New image for ponds?

Press, 23 February 1978, Page 6

New image for ponds?

Christchurch sewagetreatment ponds should have a new name as well as a new image, according to the New Brighton Pier and Foreshore Improvement Society'. Their image, that of a wildlife refuge, is already established. A Drainage Board committee yesterday said it might be willing to go along with the New Brighton group’s suggestion that the area be called the Rotoparu Wild Life Refuge. A board member, Mr A.

Cockburn, said that the Maori name meant “murky lake.”

Since the name Bromley Wild Life Refuge has already been gazetted, the Internal Affairs Department would have to agree to the change. Board members said they could agree with the New Brighton group’s favourable comments about the refuge, but the public must understand clearly that oxidation ponds were primarily for sewage treatment. Public access was

prohibited, unless under authorised supervision. “It is not public open

space,” said the construction and treatment works chairman (Mr C. H. Russell). He recommended that more “No Trespassing” signs be erected. Problems with rabbits are still being experienced on several islands in the ponds. Mr Russel! said they should be killed as soon as possible, since they destroyed new vegetation that the board wanted to take hold on the islands.

Such planting was not affected on islands without rabbits.

Board engineers said that staff had already begun an extermination programme. The last time the job was done by Pest Destruction Board staff, 1080 poison having been used. There had been criticism then because of the many pukekos also killed. Christchurch residents could be justifiably proud of the ponds, several board members said.