The final landscaping plans are being drawn up incorporate the Burwood Resource Recovery Park into Bottle Lake Forest Park by early 2022.
The Burwood Resource Recovery Park was established after the earthquakes to sort through construction and demolition waste from across Christchurch.
Much of the waste has now been recycled but some could not be re-used and remains at the site.
Material from sites where there was a loss of life in the February 22, 2011, earthquake is also stored at the park but has been kept in a separate area.
Christchurch City Council plans to engage with quake victims’ families later this year on how the sensitive material will be dealt with long-term.
In the meantime, the majority of the Burwood Resource Recovery Park is being prepared for its transition to a recreation site.
“The Burwood Resource Recovery Park stopped receiving construction and demolition waste at the end of last year but it will continue to receive truckloads of soil until the end of this year,’’ said council solid waste manager Ross Trotter.
The soil will be used to cover the compacted mounds of rubble in preparation for landscaping.
Already about 35,000 native plants have been planted in the area.
“When the landscaping work is completed, we will have an additional recreation area that will include walking tracks, mountain bike tracks and areas for bird watching.
"It will offer some great scenic views of the Kaikoura ranges and the Canterbury foothills so it will be a good addition to the Bottle Lake Forest Park,’’ Mr Trotter says.
