Jet-skis stir debate

Press, 18 December 1989, Page 2

Jet-skis stir debate

Community boards in the areas most affected by jet-ski and wetbike use in Sumner Bay and the Estuary want the Canterbury Regional Council to find suitable alternative sites for them. A special combined meeting of the Burwood/Pegasus and Hagley/Ferrymead community boards has called for the Regional Council to convene a meeting of the city and district councils and user groups. It also resolved to ask for adequate equipment and support personnel for City Council rangers to enforce the present by-laws pertaining to the Estuary and other waters under its control, and that legal advice be urgently obtained on extending the ban on motorised craft in its waters. The moves — to go before the City Council on Monday — followed a meeting at which many residents’ groups repeated complaints that the machines were noisy, dangerous to “passive” users, and often operated irresponsibly. Council officers had told the meeting that the rangers had trouble enforcing the by-laws because their boat could be outrun by wetbikes. They also said that by-law

120 b, which bans wetbikes from Sumner Bay, had a questionable legal basis and, even with adequate evidence, a prosecution might have only a 50 per cent chance of success. Dr Granville Glover, representing the Sumner wetbike committee ■ and Sumner Neighbourhood Association, said that the two groups were not 'against the sport and wanted the machines to be given a suitable area — but it should not be the Estuary or Sumner Bay. . Mr Bob Thomson, of the Sumner Residents’ Association, said that there had been rib improvement in spite of the bylaw; wetbikes and jet-skis still operated in the prohibited area and outside legal times. Mr Philip Davies, a spokesman for the Canterbury Jet-Ski Club, said that jet-skis were being discriminated against. He said that he had seen power boats, skiers, and inflatables “having fun” in prohibited areas. Mr Davies, who had a sometimes noisy reception from the many residents who packed the council committee room, said that all power boat users should be treated identically.