MEDIA RELEASE 23 November 2006

The Heathcote River Day is on again!

Local residents are being encouraged to build a raft and have some fun on Saturday 2 December while discovering one of the city’s natural resources, the Heathcote River.

The Heathcote River Day is a favourite for the community, says the local Community Recreation Adviser, Loren Sampson. “It gets children, families and friends to have fun together, at the same time getting them to appreciate the wonderful resource the city has in the Heathcote.”

The journey down the river starts at 2.30pm from Ensors Road bridge, with the get-in point upstream at the jetty outside Waltham Park Pool. Registration will be on the day, from 1pm, near the get-in point.

Homemade rafts, canoes and all sorts of watercraft have traditionally been involved with lots of fun for everyone, Loren says.

Categories for this year’s event includes family and senior, with spot prizes for the design and decoration of craft, fair play, loudest raft, best-dressed participants and more. The post-race function, including the official prize-giving ceremony, sausage sizzle and spot prize draws, will be held at the St Martins Scout Den, 297 Centaurus Road.

Race information packs are available from the Beckenham Service Centre-South Christchurch Library, 66 Colombo St. Registration is free.

New this year is a raft building workshop on the morning of the race from 10am to noon at the St Martins Scout Den, which will include some tips on how to make a raft that will last the distance.

Organised by local community organisations in partnership with Christchurch City Council, Heathcote River Day is funded by the Spreydon-Heathcote Community Board and supported by City Care Ltd and 4YP.

ENDS

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