Most residents for Bowenvale deal?

Press, 31 January 1984, Page 1

Most residents for Bowenvale deal?

Concerted ratepayer opposition might persuade the Heathcote County Council against buying Bowenvale Valley for a public reserve. However, the county chairman, Mr Oscar Alpers, said yesterday that he doubted most residents were opposed to the idea. He said that the meeting called by the Heathcote Reserves Action Group on Sunday had been confusing. “Right until the end, it looked as if the supporters for the move had the whole thing sewn up. Hardly anyone said anything against it,” he said.

The meeting, attended by more than 120 people, decided by 48 votes to 40 in favour of a motion calling on the council to spend its reserve money on land suitable for team sport and group activity.

This would rule out Bowenvale Valley which is in the Port Hills above Huntsbury Spur. However, Mr Alpers said that the only conclusion that he could reach from the vote was that there were 48 people in Heathcote opposed to the purchase. He was not convinced that they had the support of the majority. Mr Alpers said that he had expected more opposition at the meeting than had been received, especially as the venue had been near Bowenvale Avenue, the area of greatest resistance. Some residents had thought that trail bikes would be used in the

reserve but that was not the council’s intention, Mr Alpers said. “Nothing could be further from our minds. We are thinking of walking and horse-riding,” he said. Concern had also been expressed about a possible noise nuisance. “I wondered if it was the singing of birds, the rustling of leaves or the humming of bees that was going to be the problem,” he said. The council had not yet planned what it would do with the land, Mr Alpers said. It intended to call for submissions from the North Canterbury Catchment Board, the public, and the United Council and then devise a draft scheme for study. “Some people are opposed because we are not able to

tell them what is going to be done there. It bothers me a bit that they want us to have a firm plan,” he said. Negotiations to buy the block were proceeding. A counter offer had been made for the land “not a lot higher than the council’s” and an updated valuation report was awaited before a response was made. The council would consider the purchase agreement and terms when it next met, said Mr Alpers. “I suppose that if there is sufficient opposition to it, it will not be approved,” he said. Mr Alpers said that all Heathcote councillors bad attended Sunday’s meeting but that he did not know what impressions they had left with because he had not yet discussed it with them.