Kaiapoi-coast track awaits approval

Press, 3 October 1979, Page 11

Kaiapoi-coast track awaits approval

A walkway from Kaiapoi to Pines Beaches has been recommended for approval by the Rivers Control and Drainage Committee of the North Canterbury Catchment Board. The walkway will begin behind the Kaiapoi Post Office and follow the left stopbank of the Kaiapoi River and lower Waimakariri River to the coast.

It was proposed by the Canterbury District Walkways Committee, and is funded by the Walkways Commission, which hopes to open the walkway before Christmas. the walkway will follow an existing track along the stopbank, used by the Catchment Board to service the floodbanks. The deputy chief engineer (Mr B. P. Dwyer) said approval would be granted subject to provision made for continued access by the board and that responsibility for any damage to stopbanks or floodgates would be accepted by the Walkways Committee. Approval was also subject to the walkway being administered by the Kaiapoi Borough Council and that plans of a proposed bridge over the Saltwater Creek were apnroved by the board. The walkway crosses "reehold land and the hree landowners concerned have agreed in principle to the proposals. The siting and type of bridge over Saltwater "reek has yet to be decided by the Walkways Committee, which is discussing this with residents md the local yacht club. The Rivers Control and Drainage Committee also recommended approval for everal other proposed vorks. Anchored willow protec‘ion work at an estimated ■Ost of $11,250 was approved for a section of he Selwyn River. The willows will be planted in wo places where existing vorks were damaged sevirely during a flood in \ugust. the works were approved within the rating area with a two to one subsidy. Subsidy assistance was requested by the Eyre County Council for willow clearing and regrading on a length of the Kaikanui Stream. Work was estimated to cost $7OOO and a two to one subsidy was approved by the committee.

Subsidy for work on a new channel to replace the meandering course of a stream on the propertv of Mr J. H. Oldfield of Dunsandel was approved. The stream was illdefined, with willows and poplars along its course which had made maintenance difficult and caused flooding to adjacent paddocks. A channel would be built on a new line and trees removed where necessary at a cost of about $7OOO, with a subsidy of

two to one approved by the committee. Interim licences to take shingle from the Ashley River were granted to Service Transport. Ltd. and Rangiora Ready-Mix. Areas that could be used by the companies were specified and permission to fence an area around the plant and stockpiles was declined to Service Transport. Ltd. The fencing application was declined because it interfered with the > ht of access b\ the public, said Mr Dwyer.