mr
Baker.
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