Christchurch Coastal Pathway full of complexities

The Christchurch Coastal Pathway. Photo: File image
The Christchurch Coastal Pathway. Photo: File image
Hanno Sander from the Christchurch Coastal Pathway Group updates readers on the project.

Hanno Sander.
Hanno Sander.
You’ve probably noticed, the final section of Te Ara Ihutai Christchurch Coastal is now under construction.

It’s taken more than a decade and the passion of scores of people to get to this point. In the coming months I’ll use this column to keep you up to date with the pathway, the projects that we’re working on and answer any questions that come up.

First some background. Right after the February 22, 2011, earthquake, the Christchurch Coastal Pathway Group was founded on the vision to create a 4m-wide shared pathway to connect people, land, and the sea.

A memorandum of understanding between the CCPG and CCC was signed and the group formed a governance team with the city council and the Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board who meet monthly.

Our CCPG members are publicly elected volunteers passionate about creating an internationally high standard coastal pathway extending from Ferrymead Bridge to Scarborough Beach.

Shortly after I was elected chair of the CCPG, city councillor Sara Templeton informed me that the project was selected to receive funding from Ōtākaro to complete the project as part of the Government shovel-ready funding.

Since then, the CCPG has worked diligently with the city council to finalise detailed construction plans. We’ve jointly held several community outreach events to review detailed plans with the community. To ensure that we preserve existing community

treasures like the yacht club beach, the historical wall, and our estuary we’ve worked closely with various community groups.

“Jewels” are our term for further enhancements to the basic path – in the past we’ve fundraised and installed plantings, seatings, bike stands – but we’re working on even more for the future, there will be more about that in a future column.

Late last year Fulton Hogan was awarded the tender by our partners at city council. They’ve already completed some exploratory excavation to guide future efforts and are about to start on upgrading the sewer and water services west of Shag Rock to make room for the cantilevered pathway in that section. They’ll be completing some of this work at night-time to reduce traffic impact and minimise disruption to the public.

They need to do this work now because penguins that had been nesting near the worksite have now left their nests – this project if is full of complexities.

Please look after our road workers by sticking to the reduced 30km/h speed limit when driving through the roadworks site.

Also look for merging cyclists and pedestrians at temporary crossings.

• Feel free to contact the group at http:ccp.org.nz