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A popular freedom camping spot in Hanmer Springs will be restored after being "wiped out" during winter floods.
Community leaders voted on Monday to repair the area at the Hanmer River Reserve, a site popular with freedom campers. It's not known when the spot will reopen.
Heavy rain caused the river to burst its banks on July 7, which “wiped out” the reserve, according to information presented at the Hanmer Springs Community Board meeting on Monday.
The flooding also damaged neighbouring farmland and threatened pylons which provide power into the Hanmer Springs village.
Speaking at the meeting, board chairperson Alice Stielow said board members had met with council and Environment Canterbury (ECan) staff to assess the damage.
There have been discussions with ECan around clearing trees on the south side of the river, lowering the riverbed, the use of gravel from the riverbed to build up the reserve, reinforcing the riverbank with rocks and the replacement of topsoil.
As the Hanmer River was not part of a rating district, ECan would require a cost-sharing arrangement for the remediation of the site, estimated at $35,000, the meeting was told.
The community board agreed to fund the local share of the remediation of $15,000 from its weather contingency fund.
Hurunui District Council chief operations officer Daniel Harris said the toilets at the reserve would need to be replaced before freedom camping could be reinstated.
The toilets would need to moved to an area not affected by the flooding.
The cost of replacing the toilets was estimated at $148,000.
While the council’s insurer had approved the repair, the policy had a $100,000 excess, leaving an initial budget of only $48,000, Mr Harris said.
Staff will investigate whether the toilets can be built on hydro parcel land, with the council needing to present a proposal to Land Information New Zealand.
Hydro parcel land is land connected to water, in this case the river, Mr Harris said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
