North Canterbury News: July 08, 2021
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
NEWS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>July</strong> 8, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Flood prompts community clean up day<br />
By DAVID HILL<br />
11<br />
The prospect of rubbish buildingupatthe<br />
AshleyRakahuri River estuaryfollowing<br />
the recentfloodhas prompted a<br />
community clean up.<br />
Various community groups have joined<br />
forces to plan ariver clearup between<br />
the Okuku junctionand the estuaryon<br />
Sunday,<strong>July</strong> 25.<br />
Concernedatthe prospect of abuild up<br />
of rubbish on the beach and grass berms<br />
along the river banks, Ashley Rakahuri<br />
RivercareGroup (ARRG) secretaryJoan<br />
Miles visited theWaimakariri District<br />
Council community team to enquirewhat<br />
the council wasgoing to do aboutit.<br />
Her conversationwithcommunity<br />
developmentfacilitatorMartin Pugh<br />
quicklyexpanded to includethe Rangiora<br />
RotaryClub, theCombined 4Wheel Drive<br />
Clubs,the RangioraTrampingClub,Eco<br />
Educate and theWaimakariri Youth<br />
Council.<br />
The council’s community teamand<br />
solid waste unitwillbeinvolvedin<br />
disposing of the collectedrubbishand<br />
Environment<strong>Canterbury</strong> (ECan)staff will<br />
alsobeprovidingsupport.<br />
While thefloodeventhas prompted the<br />
groups to come together forthe clean up,<br />
ARRGmember Grant Davey says<br />
dumpingofrubbish has long beena<br />
problem at theriver.<br />
‘‘Some of it is justlitterpeople<br />
throwing out KFCboxesand other<br />
takeaways, beer bottles, generalrubbish,<br />
old furniture and plastics, and youget<br />
hunters andlifestylers throwing awaythe<br />
remains of dead animals.<br />
‘‘People justuse the river as adumping<br />
ground and ECan is lefttodo it,but it<br />
needs morehelp.The flood has actually<br />
washed some of it away, butit’s starting to<br />
build up again.’’<br />
Mrs Milessaysshe would likethe<br />
community to takebetter careoftheir<br />
Dumping ground ... Dumping of rubbish is amajor issue at the Ashley Rakahuri River.<br />
localrivers.<br />
‘‘It’s timelytoremind people that we’ve<br />
got this beautiful braided river and the<br />
OkukuRiverisbraided too.<br />
‘‘These rivers belong to the<br />
Waimakaririand we’vegot to lookafter<br />
them.’’<br />
The cleanupwill take place on Sunday,<br />
<strong>July</strong>25, from 10am to 1pmand thepublic<br />
is encouraged to getinvolved.There will<br />
be threeclean up teams on theday.<br />
Thefirst team, led by PaulDelisfrom<br />
theCombined 4WheelDriveClubs, will<br />
tackle the north sideofthe riverbetween<br />
State Highway 1and the estuary and will<br />
comprisemembersofthe 4WDclubs, the<br />
Waimakariri Youth Council andstudents.<br />
TheRangiora RotaryClub, ledby<br />
Paddy Quinlan, willtackle theRakahuri<br />
Trail andpicnicground,whilethe ARRG<br />
PHOTOS:GRANT DAVEY<br />
and Rangiora TrampingClubwill do a<br />
clean up on the south side betweenthe<br />
Okuku junctionand the RangioraAirport,<br />
led by ECan rangerSimon Woods.<br />
‘‘It’s onlyhalf theriver, so this is just the<br />
first stage. We willneedtodoanother one<br />
later in theyear,’’Mrs Miles says.<br />
For moreinformation contact Martinat<br />
martin.pugh@wmk.govt.nz or phone<br />
021567544.<br />
Online shopping<br />
nowavailable<br />
at Rangiora<br />
Choose delivery to your<br />
door or Click &Collect.
Change language