Viewing platform proposed for Canterbury estuary
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A proposed viewing platform for the Ashley Rakahuri River estuary is ‘‘a wonderful gift’’, says a local community leader.
The Woodend-Sefton Community Board has recommended the Waimakariri District Council accept the offer from the Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group to build a viewing platform overlooking the estuary.
‘‘It is a wonderful gift. It is absolutely amazing and it is the perfect location,’’ board chairperson Shona Powell said.
‘‘I can see everyone enjoying it, from bird watchers, photographers, locals and visitors.
‘‘The estuary is a really precious place and the more people we can get along there to look at it and enjoy it and learn about the world-renowned bird life the better.’’
The Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group received a $20,000 bequest from the Annie Currie Legacy Fund and wishes to use the funds to build a viewing platform in the estuary.
Group spokesperson Nick Ledgard said the bequest was a welcomed surprise.
He said the bequest came with a stipulation for the money to be used for a tangible asset associated with volunteers.
‘‘We put before our group the idea of building a viewing platform and it was agreed.’’
The rivercare group has worked with council staff on a design for the viewing platform and will provide volunteer labour to build and install it.
The viewing platform has a simple design and will be wheelchair accessible, Ledgard said.
Once complete the group plans to gift the viewing platform to the community.
If approved at the next council meeting, the council will cover the costs of the consent, the upgrade of an access path and ongoing maintenance costs.
Ledgard said he hoped the project would be completed by the end of this summer.
It would be erected on the south side of the Ashley Rakahuri River, about 10 metres from the estuary car park at Waikuku Beach.
The estuary is recognised by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as a wetland of international significance and is a breeding ground for a number of threatened and critically endangered bird species.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
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