North Canterbury News: June 25, 2021
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RainbringsAqua parktolife<br />
By DAVID HILL<br />
NEWS<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>June</strong> 24, <strong>2021</strong><br />
3<br />
Kaiapoi’s proposed aqua play park could<br />
be openbylate October.<br />
Watertest resultstoensurepublic<br />
safety, which delayed the resource<br />
consent process for the project due to a<br />
lack of rain, are now under way.<br />
In apresentation to Monday evening’s<br />
KaiapoiTuahiwiCommunity Board<br />
meeting, WHoW Charitable Trust trustees<br />
JasonMill and Tony Joseph said water<br />
testingresultsfollowing the May 31 flood<br />
eventhad come back better than expected.<br />
The proposed site is alake in Kaiapoi’s<br />
NCF Reserve, tuckedinbehindCourtenay<br />
Drive, in theformer residential red zone.<br />
The Waimakariri District Council hopes<br />
to begin public consultation on the project<br />
next week.<br />
Mr Millsaid the trust’s ecologist<br />
completed daily watertests in the days<br />
immediately following the flood eventand<br />
was pleasantly surprised at the results.<br />
‘‘We havecompleted watertests, depth<br />
testsand riparian edge tests,and we’ve<br />
done moretests following the flood. That<br />
was considered aone in ahundredyear<br />
floodevent and we’re not at critical levels,<br />
so that’s agood sign.<br />
‘‘We wereabit worried about the impact<br />
of aflush event, but it came backafterfour<br />
days (of testing)atbetter than it was.’’<br />
Should the projectgoahead,the trust<br />
anticipates the aquapark would close for<br />
aweek,following amajorrain event, to<br />
allowtime for testing to ensurepublic<br />
safety.<br />
Following advicefrom Environment<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> staff, WHoW aims to do 45<br />
watertests, at the trust’s expense. It has<br />
completed aquarter of them.<br />
‘‘We don’t needtodoall 45 tests, but we<br />
want to be as diligent as possible,’’MrMill<br />
said.<br />
As part of it’s social outcomes, the trust<br />
is looking to engage with 88 low decile<br />
schools, with the pupils assistingthe<br />
ecologist with the testing.<br />
‘‘It’s providing education and<br />
opportunities forthe kids. We teach them<br />
awee bit about water ecology, bird<br />
Aqua fun ... Consultation is expected to begin soon on Kaiapoi’s proposed aqua play<br />
park.<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
habitats, inangahabitats and the<br />
environment,’’ Mr Millsaid.<br />
Seven <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> schools,<br />
including Tuahiwi School havebeen<br />
invited to be part of the initiative, with the<br />
intention of providing the pupils with a<br />
free swimfor theirefforts.The trust is also<br />
keen to advanceits conversationswith<br />
Ngai Tuahuririinabid to support<br />
mahinga kai in the area, and already has a<br />
trustee fromTuahiwi.<br />
Should the trust be successful in<br />
obtaining aconsent, Mr Millisoptimistic<br />
the aqua playpark is on tracktoopen in<br />
late October and would operate for five<br />
months beforebeing packedaway over<br />
winter. It is basedonasuccessful concept<br />
employed at Lake Dunstan in Central<br />
Otagolast summer, and is intendedasa<br />
transitional projectfor threeyears while<br />
the trust works on the proposed aqua<br />
sports park.<br />
Mr Millsaid the trust has completed a<br />
marketingstudytogauge interest in the<br />
Greater Christchurch areaand has begun<br />
work on its full feasibility study.<br />
Racecourse quarry decision due early July<br />
By ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Adecision on applicationsbyTaggart<br />
EarthmovingLtd, to quarry gravel at the<br />
Rangiora Racecourse,should be known<br />
early next month.<br />
The hearing was closed on Friday,<br />
<strong>June</strong> 18, after the independent<br />
commissioners hearing the applications,<br />
received Taggart’s right of reply to<br />
submissions.<br />
The panel chair, Paul Rogers, says the<br />
parties can expect adecision‘‘on or<br />
about Friday,July 9’’.<br />
Submitterswho contactedthe <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong><strong>News</strong> believe Taggart’s right<br />
of reply minimisesconcerns raised at the<br />
hearing by residents, and experts.<br />
Theyalso feel the legal submissions<br />
madeonbehalf of Taggart Earthmoving<br />
Ltd,completely ignore many<br />
submissions and those who spoke at the<br />
hearing, apart from expertwitnesses.<br />
Taggart Earthmoving Ltd is proposing<br />
aquarrycovering 14.5hectares, with two<br />
hectares disturbed at atime.<br />
It seeks threeconsents fromECan and<br />
alanduse consent from the Waimakariri<br />
District Council, which would be active<br />
for 15 years.<br />
The proposal attracted404<br />
submissions, with 390 opposing it.<br />
Evidence was given on the first day of<br />
the hearing which began earlyMay, that<br />
the quarrywouldassist Taggart<br />
Earthmoving Ltd in meetingthe demand<br />
for aggregateinthe Waimakariridistrict<br />
withoutthe need for any crushing or<br />
screening on site.<br />
The hearingofthe resource consents<br />
was before two independent<br />
commissioners —chairman Mr Rogers<br />
and John Iseli, both of Christchurch—on<br />
behalf of Environment <strong>Canterbury</strong> and<br />
the WaimakaririDistrict Council.<br />
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