"Tree Bee" A Success!

Despite wet weather and many cold hands, the working bee was very successful. Thankyou to all of you who donned your winter woollies to brave the elements. The aim was to mark out potential changes to the street using traffic cones so that we could get a real-life appreciation of the possible changes being suggested by various residents.
Three locations were worked on: the Harewood Road entrance where a stop sign and pedestrian island have been suggested; the avenue adjacent to the north-west entrance to St James Park where a pedestrian island is proposed in the centre of the road; and at the bend where it was felt a 7m wide road was appropriate.
The photos show how these suggestions use the street space. The most noticeable effect was the dramatic slowing of traffic going through these marked areas (see bottom photo), probably due to a combination of road narrowing to 7m, the bright "witches hats" traffic cones, and the officious looking residents wearing fluorescent safety vests!

OUR STREET – OUR DESIGN – SUNDAY 27 JUNE 10am

111 St  James Avenue
Papanui
Christchurch 8053
15 June 2010

Dear Fellow Residents

OUR STREET – OUR DESIGN – SUNDAY 27 JUNE 10am

We have organised some necessary expert helpers to assist us to work out our street design, and have it measured and draughted into a line drawing that we can present to the Christchurch City Council. They are all available on the above date, so all that is needed for a complete design team is for us to join them. A start of 10am will mean that there should be plenty of daylight hours after we have completed our design for our plan to be accurately recorded by the survey team.

It will be great to see as many of you as possible out on the street, running out string, banging in pegs, working out parking spaces, crossing islands, traffic calming and talking and having a laugh with your fellow neighbours and residents.

Working together towards a common goal we should be able to come up with an awesome street to live in, for us and for future residents.

If you have youngsters in your household please invite them to join in. Who knows, being involved in design at its most basic level and seeing it take shape, and being able to talk to a surveyor, may influence a future career choice. It would be great to have their input as well.

This is a truly wonderful opportunity to work out what we want, what works and what will not, so please accept the invite to join the day under the trees.

SUNDAY 27TH JUNE 2010 AT 10AM BY THE ROSE GARDEN ENTERANCE TO THE PARK.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Margaret and Dave Howley

Community Board Meeting

The Community Board meeting went reasonably well, as much as one can tell. After I had spoken about my personal perspective on coming to the Avenue, Nigel gave his own perspective, and clarified a few issues. We then answered questions from the Board, including who we are representing, and what area should be covered by the association.
At this stage the Board is requesting a report from the CCC to look at the feasibility of dismantling the existing South Papanui Residents' Association, and allowing our own association to get formal recognition. They will then decide whether or not to give us the go-ahead. So now we just wait.

Meeting with Community Board

As many of you will be aware, at 4.00pm on Wednesday afternoon (June 16) Nigel and I shall be presenting on your behalf to the Community Board, to get our Residents' Association formally recognised by the CCC. While it is not essential for our association to have this recognition to achieve its goals, it is certainly worth trying to get this status.
The meeting is at the Board Room of the Papanui Library/Service Centre (entrance at rear down Restell Street). Although only two of us are allowed to speak, you are all welcome to be part of this deputation.

Bravo!

Those of you that read The Press this morning will have seen an excellent opinion piece from Mike Yardley. (see Newspaper blog page) Fantastic exposure. Mike was clearly well-informed!
You may have also noticed photos, on our Street examples page, of the Idris-Jeffreys Rd corner to illustrate the pedestrian "pause way" or crossing island concept. Note the landscaped island extension running up the street, which acts as a useful barrier to stop cars cutting the corner as they enter the street as well as preventing u-turns in the street close to the corner.