North Canterbury News: May 05, 2022
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NEWS<br />
2 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>May</strong> 5, <strong>2022</strong><br />
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Connectivity push continues<br />
Waimakariri MP MattDoocey vows to<br />
keep advocating for business owners and<br />
residentsin<strong>North</strong><strong>Canterbury</strong> for<br />
improved connectivity.<br />
While partsofthe region can look<br />
forward to improvements in their internet<br />
and phone services thanks to the latest<br />
fibre rollout,there remains alarge<br />
population for whomreliable connectivity<br />
is still adistant dream.<br />
Mr Doocey brought the area’sservice<br />
providers together on Monday evening, at<br />
the Mandeville SportsClub, to update<br />
residents, afterhosting apublic meeting in<br />
December, where residents reported<br />
widespread issues across parts of the<br />
district.<br />
Spark,inparticular, was under fireat<br />
the Decembermeeting,with its<br />
engagement and planningmanager<br />
GraemeMcCarrisonfielding muchofthe<br />
criticism. Mr McCarrison,onbehalf of<br />
Spark,agreedtoinvestinthe region’s<br />
infrastructure to improve connectivityfor<br />
residentsand business owners.<br />
Mr McCarrison said on Monday evening,<br />
Spark had worked with individuals to<br />
ensurethose with medical issues and<br />
other emergency situations had had their<br />
connectivityissues resolved.<br />
It was notgoing to be aquick fix forthe<br />
whole area, and Sparkcommitted to<br />
continue its project to work through all<br />
those other cases identified at the<br />
previous meeting.<br />
AmuriNet’sChris Roberts outlined the<br />
Mandeville areadue to secure fibre by the<br />
end of the year, but saidthose outsidethe<br />
works area stood to be included as the<br />
network expanded.<br />
Residents needed to lobby council and<br />
governmenttomake sure they were heard,<br />
he said.<br />
Mr Doocey said it was clear Sparkhad<br />
pickedupits engagement. Communication<br />
had caused alot of theconcerns raisedat<br />
Connectivity ... Spark’s engagement and planning manger Graeme McCarrison speaking<br />
at apublic meeting in Mandeville on Monday evening about connectivity. Waimakariri MP<br />
Matt Doocey is in the foreground.<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
the last meeting, and it was heartening to<br />
see fewerpeople had this complaintsix<br />
months on.<br />
However, in adeveloped country like<br />
New Zealand, he couldsee very little<br />
reason why provincial and rural residents<br />
should not enjoy the same quality of<br />
technology servicesasthose in larger<br />
centres.<br />
‘‘I’ve beenadvocating for these residents<br />
and businessesfor some time now,and I<br />
hearhow incredibly frustratingitistrying<br />
to operate from home.<br />
‘‘This was made all the more apparent<br />
whenschool and university students<br />
needed to access the same network for<br />
their studies during Covid lockdowns.<br />
‘‘Itisnot goodenoughtoblame<br />
shelterbelts, or claimthese customers live<br />
CULVERDEN GALLERY<br />
wishes to advise that we will be<br />
closing in the next few weeks.<br />
We thank all those who have<br />
supported us over the last ten<br />
years.<br />
Now may be an opportune time<br />
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Phone or text 027 399 9<strong>05</strong>5<br />
or 03 315 8335 Friday to Sunday.<br />
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in the middle of nowhere.<br />
‘‘These are business owners tryingto<br />
work from home less than half an hour’s<br />
drivefromthe middleofChristchurch<br />
city.’’<br />
Mr Doocey said it was vital to remain<br />
vocalifthe community were to expect<br />
results, with many other areas of New<br />
Zealand vying for inclusion with every<br />
fibreexpansion project.<br />
‘‘Thesqueakywheel getsthe oil,sowe<br />
all need to be making sure we are heard<br />
loud and clear ahead of the government’s<br />
next announcement.’’<br />
Afurther meeting will be held in six<br />
months’ time when the community willbe<br />
updated on Spark’s progress to find<br />
solutions for all those stillaffected by a<br />
lack of service.<br />
Irresponsible behaviour may lead to dog ban<br />
By SHELLEY TOPP<br />
Banning dogs from Waimakariri’s<br />
TuhaitaraCoastal Park is being<br />
considered due to the irresponsible<br />
behaviourofsome dog owners.<br />
Dogs are permitted in parts of the park,<br />
but must be on alead andunder control at<br />
all times.<br />
They are notallowedwithin the<br />
Tutaepatu Lagoon or Te Kohanga<br />
Wetlands areas at all, except on the main<br />
trails on alead, and dog owners must also<br />
always collect and removetheir dog’spoo<br />
from the park.<br />
Despite the rules, and extensive work<br />
done by the park'strustees and rangers<br />
during the last decadetoeducatethe<br />
public,dog poo and dog poo bags are still<br />
beingleft in the park, especially at the trail<br />
entrances.<br />
‘‘It has been aserious problemfor some<br />
time and has now reached the stage where<br />
it is ahealthrisk to other users of the<br />
park,’’says Greg Byrnes, the general<br />
managerofthe Te Kohaka oTutaitara<br />
Trust which managesthe park.<br />
‘‘The trustees are seriously considering<br />
banningdogs from the wetland areas as<br />
apart fromthe dog poo and dog poo bags,<br />
many peoplelet their dogsoff the leash,’’<br />
he says.<br />
‘‘Of course we are quite proud and<br />
protective of the wetlands and the hard<br />
work done by the trustand volunteers to<br />
improvehabitat for nativefauna.’’ he says.<br />
Mr Byrnessays at Te Kohanga Wetlands<br />
there is aresident populationofSpoonbill,<br />
regularsightings of Kotuku, MarshCrake<br />
and evenBittern.<br />
‘‘So yes, the trustees are very close to<br />
making that call to ban dogs from the<br />
park.’’<br />
He saysitisfrustratingdespite the hard<br />
work done to educatethe public about<br />
‘‘thefragility and wonderofthese rare<br />
coastal wetlandsand the native fauna and<br />
flora’’.<br />
Although there is no fine for leavingdog<br />
poo in the park,people caught doing so<br />
will be trespassed from the area.<br />
‘‘It is extreme but we havenothing else,’’<br />
Mr Byrne says. If the decision is to ban<br />
dogs in our highly sensitive areas,wewill<br />
police it and it will become an offence<br />
underthe TrespassAct if you are<br />
trespassed and return.<br />
‘‘It is then apoliceand courts issue.’’<br />
Mr Byrne would like dog ownerswho<br />
leavedog poo in the park to realise they<br />
are creating ahealth problem for rangers<br />
working there, and themany people<br />
visiting the park.<br />
He also saysthey should not be ``so<br />
selfish’’asother dog ownersrespected the<br />
park,and keptdogs on leads.<br />
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