Dark sky initiative gaining momentum
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to protect Oxford’s night sky are gaining momentum.
The Oxford Area School Observatory has met with local stakeholders and now plans to submit an application for dark sky park status with the International Dark-Sky Association.
The ultimate goal was to become a dark sky reserve, volunteer Raul Elias-Drago said.
He said gaining dark sky park status for the 11,350-hectare Oxford Forest Conservation Area was a good first step.
"There’s no power, no light fittings, so it is very easy to gain accreditation and the Department of Conservation is supportive.
"We can use that to generate momentum and then continue the conversation with the council and local businesses, generate some funds and come back to addressing the lighting in the township."
A dark sky reserve would include the conservation area as the core and the township as the periphery.
Oxford-Ohoka Community Board chairperson Thomas Robson said the board was supportive of the project.
"It is something that has been talked about for a while and there has always been a desire to do it and hopefully it will bring people to the town.
"The observatory is such a great facility and the more well-known it becomes, the more volunteers and support it will generate."
Robson said there would be some challenges in getting a dark sky reserve application together, but he believed the initiative would have broad community support.
"The majority of us moved to Oxford to enjoy the rural lifestyle and part of that is the night sky.
"In the long term it will be a good thing for the community and it is nice to have proposals like this coming to the board which are good news stories."
Elias-Drago gave a presentation to the community board last week before meeting with stakeholders in the Oxford Town Hall.
Stakeholders included local businesses, sports clubs, schools, Oxford Gallery, the Oxford A&P Association, the Department of Conservation, Waimakariri District Council staff and Enterprise North Canterbury (ENC).
"It was a full house and we also had members of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand and the International Dark-Sky Association zoom in, in support."
Elias-Drago said there were questions around lighting.
He said good lighting policies could reduce light pollution, improve melatonin levels in humans and improve animal welfare.
"It is not about living in the dark. I want people to have a better life. It is about better living through better lighting."
A study commissioned by ENC suggested a dark sky reserve could generate $5.4 million in additional spending in the town and create up to 24 jobs.
Poll: Do you think banning gang patches is reasonable?
With the government cracking down on gangs, it is now illegal for gang members to display their insignia in public places whether through clothing or their property.
This means arrests can be made if these patches are worn in places like restaurants, shops, on public transport or ferries, and on airplanes. Arrests were made recently at a funeral.
Do you think this ban is reasonable?
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0% Yes
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0% No
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0% Other - I'll share below
Canterbury’s Woodend Bypass route confirmed
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The route of the proposed Woodend Bypass in Canterbury has been confirmed - and it might look familiar to locals.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) says it has decided the stick with the route which was first designated nine years ago.
Engineers reviewed the route after the Government gave them the green light in July to push ahead with plans.
The 9km stretch of road will provide an extension to the Christchurch northern corridor, otherwise known as the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway.
Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey has advocated for the project for several years and said he is thrilled at the latest announcements.
‘‘Many residents across the Waimakariri and further afield will be in no doubt about my passion for this project.
‘‘For far too long now, elderly residents of Woodend have missed medical appointments as they refuse to cross the main road due to safety concerns, and school children have run the gauntlet of getting to and from school.
‘‘Business owners have also suffered because customers refuse to stop on the main road due to traffic.’’
Waimakariri deputy mayor Neville Atkinson said it will be welcome news for local residents.
‘‘It has been a long time coming and the council has always been supportive of this project, so we are delighted that it is moving forward at the pace it is.’’
Last week, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to build an overpass to replace the Pegasus roundabout and provide better access for Pegasus, Ravenswood and Woodend residents.
He said NZTA will release a request for tender for detailed design and construction supervision this week.
The first stage of early works will likely begin in early 2026 with preparation for road widening to four lanes between Lineside Rd and Cam River, while the main physical works are expected to begin later in 2026.
An NZTA spokesperson said it is too soon for concept drawings to show what the Pegasus interchange will look like.
‘‘We’ll be able to share these as the designs progress during this next phase.’’
Details of how environmental challenges, such as two shingle pit lakes which have been created over the last decade, will be overcome have yet to be released.
Final costs have yet to be determined, but it is believed it will cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Woodend Bypass is one of the Government's first five roads of national significance.
The Government is considering roads of national significance to be partially funded by a toll.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.1% Yes
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15.1% No
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2.7% Other - I'll share below
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