Concerns raised about Cave Rock cross lights
Consultation has opened on Sumner's Cave Rock cross lights after residents raised concerns about their brightness, configuration and frequency.
The Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board is now seeking public feedback on the issues created by the lights, which were installed on the former Christchurch signal station mast in December 2021.
The board wants the community to tell it how the daily lighting hours should be managed and how frequently they should be lit.
The lights are currently turned on between dusk and 11pm each day, except during Matariki or when a request is made for them to be switched off temporarily.
The mast was lit for the first time to mark the coronation of King George VI in May 1937. More than 500 bulbs were lit, including those along the foreshore and pier. Photo: Supplied via Christchurch City Council
The mast was erected in 1864 to signal the state of the bar to coastal ships entering or leaving the Ihutai Avon Heathcote Estuary. Black, ball-shaped markers were used to indicate the conditions.
It was lit for the first time in May 1937 to mark the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1953, and later as a community tradition for Easter, Anzac Day, Christmas and other significant national events such as VE Day.
In 1961 the Sumner Lifeboat Institute took over the signal station as a lifeboat control tower and operated the lights intermittently for more than 30 years.
After the signal house was damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes and repaired in 2016, a new deed was established in 2020 with Breakfree Foundation, allowing them to install, own and operate the lights. Funds were raised by the community and the solar powered lights were installed in 2021.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
15 hours ago
- RNZ News
Cost blowout renews call to scrap council's Akaroa wastewater plans
The current wastewater treatment plant at Akaroa. Photo: Supplied/Christchurch City Council A Banks Peninsula residents' group has renewed calls to scrap council plans for a wastewater plant in the Akaroa township, following a cost blowout of more than $70 million. Under the Christchurch City Council proposal , the existing sewage plant would be relocated and treated wastewater discharged onto farmland and native plants at Hammond Point and Robinson's Bay, instead of into the harbour. For more than 60 years, Akaroa's sewage has been treated and discharged into the sea at the bottom of the culturally significant Takapūneke Reserve. The new scheme was initially budgeted at $94 million, but that figure has ballooned to $167.3 million. The council was also exploring an alternative discharge option of sending treated wastewater directly into the ocean, instead of first irrigating it through land, but this would still cost $148.7 million. Friends of Banks Peninsula deputy chair Suky Thompson said the council's plan was flawed and she was not surprised the cost had blown out. "Our geotechnical engineer at the [resource consent] hearings recommended that much more geotechnical assessment was needed prior to putting this whole proposal up for a consent," she said. "Twenty million dollars of that blowout is to carry out more geotechnical work on the site proposed for the treatment plant, but we think it will still blow out further because much of the steep land which the council proposes to irrigate to saturation hasn't had any geotechnical assessment." Thompson said the proposal did not address Akaroa's leaky pipes. "Our concern is that the amount of wastewater going through the system is largely determined by the poor quality of these sewer pipes in Akaroa, so it's infiltrated by an enormous amount of stormwater. "That means that at times when it's the most wet, when the land is soggy, that's when there's also the most water running through the system so then it has to be stored in enormous storage tanks and the council is planning to irrigate right through winter keeping the land at saturated level which is not suitable for the steep, slip-prone slopes of Banks Peninsula. "In our view it's time for the council to start being more realistic about what it can afford for such a small place as Akaroa -there's less than 1000 sewer connections going into the system." Thompson said the money would be better used overhauling the town's sewerage network. She believed the alternative option of discharging treated wastewater into the ocean would be met with more approval in Akaroa. "It would be much less intrusive to develop, it would be much more resilient going forward, so it's about the detail it's about the treatment standard that would be put in." Photo: SUPPLIED The council said the ocean discharging option would see a 15-16km wastewater pipeline running on the Akaroa Harbour floor, and wastewater discharged one to two kilometres beyond the harbour heads. "The staff update showed operational costs of the ocean outfall would be approximately $380,000 per year, compared to $625,000 per year for land irrigation. Operational and construction risks were outlined, including challenges in identifying leaks and the limited options available for repairs. Staff also repeated their understanding that this option is repugnant to mana whenua. Council head of three waters Gavin Hutchison said even though work was underway on investigating alternatives, no recommendations on a preferred future option would be made until the government's law changes around mandatory wastewater standards for discharge to water, land and overflows were implemented and the views of mana whenua sought. "Having this information will help further inform potential future steps for the current application process. However, regardless of what the new standards permit, we still have a duty to consult under the Local Government Act and consider cultural and community impacts of any preferred option. "Once we have an understanding of the impacts of the new wastewater standards, and have done further work, we expect to be able to brief the elected council on a preferred option for the future scheme in early 2026." Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu declined RNZ's interview request. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Museum opening date should be known within 6 months
A date for the opening of Te Unua Museum of Southland should be known within six months. At the Invercargill City Council's infrastructure and projects committee meeting yesterday a report updating councillors on the progress of the build was tabled by independent project director Nick Hamlin. Mr Hamlin began the part-time role at the beginning of June. In the report Mr Hamlin outlined the factors that could put the project behind schedule and ways of mitigating those factors. Speaking to his report, Mr Hamlin said construction company Naylor Love was on target to finish the building on schedule in September next year. However, the risks identified were related to fitting out the museum, including the education and central foyer areas. During the discussion Cr Tom Campbell asked for reassurance those working on the project were committed to have at least part of the building opened by the planned date of Christmas next year. Mr Hamlin said at this point staff were working through the risks. "It would be remiss of us to commit to a timeline until we're really confident we've got those areas well-known and knowledged and a plan around them." Council capital portfolio group manager Jamie Garnett said it would take between three and six months for staff to be confident of an opening date. Cr Ian Pottinger said people he spoke to wanted to know when the museum would be open and if it would be on budget. Mr Garnett said there was no more money for the build apart from what had been budgeted for. "At this point of time we are working within our budget and contracting our major pieces of work within that budget." Cr Trish Boyle said the residents she chatted to wanted the museum "done and done right". Therefore she was not in favour of the museum being opened in stages. "It's important for us as a community to see what it is when it opens, not as it might be." Cr Darren Ludlow said he cautioned rushing the project. "There are risks in thumping the table and trying to put a magic date on it and get things to happen." When projects were sped up the costs increased, he said. Cr Steve Broad said he would sooner swallow his pride, wait a few more months and open a museum that was worthy of its residents. "For me on time is when it is ready for our community." Council chief executive Michael Day said the challenge of fitting out the museum would be finding staff to complete the work. Committee chairman Grant Dermody said it was important to remember how far the project had come in a short time. It was a "50-year asset for our community" and another 12 months would not change that, he said.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Hunters rally for community hall
Wilbur Mee, 2, of Hindon, hunts for his Red Band gumboot after dropping it outside the Hindon hall on Sunday. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY Matariki was not a good weekend to be a wild animal inland from Outram. Organisers of the Hindon Hall inaugural hunting competition were thrilled with the turnout which attracted 35 team entries and 60 children. The small population with a big heart are rallying together to raise funds to maintain their community hall. Committee member Jo Harris said they were also delighted with sponsorship from local business with prizes including drone spraying, a new chainsaw, meat processing and chilly bins. Farmers worked in isolation which could impact their mental health and having a community hall helped people connect, she said. Teams hunted for wild boar, red deer stag, fallow stag and duck while children bagged hares, possums, rabbits and yabbies. A red deer hind with antlers attached by twine was disqualified. Team Tiznik won the heaviest red stag which weighed in at 152.5kg.
