Over the past week the Christchurch City Council has been hearing submissions on the city’s draft Annual Plan, and feedback on cycleways, including the Wheels to Wings – Papanui ki Waiwhetū major cycle route, is overwhelmingly positive.
A photo taken on Harewood Rd from a bike mounted camera showing a close pass from a driver towing a trailer. This image accompanied my Facebook post encouraging people to submit on the Annual Plan in general and on the Wheels to Wings in particular.
Last year I wrote to clarify that during the two rounds of public consultation on the Wheels to Wings, only a minority of submissions opposed the project. “How terrible it would be for the community to be denied the cycleway on the basis of this minority opposition?” I said at the time.
There’s a lot to do in the Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board area this coming weekend. Here’s what’s in my diary:
Friday 2 December
The Avebury Xmas Night Market runs from 3:30pm to 7:30pm at Avebury House, 9 Eveleyn Couzins Avenue, Richmond. “…over 40 amazing stallholders bringing a huge variety of locally-crafted, homemade arts and wares; great food; live music; and the star on the tree – Santa! Free Santa selfies for kids of all ages – in the house! We’d love to see you!“
Carols at the Pa takes place at Rehua Marae, 79 Springfield Road, St Albans, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, with kapa haka, carols, and kia & craft stalls.
I’ll be heading to Global + Local Climate Action: Where to from here? at the Aldersgate Centre, 309 Durham St North, at 6pm. A chance to hear from Green Party Co-leader James Shaw and Christchurch City Councillor Sara Templeton for a kōrero about action on climate change both globally and at a local level. This event is free, but RSVPs are mandatory.
This Saturday there’s also the Edgeware Village Christmas Market from 10am to 2pm at the St Albans Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street. “30 stalls of creative products from local crafty people and a large plant sale. Enjoy the entertainment and food on site and find that perfect gift.“
Sunday 4 December
Sunday brings the Christmas Family Festival in Victoria Square, running from 11:30am to 5pm. “…live music, family entertainment, bouncy castles and food vendors. Local performers and music acts like the All Girl Big Band and Music with Michal will also be there. Word on the street is that Santa is also going to make an appearance.”
Is the Wheels to Wings – Papanui ki Waiwhetū major cycle route really ‘controversial’, or even ‘very controversial’, as some recent headlines* claimed, following the July decision of the council to approve the cycleway’s scheme design? The evidence suggests otherwise.
The Christchurch City Council’s 2021 representation review resulted in two significant changes to Papanui Ward from the 2022 election onwards: adjustments to the Ward’s boundaries; and also a change to the overall Community Board area.
Papanui Ward boundaries for the 2022 election. Image source: Christchurch City Council.
I have previously written about the Papanui Ward – see my 2019 article for an exploration of the area that it covers, (noting that the boundaries are changing as described below). This current article focuses on what’s changing. From the 2022 election onwards the composition of the Community Board also changes – Papanui and Innes Wards are joined by Central Ward to form the Waipapa/Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board.
I’m a member of the Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board (and am standing for re-election this year) but made this submission on my own behalf. The Community Board has no role in decision-making on the area.
In the interests of transparency my submission follows:
Image credit: Christchurch City Council
Q: Should the Council: invest an additional up to $150 million to enable the project to continue as planned; stop the project altogether; or pause and re-evaluate the project? A: Pause and re-evaluate the project
Q: What would you like to see us re-evaluate? A: The scope, the funding model, the operating model, the business case, the climate impact.
Q: Do you have any further comments regarding the funding of Te Kaha – Multi-Use Arena? A: General comment: I am not against arenas. What I am against is spending more than what is needed on them. Just because the Government has given us money towards the cost of an arena, we shouldn’t waste money on an over-the-top design. After all, we as taxpayers are contributing to the Government’s portion of this project, as well as our ratepayer portion. As inflation bites on these projects, we have to be more frugal to make our hard-earned money go further. $500,000 a week for the next thirty years to finance the build? And then it’ll run at a loss of millions of dollars a year? And despite our climate & ecological emergency there’s been no consideration in the budget or business case of the climate impact of building and operating the venue?
Simon Britten 