Groynes extensions

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32701, 2 September 1971, Page 2

Groynes extensions

A riverside reserve for active and passive recreation will be created by the Waimairi County Council along one mile and a half of the South Branch of the Waimakariri River, running to the east as an extension of a popular picnic spot, the Groynes, off Johns Road, near Belfast.

About 200 acres of land on either side of the stream will be “made over” to take advantage of the possibilities the site offers for peaceful relaxation, picnic spots and water sports. The concept of the scheme, but not its detail nor costs, has been approved by the council. General development plans have been prepared by the council’s landscape designer, Miss E. Mulligan, and it is proposed to do the work in stages, over perhaps 10 years. “Tlie first stage of the plan has been put into effect with the improvements made recently at the Groynes picnic ground, and it is possible that some more work will be done this year on the land on the opposite bank,” said the county engineer (Mr A. J. W. Lamb). “A house will be built to the east of the present picnic ground, and this will be occupied by the council’s newlyappointed parks ranger, Mr S. S. Smith. It is hoped that next year a start will be made with plantings on the extension, lying to the east of the Groynes, and running down to Dickeys Road.” In producing her proposals for the general plan, Miss Mulligan had studied soil types and topography, and had made a visual and access study to determine feature points and the line of a road which would run through the extension on a winding line from Johns Road to Dickeys Road, said Mr Lamb.

About half of the land is in Eyre County, but it is vested as reserve with the North Canterbury Catchment Board. The county council has no objection to the development, and Waimairi has been negotiating with the board for a long-term lease. Mr Lamb said that the land was now leased for farm grazing on a year-to-year basis. When the council had done the tree-planting it was probable that the land would be leased back for farming until the trees were established. The reserve itself would not occupy betterclass farm land.

Miss Mulligan considered that the major existing vegetation indicated the type of new plantings, so willows, mainly, would be used between sections of the reserve. There was scope for the planting of native trees and shrubs. Mr Lamb said that the through road probably would be closed at night, and, because of the nature of the reserve, the council could be expected to impose a lower speed limit than 30 m.p.h. The illustration gives an indication of the extent of the ' reserve..