Heathcote Valley, Christchurch

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652 days ago

What’s in store this week?

The Team from Red Cross Shop Woolston

Hi everyone
We’ve got something for everyone this week. Here’s some snaps of a few items, we have loads more.
$1, $2 and clearance racks have some great deals, plus 25% off all shoes. Don’t miss out.
Open 7 days Mom - Fri 9.00am - 5.00pm, Saturday 10.00am - 4.00pm, Sunday 10.00am - … View more
Hi everyone
We’ve got something for everyone this week. Here’s some snaps of a few items, we have loads more.
$1, $2 and clearance racks have some great deals, plus 25% off all shoes. Don’t miss out.
Open 7 days Mom - Fri 9.00am - 5.00pm, Saturday 10.00am - 4.00pm, Sunday 10.00am - 3.00pm.
683 Ferry Road, behind Domino’s.

652 days ago

Poll: How much is your monthly POWER bill?

The Team from NZ Compare

We can see you're paying a lot for your broadband each month (we'll have some helpful advice on that soon)! Now let's shine the spot light on Power! The other BIG bill Kiwis are juggling.

We know usage can fluctuate quite a bit meaning so would your bill but to keep it simple, … View more
We can see you're paying a lot for your broadband each month (we'll have some helpful advice on that soon)! Now let's shine the spot light on Power! The other BIG bill Kiwis are juggling.

We know usage can fluctuate quite a bit meaning so would your bill but to keep it simple, how much does your power bill usually come to?

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How much is your monthly POWER bill?
  • 63.3% Under $200
    63.3% Complete
  • 25.8% Between $200-$300
    25.8% Complete
  • 7% Between $300-$400
    7% Complete
  • 3.9% Over $400
    3.9% Complete
1124 votes
658 days ago

Christchurch developers threaten to pull out of central city projects after plans to make some streets one-way

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From reporter Steven Walton:

Leading Christchurch developers are scaling back major projects, putting others on hold and threatening to pull out of the central city altogether in protest of council plans to make some streets one-way.

Philip Carter and Shaun Stockman made stark warnings to … View more
From reporter Steven Walton:

Leading Christchurch developers are scaling back major projects, putting others on hold and threatening to pull out of the central city altogether in protest of council plans to make some streets one-way.

Philip Carter and Shaun Stockman made stark warnings to Christchurch city councillors on Wednesday as they vented about a $33 million plan to make roads around the new Te Kaha stadium more pedestrian-friendly.

One of the most significant proposals in the plan is to make Lichfield St, between Madras and Manchester St, one-way with a 10kph speed limit, though three quarters of the 1200 submitters supported this.

A leading transport academic was among those in support and said the streets had to be made safer.

But Carter and Stockman said the council was breaking promises of earlier post-earthquake rebuild documents, which had left them without certainty.

Carter, who developed The Crossing, said the documents showed Lichfield St would remain two-way.

The street was an “artery” for his car park at The Crossing and the council was “tampering” with it, he said.

Making it one-way would break trust, he said, adding that he had “deep concerns” about anything that affected traffic coming into the city.

He also criticised council plans to make part of Gloucester St one-way, which were recently put on hold.

“You guys [the council] continue to make it so hard,” Carter said.

“You are now driving investments away.”

In light of the council proposals, Carter said:

- He would stop a planned development on the old Holiday Inn site, despite having attracted an international tenant with no other New Zealand stores.
- He was no longer prepared to be involved in the planned car park for the new Catholic Cathedral precinct.
- He would downscale his planned international hotel beside the new Te Pae convention centre.
- Carter said he also wanted to stop work on an office building in Cathedral Square , but could not because construction had recently commenced.

He said he recently showed a London investor a site near the convention centre and asked him if he wanted to put a hotel there. After hearing about the Gloucester St plans, the investor replied: “Why would I”, Carter said.

A council analysis of those who wanted Lichfield St to remain two-way found many were concerned about loss of parking and traffic flow. Some also wanted cars to take priority.

But planning just for cars was “at best unbelievably naive and at worst plain dumb”, according to Canterbury University professor Simon Kingham, who is also chief science adviser to the Ministry of Transport.

“You need to provide good alternatives, [such as] walking, cycling and public transport and people will change their behaviour,” he said.

“This is clearly what the evidence says.”

Kingham backed council staff’s view that the streets had to be safer and more pedestrian-friendly.

He said he was horrified when the plans were paused last year.

Youth-led climate action organisation Generation Zero also supported the one-way option and said the streets should be redesigned to be safer for pedestrians, cyclists, scooter and mobility device users.

The council analysis said submitters backing the one-way plan supported enhanced pedestrian access, more safety, as well as the greening and beautification of the street.

Five Lichfield St businesses supported the one-way plan while four wanted the two-way option.

Out of all Christchurch businesses that submitted, 17 supported one-way while 35 wanted two-way.

Developer Shaun Stockman was among the latter. He said his company’s board was so alarmed by the proposed revamp that it had paused two projects.

“If these proposals as per go ahead, we will be stopping any further investment in Christchurch CBD fullstop,” he said.

Stockman claimed the revamp overlooked the elderly and disabled communities; removed an unnecessary amount of car parking; and would take away valuable trade from businesses.

Stockman said he did not own buildings in the affected streets, but owned some in surrounding streets.

The views of residents and businesses are now being considered by councillors Melanie Coker, Tyrone Fields, Sara Templeton, Mark Peters, and Yani Johanson.

They will make a recommendation to council on how to proceed with the revamp, with a final decision to be made by the full council.

657 days ago

A bus every 7.5 minutes: Govt spending $78m to revamp Christchurch bus network

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From reporter Steven Walton:

A $78 million government grant to improve Christchurch's “unreliable” bus service will only cover about one-third the project's total cost.

Local councils and Waka Kotahi will cover the remaining $160m to ensure buses arrive every 7.5 minutes on key… View more
From reporter Steven Walton:

A $78 million government grant to improve Christchurch's “unreliable” bus service will only cover about one-third the project's total cost.

Local councils and Waka Kotahi will cover the remaining $160m to ensure buses arrive every 7.5 minutes on key routes.

The Government money is coming out of the budget of the ditched $785m cycling and walking bridge planned for the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

A major revamp of the Christchurch bus network was first revealed in late 2020, but the time frame for the work was going to be about 12 years. The Government contribution, announced on Friday, would allow the revamp to happen within five to six years.

“This will offer people living in Christchurch regular and much more reliable bus services,” Transport Minister Michael Wood said.

Amongst the planned improvements are 100 extra buses, 22km of new bus lanes, and more than 470 new bus shelters. Some of the work has already begun, like adding bus lanes to Lincoln Rd.

The 100 new buses are being introduced despite recent struggles nationwide with a driver shortage. The shortage has caused thousands of bus trips being cancelled in Christchurch in recent months, frustrating commuters.

Wood said there had been “good progress” with the driver shortage in Christchurch. The shortage was now only 49 drivers, he said.

The 2020 business case for the city’s bus revamp said buses were unreliable and not as quick as taking a car.

It also estimated the revamp’s infrastructure (capital) work would cost about $115m, but Wood confirmed that number had now risen.

He said the revamp’s total cost would be $238m, but this figure also included the operational costs of running new buses and paying the new drivers. He was not able to say how much of the $238m cost was capital costs and how much was operational costs.

Of the $238m, the Government is covering $78m of it directly and the remaining $160m will be split between local councils and Waka Kotahi. Waka Kotahi and councils in Christchurch have already planned to spend millions on the revamp, but it is not clear how much each party will end up spending. Wood’s office has been asked to provide this detail.

Mayor Phil Mauger said it was great to be at the Government’s funding announcement on Friday, even though he voted against the revamp’s business case in 2020.

Asked if he would still vote against it, he said “probably not” because he had “learnt a lot more about how buses will make a difference [with reducing emissions]”.

Buses were a “good thing” that would help the climate change situation, he said.

Mauger said he also supported the 22km of new bus lanes, “as long as they’re in the right place”. Narrow roads should not be made narrower, he said.

“It’s all very well to have bus lanes everywhere, but if no-one else can get along [the road] everyone's going to get all snarly and upset.”

As part of the revamp, Christchurch’s main bus routes will have dedicated bus lanes with traffic lights that give buses priority.

The city’s main bus routes are Rangiora to Cashmere (#1), Airport to Sumner (#3), Rolleston to New Brighton (#5) and Halswell to Queenspark (#7). All of these services go into the central city and stop at the bus interchange.

The fifth main route is The Orbiter, which does a circular route.

The revamp aims to convert the main routes to “turn-up-and-go” services, where a bus would arrive every 7.5 minutes between 7am and 7pm on weekdays.

Presently, these routes only have a 10 or 15-minute frequency.

The business case for the revamp said 14 million trips were taken on Christchurch buses in 2018, and it hoped to increase this to 20 million by 2028.

653 days ago

Don't forget to nominate a small business...

Prospa

Know the friendliest barista around? Does your mechanic always go the extra mile? Got a lawn-mowing legend? Hairdresser hero?

Give your favourite local business the recognition they deserve by nominating them in the 2023 Prospa Local Business Hero awards.

There's been hundreds of … View more
Know the friendliest barista around? Does your mechanic always go the extra mile? Got a lawn-mowing legend? Hairdresser hero?

Give your favourite local business the recognition they deserve by nominating them in the 2023 Prospa Local Business Hero awards.

There's been hundreds of incredible entries already but don't forget to nominate your local this week. The recognition will make their day (and they're in with a chance to win a $10,000 package!).

Share a few words about your favourite local now.
Nomiante now

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653 days ago

Your home, your safe haven

The Team from

Your home is your sanctuary, and that’s why Ryman villages are designed to be safe havens.

We’ve prepared for adverse events, so you don’t have to.

Your safety and your family’s peace of mind are our priority. Every Ryman village has staff available 24/7 and backup generators for … View more
Your home is your sanctuary, and that’s why Ryman villages are designed to be safe havens.

We’ve prepared for adverse events, so you don’t have to.

Your safety and your family’s peace of mind are our priority. Every Ryman village has staff available 24/7 and backup generators for emergencies. If something happens, you’re in safe hands.

We’ll take care of everything and make sure that you have what you need.

If you or a loved one are over 70, Ryman has a range of options from emergency accommodation through to townhouses or apartments available to purchase.
Learn More

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653 days ago

Pi Day

NumberWorks'nWords Cashmere

Pi Day is on March 14, and any day that combines fun, education, and pie is a day worth celebrating! Pi, also known by the Greek letter “π,” is a constant value used in math that represents the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is just about 3.14….15…9265359… … View morePi Day is on March 14, and any day that combines fun, education, and pie is a day worth celebrating! Pi, also known by the Greek letter “π,” is a constant value used in math that represents the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is just about 3.14….15…9265359… (and so on). Not only that, but the fourteenth of March is also Albert Einstein’s birthday, so all together it’s nothing short of a mathematician’s delight.

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654 days ago

Good working clean ovens

Amelia from Bromley

Have been taken out by professionals an replacing them with bigger heat pumps

Price: $300

654 days ago

Ceiling insulation used condition

Amelia from Bromley

This insuier78Come out of a house that was on fire but stil good for reuse , these are mammoth brand with rating of 4.0
Will deliver must be assp

Price: $200

657 days ago

Poll: How much is your monthly BROADBAND bill?

The Team from NZ Compare

Internet is something we need these days for work, study, keeping in touch with loved ones or just to watch a movie! It's another bill to manage right?!

With the cost of living rising, we want to know how much your broadband bill is setting you back each month?

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How much is your monthly BROADBAND bill?
  • 28.1% Under $75
    28.1% Complete
  • 27.6% Between $75-$85
    27.6% Complete
  • 44.3% Over $85
    44.3% Complete
1593 votes
654 days ago

Have you got a great recipe for jerusalem artichokes?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are still on the hunt for amazing and inventive jerusalem artichoke recipes! Send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by March 26, 2023. Every published recipe wins a copy of the May issue of NZ … View moreEvery month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are still on the hunt for amazing and inventive jerusalem artichoke recipes! Send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by March 26, 2023. Every published recipe wins a copy of the May issue of NZ Gardener.

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654 days ago

How do you think Christchurch and surrounding districts should look in 20 years time ?

The Team from Citizens Advice Christchurch Area

If you want to have a say in the development of Christchurch then this is your chance. There are several ways to do this :

1. Go to the website www.greaterchristchurch.org.nz... and take part in the online survey huihuimai.nz...

2. Take part in one of the workshops. You can still register … View more
If you want to have a say in the development of Christchurch then this is your chance. There are several ways to do this :

1. Go to the website www.greaterchristchurch.org.nz... and take part in the online survey huihuimai.nz...

2. Take part in one of the workshops. You can still register for the Rangiora session www.eventbrite.com...

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655 days ago

Addictive Eaters Anonymous

The Team from Addictive Eaters Anonymous - Christchurch

MONTHLY AEA WEB EVENTS
The AEA Web Event is a monthly online meeting where AEA members from all over the world come together to share their experience, strength and hope. Three members speak for 10 minutes each, followed by member sharing.
The AEA Web Event is held on the 3rd Sunday of each month… View more
MONTHLY AEA WEB EVENTS
The AEA Web Event is a monthly online meeting where AEA members from all over the world come together to share their experience, strength and hope. Three members speak for 10 minutes each, followed by member sharing.
The AEA Web Event is held on the 3rd Sunday of each month which is this Sunday 19 March at 9.00am.
ALL NEWCOMERS WELCOME

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B
656 days ago

Illustrator Wanted

Brian from Sumner

WANTED
Person to illustrate a series of children’s books.
Could be an experienced illustrator or a young person starting up. The books have a gentle eco friendly/sustainability background and are really funny . Illustrations need a point of difference and be quite quirky. Books are aimed at an … View more
WANTED
Person to illustrate a series of children’s books.
Could be an experienced illustrator or a young person starting up. The books have a gentle eco friendly/sustainability background and are really funny . Illustrations need a point of difference and be quite quirky. Books are aimed at an audience 6 to 10 years. Ideally the illustrator lives in Christchurch or at least in Canterbury
For further info and to discuss ring Brian K on 021 229 2260

657 days ago

Five-year-old boatshed platform earmarked for Christchurch's coastal pathway already rusting

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From reporter Tina Law:

A newly-built boat shed platform in coastal Christchurch is sitting unfinished after rust was discovered.

The issue has forced a temporary redesign of Christchurch’s long-awaited coastal pathway, which will go largely around the Moncks Bay platform until a resolution… View more
From reporter Tina Law:

A newly-built boat shed platform in coastal Christchurch is sitting unfinished after rust was discovered.

The issue has forced a temporary redesign of Christchurch’s long-awaited coastal pathway, which will go largely around the Moncks Bay platform until a resolution is found.

About 40 metresof the last section of the pathway, linking Ferrymead and Scarborough Beach, was supposed to traverse the boat shed platform, which is being built by the Christchurch Yacht Club.

Christchurch City Council gave the club $239,713 towards the project, on the condition the club guaranteed public access.

But the platform, which will eventually have the boat shed erected on top of it, cannot yet be used for the pathway, after rust was discovered on parts of it.


The platform, which sits just north of the club and replaces a boat shed that collapsed during the 2011 earthquakes, was built in 2018.

Christchurch Yacht Club commodore Sean Thomson​ said the club was “working through the issues” with its contractor and lawyers.

He was not able to say when the issue would be resolved.


Thomson said the platform was supposed to have a long life, but rust had been discovered on the ramps and in some other areas.

It was still intended that the platform would form part of the pathway, he said.

In the meantime, the council has developed “a work-around solution”, head of transport Lynette Ellis said.

She would not say what the solution was, but Christchurch Coastal Pathway Group chairman Hanno Sander​ said the pathway would go around the platform.

The path was supposed to be 4m wide across the platform, but would temporarily reduce to about 2m wide.


Sander said the issue was one of many that ended up forming part of the design process, including working around nesting penguins.

Ellis said the construction programmes for the platform and pathway did not align.


The issue came to light during the detailed design process, she said.

“We still anticipate utilising the platform in the future.”


When asked if the “workaround” had cost the project money, Ellis said any additional costs would be covered within the existing budget.

She said the final section of the pathway would still open to the public in early 2024. Work started in November 2021.

The Moncks Bay section was being built with $15.8m of the Government’s “shovel-ready” funding. The council was funding the additional $1.5m.


Part of the final section, from the former tram stop to the Christchurch Yacht Club, will open on Friday, but the remaining part would take longer.

It had to be cantilevered out over the Avon-Heathcote Estuary because the road space was limited in some areas.

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