Taxiway repair cost rises to $531,000

Press, 8 February 1985, Page 5

Taxiway repair cost rises to $531,000

The deteriorating northeast taiciway at Christchurch Airport will cost $531,381 to repair. The City Council’s airport and electricity committee said yesterday that the extra $104,000 needed to reseal the taxiway over an earlier estimate should be approved. British Pavements submitted the lowest of four tenders, ranging to $662,458. An earlier estimate of $428,000 was based on a detailed study, but $61,000 worth of extra paving was required because of taxiway shape differences between the first and final designs. Another $12,000 was needed because of an extra cost for lights and ducting. An asphalt price rise since October represented another $31,000 in the increased cost.

The taxiway project will be financed from the airport’s runway reseal reserve. Bird strikes Bird incidents at Christchurch Airport were down in July, August, and September, according to the latest statistics available to the City Council. During the quarter, there were seven bird strikes and 23 near misses. For the same three months in 1983, there were 36 incidents. The reduction was “of some statistical significance,” said Cr Morgan Fahey, the committee’s chairman. Cr Rex Lester said it showed that the now-closed Waimairi District tip near the airport had been a significant cause of bird incidents.

The latest report also shows that Christchurch Airport had a lower incident rate than Auckland or Wellington during April, May, and June.

Promotion film The council is being asked to contribute $15,000 toward a new promotional film and video that features the airport.

Councillors said the Canterbury Promotion Council project, a 12-minute film and video, should be considered by the cultural and public relations committee. Cr Fahey said that that committee’s budget lacked the money for such a contribution, but funds were available in the airport promotion account. The total production cost of film and video versions is $43,000. The Promotion Council said it had budgeted $20,000 toward production costs, and expected an $BOOO grant from the Tourist and Publicity Department. The committee said the proposal was supported in principle, Cr Fahey said that the council had to “pay more than lip service” to tourism if it was going to support it.