16 January 2002

This Friday the 18th January, a picnic will be held in Kensington Gardens in Kensington Street to celebrate the postponement of the eviction of business tenants on the Inner City Bypass route. Transit had told some tenants to vacate their premises this Friday, but these tenants will now have until the 26th February to leave.

Negative publicity highlighting the fact that the eviction notices had been issued before Transit had even applied for money to build the road forced the extension said Campaign for a Better City's spokeswoman Iona Pannett.

Ms Pannett said "We hope that Transit will withdraw the eviction notices completely as Transit has neither the funding nor all the consents it requires to start the project".

Ms Pannett also promised that the event was just the beginning of an extensive series of actions to protest against the "Bypass" and to celebrate the community and heritage of Southern Te Aro "We aim to have Te Aro free of the bypass threat once and for all by the end of this year" she said.

The picnic will begin at 6pm. People are invited to bring food, drink and music along to celebrate.

Enquiries to Iona Pannett, CBC spokeswoman (04) 801-8774.

ENDS

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