Friday 27 January 2006

Which weir do you prefer?

Christchurch City Council is seeking community feedback on plans to upgrade or replace the weir near the Antigua Boat Shed.

"Rocks frequently tumble from the weir, making the water level upstream drop and boating more difficult," Council Greenspace drainage engineer Paul Dickson said.

The Council has three options for the public to consider including upgrading the weir by adding more rocks; replacing it with a more formal concrete weir; or creating a riffle* of greywacke river stones.

"Other options have been considered but were discounted because they wouldn't have been durable enough or were more expensive without being significantly better," Mr Dickson said.

Submission forms and information about the options are available online at www.ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay or from the Antigua Boat Sheds, Council Service Centres, Christchurch City Libraries, Civic Offices and Our City O- Tautahi, cnr Worcester Boulevard and Oxford Tce. Written submissions can also be posted to Antigua Weir Consultation, Greenspace Planning Team, Christchurch City Council, P.O.Box 237, Christchurch.

*Riffles are familiar to many people as the broken water sections in Canterbury gravel rivers. Because the Avon River runs through very flat terrain, it does not normally develop riffles; although a gentle form of riffle can be seen at Mill Island, Hereford St.

Background There has been boating on the Avon River near Christchurch Hospital since 1882, when the Antigua Boat Shed was built and boat hire started. Originally water ponded above the Mill Island weir at Hereford St, where a replica mill wheel now stands. After removal of the mill weir, a timber weir was built on the current weir site between Montreal and Antigua Streets to allow boating to continue. Two timber weirs were damaged by floods and were eventually replaced by the present rock weir in the 1950s.

ENDS

© Scoop Media