Residents plead with council to resolve long-term flooding issues
Brooklands and Spencerville residents are exhausted and fed up worrying about the threat of regular flooding and are pleading with the Christchurch City Council to do something about it.
A petition, signed by 159 residents of the two settlements on the city’s northern outskirts, was presented to the council on Thursday.
The residents want the council to build a stop bank around the lagoon to prevent flooding of their properties.
Community leader Amanda Neil told the council, residents were exhausted trying to maintain their resilience.
“They are worried and anxious every time the rain starts and all the more so when it continues all day and night.
”They are desperately concerned for their family’s safety and their homes which are constantly under threat of damage and further devaluation.
”They lose far too much sleep which can severely and sadly affect their mental health.”
A large part of Brooklands was red-zoned after the 2011 quake, but not all of it.
Brooklands and Spencerville were prone to flooding because they were low-lying and nestled between the Styx River and the Brooklands Lagoon, which feed into the mouth of the Waimakariri River.
Neil has been trying to get the council’s attention since being evacuated from her Brooklands home by local fire crews during a 2017 storm.
Flooding caused her outdoor power box to explode, setting a hedge on fire.
“If we continue to try living in denial, we will end up trying to live in de-Waimak.”
Neil urged the council to spend the money needed to build the stop bank.
“Hardly anyone believes any more that any help will come.”
Another resident Jan Burney urged the council to end the uncertainty and to consult with the people.
She appealed to the council to address earthquake damage, sea-level rise and climate changes to ensure sustainable outcomes for everyone.
As a result of Neil’s petition, the council requested staff advice on the issue.
Mayor Lianne Dalziel thanked Neil for her “passion and commitment”.
Dalziel pointed out that Environment Canterbury (ECan) was responsible for the Waimakariri stop banks and the city council was responsible for the Styx River banks.
Council chief executive Dawn Baxendale said she expected staff to talk with ECan and the two authorities to come to conclusions together.
In a response to questions provided to Stuff before the meeting, council planning and consents head John Higgins said it was likely the issues around Brooklands and Spencerville would be addressed as part of the council’s plan to deal with the impacts of sea level rise.
The newly established coastal hazards adaptation planning programme would begin in the Lyttelton Harbour basin in spring.
But exactly when Brooklands and Spencerville would be looked at as part of the programme had not been decided, Higgins said.
Kalle
"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."
"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’
I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.
I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.
I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.
I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.
We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.
I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.
I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."
- Kalle
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Poll: Is it okay to grocery shop in your PJs?
I'm sure you've seen it while doing your weekly shop... In fact, it may have even been you.
What do you think about people heading to the supermarket in their pyjamas?
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14.3% It's fine!
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75.1% It's questionable
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10.6% Other - I'll share below
Vanessa
“Giggly girt! Giggly girt!”
“See I got my hair cut on Friday. I've got my hair band to keep it up. See? Like this I keep it up.
Biscuit Blair - she's my favourite woman. And you. And that cheeky lady over there.
My last name is Rule. I'll write it down for you, you silly old duff.
I was born on West Coast. I moved here when I was a little girl.
I like doing pictures here that’s why I like pictures. Doing art. I like going for a walk. I come here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
My sister, I go see her on Saturday. Have a cup of coffee, at home. She's five, nine. 59. I'm five, seven, 57. This year I'll be 58. My birthday's on a Thursday. I'm having chocolate cake and pizza. And lolly ice cream.
Some people are noisy. Nicholas, and Peter and Chris, they are my friends and that giggly girt over there.
I get headache sometimes at other work, because noisy.
I'm happy here. I could go for a walk if I want to. I'm good.”
- Vanessa, White Room Creative Spaces
The White Room is a community creative space that removes barriers to
making art. Through this, artists build confidence and connections and
embrace new opportunities.
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