Author: Simon Britten

Summer with your Neighbours: applications for funding open now. Neighbourhood Week was the brainchild of the Shirley-Papanui Community Board (now known as the Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board), which held the first event in 1998. This popular event has grown from year to year, and has now known as Summer with your neighbours. Small subsidies are available to help cover costs and support events.

For more info and an application form, see:
https://ccc.govt.nz/news-and-events/events/community-programmes/summer-with-your-neighbours

Commissioning of the signalised pedestrian crossings on Harewood, Langdons, and Sawyers Arms Roads is underway.

The Council advises that “all going well”, from Wednesday 16 July work on these crossings will be complete and all new signals will be operational. KiwiRail is completing commissioning works on the railway, and on 15 July the new crossings and railway signalling system will be tested.

Trains may be traveling more slowly during this time and on Tuesday temporary traffic lights will be used to stop traffic for up to five minutes at each crossing as commissioning takes place.

See the Council’s ‘Working in Bishopdale and Papanui’ web page for more information on the project:
https://www.ccc.govt.nz/transport/improving-our-transport-and-roads/transport-projects/bishopdale-papanui

Rotary Club of Papanui is holding a Craft Bazaar on Saturday 12 July from 9am to 5pm at Papanui High School. Stock up on fabrics, wool, buttons and embroidery!

See the Facebook event or https://www.papanuirotary.org.nz/page/bazaar for more information.

Nominations have opened for candidates in October’s local body election. To stand for election, you must be a New Zealand citizen and enrolled on the Parliamentary electoral roll. You do not need to live in the area in which you wish to stand. Nominations are open until midday on 1 August, and voting papers will be mailed out from Tuesday 9 September.

Click through for more information:
https://www.newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/nominations-open-for-octobers-local-body-election

From Monday 14 July, water supply upgrade work will be underway along Rutland Street between Mays Road and around to 103 Tomes Road.

This work will require a road closure for motorists; however, contractors will maintain residential access. Pedestrian and cyclist access around the site will be maintained (cyclists will be asked to dismount). At this stage the Papanui Parallel shared path between Rutland and Grassmere Streets remains fully closed.

Keep up to date on this project by visiting:
https://ccc.govt.nz/transport/improving-our-transport-and-roads/transport-projects/papanui-parallel

The Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board will meet at 4pm this Thursday 10 July in the Papanui boardroom. The agenda includes:

• a proposed change of design for the Richmond Neighbourhood Greenway Cycleway on Averill Street;
• a proposed P5 parking restriction at 159 Cranford Street;
• a proposed P3 parking restriction and no stopping lines on Wairakei Road adjacent to Wairakei School (pic);
• a proposed P5 loading zone for Caledonian Road outside Southern Cross Hospital;
• and an area report with an overview of initiatives and issues within the Community Board Area.

The meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the Board’s YouTube Channel and Facebook Page.

Click through for the full agenda:
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2025/07/PCBCC_20250710_AGN_9139_AT_WEB.htm

Christchurch bus fares increase from Monday 7 July 2025. The current standard Metrocard fare for greater Christchurch is $2 and the concession fare is $1.

From 7 July the standard fare will rise to $3, and concession fares will be:

• Youth (19-24 years) $2.50
• Total Mobility $2.00
• Community Services Card & Child (5-18) $1.50

Fare caps change slightly – from 7 July the cap will be two trips in a day or ten trips in a week.

For more information see:
https://www.metroinfo.co.nz/travel-and-fares-info/fares/

A weeks-long closure of the shared path between Grassmere and Rutland Streets will start soon. Staff from Isaac Construction have been on site this morning, and will be back from 2:30pm-5:30pm, providing information about the closure and the detour route.

If you’re passing through this afternoon, you may wish to stop in for a free coffee and to ask any questions you have.

Streets in Papanui Ward (and citywide) adjacent to schools are set to have a variable speed limit of 30 km/h, where there is not currently either a permanent or variable speed limit of 30 km/h during school travel periods. Council last week voted to adopt a Speed Limits around Schools plan.

Note that the Council previously approved reduced speeds for significantly larger areas of Papanui, Northcote, and Redwood, but those changes can not be implemented due to the Government issuing a new Setting of Speed Limits Rule in 2024.

The latest Council decision will impact speeds on roads adjacent to a number of local schools, including: Redwood Primary School; Te Kura o Matarangi Northcote School; St Bede’s College; Marian College; Papanui Primary School; Casebrook Intermediate School; Wairakei School (Christchurch); and Waimairi School.

Momorangi Reserve is due for a refresh, with a plan to remove the existing slide, swing, and seesaws and install modern play equipment.

The concept plan includes: a 2-bay swing set; a climber; a see-saw; a spinner; nature play with logs and stumps; and an accessible picnic table.

You can see the details and give feedback via an online form until 6 July 2025 at:
https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/momorangi