Funding boost to monitor native birds
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A project to monitor native birds on the Ashley Rakahuri River has received a funding boost from the Waimakariri Zone Committee.
The Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group will receive $9000 from the zone committee’s 2023-24 action plan budget to assist with the costs of its shorebird monitoring.
The group extended its monitoring efforts last year, engaging a postgraduate student from the University of Canterbury to undertake the work.
The project monitored banded dotterel/turiwhatu, pied stilt (poaka), black-fronted and white-fronted tern/tarapirohe and tara, South Island pied oystercatcher/tōrea and black-billed and black-backed gull/tarāpuka and karoro.
Zone committee chairperson Carolyne Latham said the rivercare group had been working to protect native birds on the river and estuary for several years.
"You have to admire them for getting on with the work," she said.
"We are pleased to be contributing to the extension of that work which will expand the data that we have on the birds."
The rivercare group has been working with Eleanor Gunby, who is studying for a masters of science degree under the supervision of Professor Jim Briskie.
The project was the first to receive funding for the new financial year.
The funding has increased from $50,000 to $75,000 this year and Latham said the committee was keen to hear from other groups working on projects to enhance the environment and water ways.
"We want to hit the ground running this year and so we encourage groups to get in contact with the zone committee if they have a project."
She said the action plan budget funding was similar to the "immediate steps" funding, which zone committees had allocated in the past, but it had greater flexibility.
"We have more scope to support a wider range of projects and an example of this is a water monitoring project by the Waimakariri Landcare Trust, which wouldn’t have qualified under the immediate steps funding. Identifying where groundwater and surface water monitoring is happening in the zone is something we have been talking about at the zone committee for a while.
"We are delighted the trust is proceeding with the project, which will also trial nitrate testing in private wells."
The Waimakariri Landcare Trust’s monitoring project received $26,400 out of the $50,000 available in the zone committee’s 2022-23 action plan budget.
The Waimakariri Zone Committee is a joint committee of Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
Photo: Banded dotterels (pohowera) pictured on on the the Ashley-Rakahuri River. Photo supplied by Grant Davey of the Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group
Heritage gem or dangerous burden? Bowling club’s dilemma with historic pavilion
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A Rangiora sports club is frustrated with the increasing maintenance and insurance costs of its 113-year-old pavilion, which can't be demolished due to its historic importance.
The Rangiora Bowling Club approached the Waimakariri District Council last year for help, but was yet to find a satisfactory solution for the pavilion.
It is registered with Heritage New Zealand and listed in the Waimakariri District Plan, leaving the club with few options.
The club’s ex-president Norman Hewett said the pavilion on Good St, north of the town centre, is unsafe and no longer fit for purpose.
Hewett said the council has been supportive and Heritage New Zealand has offered advice, but no funding.
‘‘Everybody thinks the building is worth preserving, but there is a cost and it shouldn’t be put on the bowling club.
‘‘As far as we are concerned it is not fit for purpose and we want to know how we can get round that.
‘‘We want to know what the community thinks and if they want to retain it, are they willing to pay for it?’’
The club has formed a sub-committee to explore what options are available.
Sub-committee member Rodger Wilton said the club has been unable to find any record that the club had a say when the building was given heritage status.
Built in 1911, the pavilion served the Rangiora Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club, which originally shared the site.
It cost 945 pounds and was opened on October 28, 1911.
The three clubs purchased 1.25 acres on the corner of Blackett and Good streets in April 1905, but later parted company, with tennis and croquet moving to new sites.
While no quotes have been sought, Hewett believed it would cost more than $1 million to bring the pavilion up to code.
Ideally the club would like to demolish the pavilion so it can upgrade its main building and remain on site.
The stairwell was non-compliant and there was no wheelchair access, meaning the club was unable to use the upstairs facilities.
There are loose tiles on the roof which need replacing.
An attached building behind the pavilion is sufficient to meet the needs of the 140 members and for hosting the largest bowls tournament in North Canterbury, Hewett said.
He said the club is open to all options, including a land swap or selling to a developer with the expertise to restore the pavilion.
Waimakariri District Council community and recreation manager Chris Brown said the council is working through various opportunities with the bowling club as part of a feasibility study.
‘‘There are a lot of options to consider. Each have various financial, social and operational implications.’’
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga said it had ‘‘expressed support for the adaptive reuse of the building and supported the club’s intention to investigate options for the pavilion and the associated land parcel’’.
The Rangiora Bowling Club is keen to hear the views of the community. Email rangiorabowling@gmail.com.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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