Transport around Halswell - what to do?

Halswell has a range of transport issues. 

• As anyone around Halswell will know, congestion on Halswell Road is an issue during rush hour.  
• For local schools and for families wanting to get children to and from school safely, the 60km/hr speed limits and lack of adequate crossing points are an issue. 
• Parents who feel compelled to drop their kids off and pick them up from school to keep them safe, have themselves created a major traffic hazard around schools.
• Cyclists have to contend with fast traffic and increasingly angry motorists who don't have any idea how it feels to be on a bike. 
• Pedestrians often have to wait a considerable time before they are able to cross the road safely in places around Halswell.  If you are struggling with mobility issues because of injuries or illness, the problem is even worse.
• For people living down Halswell, and Junction Roads, traffic noise and traffic related pollution is making our place increasingly unpleasant.
• People trying to turn right out of Nichols Road or School Road onto Halswell Road are finding it increasingly difficult to get across even when traffic is not heavy.

Add to this the large developments such as Longhurst and Knights Stream and the continuing development of Aidanfield, and the new Meadowlands development, it is clear that things are set only to get worse for Halswell residents in the near future. 

While each of these have pretty good walking and cycling facilities within each development, as has been the case for areas such as Country Palms, Aidanfield and Halswell on the Park,  there are problems for anyone trying to get between these developments and major community facilities such as schools, shops, sports grounds etc.  

Things that would assist these problems are: 

• Off road cycle paths, which get a few people out of their cars and onto their bikes (even a few more people biking can make a significant difference to traffic congestion for those who choose to stay in their cars).  Cycling is currently the fastest, most efficient way to get from home to town, and many people do enjoy cycling but not when they feel unsafe as a result of the large volumes of car traffic, and a lack of cycle facilities.
• Bus lanes which make it quicker and more pleasant for people who choose to catch a bus rather than take their car.  (Again, even a few more people catching a bus can make a difference to traffic congestion).  However because buses get stuck in traffic, taking the bus is not a great option for people.
• Traffic lights, 
• Pedestrian refuges and safe routes to school
• Lower speed limits in some areas

The space taken up on our roads by the same number of cars buses bikes and pairs of feet

Sadly at this point, and despite the development here, there are no plans for any of these things in the Lincoln/Halswell Road area in the foreseeable future.  The off road cycle path that is planned as part of the new Christchurch cycle network, is planned to go up Sparks Rd.  The new cycle path along the southern motorway is not that useful for anyone living in Halswell wanting to get to work.  It would be good for those moving into the Knights stream area if Junction Road were not so unsafe for cyclists.  If we want to see good transport infrastructure around this area, we need to be taking some action and we need to do it soon.

If you have concerns about these things, a good thing to do is to write to the Riccarton-Wigram Community Board and the Christchurch City Council. Alternatively you could ring them.  Encourage your friends to do the same!  You could also get in contact with the Halswell Residents Association, who have asked the Council to do a transport plan for the area to manage the issues that we are already facing.

Without this kind of action, very little is likely to happen to sort out our suburb's transport issues.

Walking and biking tracks around Halswell

Underpass from Aidanfield through to the cycleway

Halswell is a great place for walking and biking, and has some interesting places to explore.  This short article points you to some good places to go walking or biking away from the roads. You might also enjoy exploring some of the places in Halswell away from where you live - Aidanfield, Halswell on the park and Country Palms offer some nice walking and parks.  

Southern Motorway cycleway

From Aidanfield you can access the new cycleway along the motorway which is also a good place to walk.  You can see some pics and find out a wee bit more about this cycleway here,  and you may also be interested in seeing the route of the cycleway through to Barrington 

Local parks                                                                                                    

Part of Halswell Quarry Rim Track

Check out the local parks page on our Website  to find out a little more about great places to walk.  Westlake park, Canterbury Park, the Halswell Domain and Halswell Quarry Park all provide great places to go for short walks away from the road. 

Kennedys Bush Track

The Kennedys Bush Track runs from the top of Kennedy’s Bush Road.  It is around about an hour to an hour and a half’s walk for most from there to the Summit Road which offers great views and tracks to take you along to the Sign of the Bellbird which is about 20 mins to half an hour along on the tracks across the road and to your right.   

View of Lyttelton Harbour from Sign of the Bellbird

While you are heading that way, you may like to continue on and do a bit of Aoraki spotting as per this blog post written in the Halswell Community Blog in 2012 

  

Turn left instead of right and you can walk to the Sign of the Kiwi and beyond.  A favourite walk for me is to walk all the way along the summit Road to Lyttelton via the Bridle Path.  The earthquakes have made this more interesting but you can also choose to drop down Bowenvale, or Rapaki and catch a bus to get you back to Halswell if you don't like walking on closed roads.

Little River Rail Trail

Of course another great, relatively close trail is the Little River Rail Trail, which can be walked or biked.  

You can bike from Halswell, to Lincoln:  A good route is to use Quaifes, Longstaffs and trices roads to get you to the trail on Birches Rd in Prebbleton.  

From Lincoln you need to take to the roads for a while but after a few km the trail is once again off road (look at the rail trail website to see the route between Lincoln and Motukarara).  

Many people drive to Motukarara to do the section between there and Little River.  The trail here is a great way to see Te Waihora/ Lake Ellesmere, and the cafes both at Motukarara and Little River are very very good, particularly after a good bikeride.  Check out the Little River Rail Trail website for more info.

For those who would prefer to walk or run, these trails can also be used for these activities.

Our Second Community Market

Nancy playing her harp under the trees

The second experimental community market held in the grounds of St Lukes Church was another success.  35 great stalls filled our space and there was something for everyone.  Stalls sold local produce, garden plants, cut flowers, pickles, bread and bakery goods, some food stalls and a range of crafts. A number of community groups ran fundraisers and we had some great live music from Rachel (singer songwriter guitarist) and Nancy, (a harpist).  There was also a bouncy castle and kids games going on throughout the market.  3-4 local businesses also ran stalls to highlight and sell their products and services

David, a fruit and vege grower from the Old TaitTapu Rd

The team from the Halswell Community Project and our sponsors at St Luke's Church were delighted when Sunday 24th November dawned sunny and warm (after a week of cloud and drizzle), although as people noted later, perhaps it got a little too hot during the afternoon!  Most of the people who came to the market were able to spend some time sitting in the shade and perusing the various stalls.  The sunshine was a little more challenging for stall holders who did not have umbrellas or tents to provide shade.

Craft, plant and clothing stalls

 Overall we'd have loved to have seen a few more local residents at the market.  We were pleased that most of the stall holders felt there were enough people attending the market to justify their running a stall and are keen to come back again in February.
We really appreciate the support of the locals - ongoing support is going to be really important to keep our stallholders coming back and to ensure the sustainability of the market.  We will need to see a few more supporters at our coming markets this summer in order to decide what we should do next year.  The long term viability of the market will depend on having plenty of people coming along. 

There is quite a bit of parking available across in the Library carpark and down at the Hall (both less than 5 mins walk away).  Many people from Halswell on the Park, Muir Park, and Oaklands chose to walk from home and a few also biked to get to the market.  cyclists could park onsite in the new bikestands or at the gate and most brought panier or packs to take away their purchases.

Put Feb 16th 2014 - 1-4 pm into your diary and come down and check out what is on offer at the next market!

Two local businesses soon after setup, before the rush

Shining Cuckoos around Halswell

I was in my garden earlier this week (near Quarry Park) and heard a shining cuckoo/ pipiwharauroa.   They have a very distinctive call  and are said to herald spring.  I always like hearing them for that reason - no matter if it is well into summer when I hear them!   They are also known as rainbirds in some parts of New Zealand - testimony to the fact that that on the west coast of both islands, spring can be quite a wet season!

Shining Cuckoo:  Photo from DOC website

Pipiwharauroa are small insect eating birds - only about the size of a sparrow and they fly each year between here and the Solomon Islands.  They go there to eat up large on insects over our winter, before returning here in spring.

They breed here, laying their eggs into the nests of  grey warblers tiny birds with relatively loud and also very distinctive song.

There are a few places around Christchurch where you can hear shining cuckoos throughout the summer - so listen out as you walk, or bike around Halswell  because you might just hear one.

You can find out more about shining cuckoos here  or you can listen to an interview about the shining cuckoo here.

A Spring Clean ....

Another post from the lovely Rebecca Harford of who runs the Love my Body Programme.

The weather is getting better and the days are getting longer, now is often when we give our house and gardens a bit of a clean out - well we should also do the same with our body.

1) Clean out your wardrobe: Try on your clothes- are they too big? put in a recycling pile to either be dropped off in the closest clothing bin ASAP or have a 2nd hand clothes swap party with friends. Have you not worn that item last summer- put it in the recycling pile. If there is clothes that you haven't worn this winter- put them in your pile too!! no point in saving them for another year and taking up space!! Check your clothes over- are they a little too loved or need mending (and be honest with yourself if you don't fix it tonight then put it straight in the bin!!)?? Make sure to check your undies and socks too- have a good clean out and then treat yourself to some gorgeous new frills- its amazing how great it makes you feel!!

Here's some good advice on when to bin your bra!!

1. Has the lace on your bra begun to pill, stretch or tear?
2. Do the straps on your bra hold their length without stretching?
3. Is the band that fits around your rib cage stretched? Does it still hold tight to your body?
4. Have you gained or lost weight recently, resulting in a change in your rib cage and breast size?
5. Do you notice any fraying fabric anywhere on your bra?
6. Are the moulded cups of your bra beginning to show signs of wrinkling or dimpling?
7. Is the fabric of your bra looking dingy, gray or stained from perspiration or everyday wear and washing?
8. When you wear a tight-fitting top over your bra, do you notice any bra bulge anywhere along your breast line and back?
9. Are you feeling any discomfort or pain between your shoulder blades or back?
10. Are you having to tighten the straps of your bra more often to give your breasts proper lift and support?

If you answer yes to one of these questions then you need to ditch that bra!!

2) Give your skin a refresh!!- Not the skin on your face!! now is the time our pearly whites are starting to come out and I'm not talking teeth!! SO its time to give everything a spruce up.

                 - Dehair- do whatever it takes and get rid of ALL of that unwanted hair no excuses!!

                 - Exfoliate- give EVERYWHERE a good scrub with a lovely exfoliant

                 -Moisterise, moisterise, moisterise- get a gradual fake tanner (like Dove summer glow its great!!)- having a bit of colour on your skin will make you feel more confident :)

Now you need to be doing this at least 2x a week- believe me you will thank me for the extra 15 mins a week you spend on this when you need to slip quickly into a skirt, shorts or singlet and your legs and arms look great!!

3) Clean out your makeup, skincare products etc etc- Have you been holding onto some nice smellies for another day??- well start treating yourself and use them!! IF you haven't used something for 6 months either pass it on to someone who will, use it yourself or bin it!!

Here are some tips for when to bin your make up and skincare products:

• Most powders, concealers and lip balms are anhydrous (they don't contain water), so they can last for a couple of years.
• Cleansers and moisturizers often contain fatty acids, which can turn rancid quickly. Toss after six months.
• Multiuse products such as 3-in-1 sticks and creams can spread germs from lips to eyes and cheeks. Wipe the surface before switching areas, and discard or replace after six months.
• Pencils can last several years unless you wet the tip with saliva or water. To be safe, sharpen before each use.
• Mascara should be tossed after three months without fail. The tube is a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Foundations can last up to a year if you keep your fingers away from the bottle. Instead, use a sponge to apply..
• Store cosmetics in a cool, dry place outside the bathroom to extend their shelf life.

Good luck and enjoy the results from your big spring clean :)

Post from Shirish Paranjape (standing for community board in Riccarton/Wigram)

The joys of democracy

Some weeks back, I decided to contest for the position of a community board member for Riccarton-Wigram ward.

During these past weeks of campaign and community interaction, I have experienced many aspects of our community, our city.

1.  Our local government structure of mayor, councilors, community boards: Many people, particularly those born overseas asked me to explain what a community board is, what it does etc. After listening to me, their unanimous comment was that this structure is such a nice one to have. Let us make this structure work for our communities!

2.   I found that most people were genuinely interested in discussions leading to positive outcomes for the city. The awareness level of local issues is very high, and people liked to discuss issues which affected them and others.

3.   Community support for the process of elections, including candidates’ campaign is very high and positive. House-owners and businesses not only gave permissions for signage, many actually made adjustments to accommodate the same. Businesses engaged in printing brochures, signs etc. supported with quick turn-around times. Media and community groups engaged actively and promoted good discussions.

Personally, I learnt a lot just through this process of campaigning, communicating, meeting people and visiting different parts of our city.

But I also learnt that the voter turnout at local elections is less than ideal, around the 50% mark!

When I first heard this, this was indeed a surprise, as this did not match the active community involvement I had experienced otherwise.

I wondered about the reasons, which perhaps include.

1.    Lack of voter awareness about candidates

2.    Some candidates not forthcoming about providing detailed information about themselves.

3.    The website www.vote.co.nz run by Local Government New Zealand is an excellent resource but very few voters know about it. Perhaps the publicity is not adequate.

I feel that to improve democratic processes, indeed the effectiveness of democracy itself – widespread community participation is vital.

Let us look at countries such as Egypt. Hundred have laid down their lives in an effort to get democracy.

We in New Zealand are much luckier. We do not have to go to such extremes. All we need to do is to participate in the elections in big numbers.

We do not even have to leave the comforts of our homes.

Let us make Christchurch as the city with (near) 100% voter turnout.

Let us do it together. Let us make it 100%.

Shirish