New span replaces old

Press, 28 March 1981, Page 12

New span replaces old

The official opening of the $600,000. South New-Brighton bridge today will be good news for motorists who have had to put up with the narrow old span across the Avon River’s outlet to the Estuary. A Christchurch City Council planning hearing during the week also had heartening news for conservationists who want to preserve Rat Island wetlands beside the new bridge. Council planners recommended a zoning change to the reviewed district scheme

that would protect the two areas of wetland (shown above) from reclamation work, while allowing possible recreational improvement of Rat Island land containing the Pleasant Point Yacht Club. The zoning change was sought by Cr Noala Massey and the Combined Estuary Association. The wetlands are part of a much larger Estuary shoreline that is the habitat of two seldom-seen native birds, the marsh crake and the bittern. A Ministry of Works and

Development planner appearing on her own behalf, Miss Rosemary Biss, said the Rat Island wetlands might seem unimportant to some but would assume greater importance when Bridge Street roadworks and an Estuary walkway were complete, and the nearby Bexley rubbish tip had been developed for recreation. Mr B. A. Calder, a Combined Estuary Association spokesman, said the Rat Island inlet had an attraction for birds out of proportion to its size. Species such as the

grey teal, spoonbill duck, and pied stilt could be seen regularly. During most winters a white heron found food and shelter either in the inlet or nearby.

Because so much reclamation had been done, said Mr Calder, “those earlier proponents of the reclamation schemes — ignorant ,of the real value of estuaries —

might be excused for their destructive zeal.” Removal of man-made rubbish and a clean-up of the wetlands margins were all that was

needed to preserve the area. The old bridge across Rat Island will be removed. Elderly residents who have lived in the district for many years have been invited to attend the new bridge’s official opening by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Hamish Hay) at 10.30 a.m. today.

Work was started on the bridge project and its road approaches in 1974, and has cost $1.56 million. Some 100,000 cu m of demolition material was used in the construction project.