Estuary move backed

Press, 5 August 1983, Page 5

Estuary move backed

The possibility of Estuary windsurfers moving their launching base became stronger at a Christchurch Drainage Board committee meeting yesterday. If the Christchurch City Council’s parks and recreation department agrees to conditions recommended by the board’s operations and services committee, it seems likely the move will go ahead. The council has suggested that the Windsurfing Association move to the Estuary shoreline where Linwood Avenue meets Humphreys Drive, as the increasingly popular sport was causing congestion near the Mount Pleasant Yacht Club.

Boardriders would have to gain access to the new site across Drainage Board land, so the council wrote to the board asking for permission.

Yesterday’s meeting approved the access, as long as certain conditions were

met. These were: to remove the present gateway at Linwood Avenue and reinstate it along a new line; to arrange for general tidying, which would include mowing and planting along the board’s land and reserve strip, upgrading the present road to provide all-weather access and installing signs and rubbish tins; to instigate a Project Employment Programme which would tidy the shoreline and to maintain the area.

The chief engineer, Mr H. P. Hunt, told the meeting that no planting had been done in the area. The board had tried to discourage public access round the estuary frontage because of the possible disturbance of wildlife.

“However, the proposed gate or fence should continue to discourage further access, although there will be more temptation to trespass round the frontage than with the present..fencing,” he said. c The board’s chairman, Mr

C. H. Russell, said that there were all sorts of “marauding people” about, who could be tempted to trespass on to the. land at night, especially as it was unlit.

“When there is any area like this off the beaten track, it gives me some concern,” he said. Mr R. Stewart said that boardriders were the sort of people who would be out there at first light. “If we’ve got a lot of people going through there, we will find that there is less trouble.” The committee recommended that the board retain ownership of the land, but that it allow the Windsurfing Association to have access to the new site after the improvements were made.

The committee resolved to write to the parks and recreation department, requesting that it look into the question of lighting the area at night.