Month: August 2019

Think Papanui’s curator Simon Britten rounds up stories from the past week:

The recently-delayed Main North Road bus priority project might be back on track soon, judging by information shared with Think Papanui by the Council and NZTA.

I shared an update on the process around the Community Board recommendation for traffic lights at the Harewood/Gardiners/Breens intersection. The final decision is expected to be made by the full Council on 12 September.

The Nor’West News reported this week on local candidates in the upcoming local body elections.

Top post of the week was my share of an article from The Press on the reworking of the foundations for the Christchurch Northern Corridor overpass at QEII Drive – the extra work is costing “in the millions”, says the NZTA.

I posted a summary of outcomes from last week’s meeting of the Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board.

Coming up:

September is going to be a busy time for Think Papanui and our local community – including:

• A joint Community Board meeting (now being held in the Council Chambers) to consider feedback on the Council’s proposed transport projects downstream of the Christchurch Northern Corridor;
• A Council meeting that will consider the recommendation for traffic lights at the Harewood/Gardiners/Breens intersection;
• Parenting Week
• At least two ‘meet the candidates‘ events;
• Community events including a ‘have a go’ day at the Morrison Ave Bowling Club and a plant and seed swap at Papanui Library;
• Voting papers for the local elections will be delivered from 20 September.

Keep an eye on all of Think Papanui’s channels, including this newsletter, for updates on all of these.

Video available: This weekly news recap is published in video form on YouTube each weekend – you can find Think Papanui’s YouTube channel at this link.

Feedback is always welcome on Think Papanui’s content, either on Facebook or Instagram, or directly to me.
With warm regards
Simon Britten

On Monday 9 September there’ll be a joint meeting of the Papanui-Innes and Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Boards, to consider submissions on the Council’s proposed transport projects in the Cranford Street area, and to hear from submitters who wish to speak. The venue for this meeting has been changed to the Council Chambers in the Civic building in Hereford Street. 50 people have asked to speak on the issue, and it was clear that the originally planned venue (the Papanui boardroom) would not be big enough. Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Board Chair Ali Jones said on Wednesday that “The board is very pleased by the number of people who have engaged on the matter and want to speak.” The meeting will commence at 9:30am, and is open for all members of the public to attend. Think Papanui will share a link to the consultation summary and submissions received once they are published in the lead-up to the meeting.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/…/christchurch-northern-corridor-mee…

Christchurch Northern Corridor Meeting Moved to CCC Chambers

“253 submissions have been received related to the Christchurch Northern Corridor transport projects, with 50 people wanting to speak on the issue.”

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At their meeting on 23 August, the Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board: recommended that the Council implements the proposed 30km/h zone for some Papanui streets; requested staff to report back to the Board on surrounding residential streets in Papanui that may be suitable for a reduction in speed; approved a no stopping restriction in Holly Road; allocated funding for Board projects (youth events, garden awards, a community leadership day); approved seven applications to the Board’s Youth Development Fund; and received an area report on initiatives and issues current within the Community Board area. The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for 9am on Friday 13 September. Click through to read the full minutes:
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/…/PICB_20190823_MIN_32…

christchurch.infocouncil.biz

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In The Press: the work underway to rebuild the Christchurch Northern Corridor bridge abutments at QEII Drive is costing “in the millions”, says the NZTA. Click through for the full article:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/115304794/slumping-bridge-foundations-on-new-christchurch-motorway-to-cost-millions-to-repair

Slumping bridge foundations on new Christchurch motorway to cost ‘millions’ to repair

“An extra 445 steel piles to be added to foundations for a new bridge after original walls slumped due to “extremely soft ground”.”

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This week's Nor'West News reports on an increased field of candidates across local wards in this year's Council and Community Board elections. There's a 'meet the candidates' event for Papanui Ward coming up on 17 September – see this image, or click through for the full digital edition of the paper:
https://www.yumpu.com/…/62795484/norwest-news-august-27-2019

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Harewood/Gardiners/Breens intersection: a process explanation and news update. Decision-making around options for the intersection is passing through three layers of local government: first the responsible Community Board; then the Council's Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee (ITE); and then the full Council.
In the first stage, the Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board recommended that the ITE recommends that the Council approves traffic lights. Yesterday the ITE committee met, but did not make any recommendation, instead simply referring the report and Community Board recommendation to the Council meeting of 12 September 2019. Councillor Aaron Keown, a strong advocate for traffic lights, is a member of the ITE committee but was absent from today's meeting.

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Will the Papanui bus priority project be back on track soon? The Main North Road bus priority project aims to improve the travel time for public transport users through the Papanui area. Pedestrians and cyclists also get some benefits, and the Grassmere St intersection will be signalised.

The Council recently announced a delay to the project due to uncertainties over NZTA funding – but Richard Osborne, Acting General Manager City Services told Think Papanui this week that “We have been in discussions with NZTA since late May regarding funding decisions on our transport projects. We have recently heard back from NZTA and they have advised that they are likely to provide funding for the Main North Road Bus Priority project.”

An NZTA spokesperson said that “Once the Transport Agency received the Business Case for the bus and bike lane project from the CCC, it was reinstalled into the system for funding reprioritisation and we hope to have some good news on that by mid-September.”

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Each weekend Think Papanui publishes a video summary of stories from the Papanui area over the past week, as well as a look at what’s coming up in the week ahead. The videos can be found on Think Papanui’s YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/9AybHGyIJ-g

Papanui Ward: weekly local news recap 24 August 2019

“Think Papanui’s founder and curator Simon Britten gives a rundown on stories covered by Think Papanui over the previous week. For more details on these stori…”

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Think Papanui’s curator Simon Britten rounds up stories from the past week:

On Saturday, the St Vincent De Paul store in Papanui reopened. Coverage of the opening was Think Papanui’s top post of the week on Facebook.

Consultation on proposed transport projects in the Cranford Street area closed on Monday 19 August.

Also on Monday, the City Council confirmed that the Main North Road bus priority project was delayed – construction had been expected to start in July. Think Papanui has approached both the Council and NZTA for comment – keep an eye out for a follow-up article over the weekend.

Final nominations for Papanui Ward in the 2019 local body elections have been confirmed.

I posted some information on the agenda for today’s meeting of the Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board.

Council staff have recommended a 30km/h speed zone for some Papanui streets, following recent consultation.

I reported on last Saturday’s meeting of the Waimāero/Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board, which unanimously recommended traffic lights for the Harewood/Gardiners/Breens intersection.

Parenting Week 2019 runs for ten days during September.

The reopening of Redwood Library has been delayed due to structural concerns – a mobile library service will continue to visit the site two days a week.

Coming up:

• Tigger’s Montessori on Harewood Road has an open day coming up this Saturday 24 August.
• On Monday 26 August the Council’s Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee will consider the Community Board recommendation for traffic lights at the Harewood/Gardiners/Breens intersection.

Feedback is always welcome on Think Papanui’s content, either on Facebook or Instagram, or directly to me.
With warm regards
Simon Britten

Monday 26 August’s meeting of the Council’s Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee will consider the options for the improvement of the Harewood/Gardiners/Breens Road intersection. The Waimāero/Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board has recommended that the Committee recommend traffic signals at the intersection to the Council. This follows a public consultation that saw more than a thousand submissions, with the majority in favour of lights, and also an independent safety assessment that finds lights to be the least safe of the options considered. Following Monday’s meeting, the Council is expected to make a final decision prior to the upcoming election. To read the full agenda, including the staff report and independent safety assessment, see:
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/…/ITEC_20190826_AGN_39…

Agenda of Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee – 26 00 2019

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