Bridge debris to be cleared soon
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The debris that caused the SH1 Ashburton/Hakatere River bridge to close will be cleared “in the next fortnight”, Waka Kotahi says.
Environment Canterbury has jurisdiction over river management, but as the debris is impacting the bridges it will be Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail’s job to remove it.
Waka Kotahi is responsible for debris up against, or within 50 metres of, a bridge or culvert, senior network manager for Mid and South Canterbury Scott McKenzie said.
The work is planned to occur in the next fortnight “when flows further reduce to allow easy access and safe crossing to get all of the debris off the piers and clear of the structure in one operation”.
“We will also be completing works around the KiwiRail bridge, taking a collaborative approach previously agreed from prior flood events."
It was suggested at a recent Ashburton District Council activity briefing meeting that Waka Kotahi would use a digger from the bridge to clear some debris as a trial for doing preventative clearing during a flood event, but McKenzie said the work will likely occur from the riverbed itself.
Using a digger on the bridge “can’t be ruled out, but wouldn’t typically be the first solution as it could damage the bridge deck and would potentially only have minimal effect when the river was in full flood”.
“Normally, it is easier, safer, and more efficient to monitor, intervening where required then addressing and removing and clearing debris once flood waters recede.”
ECan flood protection – recovery manager Shaun McCracken said an excavator had been working on the Hinds River railway bridge, and it would likely move onto the SH1 road bridge next.
ECan’s responsibility sits with the management of debris in the rest of the river, “which we’ve put huge resources into over the past two years”, McCracken said.
Meanwhile, Waka Kotahi regional relationships director James Caygill, and other key staff involved in Civil Defence emergency events will be asked about the bridge management and processes around its closure by the council at Wednesday’s meeting.
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.5% Yes
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49.6% No
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2% Other - I'll share below
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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