Quarry risk to Tranz Alpine train, but no quick fix
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Delays in the decommissioning of dangerous rock quarry near Greymouth has raised the ire of a West Coast Regional councillor.
A fresh report on the mothballed Kiwi Point Quarry this week to council's Infrastructure Governance Group did not go down well with councillor Peter Ewen.
He said the risk to the public from the site had already been on the radar for at least six years and the fresh report - following a geotechnical report in mid-2022 - made no reference to the abandoned underground mine shafts dating back to the 1920s beneath the site, Ewen, a recognised West Coast mine historian, said.
The site remains on notice from Work Safe.
Ewen said the risk of the site's collapse onto the Tranz Alpine tourist train route and State Highway 7 had been well signalled - as seen in June 2022 when the train ran into a slip below the quarry access road.
"The risk is there. Furthermore, in 2018 it was highlighted it would effect the State highway and the Tranz Alpine. Well, in 2022 the train hit a slip there - under the bridge."
The Tranz Alpine hit a slip beneath the Kiwi Point rail overbridge in June 2022. That incident was relatively minor but, "heaven forbid we have a large slip and another train or vehicle gets caught", Ewen said.
"I'm pretty disappointed with (the report) actually because historically there has been front page stories on this site.
"There's quite a void there and to not have that included in a report is a deficiency I'm not prepared to accept.
Council ceased operating the quarry about 2020 after 45 years of extraction.
Since then part of the access road has been removed to deal with the slip risk onto the road and railway below.
"I've raised this before … the risk is sub-surface.
"The deficiency of not having that in those official reports is not right. I object to receiving these like this," Ewen said.
Ewen said "a big cavernous shaft" in the area escalated the risk yet council now had two reports which failed to appraise that.
Ewen has repeatedly raised the risk to council staff in public meetings in the past two years.
He said his concerns could be verified by historic mine maps and the issue was well known locally.
A staff report said the latest consultant study recommended "an extensive amount of work which will be costly".
Acting catchments manager Shanti Morgan said another "risk assessment" on the quarry's current status, as well as on the necessary work to make it safe, were recommended.
That would allow for cost estimates to formally decommission the site, Morgan said.
Council chief executive Darryl Lew said Ewen should be tapped by staff to ensure the consultant was fully informed, pending an expanded report.
Committee chairperson Frank Dooley said while the latest report was based on scope, "if that scope is deficient that that is another issue."
"What councillor Ewen is saying, that is an issue."
Councillor Peter Haddock agreed and said the quarry being above an historic mine was known, as was the risk from a local fault line nearby.
He also said the latest report effectively repeated the previous 2022 report.
Councillor Brett Cummings said the latest report did identify a rock knob above the quarry as something council had to deal with given it was a fall risk.
"Council didn't put it there - that seems unfair. That's going to be the dearest part, removing that natural feature."
Kalle
"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."
"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’
I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.
I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.
I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.
I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.
We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.
I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.
I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."
- Kalle
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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Have your say on Canterbury’s public transport
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Canterbury residents are being encouraged to have their say on public transport in the region.
Environment Canterbury has released its draft public transport plan and is seeking submissions.
The draft plan outlines a vision for public transport in the region and notes key priorities such as improving the environment, growing patronage, accessibility, innovation and technology, and affordability.
‘‘Public transport takes many forms with communities across our region,’’ councillor Peter Scott said.
‘‘With limited funding available, we need to make sure we make the best decisions to deliver a public transport network that is integrated with urban development, innovative and meets the needs of new and existing customers.
‘‘Effective public transport is the lifeline that connects us to work, school, recreation and our friends and family, so it is important we get this right.’’
The Canterbury’s population is growing and by 2050, it is projected 700,000 people will be living in Greater Christchurch.
The draft plan covers public transport for the region, which includes the Metro service (Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri), MyWay by Metro in Timaru, Total Mobility and Community Vehicle Trusts.
It was developed in partnership with local councils and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
Environment Canterbury has been planning to step up its public transport efforts by increasing the frequency of existing services and introducing mass rapid transport in Greater Christchurch.
But these plans have been stalled by a lack of public transport funding in the Government’s 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme.
A proposal to allow people to travel with domestic pets is also included in the draft plan.
Having pets on buses has been successfully trial in other parts of New Zealand, councillor Joe Davies said.
‘‘We’re keen to understand what controls are needed for our bus users in Greater Christchurch and Timaru to be comfortable with pets on public transport.
It is proposed to allow adult passengers to bring a single pet on board, as long it is in an approved carrier at off-peak times, weekdays between 9am and 3pm or after 6pm, and during weekends.
Another proposal would loosen those restrictions in future to allow for leashed and muzzled dogs and increasing the limit to two pets per passenger.
‘‘We want to gauge how people feel about these proposals. Now is the time to have your say,’’ Davies said.
Submissions close on Thursday, October 24.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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