The Star: December 14, 2017

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Thursday December 14 2017
Fire rages, homes at risk
Ratepayers fork out for Fanfare
• By Bridget Rutherford
THE FANFARE artwork may
have been a gift, but it will cost
ratepayers tens of thousands
of dollars to maintain over the
years.
The Neil Dawson sculpture,
which sits near Chaneys Corner
next to the Northern Motorway,
was installed in June 2015.
City council head of parks
Brent Smith said it had cost
about $12,060 to maintain it
since it was installed. He said
those costs were mainly related
to replacing the power box.
On top of that, the city council
had to pay for the electricity to
power the sphere sculpture’s
colourful lights, he said.
“The lights are not solar powered
and cost $588 per year in
electricity charges.”
Mr Smith said every year, the
sculpture needed a structural
inspection, light maintenance,
a power box check, a touch up
of galvanised paint to protect it
from rust, and weed and litter
removal.
That costs about $4800.
Every five years, five per cent
of the 360 spinning steel fans
need to be replaced, along with
any other steel that required it, at
EXPENSIVE: Neil Dawson’s Fanfare has already cost ratepayers $12,060 to maintain.
a cost of about $12,000.
Mr Smith said every decade,
Fanfare needed a service and a
repaint, and the bearings needed
replacing, costing $45,000.
The “low maintenance” LED
bulbs for the lights are inspected
every year.
“No work has been required
on these to date,” Mr Smith
said.
Fanfare, which is valued
at $3 million, was gifted to
Christchurch from the City of
Sydney.
The cost of having it installed
in Christchurch was more than
$1 million, but it was funded
through donations, grants and
crowd funding.
The city council put in
$350,000 from its public art
fund.
•Red zone maintenance, p14
In Brief
BANKS TO CLOSE
Westpac will close its Sydenham,
New Brighton and Lincoln
branches due to changing
customers banking habits.
Westpac last year closed 19
branches, citing declining overthe-counter
transactions. A
spokesperson said where possible,
it plans to retain a banking
solution for our customers in
those locations, such as an ATM.
CAMPERVAN STATIONS
Campervan dump stations
may be installed on Banks
Peninsula. The Banks Peninsula
Community Board has asked city
council staff to research the idea
after the New Zealand Motor
Caravan Association offered to
contribute towards the cost.
SHIP TRACKING DEVICE
An improved tracking device will
help keep tabs on cruise ships
entering Akaroa Harbour. The
Automatic Identification System
works through a transponder
on ships, similar to those found
on aeroplanes. It sends a signal
via VHF radio giving the ship’s
identity, position, course and
speed. The information then
appears on a computer screen
for Environment Canterbury to
review.
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GIVE THE GIFT OF A
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This is the sort of ‘repair’
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THE FEELERS
THE MOCKERS
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Ph: 03 377 8855 | 127 Ferry Road, Christchurch City
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