The Otakaro Avon River Corridor and the election campaign

Why we have to think hard about this:

Evan Smith sent this to me. It’s interviews with election campaign candidates about the river corridor. Here’s the link http://tiny.cc/19elec

This City has a lot to thank those, like Evan and Peter Beck, who have focused on this amazing part of our City. It is a place where we can see a place which demonstrates our future potential. It is the place where we can start planning for the future of this City.

Here is what Evan wrote: CANDIDATES ON THE CORRIDOR: ‘Many need a course in OARC 101’

Many of the new candidates for Mayor, Council and Community Boards have a limited understanding of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor and its Regeneration Plan says Evan Smith of Avon-Ōtākaro Network (AvON).

Recently the Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration signed off the Regeneration Plan for the OARC. The Council will take over ownership of the corridor lands in tranches over the course of the next few years. Final ownership, governance and implementation are still undefined.

AvON has undertaken a series of video interviews with many of the candidates from wards directly impacted by the corridor. They also interviewed the three key Mayoral Candidates. 30 second answers were required to each of 5 questions about selling land, flatwater sport provision, visitor attraction, governance and ownership, and their vision for the corridor.

“It has been quite revealing undertaking the interviews. Not many of the new contenders whether for Mayor, Council or Community Board have a good grasp of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor (OARC).

“They don’t understand the significance of the Regeneration Plan; that as soon as it was signed off by the Minister it triggered a legislative planning framework for the corridor. That is not something that can be relitigated by the incoming Council. Council’s role will be to put the ‘flesh’ on these ‘bones’. The corridor won’t come across as a blank canvas,” says Smith.

It is likely that local Community Board Members and Councillors will play key roles in these decisions, so there is keen interest in candidates’ views on these matters.

Avon Ōtākaro Network invited candidates in the wards directly impacted by the corridor to give 30 second answers to each of 5 questions about the corridor.

“There’s a lack of sensitivity to those that were red zoned from the lands with many proclaiming the need to sell land to pay for that which is retained. There is little understanding of the potential for leasehold arrangements, the need to maintain the integrity of the corridor or the level of provision within the plan for edge, adaptable or affordable housing options and the need for these to be relocatable.

“There is also a lack of imagination or appreciation of the stunning potential of the corridor for the future of the east and the city. And a lack of innovative thinking around funding options eg impact investment models.

“It seems to us that any new elected representatives will need a course in OARC 101 before they can tackle the issues here and make informed decisions, rather than try to enact rash election promises.”