Access to school

Press, 27 September 1986, Page 20

Access to school

Sir, — It is disappointing to discover that the Riccarton Borough Council lacks expertise in planning and co-ordination. In the middle of a quagmire in Matai Street is the approach to the newly completed Girls’ High School, beautifully finished and appointed, costing more than $8 million, with landscaped grounds but not a single pavement by which to reach it. One can envisage 1800 feet daily, tramping into the corridors, disgorging mud and gravel to wear into the carpets and vinyl and causing considerable extra cleaning. The staff must traverse this muck to reach the paved car park, while the girls will need acrobatic skills to manoeuvre their bicycles across the grime, but buses required by the school find

this cross-country'course beyond them and cannot enter Matai Street to collect or disgorge pupils. What is so surprising about this ill-timed reading is that it was long known when the school would be making the move to Riccarton — in fact, the move was much later than at first intended — so it seems inexcusable that all ancillary services could not have been completed. — Yours, etc.,

DAPHNE B. JAMESON. September 20, 1986.

[Mr John Skinner, Town Clerk of Riccarton, replies: ‘‘Your correspondent is obviously not aware that the upgrading of Matai Street East, which will provide a high standard of access and frontage amenity principally for the benefit of the new school, is only happening at all as a result of the initiatives and persistence of the Riccarton Borough Council. While the school had been proposed for some years, its construction was not approved by the Government until August 1983. There were many matters to be resolved before the necessary improvements to Matai Street East could be commenced, such as how to best meet traffic circulation, parking and cycleway requirements; agreement with the Minister of Education and then the department on a cost-sharing arrangement; approval of a National Roads Board subsidy; detailed design and contract documentation; calling and letting of tenders. The parties involved were the Riccarton, Waimairi, Christchurch City and Canterbury United Councils, the Ministry of Works and Development, the Minister of Education, Department of Education, school board of governors, and much effort was put in by all con-

cerned to bring this project to fruition for the benefit of the new school. The contract was let in June for completion by the end of October. The work is being carried out to the shortest feasible programme but, as with any street reconstruction, a degree of disruption and inconvenience is unavoidable. I am sure that the school, the residents and other users of the street will appreciate the finished result.”]