North Canterbury News: October 21, 2021

EARTHMOVING
The North Canterbury News, October 21, 2021
27
LOTT CONTRACTING ADVERTISING FEATURE
River repair work ... Flood recovery work is ongoing following the May 31 flood event.
Flood work ongoing
Waimakariri’sfloodrepair bill is less
than originally thought.
In reports preparedbyWaimakariri
District Council utilities and roading
manager Gerard Cleary and recovery
manager Simon Hart,the cost to the
council fromthe May 31 flood eventis
$2.82million, less than the $3.5 million
approved by the councilinMarch.
Whilethe official recoveryfrom the
May 31 floodevent is complete, with the
majorinfrastructureissues largely
resolved,anumberofprojects are
ongoing and this work will be
undertaken by the utilities and roading
team.This includes repairs to bridge
approaches,such as scouring
protection.
The reportsidentifiedthe need for
continuedmonitoring of river flows,
which continue to be high and result in
fordsremaining closed.
Work to repair damage aroundfords
will occur alongside Environment
Canterbury’s (ECan) riverworksand as
riverflows allow.
Further grading on unsealed roads
across the networkisneededtoaddress
issues with damageand potholing due to
ongoing wet weatherand saturated
pavements.
Ongoing work will be needed to secure
the LeesValley access ways, including
the Whistler Bridge whichremains
exposed to river scouring and was
previously protected by gabions.
Re­shaping of the abutments at both
ends of Whistler Bridge and at Five
Gullies Bridge willbeneeded, as these
remain exposed through alack of robust
The Widest Music Variety
PHOTO: FILE
rock protection, the report says.
Ongoing work is needed around the
‘‘Okuku Cluster’’,asresidents were
adversely affected by the Okuku River
breakout. ECanhas begun discussions
with residentsabout future river
protection options and future river
ratingareas.
Working is continuing with ECan at
the Pines Kairakiarea on BeachRoad to
co­ordinateand repair the headwall
structure, the upstream headwall of the
culvert, and to makemodificationstothe
culvert, flapgate and stopbank at
Kairaki Creek.
Further investigation is needed into
the Smarts Road and Feathers Road
area,where overland flooding caused
issues at anumber of properties.
Around 245 service requests were
received by the utilities and roading
team as aresult of the flood event and
further assessmentisneeded to
determineifany furthermaintenance or
investigation is warranted at key sites.
Therewas also asubstantial amountof
infrastructure damage surrounding the
Coopers Creekheadworks, and
connectionacross to Mountain Road.
Staffhave undertaken an options
assessment, and have recommended to
the council that this headworks be
abandoned, and the MountainRoad
properties connected to the Oxford
Rural No.1 watersupply.
Further workalongside Environment
Canterbury includesthe installation of
the stopbank at Waikuku,including the
sealing of the top of this as part of the
road network through the car park.
Another day at the office ...
Dave’spassion for dozers
Lott Contracting has been servicing the
Hurunui district’s earthmoving needs
since 1957.
Company founder Dave Lott began
operatingbulldozers many years
before that.
Dave was born in 1929 and at age 92
is still operating his John Deere 750J
bulldozer daily, often from dawn til
dusk.
Not only will you find Dave in the
bulldozer, but he always has his wee
fox terrier Tui, with him at work to
keep him company.
Dave started out drivingD8dozers
for the Ministry of Works on the
Roxburgh Dam.
He spent many hours workingin
freezing conditions as the dozers never
had cabs back then.
He travelled to Australia and
operated bulldozers on water schemes
and in opencast coal mines.
On his return to New Zealand, Dave
was offered the opportunity to buy an
International TD9A from Trevor
Taylor (a returned serviceman).
The business was based in Waiau
and this is where it has remained since
1957.
Dave’s son Billy also has dieselinhis
blood and joined his Dad in business in
1999.
Today they have aworkforce of 15
and operate an array of machines,
includingbulldozers, diggers, trucks,
Dave Lott at work behind the wheel of abulldozer.
PHOTO: FILE
loaders and offer shingle supplies.
The company does alarge variety of
earthworks.
‘‘We do alot of work for sheep and
beef farmers including maintenance
and track work and work in the hill
country,’’ Billy Lott says.
‘‘Most farmers around here have a
Lott Block on their farms named after
Dave.
‘‘We also do alot of work alongside
ECan, particularly around river
protection.
‘‘The majority of the original river
protection around Waiau was put in
voluntarily by Dave Lott and Waiau
locals.’’
Dave has enjoyed working on many
different farms throughout the
Hurunui and always enjoys catching
up with the farmersfor ayarn.
His daily office scenery is forever
changing and never are there two days
the same.
Driving bulldozershas and will
always be his passion.
The future of Lott Contracting looks
promising with Dave’s grandchildren
sharing his love of machinery.
‘‘They are extremely lucky to have
Dave as their role model, his work
ethic is second to none and his love of
his job is what has kept his own tracks
turning for so long,’’ Billy says.
Dave has no plans to slow down
anytime soon.
Tune in nowtolistenon104.9 North Canterbury
and103.7 Hanmer Springs andKaikoura
We operate thefollowing machinery...
● EXCAVATORS ● DOZERS ● DUMP TRUCKS ● LOADERS ● ROLLER
● TRUCK &TRAILER ● SHINGLE SCREEN ● GRADER
And offer the following services
● SHINGLE SUPPLIES ● RIVER PROTECTION ● PIPE LAYING ● IRRIGATION
● DAIRY LANES ● LAND CONTOURING ● BREAKING IN NEW LAND ● ROOT RAKING
● DISCING ● ROLLER DRILLING ● TRANSPORTING ● ROADING/TRACKING ● DAMS/PONDS
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