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Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor update August 2022
Co-governance set up for OARC
The foundations are now in place for the co-governance of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor.
Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Christchurch City Council have both confirmed their appointments to the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Go-governance Establishment Committee.
Council stops whitebaiters' vehicle access through OARC
Due to health and safety concerns, whitebait enthusiasts will no longer be able to drive vehicles through the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Regeneration Area (OARC) to access the river when the season begins on 1 September.
Christchurch City Council Head of Parks Andrew Rutledge says whitebaiters are still welcome to access the river, but will need to walk from the public roads to their favourite haunts.
Schoolkids build their 'ultimate playground'
Every Friday morning, on the edge of the former residential red zone, a group of enthusiastic children pull on their gardening gloves and pick up their shovels, ready for some hard mahi.
The students are in Years 4 to 6 at Banks Avenue School and for the past five years they have been working to bring their vision of the ultimate playground to life.
Plenty of work on the horizon
We wanted to give you a heads-up on numerous projects and workstreams that we're currently working on. We'll share more information about each of these soon.
Stormwater projects:
Construction work continues at the Waitaki St wetland, and concept design work for stopbank and stormwater treatment facilities is under way for the Bexley and Wainoni Bridge areas. We'll share more information around these projects soon.
Upcoming engagement projects:
We're investigating and designing a large suite of projects that will see us engaging with mana whenua, local stakeholders and clubs over the latter part of this year, ahead of wider community engagement around Christmas-time. These include:
The City to Sea Pathway: This includes a fourth pedestrian bridge at the Dallington Loop. We plan to lodge consent early next year, before early works on the bridge begins in Q2. Work on the Pathway is set to begin late next year after the ground dries.
Bexley estuarine wetland: This includes creating stopbanks and a new stormwater management area. We plan to lodge consent early next year, with construction expected to begin late 2023.
Kerrs Reach Flatwater Hub and Wainoni Landing: This will see the existing flatwater facilities at Kerrs Reach moved to the opposite side of the Ōtākaro Avon River and the land developed into a new riverside landing. We plan to lodge consent in Q2 next year, with construction beginning in late 2023, subject to club funding arrangements.
Avon Park: We're looking to upgrade Avon Park and transform the lower area into a natural river wetland. Consent is scheduled to be lodged early next year, ahead of construction beginning in Q2.
Kerrs Reach 'Cut': Investigations into the viability of the proposed Kerrs Reach rowing ‘cut’ to the Ōtākaro Avon River are under way. We'll provide more information once we've received the first suite of technical assessments.
Dallington Landing volunteer planting days
Conservation Volunteers New Zealand (CVNZ) is creating a forest in the OARC, as part of the Rotary Forests of Peace and Remembrance project.
You can find out more about upcoming planting days between now and October, and how to register by clicking below.
By the end of the 2022 season we expect community groups, volunteers, corporate groups, the Red Zone Rangers and Council Parks teams will have put about 40,000 new plants into the ground!
Council staff are already planning for next year, with plant orders being logged shortly.
Teaming up to help the environment
Students from Climate Action Campus are teaming up with Christchurch City Council park rangers to plant native trees and shrubs on a parcel of former red zone land.
The Climate Action Campus takes students from nine different schools who are involved in creating gardens, orchards and greenhouses on a 1.8 hectare piece of former red zone land.
Barkery café a place for all
For Chief Barketing Officer, Jack Penniket, the perfect job didn’t exist – so he created it.
On the edge of the Ōtakaro Avon River Corridor, on the corner of New Brighton Road and Brooker Ave, sits the Barkery, the hottest new café in town.
While you’ll find plenty of coffee and tasty treats, you’ll also notice the café’s best customers all have four legs.
Final OARC footbridge opens
The final pedestrian bridge in the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor is complete.
The new Snell Place footbridge opened on May 27 with a small ceremony.
“These three bridges open will play a key role in the future City to Sea pathway which will run from the city to New Brighton,” says Christchurch City Council Head of Parks Andrew Rutledge.
You are receiving this bi-monthly newsletter as you've previously expressed interest in activities and developments within the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor. Feel free to forward to your networks and groups.
