Greetings from your Community Board

Highlights of our latest meeting

Our Community Board met on Wednesday 16 June.  We also received the Community Board Area Report for June 2021, which gives us an overview of all the great things going on in our community. It also talks about the issue of road cones cluttering our streets – which is a good time to remind you that you can use the handy Snap Send Solve app to report any stray cones, and prompt the Council to come and collect them. We also approved funding for a number of community projects including $8000 to Papanui Redwood Association Football Club towards new lights at Owen Mitchell Park, $2000 to Belfast Netball Club towards court hire and new balls, and $8698 to Styx Living Laboratory Trust towards  their current projects.

You can read the minutes for more details of these items and other topics, and find out the dates, times and details of upcoming Community Board and Council meetings here.

The Long Term Plan 2021–31 has been adopted

On Wednesday, councillors approved a 10-year budget that invests $3.8 billion into Christchurch’s three waters network and roading and transport systems, and heeds your calls to focus on getting the basics right. Catch up on the main items here.

Some of the notable things in the LTP for our area are:

•  The reinstatement of $3 million funding in the 2031-2032 year for rebuilding a community facility at 10 Shirley Rd. This was removed in the last long term plan in 2018 and our Board has been advocating for it’s reinstatement since then. There is also $35,000 on budget in 2021/2022 for an updated feasibility study to look at options for the funding, including incorporating the currrent Shirley Library.
• $500,000 has been retained in the budget for 2031/2032 as the Council’s contribution to a community partnership development of a community facility between Redwood and Prestons.
• There is budget for a new youth facility (possibly a skate park) in the Papanui area to be completed in 2028.
• The budget to repair the Sheldon Park netball courts and pavilion has been brought forward to allow work to take place in 2022/2023.

You can look up the projects earmarked for the Papanui-Innes area using our online tool. This will be updated soon with the final figures, and we'll let you know. In the meantime, you can read the minutes here.

Council adopts climate resilience strategy

We've adopted a climate resilience strategy and put money in the Long Term Plan towards helping the city achieve its climate change goals. With the adoption of the Kia Tūroa Te Ao, Ōtautahi Climate Resilience Strategy 2021 we have a framework for action that will help Christchurch reach the target of net zero emissions by 2045.

Our 2021 Representation Review has concluded

On Friday 18 June, councillors adopted the final proposal for Christchurch’s representation arrangements, deciding how many elected members there should be and what communities they should represent at the next local elections in 2022. There have been a few tweaks to the current ward boundaries, but overall the review resulted in a proposal for Christchurch to continue to be represented by a Mayor, 16 Councillors, and 37 community board members representing 16 wards. The Mayor will be elected ‘at large’ by the whole city, and each ward will elect its own Councillor and Community Board members.
 
The biggest change involves reducing the number of community boards from seven to six, by dividing the Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board and merging each ward into the three nearby Community Boards with common interests – the Linwood ward will join Waitai Coastal-Burwood, the Central ward Waipapa Papanui-Innes, and the Heathcote ward Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere.
 
You can see summary maps in the Council report and if you have any questions, please get in touch at engagement@ccc.govt.nz 

You can make appeals and objections from 25 June to 25 July at Have Your Say.

The final proposal will now be referred to the Local Government Commission for a final determination in early 2022 – after any objections have been resolved, and ahead of the next local body elections in October 2022.

Tīrama Mai brings the light this winter

Tīrama Mai, meaning to illuminate or bring light, celebrates Matariki, our people and our unique local landscape from Friday 25 June until Saturday 10 July, between 6pm to 11pm every night.

Christchurch’s central city and New Brighton will be transformed with a series of innovative lighting installations, projections and illuminated artworks created by some of Canterbury's best lighting artists and creative minds.

Explore the lighting trails located around The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, Worcester Boulevard, Ōtākaro Avon River, Riverside Market, New Regent Street, Victoria Square and New Brighton Pier.

Tīrama Mai is proudly produced by Christchurch City Council and will conclude with a Matariki fireworks display on Saturday 10 July in New Brighton.