Council to consult on Kaiapoi-Woodend cycleway design
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
The much-anticipated Kaiapoi-Woodend cycleway is a step closer to becoming a reality.
The Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi and Woodend-Sefton community boards have given their approval for council staff to consult with the community on the design of the proposed cycleway.
But the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board raised safety concerns with a section of it which passes through Ranfurly Street in Kaiapoi.
Council staff agreed to bring back some options to the board next month, ahead of the planned consultation in late April and May.
Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board chairperson Jackie Watson said she looked forward to hearing the feedback from the community.
‘‘It is going to make Kaiapoi a really fantastic place to cycle through.’’
Deputy mayor Neville Atkinson said it was ‘‘a mammoth exercise’’ from council staff to get the design ready for consultation.
‘‘There are some great design features and some areas which we can’t do much about.’’
Atkinson said he accepted there were some sections where there would need to be some ‘‘difficult compromises’’ with landowners and occupiers of road reserve land.
But he was looking forward to seeing the project proceed.
‘‘The public will tell us where we have got it right and where we have got it wrong, in no uncertain terms.’’
Waimakariri District Council civil projects team leader Kieran Straw said council staff would be joining with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency staff to meet with the owners of Pine Acres Restaurant.
The cycleway would be passing Pine Acres alongside State Highway 1 and there were plans to close off the northern entrance to Pine Acres, as part of Waka Kotahi’s safety improvements.
Council staff also planned to produce a cultural sensitivity report alongside Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Straw said.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said the Kaiapoi-Woodend and Woodend-Pegasus cycleways had been a long time coming.
‘‘It is going to complete that loop between Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Woodend and link with Pegasus, which we have been wanting for so long.
‘‘With the caravan park in Kaiapoi, a lot of them bring their bikes, so I can see them doing the loop around.
‘‘And it is good for Kaiapoi High School pupils (who live in Woodend and Pegasus), because they will have the choice to cycle to school if they want to.’’
Powell said the consultation would be a good opportunity to hear from cyclists to better understand ‘‘what will work and what won’t’’.
The council’s utilities and roading committee met on Tuesday and gave its approval to the designs, for consultation of the Kaiapoi-Woodend and Woodend-Pegasus cycleways, noting the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi board's concerns.
Approval was also given for the design of an on-road cycle lane in Rangiora, while the designs for a second Rangiora cycleway were put on hold, after councillors sought more information.
The cycleway projects need to be completed by June next year, as a condition of Waka Kotahi’s transport choices funding, after the council received $6 million for the project, announced in December.
Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
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Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.1% Yes
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50% No
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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