RIVER AVON IMPROVEMENT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 765, 24 July 1916, Page 3

RIVER AVON IMPROVEMENT.

The matter of improving the river Avon for boating purposes was advanced another stage on Friday after- ; noon, when the Mayor, accompanied by Mr Dobson (city surveyor) ami Mr E. Cuthbert (Drainage Board engineer) made a tour of inspection. The question to be decided was the position of the experimental dam or weir. Mr Holi land stated that he was anxious to have I as lon j a distance in the city available for boating as possible, and that he hoped ; to be able to place the first weir at the Hereford Stre'et bridge, which would give some .'lO chains extra water in the city area. After careful examination, states the Mayor, it was clear that in order to accomplish this object and dispense with the weir at the hospital bridge, the weir would have to be made too high at Hereford Street, and that by doing so, apart from the danger of flooding cellars, the Rhodendrou Island opposite St. Michael's Church would be partly submerged, and a very important beauty spot spoiled. To obviate these difficulties, and at the same time give a lengthened course, the idea most favoured by the engineers was to erect a temporary dam just a,bove the Rhododendron Island. By doing so the proposed weir at Antigua Street bridge will be unnecessary, the inflowing drains will not be interfered with, and will in some measure meet the Mayor's wishes to have some boating in the city. Before this temporary dam is constructed it is proposed a have a report prepared on the state of all the cellars in the vicinity, and also similar reports from time to time, before any permanent structure is erected. It is not anticipated that any difficulty will be experienced in carrying out this proposal.