The Capital Rating Debate

On the right side of your screen, you should see a heading Pages.  To open a page, simply click on it.

The two that I put on this morning are:

Democracy and Consultation

Capital Value versus Land Value Based Rating

Sorry they are a bit long!

Oxford Town Hall Proposal for Public Consultation

As part of its Long Term Plan, the Waimakariri District Council is to consult with the wider community on the future of the earthquake-prone Oxford Town Hall.

One idea that will be discussed is whether to build a new one that would include the functions of the Pearson Park Pavilion, also earthquake prone. 

Relocated to the Pearson Park area, it would then be possible to combine the funding that it is proposed to allocate for earthquake-strengthening of both buildings: $2m for the Town Hall and $150,000 for the pavilion.

The Kaiapoi Library and Museum Replacement – what is going out for public consultation?

The Council is currently going through its Long Term Plan preparation.  We haven’t finished yet, but we have already made some decisions on what we want to consult the public on.

We are proposing a new combined library and museum on the site of the current Kaiapoi library.  We are not proposeing a repair because geotechnical investigation has shown that there has been some liquefaction and lateral spread on the site. A building needs new, deep foundations.

The existing building has become too small and the meeting room upstairs is also of a design and size that made it not as useful as it could have been.  Paradoxically, the kitchen is too big!

The museum will be combined with the library, and an art space, similar in size to that in the Rangiora library, will also be included.

The total cost will be about $8.6m, owhich it is likely that about $2m will be recovered from the current library and the former museum.

A Triple Whammy – or is it a Quadruple?

When it comes to big community facilities projects, we normally do one at a time – as happened with the Dudley Pool.

This time, the earthquake and the justified heightened sensitivity to earthquake-prone buildings, has left us with three big ones all at once:

• The Kaiapoi Library/Museum
• The Rangiora Town Hall
• The Oxford Town Hall

These are amongst the problems facing the Council for its Long Term (10 Year) Plan.

But wait there’s more …

                … a new bridge over the Ashley north of Rangiora.

What’s Happening About the Kaiapoi Aquatic Centre?

As we all know, the Kaiapoi Aquatic Centre was badly damaged in the 22 February earthquake.  The September quake damgaed the pool and the surrounds and these had been fixed by December.  The photo shows the pool full of kids on the reopening day. The February quake did major damage to the roof.

It seems that the cost of repairing the roof will be met by insurance.

However, may had complained in the past about the inadequacy of the changing rooms.  The Council would like to redesign these and the entrance area and is seeking funding from an outside earthquake-recovery source to pay for this.

Let’s put the pool back, but make it better!

Options for the Rangiora Town Hall

The Town Hall in earlier days

On the face of it, there are a number of options before the community when it comes to fixing the earthquake-prone buikding – it is currently assessed at 28% of new building standard.

 

However, the existing Long Term Plan, consulted on and confirmed in 2009, already projects a major development of the Town Hall.  This includes earthquake-strengthening the existing building, and building around it on the southern and western sides new dressing rooms and toilets for performers and crew, a smaller and more flexible performance space, shifting the movie theatre downstairs and enlarging the foyer.  There would be a new entrance into that foyer off High Street, and there would be a reception area upstairs where the movie theatre now is.  There would also be storage of costumes and props, along with practice rooms for music students and the like.  A lift will need to be installed for disabled access upstairs.

 

What is wrong with the existing building?

 

There is only one toilet backstage, and that is on the stage itself!  During performances, cast and crew have to come outside the building and run around the to the front door to use the toilet off the foyer! I think we all know that the foyer is hopelessly small.  In addition, there is a real shortage in the District of middle-sized performance spaces.

 

Are there alternatives? Well I guess there are, ranging from knocking it down and building nothing to replace it, to knocking it down and building something brand new.  The latter would be the strongest solution from an earthquake-resistance point of view, and while it is probably the most expensive option (if it included the above add-ons), the Council is seeking an update on the likely costs of doing this. 

 

In addition to this, the Council has been talking to Kaiapoi High School about upgrading their auditorium to provide an improved performance space there.

 

The pressure has obviously come on because of the closure of the Town Hall and forced the council to consider advancing its plans.

 

All, however, comes up for discussion as part of the Long Term Plan process.  The Council is about to prepare a draft, which will go out for consultation next month.

Kaiapoi Law Firm Corcoran French Reopens Christchurch Office

Kaiapoi Law Firm, Corcoran French have reopened their Christchurch office – see http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/6286902/Law-firm-returns-to-Christchurch-city . They were forced out of their Kaiapoi offices by the September quake (the building is now demolished) and are now at The Crossing, next to McDonalds.

Trees Make a Difference in Town Centres

Central Canberra

Supermarket Wars in Waimakariri

The supermarkets are certainly getting thick on the ground.

The Kaiapoi New World reopened last month after being rebuilt - the previous building was, of course, badly damaged by the September quake.  That was great for Kaiapoi and has been one of the signs that commercially Kaiapoi is on the road back.

In the meantime, the Rangiora New World has undergone a significant expansion.

Next week, the new Countdown in Ivory Street, Rangiora, will be opened. That will make two Countdowns in Rangiora, along with the one in Kaiapoi..

People often ask me if Pak ‘n Save is coming to Southbrook after all.  The latest information that I have is that it has been delayed while Foodstuffs get a couple of New Worlds back open in Christchurch (Redcliffs and St Martins, I think).  The first job that has to be done at Southbrook is to divert the Southbrook stream around the edge of the site.

The new building going up beside St Mary’s Anglican Church in Southbrook Road is the Rangiora Mazda building, replacing their site on the Pak ‘n Save site.

Is Waimakariri Growing?

It certainly looks like it.

The Sovereign Palms subdivision north of Kaiapoi is moving fast and a lot of interest has been shown in the Silverstream subdivision to the west of that town.  Given that most of those in the Kaiapoi red zones have indicated hat they want to stay in Kaiapoi, this is not surprising.

Local will have noted the houses springing up in the new Horncastle subdivision on the eastern side of Rangiora and in the Arlington subdivision in the north-west.  Pegasus has got going again, too.

Real estate firms are reporting that there is also strong demand for rural life-style blocks, particularly in the Clarkville-Ohoka area and for rural-residential properties in the likes of Mandeville.

This all suggests that many of those who are having to move out of Christchurch are looking north.  Historically, this has been the pattern for some time, but there does seem to be a very strong spile: in November the Council received over 200 applicatons for building consents.  The strongest year that we have had in the past has been on the 600s.

Should the Oxford Town Hall be Replaced?

The Oxford Town Hall will cost a lot to bring it up to an earthquake rating of 67% of new building standard.  It is currently closed because it is rating is about 25%.

Some in the community are saying that it would be better to build a more modern building, possibly somewhere else.

You will be hearing more about this!

Earthquake Recovery: January to January – What’s Changed?

Our community is in a very different earthquake recovery scene from what it was a year ago. In January 2010, the Council was project-managing the Government’s intention to remediate land in Kaiapoi to stop the lateral spread of the crust towards lower ground, mainly the Kaiapoi River and the Coutenay Stream.  This would have been a major project, taking 2-3 years.

Hilton Street and Kaiapoi Fire Station, September 2010

Now, of course, residents in defined “red” zones are being made two offers to enable them to shift out and buy or build elsewhere.  The Government is offering to buy their land at 2008 rateable values (Waimakariri) and giving residents a choice between selling their houses to the Government or settling with insurance companies.

Homeowners in Green Zones can repair or rebuild their houses on their own land – although there are also now three grades of foundation requirements, depending on location.  Most of Kaiapoi, the northern end of Pines Beach and the rest of Waimakariri are green-zoned.

This has been exactly what many people wanted – but by no means everyone.  The differences of view in Kaiapoi, Pines-Kairaki, Brooklands and Christchurch hve been well-reported.

There are also a number of unanswered questions, such as what is the long-term future of the red zones?  The Council is unsure about uninsured houses – is it intended that they stay?  Will the Council get the same offers as other homeowners for its red-zoned pensioner houses?  Will we get insurance for underground infrastructure that will have to pass through red-zoned areas to get to green zones, as in Courtenay Drive and Pines Beach? And there are a number of others.

I am confident, however, that 2012 will see a lot of clarification – hopefully soon.

What’s Happening About the Woodend Bypass?

What NZTA think the Main North Road / Woodend Road intersection might look like with trafffic lights

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) are still considering the results of the consultation that was carried out last year.  At that point, they asked for comment on three bypass options and three widening options for Main North Road.  I gather their next move will be to come back to the community with a final two design options: one for a bypass and and one for a Main North Road widening.

One issue of concern that emerged from last year’s consultation was concern from Pineacres residents over the size and impact of changes in hteir neighbourhood where a newly-extended Christchurch Northern Motorway (i.e. the Woodend Bypass) would link with the existing Main North Road.

Update on Bridges

I’m often asked about some of our bridges.

Williams Street Bridge, Kaiapoi

This came out of the earthquakes quite well – it’s the approach on the nothern side that is now rubbish, and getting worse. As for the bridge itself, the Kaiapoi Town Centre Plan proposes that parking be removed and the footpaths made wider to allow people to linger and look up and down the river.  There will be seating on it as well.

Ashley River Bridge at Cones Road, Rangiora

The Council is endeavouring to get a replacement put on to the Canterbury Regional Transport Plan and the chances are very good.  It is intended that this will be wide enough for cyclists and pedestrians to cross it in safety.   The total cost is likely to be in the area of $10m, but it will attract a 60% subsidy from the NZ Transport Agency if the project it approved.

Old Waimakariri Cycle & Pedestrian Clipons

Not much joy here, I’m afraid. The bridge is jointly owned by Waimakariri and Christchurch and neither Council is very keen on doing the work without NZTA subsidy.  To get this will require a change in Government policy direction towards pedestrian and cycle facilities.

Waimakariri Gorge Bridge

This bridge, jointly owned by Waimakariri and Selwyn, is to get a new deck very soon.  Both councils have budgeted for it.  The common claim that the two councils have been arguing over it is urban myth.

The Waimakariri Gorge Bridge with a train about to cross it, ca.1921

The “Kaiapoi” Fault – What’s the Story?

I went to the GNS Science briefing yesterday to hear about the latest flurry of aftershocks.  And yes, the 5.2 at 1.21 a.m. this morning did wake me up.

The “Kaiapoi” Fault is the new name for the one they’ve discovered under the sea off the Waimakariri mouth.  It does not pass underneath Kaiapoi.

Most of the recent aftershocks have been out to sea and although they are trending north-east, they aren’t affecting this fault.  The seismologists told us that the Kaiapoi Fault has been active periodically in geological time which means that there has been a progressive release of stress along it.  That should be good news for us in North Canterbury because that release of stress means that it is less likely to be a big one if the fault ruptures.

We are likely to continue to get aftershocks in this part of Canterbury for many years, although as time goes on they will become imperceptible.  Aftershocks from the 1968 Inangahua quake are still going on.

The aftershocks experienced in the Oxford area after the September earthquake were not unexpected.  Apparently the Mount Oxford area is quite seismologically active and, once again, the periodic release of stress is a good thing.

None of this, of course, takes away the very real threat to the region of the Alpine Fault, which is on the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates.

Compass FM is About to Launch!!!

Compass FM is launching –

Queen’s Birthday, Monday 6 June!

You can hear it now on 104.9, broadcasting 24 hours a day.

During the day you will hear that we are hosting the Radio School of the Aoraki Polytech – forced out of their Christchurch home by the February earthquake.

Compass FM is North Canterbury’s new Community Access radio station, broadcasting from Kaiapoi to Hanmer.

Temporary Housing In Kaiapoi

As you may have seen in this morning’s Press, site preparation temporary housing has started at Kaiapoi Domain in Ranfurly Street.

The article covered the ground well, although I would make the point that we need the housing mainly for people who have to leave their homes while they are rebuilt or undergo major repairs.  People who have left their homes up until now have obviously found accommodation, although if they are finding their current locations unsatisfactory, they may be interested in this new housing.

The Department of Building and Housng (DBH) is building and managing the housing.  The Council’s role is to help in assessing needs, find sites and make sure that the provision coordinates with other recovery work.

What’s Going On in Flaxton Road?

There’s a lot of earth being moved around at the corner of Flaxton and Fernside Roads, Southbrook.  What’s it all about?

Two things are happening. 

A stormwater retention system is being built to take stormwater from the recently-zoned business area bounded by Flaxton, Fernside and Todds Roads.  An increase in the coverage of hard flat surfaces – mainly roofs and concrete – will mean that will be much more run-off.  The Faxton Road Drain will not be able to handle all that water, so it will have to be held back and released slowly.

The second thing that is happening is that the Fernside Road intersection is being made safer. That horrible little bridge by the car-wash ford will go, and Fernside Road will meet Flaxton Road at a right-angle with much better visibilty.

Why are Waimakariri and Selwyn Under CERA?

CERA – the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (or Act – take your pick) is the new acronym that we will be living with for some time. It is due to expire after five yeas. Everybody seems to be pronouncing it “Sarah”.

In some ways, Waimakariri and Selwyn might have been able to get by without it, but both Councils decided that there were some potential advantages for us – even although our damage mostly came in the September earthquake.

The Act gives the Authority powers that might need to be used as we in Waimakariri undertake land remediation on behalf of the the Government and EQC. We also didn’t want to be forgotten about as CERA tackled the horrific damage in Christchurch caused by the February ‘quake.

It’s as simple as that. Provided we two Councils look as though we are coping with our own damage, CERA will probably let us get on with it.

There were fears that CERA might ride over local concerns and charge ahead in spite of the people of Canterbury. Early indications, however, are that this is not happening – there seems to be a real attempt at engagement.

And the post-September Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commission (see below)? It’s gone.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commission – What Is It?

Well, it’s a very different beast from the Earthquake Commission (EQC).

CERC was set up by the government in the early days after 4 September and its functions include coordinating the Government and local body recovery effort. It is also supposed to be the chief means of communication between the three councils and the Government.

It consists of three Government appointees, an ECan Commissioner and the Mayors of Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri.

They are retiring Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry director-general Murray Sherwin, Canterbury regional council commissioner Dame Margaret Bazely, earthquake engineer David Hopkins, social expert Arihia Bennett, Mayor Kelvin Coe, Mayor Bob Parker and yours truely.

The Earthquake: How Much Will it Cost the Council (i.e. Ratepayers)?

The immediate answer is: we don’t know.

It could be anywhere between $10m and $30m, depending on government and council decisions and a whole range of unknown factors. Costs of this size are normally funded by loans because this means that future beneficiaries also get to pay for it.

But to give you an idea of what we could be in for …

The underground infrastructure, notably sewers and water mains, will be covered mainly by insurance.  Additional costs to the ratepayers could come if we, i.e. the Council, decided to relocate sewer mains in the Feldwick Drive / Gray Crescent area, currently located behind the houses, into the streets, which is normal modern practice. (Quite a few sewer mains in Kaiapoi and Rangiora are located behind houses.)

Roads are mainly covered by an 83% NZ Transport Agency subsidy.  We have to find the other 17% but we are trying to persuade the Government to lift the subsidy to 90%.  There should be an opportunity to redesign streets, where residents want it, for little extra cost: it doesn’t, for instance, matter where new kerbing is put from a cost point of view.

Fixing up the parks is totally our cost.  They can’t be insured – although play equipment is.

Community buildings are insured, but in some cases they weren’t adequate before the earthquake, so why would we build back the way they were?  The Kaiapoi Museum, for instance, was owned by the Council.  It was actually a former court house and had become too small.  It seems reasonable that when we build a new museum, that is designed for the purpose and meets the museum’s needs. Insurance won’t cover the improvement, however.  The library was cramped and the associated offices and meeting room (the former Kaiapoi Borough chamber) were also inadequate. A decision on this will not be easy.

The council is also putting staff time into social recovery, although some of this is government funded too.  We take the view that the hardest part is going to be helping the people of our District through what is going to be a very dfficult process.  It is also important that we, the wider community, help community organisations and businesses in the Kaiapoi area through this time. This is why we have already given some financial assistance to the business community through Enterprise North Canterbury and the Kaiapoi Promotion Association.

Another cost has been the loss of income through the remission of rates for those who are not able to live in their houses.  This lasts until 30 June because that is the end of the financial year.  The Council has yet to discuss what will happen after 1 July: whatever recommendation is made will be part of the Draft Annual Plan which will be out for public consultation in February-March.

Rebuilding & Repairing Houses After the Earthquake – Who Does What?

Damaged House in Kairaki – photo from Governor-General’s Website

Who is responsible for repairing or rebuilding insured houses?

If EQC assess damage at less than $10,000, they will pay out to the owner.  It is up to the owner then to get the repairs done – or whether they they do them at all.

Damage assessed at between $10,000 and $100,000 will be managed by Fletchers – EQC’s project managers. They will assign the work to builders, etc.  If an owener wants to use their own tradespeople, they can – provided that those tradespeople are first certified by Fletchers.

 Fletchers have already established a “hub”, for them to work from,  in Darnley Square, Kaiapoi.

At over $100,000+GST, EQC pays out that amount which then either comes off the owner’s mortagage or becomes available to repair or rebuild the house. 

The work to be done thus becomes a matter between the owner and their insurance company.

The insurance groups also have their project managers, eg. IAG (which includes NZI and State) has engaged Hawkins Construction.

Land Remediation after the Earthquake: What is “Perimeter Treatment”?

One good place for information is the Tonkin and Taylor Stage 2 Report done for EQC:

http://canterbury.eqc.govt.nz/publications/2010/11/stage2?page=0,0

Perimeter Treatment is the work that will be done in areas adjacent to rivers, such as the Avon in Christchurch and the Kaiapoi and Courtenay in Waimakariri.  The diagram on the left gives the general idea.

During the 7.1 Earthquake on 4 September, some of the worst damage occurred when soils liquefied and then moved sideways toward the rivers.  Big cracks opened up and houses started to fall apart.  Many were held together only by their roofs.  This process is known as lateral spreading and occurred near rivers because there was nothing to stop the liquified soil moving sideways. (The diagram comes from the Tonkin and Taylor Stage 2 Report.)

The perimeter treatment is designed to reduce this lateral spread in the event of a future earthquake.  Remember that the Kaiapoi area experienced liquefaction in the 1901 Cheviot earthquake.  A future quake could occur somewhere else in Canterbury other than Darfield.

The perimeter treatment has been described as “barriers” or  “walls”.  There are actually different ways that they will be constructed.  A common method will be to insert a vibrating probe into the ground to a point below the liquefaction layer.  This vibration consolidates the soils and makes them less prone to liquefaction. Gravel is then poured into the hole and also consolidated.  It takes about 30 minutes for this work and the then another one is done in close proximity.  They are totally underground.  Once done, the ground surface can be built on, have a road put over it or grassed back into parkland.

There will be something like 22 thousand of these columns inserted in the Kaiapoi area.  That’s a lot of half-hours!

The Passing of Time …

Good on WAI

Good on WAI (Waikuku Artists Inc) for organising the sand castle competition yesterday.  I didn’t know it was on – but it’s already in my diary for next year!

Watch out for their exhibition on 12-13 February – to be held this year at The Mill in Waikuku Village on the Main North Road – because the Waikuku Beach Hall will still be closed for earthquake repairs.

Rebuilding Kaiapoi, The Pines and Kairaki

The rebuilding of the earthquake-affected parts of these three areas involves not only people’s houses, but public spaces as well.

For information on the consultation process today and to see what is coming out of that consultation so far, you can go to:

http://www.newfoundations.org.nz/home.aspx

As you can see from the map above, five areas have  been dilineated.

Facebook Page Up-and-Running Again

I’ve changed the name of my Facebook page to:

David Ayers in Waimakariri – the Mayor’s Page .

This can be found at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/David-Ayers-in-Waimakariri-the-Mayors-Page/117278721642302 - or click on the link in the blogroll at the right of your screen.

Nearly Three Months On …

I said I would keep this blog going.  This might have been a foolish promise, but my New Year’s resolution is … you’ve guessed it.

Obviously life has been busy, but since Christmas we have been able to get a bit of a breather.  Earthquake recovery has, of course dominated, and I’ll report on that in another post.  But also what has happened in the last three months has brought home the richness of community life in the Waimakariri District.

Richard and Dawn Spark and Phil and Jo Seal (Gulliver & Tyler Funeral Directors) have built a chapel at Rossburn Receptions that was opened in October by Hon Kate Wilkinson MP.

As well as funerals, the chapel will be used for weddings etc – in conjunction with the reception business the Sparks run.

On the same day, a concert was held to say to the people of Kaiapoi – hey! we’ve been hit by an earthquake but we can still have a good time.

One of the main organisers was Ben Brennan, newly-elected to the Kaiapoi Community Board.

Yes, a chain comes with the job!

The Rangiora A&P Show is always a highlight of the year and numbers weren’t too badly suppressed by the Earthquake Concert in Christchurch at the same time – although teenagers were noticeably absent in Rangiora.

The Kaiapoi Light Party, an annual event put on by local churches, drew a large crowd – especially of kids who were able to try everything out for free.

The Chamber Gallery in Rangiora staged an exhibition by Veronique Moginot who, although she is of French background, put on a show that had a strong Eastern Orthodox flavour.

This proved an ideal setting for Musica Balkanica who performed their Balkan repertoir in the Chamber Gallery in November.

Kaiapoi was the starting point for a group of peeny-farthings which headed for Oamaru via Oxford.  I presume they made it!

Both Kaiapoi and Rangiora High Schools had Road Crash days put on by the Police and Waimakariri Road Safety, with the help of many others, including the Kaiapoi and Rangiora Volunteer Fire Brigades, St Johns Ambulance and Gulliver and Tyler.

The Kaiapoi Christmas Parade seemed to be bigger than ever and drew large crowds – as did the preceding market in Williams Street. A sunny day with everyone in good spirits!

Congratulations to the Kaiapoi Promotion Association.

I’ve been to North Loburn School twice, for an Enviroschools day and for the inauguration  of active warning signs.  They get a lot of trucks going past the school from the Mount Grey forest and from the Whiterock quarry – and while the trucking companies and drivers are working well with the school, safety is always a concern. Pictured is the principal, Simon Green.

Cust is seeing if a market can work for their community – those in places like Oxford, Ohoka, Woodend and Kaiapoi are going well.

Like Kaiapoi, the Rangiora Christmas Parade had a great day.  Here is the crowd in Victoria Park afterwards.

Our Town Rangiora did well.

Oxford, on the other hand, struck a wet day for their Christmas Parade.  Here the the Union Parish take shelter waiting for it to start – fortunately the rain did stop for the parade itself and all went well.

The Oxford Lions again put on a good community day for Oxford.

It was good to have a temporary library open in Kaiapoi – and the Aquatic Centre too.

The launch of the book Our Soldiers at the Rangiora RSA helped further the growing ties between the Waimakariri District and Passchendaele in Belgium.

I’m with the the author Paul O’Connor, Belgian Consul Lieve Bierque and Bill Whitehead, President of the Rangiora RSA. (Photo from the Northern Outlook).

Josh Smith of Kaiapoi received a Young Totara leadership award from the Rotary Club of Rangiora for the leadership and responsibility he showed working in the welfare centre in Kaiapoi after the earthquake.

It Makes Me Mad!

 Vandalism makes me mad, especially when it involves trees.  As you can see from the attached photos, central Rangiora was hit recently.  Several years’ growth goes in an instant of mindless (and probably drunken) idiocy.

It happened on a Friday night and although it is outside our house, we heard nothing.

We all lose from this sort of thing.

Corners of Waimakariri: St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Fernside

Since 1874, St Matthew’s has been a centre for the Fernside community.  It is one of several in the District designed by the notable colonial Church architect, Benjamin Mountfort.  Bishop Harper laid the foundation stone and within 6 months the church had been built and was debt-free, because he was able to return and consecrate it.

The church can be found on the corner of Mount Thomas and Mairaki Roads.