The children and a lot of us adults need a few minutes of your time.
Community Boards are now seeking input on what their priorities should be for the next 3 years. Draft plans will implement what they want as modified, hopefully, by what their constituents want prioritized by need.
Quoting the Have your say page:
“These Plans will guide the Board’s decisions on local activities, projects and facilities and our advocacy on behalf of our communities.
Each Community Board Plan will identify up to nine priorities, which the Community Board will focus on during the term.”
The first three Boards up for comment are the Waipuna-Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton (WHHR), Waitai-Burwood-Coastal (WBC), and Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood (FWH), Boards. If you live, work or travel through these areas this is your opportunity to have your say.
The Boards need to hear from lots of people who support cycling.
The background reading on these is minimal. They state their priorities in bullet points. Your comments can try to build on points you support, clearly define what you want and why it makes sense to be a priority or you can offer wholly new ideas. Do try to tie your priorities in with theirs, but don’t be constrained. Do be polite and constructive, honey being better than vinegar and all.
The Waipuna Halswell Hornby Riccarton Plan due 6 March
Focusing on each area’s needs the Board offers specific projects.
Much appreciated is their stated commitment “Pedestrians and road users should feel safe using the roading networks and have confidence that infrastructure is in place to ensure they are able to do so. Improving these connections provides the community the ability to access work, study and play, as well as connecting with others and creating vibrant communities.” This gives hope and a good foundation to advocate for cycling.
Halswell Road at Parklea, Hendersons/Cashmere are both mentioned as in need of work. Just what is not clear. Those who cycle here should let the Board know what you need.
Recreation space accessible to children of all ages is cited. Having those areas served by cycle infrastructure which parents feel comfortable letting their children use can increase activity and uptake.
Community safety is a growing concern. Having people on bikes, “eyes on the street” supports community connectedness.
Hornby is up for a new library and community centre at Kyle Park. Ask the board for excellent safe cycle infrastructure, including bike parking. Working with people who cycle regularly early on in developing the plans gets it right the first time, saving money and frustration.
Riccarton has a number of goals from pedestrian crossing from the Mosque to Hagley Park to upgrading the area around the War Memorial Library to street renewals. Asking the Board to support lower speed limits on Riccarton Road, surrounding streets and connecting links to the Uni Cycle and other cycle routes is a current need.
The local cycle networks in all these areas and connections to the wider cycle network are also a needed priority.
The Waitai Burwood Coastal Plan due 24 February
The Board offers 6 priorities:
- QEII disability access and spa
- Identify and build business case for a new “community facility” in Burwood.
- Represent community views and community initiated projects in talks between central gvt/CCC for use of Red Zone.
- Tidy up gateway roads to Coastal/Burwood – Increase maintenance and clean up budgets – Encourage personal responsibility to clean up
- Bring forward funding for Pages Road
- Repair NB Road
It’s good to see sensitivity to disabled access; perhaps they can apply equal sensitivity to the needs of people on bicycle to travel safely? Community facilities are great, especially when children can access them safely on foot, bike, bus. Roads in the east do need help and this is a great opportunity to add in long overdue cycle infrastructure. Note that Council has no Major Cycle Routes planned to serve New Brighton save the indirect scenic route along the river. The east’s need for a local cycle network and connections to the rest of Christchurch has been long neglected.
Fendalton Waimairi Harewood Plan due 6 March
The FWH Board is less focused offering Visions, a long list of Priorities and a promise of advocacy. Cycling gets some hints with “a safe and sustainable transport network which links with the wider Canterbury network.”, assuming that includes cycling. And a somewhat cryptic “Development of cycling incentive programmes at Council facilities” They do want a shared path on Gardiners Road from Wilkinsons to Sawyers Arms Road. With planned developments in the area; will that suffice?
Protecting resident’s on street parking gets a clear commitment as does securing funding for Councillor Aaron Keown’s politically motivated and unsafe signalizing of the intersection of Harewood/Breens/Gardiners Roads.
Neither WBC nor FWH Boards have been supportive of cycling in the past. They need to hear from constituents.
Spokes Canterbury http://www.spokes.org.nz/submissions/ have their draft comments up on each Board’s plans.
Here is the link to Council’s Have Your Say site https://www.ccc.govt.nz/the-council/consultations-and-submissions/haveyoursay/
And while you’re at it Council wants your views on the Central City