Media Release

Monday, 11 February 2013

Removal of Medway Street footbridge brings a mix of sadness, relief and hope

Work to remove the munted Medway Street footbridge – an icon of the Canterbury earthquakes – is to begin this week. The bridge is to be uplifted tomorrow, Tuesday 12 February, and transported to Ferrymead Heritage Park where it will be stored until a permanent home can be found for it as a memorial to the earthquakes.

The removal of the bridge will bring a mix of sadness, relief and hope for many locals – those that still live in the neighbourhood and those that used to. There is sadness at the loss of such an important symbol of the links between the river communities and of the power of the quakes of September 2010 and February 2011. Relief that a significant health and safety risk is removed and that the bridge will be stored for future use as a memorial. And hope that this signals a milestone in the recovery of the east.

This uplifting of the bridge is in response to the wishes of the neighbouring communities. An online survey of local Richmond, Avonside and Dallington residents was undertaken in mid-2012 in which over 150 participated. 72% wanted the bridge removed and stored in this way, 19% wanted it scrapped and the remainder wanted it made safe in situ. Almost all sought a replacement footbridge at some point, with 60% believing this was needed sooner rather than later.

A farewell to the bridge has been incorporated into the River of Flowers commemoration at the site on 22 February organised by Avon-Otakaro Network and Healthy Christchurch.

Banks Avenue Primary School students will play a significant role in this event. The school is one of four in the locality that have been severely affected by the footbridge being out of action.

“One day we hope that the bridge will feature as an iconic memorial within the Avon River Park and Reserve proposed for the Avon River residential red zone,” says Evan Smith Co-Chair of Avon-Otakaro Network.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>