Bridge plan for disabled

Press, 2 December 1978, Page 4

Bridge plan for disabled

; A new proposal tor a ramp to the Bridge of Re- ! membrance for disabled and ; elderly persons will be ’[presented to the Christ- [ church City Council next! 1 week. ’ ’A previous suggestion of a ; concrete ramp with hand-: rails was thought by some: ■ council members to be "vis-| ually obstructive.” The new proposal, which: at $6OOO, would cost much; less than a concrete ramp, is! for a 2m-wide footpath to lead to the bridge at a gentle slope. Shrubs would be planted beside the path; and all present trees m :he area would be retained. No hand-rails would be neces- 1 sary. [ The new proposal was inrenared bv a Christchurch!

structural engineer, Mr Bill Lovell-Smith, and a Christchurch architect, Mr Ken Pearse. They believe that the proposal is more “environ- ; mentally satisfying.” | They prepared the proposal after they had been approached by the organisers ! of a petition which called on * the council to approve a i ramp. More than 870 persons signed the petition four days before it was presented to the council by Mrs Mollie i Clark. The petition said that the i Bridge of Remembrance would eventually be the i western entrance to the - planned pedestrian mall ir Cashel Street and as such , 1 should be accessible to al. 11 Christchurch citizens.