Bay Harbour: June 23, 2021

Bay Harbour News Wednesday June 23 2021
8
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Cabbage trees replaced
TREE WARRIORS: Oliver Lewis and a team of volunteers braved the rain on Sunday to
plant 24 cabbage trees, replacing the ones that had been poisoned in 2018. ​
• By Samantha Mythen
DRIZZLING RAIN and cold
weather did not prevent 30
volunteers from planting more
than 300 natives and 24 cabbage
trees along the Coastal Pathway
on Sunday.
Oliver Lewis, who has a passion
for cabbage trees, had set
up a fundraiser to replace the
24 that were poisoned along the
Coastal Pathway in 2018. Nearly
$800 was raised.
The person who poisoned the
trees has never been identified.
“I’m really happy the trees are
back in their rightful place and I
can’t wait to see them mature in
the years to come,” said Lewis.
Christchurch Coastal Pathway
Group chairman Hanno Sander
said: “The cabbage trees look
great and I think they will make
a good addition to the Coastal
Pathway.”
The other native plants were
bought from money raised by
the Coastal Pathway Group. The
plants were supplied by Trees 4
Canterbury.
“This planting was a wonderful
demonstration of the passion
the neighbours of the Coastal
Pathway have for their area,” said
Sander.
Said Lewis: “Lots of passing
motorists tooted in support, so
I just hope the groundswell of
enthusiasm for the project shows
people who think they can mess
with public trees that they’re on
the wrong side of history.”
Sensors cause
Dyers Pass delays
• By Samantha Mythen
CONTINUING frustration from
drivers about road works on
Dyers Pass has resulted in action
from the city council.
Added delays to travel times
over Dyers Pass Rd have been
caused by road users not activating
traffic light sensors.
To address this, city council
head of transport Lynette Ellis
said it is adding a painted limit
line and signage to assist people
with stopping in the right place,
so the lights are activated.
There is also a phone number
that anyone who has problems
with the traffic lights can call.
Governors Bay residents have
been posting on social media to
let others know when the traffic
lights have stalled.
Ellis said some of the recent
delays occurred when a rock hit
and severed a traffic light cable,
resulting in a complete outage.
“The traffic management team
responded to that by getting a
stop/go system
operating while
the lights were
fixed,” she said.
Ellis said the
city council had
received about
10 complaints
Lynette Ellis
and queries
about the traffic
lights since the
road works began.
The city council has reinstalled
electronic signs to remind road
users of the delays as contractors
are operating on several longer
work sites.
Uncertain future for
Akaroa’s Yew Cottage
• By Samantha Mythen
YEW COTTAGE in Akaroa
is still set to undergo a full
restoration, but there is an
ongoing conversation about its
long-term future.
The historic building recently
flooded during the bad weather.
In 2019, the Banks Peninsula
Community Board decided to
restore the building at 40 Rue
Jolie and hold on to it, rather
than sell it after it was restored.
City council head of parks
Andrew Rutledge said: “The
cottage is a good example of a
period in Akaroa’s history and
the community board would
like to retain this part of the
settlement’s history.”
He said the community
board approved the repair of
Yew Cottage to comply with
residential tenancy standards,
which would enable it to be
leased out as a residential
dwelling.
This repair work involves
lifting the building above flood
levels.
However, last Monday, the
community board discussed
whether this was still the best
option for the future as they had
concerns about the low-lying area
in which the cottage was situated.
Community board
chairwoman Tori Peden said:
“As the cottage is increasingly
vulnerable to flooding and
coastal inundation, we have
asked the city council to look at
the situation again and consider
what is the best option for its
future.”
Rutledge said repair work
has begun to stop the cottage
from deteriorating, yet the full
restoration will not be completed
until the end of 2025 due to
funding availability.
The community board has
requested a new report from
staff reconsidering the
cottage’s future.
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