In a statement provided to the Otago Daily Times Mr Cull said it was not the council’s place to lead discussions, but it would be happy to take part in Government-led discussions.
### ODT Online Sat, 20 May 2017 Affordable housing hitch
By Vaughan Elder
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has declined a request from local MPs and social agencies for the Dunedin City Council to lead a crisis meeting over a lack of affordable housing. This comes as a group of social agencies, including the Salvation Army and Presbyterian Support, agreed to a statement saying the situation was reaching or had reached “crisis point”. The group said rising rents were making it hard and sometimes impossible for people on low incomes to find affordable rental properties. “We are seeing a trend of landlords ending and not renewing leases, which forces tenants into a rental market they often cannot afford.” Waiting lists for social housing were growing and more families were living in cars and garages or being put up in motels while they waited for social housing. The group, led by Dunedin South MP Clare Curran, called on the council to co-ordinate a city meeting focused on identifying the problems and finding short-term solutions. “We believe the Dunedin City Council can play a strong role given it provides social housing and that housing quality and availability is an objective of its social wellbeing strategy.” They also believed the Government was not doing enough to remedy the problem and that it should be involved in finding a local solution to the problem. Read more
—
Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
This post is offered in the public interest.
*Image: An idea promoted by the mayor: relocatables for managed retreat [Shadow Man 2013 – Matakishi’s tea house (detail) via matakishi.com]
While Bishop Victoria and the Anglican church property trust (CPT) continue to sit on their hands perhaps awaiting devine intervention, who knew, it turns out that a group of stalwart people in New Zealand – with an incredible level of international assistance – are busy planning a very special Cathedral project.
From: Mark Belton Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2017 11:11 PM To: [Elizabeth Kerr + RCC Mailing List] Subject: Introducing The People’s Steeple
Dear Cathedral Restoration supporters
Below is a link to a video clip of the People’s Steeple proposal being demonstrated by its creator Marcus Brandt. Marcus has been in CHCH this last week promoting the People’s Steeple Project.
The People’s Steeple is a mind blowing proposal…audacious, visionary, inspiring. Lifting telescoping timber sections of the spire 60 metres into the sky…powered by about 500 trained people working 16 capstan winches placed around Cathedral Square, watched by up to 50,000 people in the Square.
The US based Timber Framers Guild (TFG), a professional organisation of engineers and timber framers has offered to be the lead contractor to build, assemble, and erect the People’s Steeple. The lead NZ engineers would be renowned CHCH timber engineer – Prof Andy Buchanan whose report on the project is attached.
Skilled TFG members from the US and around the world would gift their time, working in the Square preparing and assembling the timbers, and then helping lead the steeple’s erection. Up to 300 TFG members along with locals could be involved working in the Square over a period of about 6 months.
The TFG have successfully undertaken 75 community building projects over the last 25 years in the US and around the world. They are super keen to offer their services to CHCH. The TFG emphasise their projects are about ‘building communities’.
Marcus says would take only 2-3 hrs to lift and secure the telescoping sections. Flooring and bells would be assembled the same day and in the evening the bells would ring out…proclaiming to the world – ‘Christchurch is back’….and a Hangi feast would be opened…for a crowd of 50,000! International media would broadcast the event around the world…the whole enterprise being about engaging our community in the most positive way…and it would ignite fund raising for the restoration of the cathedral. It is envisaged the construction of the People’s Steeple would lead restoration of the cathedral and the Square.
It is noted huge pro bono contributions from the Guild’s members are being offered, and Blakely Pacific NZ Ltd, a US based forestry company has offered to provide the timbers at no cost from giant 125-year-old Port Orford Cedar from its Pioneer Forest in South Canterbury.
The Restore Christchurch Cathedral Group is strongly supportive of the People’s Steeple.
We hope this inspiring project will help engage and enthuse Christchurch people with recovery of the cathedral, and help get the cathedral restoration programme underway.
Warm regards
Mark Belton
Co-Chair, Restore Christchurch Cathedral
Mark Belton
Managing Director
Permanent Forests NZ Limited
PO Box 34, Lyttelton 8841, New Zealand
The People’s Steeple | Whare Films Published on Feb 23, 2017
The People’s Steeple
Rebuilding the Bell Tower at Christchurch Cathedral Marcus Brandt: An Introduction
For the last thirty years or so, I’ve been restoring historic stone and timber buildings, mostly in Southeastern Pennsylvania. I’m a working master carpenter and stone mason. Most of the historic buildings I am called to work on are 150 to 300 years old. Solid and well crafted, these old buildings tend to age well, but neglect and damage can take a toll. Much of my effort is spent in repairing and strengthening the timber frames of barns, bridges, houses, gristmills and churches. I’ve had several commissions to build new structures in the old style. I have organized and led many barn raisings, in which hundreds of volunteers gather to raise a barn’s frame in a day. A good crew will have the sides and roof on too.
Straightening, plumbing and repairing damaged stone walls is often called for. It is not uncommon to straighten a wall 10 meters high that is out of plumb by 400 or 500 mm. Having studied and worked with several Scots masons, I’m a strong believer in lime based mortars and good masonry practice. The interface between stone and timber is of particular interest to me.
Since 1989, I’ve been a professional member of the Timber Framers Guild (TFG) and a member of the Traditional Timberframe Research and Advisory Group (TTRAG). That part of the Guild focuses on understanding the past practice of the craft with a view that the past might help inform future practice. I have advised many historical and preservation societies and sat on many review boards.
As a result of my participation in Guild efforts and projects, I was invited to go to both Scotland and China to investigate “lost” technologies for the Public Broadcast Service series NOVA. We built working siege weapons in Scotland and in China we built a bridge design that hadn’t been built since the Mongol invasion.
I teach Traditional building skills at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA. I’m particularly interested in ways that the pre-industrial past practice can inform building in the greener, sustainable post-industrial world of the future.
I serve as a sailor, boson and ship’s carpenter aboard the tall ship Gazela (www.Gazela.org). That experience has taught me much about rigging and raising heavy loads in confined spaces. It’s taught me about erecting tall, secure, flexible, stable structures that get tossed about and shaken mercilessly. A sea captain in her own right, my wife serves as First Mate aboard Gazela. She out-ranks me, and helps keep me humble.
Since 22 February, I have been working as much as possible to develop a method to rebuild the Bell tower at Christchurch. With the help of friends and students, and the forbearance of my wife, I developed a plan that is beautiful, solid, strong, flexible, earthquake resistant, buildable, durable, and familiar. But more than anything, I want to use the rebuilding of the steeple as a vehicle for rebuilding and strengthening the community. And, once built, serve as an outward witness to the inward love we have for each other as fellow humans.
I look forward to doing this project with the able help of my best friends in the world…many of whom I haven’t yet met.
*Images: Christchurch Cathedral – (from top) colour render by whatifdunedin [photo source: Country Farm Garden Photos at cfgphoto.com]; black white render by whatifdunedin [photo source: Tony H Photography at tonyhphotography.co.nz]; colour photo of steeple detail [mygola.com]; cathedral with chalice by Sisson Photography [via photoshelter.com]; black white photo by Mudbird Ceramics [mudbirdceramics.blogspot.co.nz]; colour photo by Cindy taken on 5 Aug 2003 [via staticflickr.com]
Message:
Whangarei District Council was reported on TV3 as supporting protesters who have put a road block across four roads and are not letting trucks pass because they are pissed off with the dust from the roads, and want them sealed. Not that we wouldn’t have sympathy with their cause, but how is it right for a Council to support illegal road closures?
These Councils may have been given by law the power of general competence but they sure don’t warrant the confidence of central government in hope that they may become generally competent……
—
Protesters set up four separate road blocks along Pipiwai Road [newshub.co.nz]
### newshub.co.nz 15/12/2016 Northland residents block dusty roads in protest
By Wilhelmina Shrimpton
Frustrations have reached boiling point as locals of a small Northland town fight to have a notoriously dusty logging truck route sealed. Locals have had enough and stepped up protest action by blocking logging trucks from using the gravel roads. “Don’t piss me off, you either do it or you go,” one protester yelled at a truck driver while blocking the road. “What you gonna do bro? What you gonna do? Cause you ain’t going down here today!” Puti Tipene says the dense dust clouds thrown up by the trucks are unhealthy and dangerous. […] Locals say up to 50 trucks drive along unsealed routes every day, and believe the council isn’t doing enough to help. […] Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai says the council wants the roads sealed but doesn’t have the money. “We’ve had money in our budget to do it … if there was a subsidy from our partners the NZTA, that hasn’t happened. Until that happens, we don’t think it’s appropriate for the wider ratepayers to pay 100 percent of that.” Read more + Video
****
Pipiwai Valley protest [ngapuhi.iwi.nz]
### newshub.co.nz 09/01/2017 Protestors block trucks from dusty Northland road
By Newshub staff
Ten people blocked off a Northland road today in a fight to have the notoriously dusty logging truck route sealed. Protesters set up four separate road blocks around Pipiwai Valley on Monday morning, an area they say is plagued by dust kicked up both water tanks and trucks. They parked vehicles across Pipiwai Rd to deter trucks, but are letting locals through. Police were at the protest, which was kept low key. Protest organiser Alex Wright says truckers may have been tipped off and taken another route. Those truck drivers that did come their way had to reverse back down the gravel road. […] “It’s affecting our way of life… It’s horrific. We can’t handle it anymore and that’s why we’re here today. We’ve tried all avenues.” Ms Wright says they’re their new campaign won’t stop until the road is sealed. Read more
****
Truck-generated dust at Pipiwai, an ongoing issue for more than 10 years.
Photo: Graham Wright [nzherald.co.nz]
### NZ Herald Online 10:47 AM Mon, Sep 14, 2015 Logging and trucking industries asked to pay $132k
By Alexandra Newlove – Northern Advocate
Logging and trucking industries will be asked to cough up cash to help solve a dusty road problem that has had residents up in arms for more than a decade. Whangarei District Council had allocated $400,000 over the next two years to seal ten 100m strips along the notoriously dusty Wright, McCardle and Pipiwai roads west of Whangarei, though the work was expected to cost $532,000, said WDC roading manager Jeff Devine. “We will be asking the industry if they can make up the [$132,00] shortfall,” he said. The New Zealand Transport Agency declined a $4.5 million funding request from council early this year for a full 9km seal of Wrights Rd and McCardle Rd. Pipiwai Titoki Advocacy for Community Health and Safety Group spokeswoman Alex Wright said she was unconvinced that the strip sealing would make a huge amount of difference. “It’s our 11th year now. We’re heading in the right direction but need to do it properly and completely.” Mr Devine said he agreed that the dust was a health and safety issue. “The big issue is that when they shifted the port from Whangarei to Marsden Point the traffic direction changed. It was never planned when the forests were planted that this would be the [trucking] route.” Council would continue approaching central Government for money to seal the remainder of roads, Mr Devine said. Read more
Dunedin’s Annual Santa Parade is now in its 19th year. This is Otago’s largest free public event! A dedicated team of volunteers are delighted to bring this Parade to Families and Children.
The Dunedin Santa Parade announces the Arrival of Christmas in Dunedin.
Exciting floats, many bands, marching, Fire Engines, animals, Clowns and of course –Santa. The Parade is followed by a family concert in the lower Octagon.
The parade route starts at The Regent 24 hour Night and Day Store on George street, at 3pm, and travels straight down the main street through the Octagon centre and finishes in Moray Place South by The First Church.
█ Proudly brought to you by the Dunedin Santa Parade Trust and Sponsors.
The Dunedin Santa Parade announces the Arrival of Christmas in Dunedin.
Dunedin’s Annual Santa Parade is now in its 18th year. This is Otago’s largest free public event! A dedicated team of volunteers are delighted to bring this Parade to Families and Children.
Exciting floats, many bands, marching, Fire Engines, animals, Clowns and of course – Santa. The Parade is followed by a family concert in the lower Octagon.
The parade route starts at The Regent 24 hour Night and Day Store on George street, at 3pm, and travels straight down the main street through the Octagon centre and finishes in Moray Place South by The First Church.
For more information including route map, go to the Trust website at http://www.dunedinsantaparade.co.nz/
Paul writes a new post Waste Not Want Not – Tomahawk School
I’ve never liked seeing things go to waste. Especially when those things can be used again by someone else or redesigned for another purpose. It’s probably why I have a garage full of “junk” or as I like to call it “things that might come in handy one day”. Now I’m just talking about small stuff, nuts, bolts, door latches and bits of timber, but lately I’ve seen a much bigger issue of waste that has been frustrating Tomahawk for more than three years.
Image: Paul Pope
In 2012 the Dunedin City Council purchased the Tomahawk School site from the Ngai Tahu for $300,000. The school had been closed by the Ministry of Education in 2010 and the property sold by the Crown. The 2012 purchase by the Council was made as part of the Coastal Dune Reserves Management Plan process, creating a required level of protection for adjacent dunes. However, it appears that coastal protection was not the only reason for the purchase by the Council. It would be fair to say that those reasons have become considerably muddled. On one hand there is the thought that the land and school are a community asset. While on the other there was a view within Council that it was essential to buy the property to stop subdivision and consequent residential development on coastal land into 15 properties with 15 houses.
█ It gets worse, read on…. more photos
The inaugural Vogel Street Party was held last year in conjunction with the first ever Dunedin Street Art Festival; this year’s event will again be staged in the warehouse precinct and will collaborate with the Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature group for a party themed around Literature and Light.
LITERATURE To celebrate Dunedin’s creative city status as a UNESCO City of Literature Dunedin, New Zealand. You can find us sitting alongside only 10 other cities in the world that hold this status, including Edinburgh, Melbourne, Dublin, Prague & more.
LIGHT As 2015 is the International Year of Light, the VSP will be Dunedin’s major effort to join in the world-wide celebration of light and light based technologies.
The events, exhibitions and activities will follow these themes and showcase the talent and creativity we have hidden in our city.
The Vogel Street Party 2015 — fun attractions for people of all ages.
PARTY STARTS 10 October at 3pm.
Note start times vary for Open Hours at Heritage Buildings.
NZOG completes 3D in Clipper-permit [1derrick.com]
—
NZOG gives itself a 10 to 20 per cent chance of success at the Barque prospect.
### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 19:04, July 30 2015 NZOG eyes potentially huge Barque oil and gas prospect
By James Weir
New Zealand Oil and Gas may be on to a huge oil and gas prospect in the Canterbury Basin off the South Island’s east coast, but it is still early days and the chances of success are uncertain. The Barque prospect is within the Clipper permit, about 60km off the coast from Oamaru, and it could hold the equivalent of hundreds of millions of barrels of oil. But it is in a higher risk and little explored “frontier” area.
NZOG says in the largest of the three prospective horizons in the Barque prospect, “the best estimate of unrisked prospective resource is 530 million barrels (of oil) equivalent”.
A test well could be drilled in 2017 at a cost of up to US$120 million, if NZOG can bring in a new partner or two to help pay for what the company says is a “pretty attractive prospect” which was likely to be gas condensate, a light oil.
“We are pretty excited about that (Barque) opportunity,” NZOG chief executive Andrew Knight said on Thursday, but the company now needed to get “farm in” partners to take a share of the permit and help pay for the costs of exploration. It is all looking very positive….or as positive as it can be till you stick a hole in it and test it,” he said. Read more
VOLUNTEERS Those wishing to volunteer their help should call DCC on 477 4000. Staff will take details and contact you when it is established what help is needed and where. DCC general manager (services and development) Simon Pickford asked that volunteers bring their own gumboots. “You are likely to be working in areas that will still have contaminated surface water, so please come prepared. Your help is most welcome, but we need to look after your welfare too. Gloves and any other clean up equipment required will be provided on site.” (ODT Link)
█ People who wanted to donate baking to volunteers were encouraged to go to the welfare centre set up at St James’ Presbyterian Church in King Edward St, South Dunedin, or to the St Kilda Surf Life Saving Club.
Civil Defence Welfare Centre
The Civil Defence Welfare Centre in South Dunedin will re-open at 10am this morning. The centre is located in the St James Presbyterian Church Hall at 393 King Edward Street, and welfare and DCC staff will be available if you need advice or assistance.
Kerbside collection
Some streets in flooded areas did not receive a glass recycling collection service yesterday. Kerbside collections will take place as normal today so long as trucks can access streets. Streets missed yesterday including yellow bins on Portobello Road will also be serviced today if trucks can get access. Please put bins and bags out again this morning. Any missed collections where streets cannot be accessed today will be serviced on Saturday.
Rubbish skips
The Dunedin City Council has provided seven skips in the South Dunedin area so that residents can get rid of their flood related rubbish. The skips are located at Hargest Crescent, Surrey Street (2), Macandrew Road (2), Bayview Road (2), and Baker Street (Caversham) by the church.
The existing skips that have been deployed will be changed out from time to time and will also be available over the weekend. Please use these skips for large rubbish only (furniture, carpets etc.) Two more skips are on standby as and when other areas are identified.
Extra rubbish collection – South Dunedin
An extra rubbish collection will be done in South Dunedin today. Any smaller rubbish can be left kerbside. If you can bag it, do so. It does not need to be in a DCC bag today.
Manhole covers
With the recent flooding a number of manhole covers have lifted. If you spot a manhole with a missing cover please contact us with the location details so we can fix this. If you can safely move a smaller cover that has come to rest nearby back in to its rightful place, please do so. Larger (and heavier) manhole covers we will reinstall so please contact us with their location details.
Tracks closed
Parts of Ross Creek Track, the Bullock Track (from Prospect Park to Willowbank) and tracks at Frasers Gully and Meremere Reserve have been closed.
Volunteering
If you are keen to volunteer with the cleanup, please phone the DCC call centre on 477 4000. Customer Services Agency staff will take your details and contact you when it is established what help is needed and where.
Dunedin road closures
As of 10am the following roads were closed:
Portobello Rd – Doon St to Macandrew Bay to clear trees at the Cove. Detour over Castlewood Rd.
Upper Junction Rd – from Mt Cargill Rd to Brick Hill Rd.
Henley Rd.
Highcliff Rd – from Camp Rd To Portobello.
Queens Dr – from Chamberlain St to Como St.
Riccarton Rd – SH87 to Tirohanga Rd.
Portobello Rd – Beaconsfield to Beaconsfield Rd.
Waitati Valley Rd – Ford at RP6800 to end.
Gladfield Rd – Bush Rd to Dukes Rd.
Flagstaff/Whare Flat Rd – Pineapple Track to Silverstream Valley Rd.
Highway closures
As of 10.30am the following highways were closed:
State Highway 90, Pomahaka River Bridge, Glenkenich (flooding and flood damage)
State Highway 1, Concord (slip; southbound offramp is closed)
The flooding in Dunedin is now being described as a one-in-100-year event with about 175 millimetres of rain falling in 24 hours.
Civil defence welfare centre
Emergency services and the Dunedin City Council are urging Dunedin residents whose houses are affected by flooding to contact the DCC on 477 4000.
A civil defence welfare centre has been set up in South Dunedin at the St James Presbyterian Church at 393 King Edward Street. Those needing information and advice can talk to DCC staff and local welfare agency staff at the centre.
All householders are urged to follow the steps outlined by emergency services on how to protect you and your family or friends after flooding:
Skips provided in South Dunedin
The DCC is providing five skips in the South Dunedin area so people can get rid of their flood related rubbish.
The skips are expected to be delivered by mid afternoon and will be located at Hargest Crescent, Surrey Street (2) and Macandrew Road (2). Five more skips are on standby as and when other areas are identified.
Power restored to 150 customers
Aurora Energy advises that power was restored to all 150 consumers in Woodland Avenue, Kinmont Crescent and Gebbie Street in East Taieri at 11:45am and safety checks have been completed.
Power was disconnected yesterday evening to ensure the safety of the public.
Power has also been restored to consumers in Poulters Road (Leith Valley).
Power remains out to around 8 consumers in Shetland Street (Wakari). Delta crews are on site and making repairs.
17 Dunedin roads remain closed
Dunedin City Council staff have been out all night attending to road closures slips and flooding.
While many areas of town still have significant flooding issues much of our roadway is clear for traffic with care.
All city roads are open but with minor slips and detours in place.
Please note severe flooding in South Dunedin.
█ Latest road information
Dunedin bus services update
Concord services are now operating to normal schedule.
All other bus services are operating to normal schedules except the following:
Portobello services are travelling along Highcliff Road and Castlewood St to and from Macandrew Bay and then onto Portobello as usual
St Kilda services are travelling directly to St Kilda via Prince Albert St to avoid surface flooding on Bayview Road and Richardson St
█ For more information please contact the bus call centre on 03 474 0287.
(see ORC online bus alerts)
SCHOOLS
All primary and intermediate schools, and DKA Dunedin Kindergartens from Mosgiel to Port Chalmers to Waikouaiti are closed today, the Otago Primary Principals Association said.
Taieri College, Kings High School and Queens High School are also closed.
Otago Polytechnic’s campus remains open.
RUBBISH COLLECTION
The Dunedin City Council said kerbside rubbish collection would be done this afternoon for areas missed yesterday.
If access is unavailable to the contractors, they will finish collection tomorrow morning.
REST HOMES AND HOSPITALS (via RNZ)
The Southern District Health Board says there are no planned changes to patient clinics or surgery today.
On Wednesday, the Radius Fulton rest home on Hillside Road was evacuated, with staff looking for alternative accommodation for about 75 people.
Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Road conditions update
This item was published on 04 Jun 2015
Emergency services and the Dunedin City Council have moved into recovery mode after heavy rain yesterday. All city roads are open but with minor slips and detours in place, but please note there is severe flooding in South Dunedin.
Dunedin City Council Roading Maintenance Engineer Peter Standring says rain continued through the night to 2am in the morning. DCC crews and contractors worked through the night attending to road closures slips and flooding.
“While many areas of town still have significant flooding issues much of our roadway is clear for traffic with care. All city roads are open but with minor slips and detours in place.”
For the most up to date information on closures around our main roads please look on the DCC website.
But please note the following information about roads
● Portobello Rd. – (Macandrew Bay to Dunedin) is closed due to numerous slips , please detour via Castlewood Rd and Highcliff Rd.
● Highcliff rd – is blocked by numerous slips north of Sandymount Rd.
● Brighton Rd. (Green Island to Brighton)- is open with care , watch out for surface flooding ,slips and debris .
● Kaikourai Valley rd – is still blocked at Burnside due to flooding.
● Saddle Hill Rd / Scroggs Hill Rd closed between McMaster Rd & Law Rd due to slips
● State Highway 1 -( Mosgiel to Dunedin) is clear , minor surface flooding .
● Three Mile Hill – flooding has receded and road is open for traffic.
● SH 1 Waitati to Allanton – no restrictions. Surface flooding receding from Andy Bay lights (north bound).
● SH 88 Dunedin to Port Chalmers – Flooding, minor slips. Closed at Sawyers Bay rail over bridge. Cars & light vehicles to follow detour route through Sawyers Bay, flooded area ok for heavy vehicles to pass.
● SH 87 Mosgiel – Flooding has receded from the shopping precinct. Surface flooding at Hagart Alexander Drive intersection.
● SH 87 – No events reported through the night from TREIS. Inspection being undertaken now. Update at 0700 hrs.
● SH 85 Palmerston to Kyeburn – Flooding, Snow/Ice, no restrictions.
● SH 1 Milton – Flooding 1km south of Milton. Closed to light vehicles, no detour route. Ok for 4wds & heavy vehicles to pass.
● The south bound motorway off ramp/link from Lookout Point to Stevenson Rd, Concord has a slip blocking the carriageway. We have closed this road. I’d estimate about 100cu of material. It’s blocking 75% of the carriageway and is located approx. 300m uphill from the Stevenson Rd intersection.
“Motorists need to drive carefully and should expect delays getting to school and work.”
Key messages for the public are:
● Where possible, avoid driving or walking through flooded areas
● If you do have to drive, please drive carefully and be prepared for damaged roads
● There have been some sewage overflows. To keep safe please avoid coming into contact with surface water as it may be contaminated with sewage. If you do come into contact with floodwaters, make sure you wash and dry your hands thoroughly
● All DCC water supplies are safe to drink. However, users of privately owned water bores should check their security for surface water intrusion and if concerned shut down the bore head and use stored water
● Always treat all electricity lines and equipment as live at all times and keep well clear.
● Call emergency services in first instance if you are involved in an emergency situation.
● Please don’t go sightseeing
● If you have to evacuate your house please secure as best you can before leaving.
DCC staff and contractors, and emergency services have been working hard to deal with a wide variety of issues around the wider Dunedin area.
█ For the most up-to-date road conditions visit http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/road-conditions. This includes any state highway closures that affect traffic around the wider DCC area.
Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Dunedin recovery response underway after deluge
This item was published on 04 Jun 2015
Emergency services and the Dunedin City Council are urging Dunedin residents whose houses are affected by flooding to contact the DCC on 477 4000.
A civil defence welfare centre has been set up in South Dunedin at the St James Presbyterian Church in King Edward Street. Those needing information and advice can talk to DCC staff and local welfare agency staff at the centre.
All schools in the Dunedin are closed today, for further information contact your school.
All householders are urged to follow the steps outlined by emergency services on how to protect you and your family or friends after flooding:
● Keep children and pets out of any affected area until cleanup has been completed.
● Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves during cleanup of affected area.
● After contact with any floodwater or contaminated objects, wash your hands with soap and warm water.
● Remove and discard items that cannot be washed and disinfected (such as, mattresses, carpeting, carpet padding, rugs, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, stuffed animals, baby toys, pillows, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings, and most paper products). If you cannot dispose of them immediately then bag them (if possible) and put them aside for later disposal.
● Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces (such as flooring, concrete, wood and metal furniture, countertops, appliances, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures). First, wash surfaces with soap and warm, clean water to remove dirt. Next, sanitize surfaces with household bleach. Read and follow the safety instructions on any product you use.
● Wash all clothes worn during the cleanup in hot water and detergent. These clothes should be washed separately from uncontaminated clothes and linens.
● Wash clothes contaminated with flood or sewage water in hot water and detergent.
● Discard any contaminated food: food that has been in contact with flood water or food that has been in a refrigerator or freezer that has been affected by the flood water. Tinned food will be okay but the outside of the can may be contaminated.
● Seek immediate medical attention if you become injured or ill.
● Below are the most important safety guidelines when using sanitizing products:
● Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner.
● Wear gum boots, rubber gloves, and eye protection.
● Try not to breathe in product fumes. If using products indoors, open windows and doors to allow fresh air to enter.
Key messages for the public are:
● Where possible, avoid driving or walking through flooded areas
● If you do have to drive, please drive carefully and be prepared for damaged roads
● There have been some sewage overflows. To keep safe please avoid coming into contact with surface water as it may be contaminated with sewage. If you do come into contact with floodwaters, make sure you wash and dry your hands thoroughly
● All DCC water supplies are safe to drink. However, users of privately owned water bores should check their security for surface water intrusion and if concerned shut down the bore head and use stored water
● Always treat all electricity lines and equipment as live at all times and keep well clear.
● Call emergency services in first instance if you are involved in an emergency situation.
● Please don’t go sightseeing
● If you have to evacuate your house please secure as best you can before leaving.
DCC staff and contractors, and emergency services have been working hard to deal with a wide variety of issues around the wider Dunedin area.
DCC Manager Civil Defence Neil Brown said while Civil Defence has been activated to monitor and co-ordinate, a civil defence emergency had not been called at this stage.
More heavy rain that has flooded parts of Dunedin is forecast overnight, with the council warning the situation could get worse before it gets better.
Power has been cut to 150 houses in East Taieri as a safety measure, and Aurora Energy is warning others may be affected. “We anticipate that further urgent disconnections of power supply in Dunedin may be required in the interests of public safety. Dunedin electricity consumers should be prepared in the event of power outages,” an Aurora Energy spokesman said.
### ODT Online Wed, 3 Jun 2015 Civil defence response to Dunedin flooding
A civil defence response has been activated in Dunedin amid torrential rain which has caused widespread flooding, including sewage on the streets.
A Dunedin City Council spokesman said emergency services were now working together out of the civil defence bunker in central Dunedin to coordinate their response to multiple flooding events across the city.
Dunedin City Council civil defence manager Neil Brown said in the 24 hours up to about 3pm, about 90mm to 95mm of rain had fallen in the Dunedin area.
“To put that into perspective, overnight we may get another between 80mm and 100mm, according to the forecast. So really we are about halfway in terms of the volume we have experienced over the city.” Read more + Photos
Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Widespread Flooding Posing Problems
This item was published on 03 Jun 2015
South Dunedin, Kaikorai Valley and parts of Mosgiel, the Brighton Coast and the Taieri Plain have been hardest hit by heavy rain and flooding.
Dunedin City Council staff and contractors, and emergency services are busy dealing with flooding that is knee deep in isolated areas.
As at 1.30pm, seven roads around the wider Dunedin area are closed.
Key messages for the public are:
● Where possible, avoid driving or walking through floodwaters, particularly those that may be contaminated with wastewater
● If you do have to drive, please drive carefully and be prepared for widespread surface flooding
● There are going to be a lot of motorists on the road trying to get home, so we ask drivers to be patient and allow plenty of time for travel
● Check on your neighbours, especially if they are elderly or have young children
● The water supply is safe to drink
DCC Manager Civil Defence Neil Brown says Civil Defence has been activated to monitor and co-ordinate, but a civil defence emergency had not been called at this stage.
DCC Roading Maintenance Engineer Peter Standring says heavy rain since early today has caused widespread flooding and the rain was not expected to ease any time soon. According to Otago Regional Council data, more than 60mm of rain had fallen at Pine Hill in the 24 hours to 12.40pm today.
“The sheer amount of rain means our stormwater system is at capacity and the roading network is under pressure. We are monitoring what is happening and assisting wherever we can.”
Foul sewer contamination has forced the closure of the Hargest Crescent area. This could become an issue for other areas.
DCC Water and Waste Network Contracts Manager Mike Ind says stormwater and foul sewers in the Hillside Road/Surrey Street areas were at capacity at 10.30am today. The Fire Service was pumping water from the Fulton Home property on Hillside Road. DCC staff and Civil Defence have helped with the provision of additional flood barriers.
The Fire Service reports its appliances and personnel are fully committed.
Mr Standring says the severe weather warning for Dunedin is still in place. One of the major upcoming concerns is high tide, due late afternoon, which may have an impact on the water draining away.
█ For the most up-to-date road conditions visit http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/road-conditions. This includes any state highway closures that affect traffic around the wider DCC area. People can also look at the Highgate web cam and others around the city.
█ Contact Peter Standring, DCC Roading Maintenance Engineer on 027 514 1617.
—
### ODT Online Wed, 3 Jun 2015 Heavy snow to 500m possible
By Carla Green
A severe rain warning for Clutha and Dunedin may culminate in heavy snow falling to 500m in Otago today, a MetService meteorologist says.
The warning predicted “accumulations may reach 80mm to 100mm about the hills and ranges over an 18-hour period, which is a significant amount of rain for the [Clutha and Dunedin] area”.
The rain was expected to develop early this morning, and clear by Friday, meteorologist Emma Blades said. Snow was expected above 500m from this afternoon to tomorrow morning. Read more
—
Flood Videos:
█ 39 Dunedin News: Flooding strikes Dunedin
With much of Dunedin under water, emergency personnel are preparing for a busy night. Dozens of roads are closed due to flooding, and residents are being urged to limit travel. And for one local, the rain is already proving costly.
### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 22:23, June 3 2015 Flooding wreaks havoc in Dunedin video
By Hamish McNeilly and Michael Daly
Large parts of Dunedin are underwater as heavy rainfall cause chaos in the city.
More than 400 emergency calls were made during the severe flooding in Dunedin on Wednesday, the Fire Service said.
The army had been helping volunteers desperately sandbag 100 houses in the Dunedin seaside suburb of St Kilda as water threatened to devastate the properties. All of the Dunedin Fire Service’s vehicle fleet had been called out, including part of its reserve fleet and the Dunedin Rural Fire Service, a Southern Fire communications spokesman said. Read more + Video + Safety Information
Mass movement (landslide) hazard, Abbotsford 1979 (GNS Science, Dunedin)
—
Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Natural Hazards Approach Being Revised
This item was published on 10 Apr 2015
The Dunedin City Council is responding to community concerns and revising its planned approach to managing natural hazards such as landslides, flooding and sea level rise.
Following public feedback from consultation carried out from June to September last year, the planned approach now has greater provision for flexible case-by-case assessment. This would apply where the level of risk is more uncertain or variable. In areas where risk is lower, there would also be opportunities to manage risk through measures such as minimum floor levels.
A technical assessment of the risks posed by natural hazards was prepared by the Otago Regional Council. DCC staff used this to develop a proposed approach for managing land use and development in at-risk areas. This approach, or preferred option, sees natural hazards managed through a set of hazard overlay zones.
Rules attached to the hazard overlays set out what activities and development would be permitted, the standards for some types of development and what may be assessed on a case-by-case basis through resource consent. Under the original proposal, approximately 8600 of Dunedin’s about 46,600 houses in residential zones were affected in one way or another by the proposed overlay zones.
DCC City Development Policy Planner Sally Dicey says the preferred option is still to manage natural hazards through hazard overlay zones. However, following submissions from 184 individuals and organisations, a peer review of a flood risk assessment and discussions with experts in the natural hazards and risk management fields, a revised approach is being developed.
Feedback highlighted the difficulties in limiting development where there was uncertainty around assessments of natural hazard risk, due to limited data, variations in and changes to topography, and site specific factors.
“Allowing for more case-by-case assessment provides greater opportunities to take site specific factors into account. Where the risk from a natural hazard is lower, mitigation measures will be required. These are likely to include higher floor levels for houses or requiring homes to be relocatable.”
–Sally Dicey, City Development Policy Planner
Developed areas within dune systems have been removed from what was originally proposed to be the extreme hazard overlay. This is because there is a lack of information about how erosion might occur over the next 100 years along our coastline. These areas are likely to be the subject of future studies and may be included in mapped hazard areas in the future. A strict management approach has been limited to areas where there is a high degree of certainty about the risk from natural hazards. Prohibited areas are no longer proposed.
“This is a sensible and practical response to balancing the known risks we all face and the concerns of the community. Staff should be congratulated both for the thorough way they have researched and prepared these documents and for responding in this way to the matters raised at public meetings and in submissions.”
–Cr David Benson-Pope, Planning and Regulatory Committee
Ms Dicey says it’s important to remember the proposed changes mainly affect new development. In general, existing activities will carry on as usual.
Hazard overlay zones are proposed for floodplains, low-lying coastal communities and hills prone to landslides. This includes areas such as Brighton, Karitane, Macandrew Bay, Waikouaiti, Waitati and parts of the Taieri Plain.
The Dunedin City Council is preparing a new District Plan, the second generation District Plan (2GP). The ultimate goal of the Plan is the sustainable management of Dunedin’s natural and physical resources. Under the Resource Management Act, the DCC is responsible for managing land use to avoid or mitigate the effects of natural hazards. The DCC is also required to consider the effects of climate change and keep a record of natural hazards. The District Plan is scheduled to be publicly notified in September. The revised approach to natural hazards will be released as part of that consultation process. That will give people an opportunity to raise any remaining issues or concerns on the revised approach.
█ A report summarising the feedback received last year on the preferred approach to natural hazards is available at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/2gp
Contact Sally Dicey, Policy Planner on 03 477 4000. DCC Link
“Invest in us so we can take that investment and turn it into something real in the community.” –Deborah Manning, FoodShare
### ODT Online Tue, 7 Apr 2015 Half a million meals for Dunedin’s hungry
By Shawn McAvinue
More than 500,000 meals destined to be dumped have been diverted by a Dunedin non-profit group to feed the city’s hungry. FoodShare manager Pip Wood said more than 70 volunteers collected unwanted but edible food from more than 30 donor businesses, such as grocery stores, restaurants, caterers, bakeries, cafes and farmers’ markets. The food was then distributed to more than 20 social service agencies. Read more
—
FOODSHARE
Rescuing Food | Nourishing Communities
FoodShare collects excess fresh and frozen food from donor businesses (markets, cafes, bakeries etc), then sorts and distributes it to social service agencies. This allows us to achieve our twin aims of feeding the hungry and reducing food wastage. As a not-for-profit organisation, we neither buy nor charge donors for the food; nor do we charge the agencies to which we deliver. All our work is undertaken by volunteers.
FoodShare is a non-profit organisation in Dunedin, New Zealand. An incorporated charitable trust & registered charity (CC47792).
FoodShare’s Board of Trustees are chairman David Kirk, CEO Deborah Manning, Michael Coughlin, Pieter Brits and Suneil Connor.
The Dunedin Night Shelter Trust provides emergency housing for homeless people. John Whelan receives donated food from the University of Otago.
The nutritious fresh food is used straight away to feed their hungry clients.
—
### dunedintv.co.nz September 2, 2014 – 5:53pm Local charity celebrates a milestone
More than 100,000 kilograms of food destined for landfill has been recovered by a local charity. FoodShare has been retrieving unwanted food from a range of Dunedin businesses since early 2012. But even as the organisation celebrates its success, demand for its service is growing exponentially. Video
Link received from Paul Pope, Dunedin Amenities Society
Tue, 24 Feb 2015 at 2:53 p.m.
—
Town Belt Traverse 2015
Walkers in the sun
It’s time to get your walking shoes on again and explore one of Dunedin’s great natural and historical landscapes.
The Town Belt Traverse is an 8.2 kilometre walk from the Southern Cemetery to Woodhaugh Gardens taking in the heart of the Dunedin Town Belt on Sunday, 29 March. The great thing about it is it’s absolutely free!
The route is a pram friendly event for people of all ages, stopping off at five points along the way. The Participants will receive a map and ticket at the car-park inside the Southern Cemetery.
The traverse starts between 10:00am – 10.30am and all participants must complete the traverse by 1:30pm. Collect a stamp at all five marshal points and you can be eligible for some great local prizes. The route is marked and there will be marshals at road crossing points along the way.
Today the Town Belt is an important recreational and ecological asset for the city and provides invaluable habitat for kereru, bellbird, tomtit, tui, rifleman, morepork, and shining cuckoo. The vegetation is an eclectic mix of exotics that dominates the southern area of the ‘belt to the more kanuka and fuchsia dominated ridges and gullies of the northern areas. At Woodhaugh an old stand of kahikatea remains as a reminder of a significant wetland forest that once stood there.
For the Dunedin Amenities Society the protection and enhancement of the Town Belt was the beginning of its foundation in 1888. The Society was founded through the energy of Thomas Brown and Alexander Bathgate to protect, enhance and promote Dunedin’s landscape and biodiversity. The Town Belt Traverse is your opportunity to explore through a self-guided walk one of New Zealand’s great reserve sites.
The Dunedin Amenities Society established in 1888 is New Zealand’s oldest environmental society.
A People Day —images by Elizabeth Kerr
The flavour of the Santa Parade for those who couldn’t make it to George Street on Sunday. Following the eight sets of images (lowres only for website use, sampled from 540 frames) there is a link to last year’s photographs. The only disappointment yesterday was that Santa wore dark glasses….Big Mistake, and failed to pin his hat on securely for gusty conditions, it flew off at the best place to get photos, sigh.
Here be young and old, Mayor Cull, the ‘future generations’ stuck with paying for your amazing +$20 million per annum loss-making stadium, Christmas! If they can pay for it.
Congratulations to parade organiser Mark Laughton and the Dunedin Santa Parade Trust for another highly enjoyable and successful event.
Please to remember
new
Submitted by Hype.O.Thermia on Sat, 08/11/2014 – 1:07am.
“We’re not “celebrating” Mr Fawkes as a hero. We’re celebrating the fact that he failed to destroy parliament, failed to institute an absolutist monarch.”
Back in the distant days of my childhood the connection with Mr Fawkes and the night of fireworks was clear. We had bonfires, we gathered wood for it and built it up, kids being told by adults, and you don’t just chuck sticks in the direction of the pile, there’s a right way to do these things. And we had a guy, trousers and shirt and a round head-shaped bundle with a hat on top if someone’s Dad could be persuaded to part with an old one. So the story of Guy Fawkes was told, short and medium and long versions, and we knew from kids’ stories that English kids trundled their guy around the neighbourhood and people gave them money in response to their call, “Penny for the guy?”
Safety has ruled out all but the most rigidly organised public Guy Fawkes nights. We can’t have our own bonfires among friends, so there’s nowhere to burn a guy, so they don’t get made and the story has died or, as is seen in comments, misunderstood as celebrating Guy Fawkes, hero. Many popular types of fireworks have been outlawed for reasons of safety, only for the law of unintended consequences to kick in. Manufacturers added ear-shattering noise to replace the banned excitements.
In country areas the bonfire could be 2 or 3 neighbours’ shared festivity, or in a nearby town the Lions or some other group might organise a big bonfire for all comers, and Plunket sold hot dogs and cuppas to raise funds. Everyone would bring along their own fireworks, little kids waved sparklers, older kids lit strings of crackers and threw them at each other and laughed when the target leapt in shock at the bangs at his feet.
Next day we kids scoured the scuffed area around the charcoal and ashes looking for fireworks whose fuse had gone out, and the greatest prize: an untouched one that someone might have dropped in the dark. This was before daylight saving, we stayed up way past our usual bedtimes, but after all this was a special occasion, only once a year.
The ratio of injury to activity was pretty good, from memory. Especially with the private family bonfires, there was a great deal of scouring for dry branches and dragging them to the bonfire site, everyone had to physically do something. In the process we tended to get our ears bent about bonfires and matches and dry grass and how easily fire could spread, and the importance of having water buckets and a hose if it would reach, and sacks to wet if there had been no rain for a while and there could be sparks into dry vegetation.
Perhaps fireworks do need to be removed permanently from sale to the public, because so many of the public are no longer in touch with real practical elements of life such as safe outdoor fires, urban digital competence is a whole different knowledge set from what we grew up surrounded by when I was thrilled by November 5th, some double happies and being allowed to light one of the rockets, reminded of the checking procedure, where is it pointing, and is the bottle it’s sitting in well-seated so it won’t tilt?
Consultation: ‘a decorative process to legitimise a predetermined set of actions’*
—
The Dunedin City Council’s consultation processes, can they get any worse?
We’re a heavily indebted Community because of lack of meaningful ‘stadium consultation’ and that period of unfettered capital spending during Jim Harland’s reign as chief executive. More of same, Dave Cull’s two-term mayoralty is spendthrift. Feedback through The People’s Panel seems to be misused (a facile process able to be manipulated by council-affiliated lobby groups). Resource consents that set precedents in zones and across the greater city go non-notified. Changes to city parking and the intrusion of cycleways continue to show abysmal council bulldozing. Don’t mention hazard area maps (especially the red bits). Or the current urban design initiatives led by a minority interest. The list goes on…. City finances are less than transparent; council accountability remains fully in question. There’s every instance of major fraud within council activities that won’t be adequately reported or prosecuted – solid evidence is ignored (meanwhile elected representatives and senior management maintain positions and high salaries). In this toxic environment, how much consultation can this Community stand? – why should we write screeds and screeds to Council or attend workshops and hearings, there are much better ways to spend our restricted free time. Because, we can’t trust our leaders. We endeavour then to provide feedback on a limited case by case basis —knowing we’ll be disenfranchised if we refuse to tow the line or not agree with Council’s predetermined actions. Consultation? Yeah right. Hire a Queen’s Counsel instead. [make that a team of QCs] And the Mayor speaks of vitriole.
—
A draft Significance and Engagement Policy has been developed by the Dunedin City Council to meet the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002. The draft Policy provides a framework for determining the significance of decisions; and when and how the community can expect to be involved in the Council’s decision-making.
The draft Policy is based on good practice guidance from SOLGM, and incorporates feedback from Councillors, Council departments and the community. This report seeks approval of the draft Policy for consultation and community feedback.
### ODT Online Mon, 13 Oct 2014 Focus on consultation
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council is to consult the community on how it consults the community. A draft “significance and engagement policy” will be considered by councillors at the community and environment committee meeting today. If the draft policy is approved, the community will be asked for feedback on the draft. Read more
—
Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
*When Bad Consultation Leads to Bad Policy by David Crosbie
Posted: Monday, November 21, 2011 – 10:50
Governments around Australia need to really listen to their constituents, and ensure that ‘consultation’ doesn’t become a decorative process to legitimise a predetermined set of actions, says CEO of the Community Council for Australia, David Crosbie. This article is taken from the CSI Blog.
– See more at http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2011/11/when-bad-consultation-leads-bad-policy#sthash.oW25tTXe.dpuf
█ The Centre for Social Impact (CSI) at the University of New South Wales brings together the business, government, philanthropic and third (Not for Profit) sectors, in a collaborative effort to build community capacity and facilitate social innovation.
### ODT Online Sat, 20 May 2017
![nz-oil-gas-completes-3d-in-clipper-permit [1derrick.com]](https://dunedinstadium.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/nz-oil-gas-completes-3d-in-clipper-permit-1derrick-com.jpg)
![town belt traverse [dunedin-amenities-society.org.nz]](https://dunedinstadium.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/town-belt-traverse-dunedin-amenities-society-org-nz.jpg)
![Lake Okareka Volunteer Rural Fire Force 20.9.14 [okarekarural.fire.com] 1](https://dunedinstadium.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/lake-okareka-volunteer-rural-fire-force-20-9-14-okarekarural-fire-com-1.jpg)
![Sparklers - CrispNZ Trips [cris.lovell-smith.com] 2.1](https://dunedinstadium.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/sparklers-crispnz-trips-cris-lovell-smith-com-2-1.jpg)
![The Economist 6.11.14 Guy Fawkes face post modern protest [economist.com]](https://dunedinstadium.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/the-economist-6-11-14-guy-fawkes-face-post-modern-protest-economist-com.jpg)
What if? Dunedin... 