Life-saving clubhouse to get power supply

Press, 4 March 1987, Page 9

Life-saving clubhouse to get power supply

An underground power supply will be provided for the Spencer Park surf life-saving clubhouse.

The works, reserves, and traffic committee of the Waimairi District Council adopted yesterday a recommendation by the M.E.D. to lay a 400-volt supply from the Spencer Park camping ground. The work is likely to cost about $lB,OOO. The general manager of the M.E.D., Mr Chris Laurie, said in a letter to the council that providing power to the clubhouse was “a completely uneconomic proposition.”

The clubhouse was isolated from any existing supply and only a small amount of electricity would be used, he said.

The council had decided earlier to provide power to allow people to stay overnight in the clubhouse and to help prevent a worsening problem of vandalism. A power supply would allow an alarm system to be installed. Mr Laurie said the supply would have to be underground because overhead wiring would not be suitable. Fast-grow-ing trees in the area would have to be trimmed frequently, and the line would be vulnerable to storm damage and

outages from salt contamination. The cost of installation was difficult to assess because of the unusual terrain. The underground line would be a sub-circuit from the main switchboard at the camping ground. Road widening A special public hearing on proposals for Fendalton Road will be held on April 14 at 4 p.m. The council released details of five options for the widening of Fendalton Road in December and asked for public comment

The District Clerk, Mr Peter Chapple, said yesterday that about 75 submissions had so far been received with more arriving each day. Most submissions favoured “Option One” which entailed improvement of the road within its present boundaries. Model cars

The first stage of approval for an off-road, radio-controlled modelcar race track was given by the committee. The superintendent of reserves, Mr Graeme Nind, said the recently formed Christchurch Radio Control Off-Road Club had applied to use a hectare of land in the south-east corner of the closed Johns Road dump site.

The club would build a track and use toilets and a shed already on the site.

The area was zoned Rural Industrial IB and a specified departure application would be needed. Mr Nind said it was a new and fast-growing form of recreation. He recommended the committee give its approval in principle.

The matter will be referred to the town-plan-ning committee and to the finance and policy committee regarding a lease of the site. Hospital water

A new water-pumping station will be built at Burwood Hospital. An old water tower at the hospital is too small for firefighting and needs to be replaced ’ because of its age.

The new system is expected to cost $lBB,OOO. The Canterbury Hospital Board would supply the site for the pumping station and the council would meet loan charges on $160,000. The Hospital Board would pay a water rate of $14,500 a year to the council. Woodland

A community woodland might be planted near Briggston Primary School at no cost to the council. Mr Ted Waters presented last year a plan for the woodland to the council on behalf of the Commission for the Environment. A meeting:!of the vj

investigating sub-commit-tee in February gave approval to the project pro-' vided Mr Waters gained the approval of the Shirley Rugby League Club and provided the council with satisfactory costings. Road closing

Council staff will investigate the possibility of closing Snowdon Road at Fendalton Road.

A petition of residents in the street asked the road be closed to prevent its use as a short cut between Fendalton Road and Idris Road.

The District Engineer, Mr John Lamb, suggested the matter be held over until a decision had been made on the development of Fendalton Road. He said money could be needlessly spent on closing the road when changes to Fendalton Road might achieve a similar effect.

Cr Ted Arundel said there was no reason why the road should not be closed but agreed to the staffs investigating the matter and reporting to the next meeting.