Nor'West News: July 03, 2018

NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tuesday July 3 2018 5
News
Call for action as reserve
becomes ‘a swamp’
• By Sophie Conrish
David
A ST Albans resident is calling
for urgent drainage work at
Rutland Reserve, saying it
currently looks like a “bloody
disaster.”
David Brown first contacted
the Papanui-Innes Community
Board about the reserve in February.
However, little has been
done to address
its flooding issue
since.
“The high water
level is flooding
onto the adjoining
reserve land, causing
a large area to
become a swamp,”
he said.
Brown
Mr Brown was told by the
community board in February
it would ensure city council staff
meet or get in touch with him
about the issue.
“To the best of my knowledge,
no such invitation has been
issued to me and I suspect the
drainage personnel are none the
wiser about the condition of the
reserve,” he said in a recent letter
to the community board.
Mr Brown, who has lived in
SWAMP: A St Albans resident wants action taken to stop the
flooding at Rutland Reserve.
Rutland St for 14 years, believes
the water level is high enough in
some places that someone could
drown if they fell in.
He said the resolution is
simple. “Clean the existing drain
that council staff and I dug out
by hand (two years ago), lower
the water level and restore the
reserve so that everyone can use
it.”
The community board requested
an update on the work
being done or planned for the
reserve. It hoped to get an urgent
response to Mr Brown.
“It needs to be returned to its
former glory as a reserve where
people can fly kites, kick a ball
around, play cricket and do what
they want to do on it as they
once did,” said Mr Brown.
“At the moment the only
people that are enjoying it is the
pukekos and ducks.”
City council manager community
parks Al Hardy said it
was aware of the flooding issue
in the reserve.
He said it will continue to
carry out riparian planting to
moderate the water flow.
• By Sophie Cornish
VEHICLES SKIDDING through
a Redwood reserve are causing
damage, safety concerns and a
big headache for one resident.
Simon Britten first reported the
problem at Barnes Reserve to the
city council in about
July last year.
After being told
it would be looked
into, he is still
trying to get the
reserve secured a
year later.
“Having the
reserve accessible
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
Resident’s bid to stop cars
entering Redwood Park
Simon
Britten
STILL ACCESSIBLE: The
Barnes Rd entrance to Barnes
Reserve was still accessible
for vehicles to enter last week.
for vehicles is a serious hazard to
pedestrians and cyclists who use
the pathway,” said Mr Britten.
“Especially at night, given this
is when a car is more likely to be
in there doing skids, and noting
that the park is unlit.”
Mr Britten contacted the city
council about the issue again
in September and was told the
reserve had been left accessible
to vehicles so work could be
completed.
However, a further request was
logged to see if this was still the
case and whether it was possible
for fences to be reinstated and the
grass repaired.
Last week, city council manager
community parks Al Hardy
said the reserve is not accessible
to vehicles.
“Fences run along the
northern, eastern and southern
boundaries. Shrub borders also
prohibit vehicle access.”
However, Mr Britten said this
is incorrect and provided photos
to Nor’West News showing an
unsecured entrance.
“This entrance has two posts
that would typically be raised to
form a vehicle barrier, but they’ve
been in the pictured ‘down’ position
since some time last year,”
he said.
A similar entrance at the
southern part of the reserve has
since been secured after Mr Britten
contacted city council about
it in June.
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