Proposed estuary dog ban expected to be ‘controversial’
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Dogs will be banned from the Ashley Rakahuri River estuary in Canterbury if a new bylaw gets approved.
The Waimakariri District Council is consulting on a new Northern Pegasus Bay Bylaw, which governs what activities are allowed on the district’s beaches.
Councillor Al Blackie said the biggest change was extending the area where dogs were prohibited to include the entire spit and the Ashley Rakahuri River and Saltwater Creek estuary.
‘‘I am expecting it to be a controversial, but we will see how it goes.’’
The new rules will remove an exemption that had allowed holders of Fish and Game hunting licenses to take their dogs into the estuary area during gamebird hunting season.
The measures are designed to protect ecological values and bird habitats around the estuary and wetlands.
The estuary is home to threatened bird species including wrybills, black-bill gulls, banded dotterels, black-fronted terns and pied oystercatchers, some of which are also endangered.
But Fish and Game North Canterbury game bird specialist Matt Garrick was not impressed with the proposed ban.
He said he corresponded with the council a year ago, but had not had any further contact.
"I explained that duck season does not overlap during critical, sensitive periods, such as nesting, so there would be no conflict with dogs used for game bird hunting."
He said he requested data to demonstrate game bird hunting and dogs in the winter was having an effect on the estuary's bird life in the estuary, but had heard nothing further.
Blackie said people will still be able to walk their dogs on other beaches on the Waimakariri district’s coastline.
‘‘We have got 7-8km of beach to exercise on, so there is plenty of room. Just stay away from the estuary.’’
Another change is extend the ban for aircraft, including drones, taking off and landing off within the estuary area and nearby beach.
‘‘When you have the drones flying low, the birds think it is an eagle so it disturbs them,’’ Blackie said.
Fires and fireworks are also banned in the estuary area, but cultural cooking fires and braziers are allowed.
The bylaw also has rules around access for horses and vehicles to the beach areas.
‘‘We are never going to get it right or please everybody, so it is a compromise,’’ Blackie said.
‘‘But it is a hell of a lot better than it was six years ago. The public is getting better educated and the awareness of the bylaw is much better now.’’
The changes have been made following a bylaw review and a beach users survey held over the summer.
The review received 48 submissions, while there were 380 responses to survey.
The original Northern Pegasus Bay Bylaw became operative in 2010 and was updated in 2016.
It is reviewed every five years, and was due to be reviewed in 2021, but was delayed due to Covid.
A temporary bylaw is been in place for the last 12 months.
Submissions close on June 14.
Public drop in sessions have been held this week, with further sessions at the Pines Beach Community Hall on June 5, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm, at the Waiora Links Community Cuppa at the Pegasus Community Centre on June 12, from 10am.
Fish and Game North Canterbury has been contacted for comment.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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New Canterbury bypass set to be a toll road
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Motorists could be paying a toll to drive a new bypass on State Highway 1, in North Canterbury, once it's complete.
Meanwhile, planned safety improvements to the area have been canned for now, as officials review the planned work as part of the Woodend Bypass design.
The Government is considering a proposal for its promised roads of national significance to be partially funded by a toll.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said the Woodend Bypass has been confirmed as one of the first five roads of national significance and that a safety review will be undertaken.
Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey said the Government has backed recommendations by NZTA to introduce tolls in its Government Policy Statement on Land Transport.
‘‘As a Government, we are open to a wide range of funding tools to ensure we are able to deliver the roads that will allow kiwis and freight to get to where they want to go quickly and safely.’’
Safety improvements for Woodend’s Main North Rd were announced in December 2022, as part of a $35 million funding package for State Highway 1 between Saltwater Creek and Cam River, with work due to begin this year.
NZTA had previously advised the safety improvements were on hold, pending the revised policy statement on Land Transport.
Doocey said it made sense to have another look at the work programme.
‘‘When you look at the Woodend safety improvement programme, it was in response to Labour cancelling the bypass, so it is right to relook at that programme in the context of the new motorway.’’
The former Government included the Woodend Bypass in its policy statement on Land Transport announced in August 2023.
Funding was also announced in December 2022 for a $6 million project, including cycleways linking Kaiapoi, Woodend and Pegasus, as part of NZTA’s Transport Choices Programme.
But the programme was axed last December by the new Government.
Doocey said the proposed cycleways and an under-pass at the Pegasus roundabout would be considered as part of the final bypass design.
‘‘When you look at the Christchurch Northern Corridor, the (Christchurch to Kaiapoi) cycleway was an important part of it, so I think it would make sense to consider the cycleways and an underpass as part of the bypass design.’’
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she welcomed news about the bypass, but the safety improvements were needed now.
‘‘It will take several years to build the bypass. It is just getting frustrating.’’
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said he had been seeking clarity about the promised safety improvements without success.
But he welcomed Doocey’s comments that the cycleway and under-pass would be considered as part of the final design.
‘‘It makes total sense to construct this as part of the works and I know the community would be thrilled to have these included.
‘‘This is an incredibly important project for our district and I am delighted by the depth of consideration the Government is giving to it.’’
He would also like to see a cycleway clip-on added to the State Highway 1 bridge over the Ashley-Rakahuri River.
The council has been planning the Kaiapoi to Woodend and Woodend to Pegasus cycleways for several years, along with a Rangiora (Southbrook) cycleway.
Proposed safety improvements had included road widening, wider centrelines and safety barriers, and reducing the speed to 60kph at the Pegasus roundabout, which would have become one lane with raised safety platforms.
Traffic lights were also proposed at the Rangiora-Woodend Rd intersection, roundabouts at the Woodend Beach Rd and Williams St intersections and a crossing refuge for people using bus stops near Pineacres.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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