Nor'West News: May 28, 2019

NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tuesday May 28 2019 7
in Merivale
ENGAGED:
Sherrill Moore
(front) follows
the stretching
instructions.
STICK: Valda
Ogilvie (right)
uses the
equipment at
the The Corner.
•From page 1
But when Harewood resident
Terry Donaldson then questioned
the “controlled” environment of the
session, it was met with applause.
Mr Donaldson lives near Nunweek
Park and uses the intersection
often to visit his daughter on Seddon
St.
He said the proposed U-turn option
would not meet the needs of the
community and that traffic lights
were the appropriate “long-term
answer.”
But he was hoping to hear other
residents’ thoughts on the matter.
“You’ve got to have an open meeting.
One resident might trigger an
idea for another,” he said.
Northwood resident Suzanne
Walker attended both meetings as
she and her husband regularly use
the intersection and want traffic
lights installed.
Ms Walker said at the meeting on
Tuesday, around 50 residents were
not told they could not ask questions
publicly until after the presentation.
“There was a very strong vibe of
frustration at the meeting,” she said.
Transport planning and delivery
manager Lynette Ellis said the idea
of the smaller groups was for people
to get information face to face with
one of the project team.
Ms Ellis said the project team
listened to the ideas of residents and
discussed common themes after the
sessions finished.
City councillor Aaron Keown
called the process a “cop-out.”
In response to the demand from
residents, Cr Keown will host an
informal meeting in the Bishopdale
Community Centre from 6-7pm on
Thursday.
Cr Keown has organised the session
and is paying to hire the hall
out of his own pocket as it is not a
council event.
“If some members of the public
want to vent and have big public
meetings, we should do that.
“I’ve never seen passion around an
intersection quite like this one,” Cr
Keown said.
He said he will not influence any
of the resident’s decision-making at
the meeting and will just provide
information on the consultation and
how to make a submission.
Local
News
Now
Councillor to host informal meeting
CROWDED:
Around 60
people,
including Terry
Donaldson,
attended
a drop-in
session.
Fire rages, homes at risk
Cr Keown asked Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood
Community Board
chairman Sam MacDonald about
the possibility of the board hosting
the event.
But Mr MacDonald said it was not
a good idea.
“I’ve made it clear to Cr Keown
that if he wishes to host his own
public meeting it’s up to him. But
certainly, from a board member’s
point of view, we want to go to the
council with a credible recommendation.”
“The last thing I want to do is pit
the community against council staff.”
Public consultation will be open
until June 10.
•If you want to have your
say, visit: https://ccc.govt.nz/
the-council/consultations-andsubmissions/haveyoursay/
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