I
1057 days ago

Bouncy castle water park

Ian from Kaiapoi

When I heard a bouncy castle water park was going to be put in Lake Courtney I thought it was just a wind up. Today I saw the containers full of equipment have arrived. I've found previous news articles saying submissions and voting was completed. This will be an ultimate fail and probably cost us our future aqua parks. (which are an amazing vision) Lake Courtney is a Swan and Duck pond with very little flow of water. Articles say water testing was done for e coli? Probably the sample was from the top of the water not including the silt. What about the parasite that causes Duck Itch in humans. (It is a real thing google it) I've fished in the lake and caught a couple of eels but I wouldn't walk or swim in the lake. Imagine the water quality after a few thousand people have been walking in and stirring up all the bird shit. I'm not against fun I just think the position is wrong. Maybe in Kaiapoi river near the bridge, at least the water has some flow and will be clearer.

Image
More messages from your neighbours
18 hours ago

Neighbourly challenge: Who can solve the daily riddle?

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I have a crown but am not a king.
I'm prickly on the outside but sweet within.
What am I?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

Image
2 days ago

Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.

Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?

Image
Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
  • 43% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
    43% Complete
  • 56.3% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
    56.3% Complete
  • 0.7% Other - I'll share below
    0.7% Complete
1043 votes
5 days ago

Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.

Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.

It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.

The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.

Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.

But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.

‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.

‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’

Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.

‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.

‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’

NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.

‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.

Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.

He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.

‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’

He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.

The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.