Delays place doubt on Hanmer flyride project
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Delays on a proposed flyride in North Canterbury are placing the project in doubt, community leaders say.
Hurunui district councillor Tom Davies said he fears a proposed flyride project in Hanmer Springs is becoming untenable, as the community continues to wait for a decision from the Environment Court.
A resource consent was granted to the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa to install and operate a gravity-based recreation activity at Conical Hill Reserve by a Hurunui District Council appointed commissioner two years ago.
But it was appealed to the Environment Court by The Friends of Conical Hill Incorporated.
The Environment Court heard the appeal in Hanmer Springs in March.
A spokesperson for the court said the decision ‘‘is still with the court, at this stage we have no estimated issue date’’.
Davies said residents just wanted to know one way or the other, so they could move on.
‘‘It is just crazy it has taken so long,’’ he said.
‘‘I fear the project may be in danger of not going ahead because of how long it has taken.
‘‘It has been going on for years and it would probably still be another 18 months down the track before it is completed, even if it was approved now.’’
Hanmer Springs Community Board chairperson Mary Holloway said she believed most residents had moved on.
‘‘It was supposed to be a ‘shovel ready’ project and I can’t imagine how much it has cost ratepayers to go through this process.
‘‘Both sides are pretty passionate about it, but I think businesses are just getting on with what they are doing.
‘‘I think most people just assume it is not going to happen.’’
Hurunui Tourism product development manager Graeme Abbot said staff will need to review the project, should the consent be confirmed.
‘‘We will need to have another look at whether it is still viable and consider what, if any, conditions are placed on it.
Plan A was to have it up and running by now.’’
Despite the wait for the flyride decision, Abbot said the town is booming.
Visitor numbers for the first week of the October school holidays, last week, were up 14% on last year. Businesses are getting ready for the summer season, which is promising to be another busy one, he said.
The pools were fully staff which hadn’t been the case for a few years due to Covid.
‘‘We are all already fully staffed at the pools for Christmas period, which hasn’t been the case for a few years due to Covid.’’
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
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