McCormack’s Bay Progress “Slow”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32220, 12 February 1970, Page 1

McCormack’s Bay Progress “Slow”

Progress on improvements to McCormack’s Bay was painfully slow, I the chairman of the I Christchurch City Coun-j Icil’s parks and recreation committee (Cr P. .1.1 ’Skellerup) said yester-1 [day.

On March 21, 1967. the council approved a scheme, put forward by Ryan Bros, to turn the bay into an aquatie playground and picnic area. In the same month, the Christchurch Drainage Board supported the scheme, on condition that land and water drainage was carried out with no cost to the board. The Canterbury Progress League, in June, 1967, supported in principle reclamation of the area The council in that year accepted a tender for the cartage of 18.500 yards of sand and later the cartage of clay for filling in McCormack’s Bay. Some tidying round the southern boundary of the bay has been done

A reader of “The Press” in-i quired recently about pro-: Igress on the “attractive scheme” put forward by Ryan j Bros. He said he had bought; a section in a hillside sub [ division on the south side of the bay, “but to all outward appearances nothing has been; done in the last two years toll what Cr Skellerup in 1967 ad-1; mitted was an eyesore.” ; “McCormack's Bay is certainly an eyesore," Cr Skel- i lerup said when the correspondent’s letter was referred ’ to him. “It will take hun- < dreds of thousands of yards i to fill it. We have done more 1 at McCormack’s Bay in the i last three years than had i been done in 50 years. The : only answer may be to work I out an arrangement with all I the local bodies, including ad hoc bodies, to cart any suit- I able fill available to McCor- 1 mack's Bay. It will require I an all-out effort.” ; Cr Skellerup said that no [ 1 detailed design and landscape!' plan had been worked out fori-' the area. He agreed that the [ council had in 1967 approved’ in principle the plan put for- ' ward for the reclamation of!i

the eastern end of the bay, l ; from the Mount Pleasant Community Centre to Sole- i I ares Avenue, and the land- ! scaping of that area. The lagoon area, under the i plan put forward almost three years ago. would be re- < ■ tained. With the fitting of I manually-operated flood-gates) Ito existing outlets in the causeway, the lagoon would,: be dredged to a depth of!' about sft. The bottom of the lagoon): would be covered with sand, , on top of plastic sheeting to , stop it disappearing into the 1 mud, so that there would be 1 a boating, paddling and swimming area, with a depth of : 3ft 6in at low tide—with a : barrier enclosing the shallow < paddling pool. Ryan Bros estimated the ' project would cost 8140.000 < Mr B. Blogg, who had seen 1 a disused reservoir reclaimed i as a water playground by the i Parramatta Council, near Syd-; 1 |ney, was co-author of the'l ; scheme put forward by RyanJ Bros. i Cr Skellerup said that: l : Ryan Bros and Mr Blogg had j said they were willing to ad-i 1

I vance reserves money from subdivisions on the hill south of McCormack's Bay if the council went ahead with the scheme. The money would amount to about $24,000. “1 have been prodding the council." Mr Blogg said yesterday. “At least it could, grass the area filled “I would advance the re-1 serves money tomorrow if the council said it would go] ahead and produced a definite j (scheme. 1 feel that the water] !playground is an essential! part of the scheme, and would: bring pleasure to families from all over Christchurch."! In April, 1969, the council 1 asked the Drainage Board for, a report on drainage aspects] of McCormack's Bay. "The board agreed to m-| vestigate the drainage impli] cations of the McCormack's,] Bay area proposals, and these’ investigations have been.' under way for some time, al-: though it has been necessary] I to fit them in with more , urgent flood relief investiga-: : tions and other work.” said 1 the board’s chief engineer , (Mr P. J. McWilliam), yester-j I day.

“Although loss of staff has caused some delay with progress, investigations have now reached the stage where more detailed proposals for the development of the area are needed before further progress can be made,” Mr Mc- , William said. The council, apart from I taking some levels, has done Ino detailed design or planning work on the area. I Mr Blogg said that private I development in the area was •going ahead in leaps and j bounds. Houses were being ■ built on two stages of his 120- | section subdivision. Ryan ' Bros was opening a subdivi- ; sion of 70 to 100 sections and i another 40 acres on the hill j was zoned residential. j “This will give a total capi- • tai investment of a minimum ■of $5,600,000, with 400 householders paying rates to . the ; City Council and the Drainage Board,” Mr Blogg said. i “1 am hoping the council ' will speed up. Corsair Bay is :the only really sheltered and safe place for children near I Christchurch. McCormack’s j Bay could be as good,” he said.