The Star: March 07, 2024

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The Star Thursday March 7 2024 SPONSORED CONTENT 22 NEWS Local Videos WORTH A WATCH Parakiore contractor drops court appeal Gondola a prime spot to experience SailGP THE ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix is returning to Lyttelton Harbour this month for another fantastic racing event, and the Christchurch Gondola is once again in prime position for a bird’s-eye view of the racing. The function and events space on a private level of the Christchurch Gondola’s summit station complex atop the Port Hills looks directly down over Lyttelton Harbour and the SailGP race circuit, offering a unique and spectacular view from above of the exciting race action below. Tables seating up to four and six people are available to book to watch the racing from on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March in the exclusive viewing area. Commentated racing will be livestreamed on screens inside the space to complement your viewing experience, and the Christchurch Gondola’s chefs have created bespoke platters that will be available to purchase, along with beverages to further enhance the experience. Car parking is available on site at the Christchurch Gondola’s base station, only 15 minutes from the city centre, and the private viewing space will be open from 1pm each day ahead of the racing. Limited tables are available to watch this exciting racing event, and the Christchurch Gondola looks forward to welcoming guests to join them to experience the SailGP action at Lyttelton Harbour this month. • See the Christchurch Attractions website www. christchurchattractions.nz/sailgp for further information and bookings, or contact bdm@ christchurchattractions.nz for any questions Find them all and more at: Rush is on for central city apartments Vintage cars turn heads on tribute run Three months until vandalised statue repaired Old YMCA building demolition almost finished Click the video tab starnews.co.nz FOR THEM Visit greatbighearingcheck.co.nz to check your hearing & for every check we’ll donate $1 to support Kiwi kids’ hearing health. Proudly supporting NZ Hearing Awareness Month
Thursday March 7 2024 The Star Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz LETTERS 23 Concerns over safety of apartments YOUR FRONT page fire story (February 29) and photos have to be a wake-up call for many. Christchurch residents’ associations have long opposed the proliferation of lower-end multi-apartment developments, on aesthetic grounds and because of the destruction of trees which provide shade and bird habitat, plus the additional stress they place on parking and other infrastructure. These are all valid concerns. Association members have been called selfish nimbys. I never bought that label, but we obviously didn’t see the fire (literally) through the smoke (screen) we conveniently created for developers, investors and our council, in fluffing about with our first-world whinges. We did not see the much bigger and truly sinister picture. How did we all miss this significant safety and health issue? And now we know about it, we surely can’t unsee it, can we? It’s true these places are aimed at the vulnerable. Three quarters are owned by investors who let them out at huge rentals to people who can ill-afford them, many being subsidised by the taxpayer. They’re not long-term homes; there’s no room to hang out a decent load of washing, let alone swing a cat or a tennis racket. They’re stepping stones, to nowhere some will say, and they won’t age well. But until we walked past the scene of the fire on New Brighton Rd, and imagined the terror – of being on the high second level while flames raged up the stairs – we didn’t truly understand the extent of that vulnerabilty. Like other onlookers, we shocked by the pitiful and futile attempts a desperate mother must have made to smash double-glazed windows which don’t open more than 15cms. We saw buckled stays which showed us how desperately she must have tried to force them, before dropping her baby from such a height, and then smashing her own way out. Most such FIRE TRAP: Readers say property developers bear some responsibility for the recent fire at a block of apartments on New Brighton Rd, Shirley. apartments do not have secondfloor doors or balconies. In the days since, I’ve heard of a man in his 60s who made a rope ladder when he was housed in a three storey unit in Salisbury St. One could not get a more third world solution, surely? And of a profoundly deaf woman who has been refused by her landlord an upgraded fire alarm, consequently sleeping in her downstairs living area. Is this what the Fire Service means when it exhorts us all to plan our escape routes in case of emergency? Does it have any say in the consenting process of these developments? I live next door to a block of five, and although I am first to say they are not the bogey houses we feared, I now look at the tenants in a new light. For the first time I’ve looked at their window design and configuration. I know I would never be able to get out of those in an emergency, and I sincerely hope they have taken all possible steps to protect themselves, until someone in authority steps up to the plate to look after them. And I hope that is very soon, as accidents will always happen. – June Peka Of course it’s good news no one died at the fire at one of the flats on New Brighton Rd opposite The Palms. Of course it’s good that the firewalls in between the flats stopped the fire from spreading. However, there is no mention of the fact that only a very small part of the top-floor windows can only be opened, making it almost impossible to get out quickly. Why were these flats allowed to be built with such a lack of fire-safety planning? Who is responsible, the developers, council? – Ann Vanschevensteen Smart poles I am firmly against the installation of smart poles in our city. These poles are promoted as tools to enhance safety, yet their actual effectiveness is questionable. First, the surveillance cameras on these poles might merely shift anti-social behaviours to areas beyond their reach, failing to address the underlying causes of crime. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these cameras is dubious without swift police intervention, which appears to be waning. Additionally, features such as car and pedestrian counting provoke concerns about the real intentions behind these poles. Are they truly aimed at security, or do they serve a more sinister purpose? We must not overlook the broader consequences of perpetual surveillance. These poles are a step towards We want to hear your views on the issues affecting life in Canterbury Send emails to: barry@ starmedia.kiwi Letters may be edited or rejected at Star Media’s discretion. Letters should be about 200 words. A name, postal address and phone number should be provided. Please use your real name, not a nickname, alias, pen name or abbreviation. normalising invasive monitoring throughout our city, all under the pretence of developing a ‘smart city’ and enhancing our ‘safety.’ In truth, this is surveillance masqueraded as advancement. Intrusive cameras have already been installed at our intersections without our consent. As the adage warns, sacrificing privacy for safety leads to the loss of both. We must oppose this infringement on our privacy and freedoms. – James Andrews THree smart poles are to be built in Christchurch to keep us safe. Pedestrian and vehicle counting are part of the functions and we are told they are completely anonymous. I feel safer already. Security cameras on the poles will be linked to the police but as understaffed police reportedly didn’t even look at CCTV camera footage of an attempted abduction of a primary school aged child in Lyttleton and another in Woolston earlier this year, I fail to see how this will make anyone any safer. These poles will also feature free WiFi to add to the EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) pollution and keep us looking at our phones. I really feel safe now. Funding has come from the previous government’s support package for community wellbeing. What a relief it’s only my tax money that’s being wasted not my rates money. – D Downward LIVE ON SENZ RADIO 1260 AM
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The Star: March 07, 2024

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