Waimakariri Stopbank upgrade completion- a success story
Today we celebrated success.
ECan and the Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri councils celebrated the completion of the stopbank upgrades that have been in planning and construction for about 15 years, it came in under time and under the $40m budget. They protect over $8Billion of infrastructure and assets and are engineered to handle a 6500 cumec (flood) event- that is big! There were initial stopbanks built from the 1930s but the 1956 flood taught a hard lesson for our city. In the 2000s river engineers took another look and it was decided that we needed further protection.
As a community board member for Harewood, I've been part of the river rating committee that spans the regional council and territorial authorities. It has been a fantastic experience with great management of the project by probably the best river engineers and a number of construction firms.
To give you an idea of how big of a deal this was, present were our three Mayors- Dalziel, Broughton and Ayers, ECan council and three Crown Ministers- Nania Mahuta - Min of Local Govt, James Shaw- Min of Climate Change and Peeni Henare- Min. of Civil Defence jointly dubbed the Ministers of Resilience by Mayor Dalziel.
Poll: Canterbury is thriving on paper... but are you seeing evidence of Canterbury's improving economy?
As reported in the Press, Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman recently gave a shout-out to our region, calling Canterbury a "stand-out" for how we recover from tough times. With tech firms growing and exporters investing, the business side of things is looking bright!
👉 But we know that "business growth" doesn't always mean the weekly shop gets any cheaper. While the city expands, many families feel like they’re just trying to keep their heads above water.
We want to know: With the business buzz of 2026, do you feel like things are finally looking up for your household, or does it still feel like a climb?
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0% Yes
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0% No
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100% In some areas ...
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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