Earthquake-damaged walking tracks to reopen

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Will Harvie/Stuff

Rosemary Neave, left, and Martin Ward are pleased the city council will finally repair half the track in Barnett Park, Redcliffs.

A popular walking track to a cave in Christchurch’s Port Hills will be repaired and officially reopened – more than a decade after it was damaged in the region’s earthquakes.

A community group is applauding city council plans to reinstate the loop track in Redcliffs’ Barnett Park that leads to a large cave up the valley. Contractors have begun rock remediation above the track.

The track had been closed since the 2010-11 earthquakes because wooden staircases and other structures were damaged and boulders rolled off the bluffs.

For years, walkers and joggers have ignored the council’s “closed” signs though, and accessed the track and cave. On sunny weekends, dozens of people including children can be seen on the closed track. Climbers also use the track to access several climbing routes and a different cave.

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Stuff

The 2011 earthquakes closed some of Christchurch’s best walking tracks, but some good ones have survived. (First published January 4, 2019)

Redcliffs residents had been annoyed that the upper levels of Barnett Park were allowed to become run down after the quakes, Martin Ward​ and Rosemary Neave said. The pair, who live locally, are members of a volunteer group called Te Awa Kura-Barnett Park​ that aims to restore most of the park.

Reinstating the track would cost about $40,000, council head of parks Andrew Rutledge said.​

Once the rock work was finished, he expected the work on the track and main cave would begin next summer. At this stage only the eastern portion of the track will be repaired.

The western portion lies under gnarlier bluffs. A geotech report on the western bluffs dated July 2020 reported almost 30 rockfalls in the preceding months.

On Wednesday, another Te Awa Kura member, Cynthia Roberts,​ asked city councillors to spend $100,000 remediating the western portion.

Barnett Park has three distinct areas: well-groomed sport fields used mainly for football and cricket; a dog walking area maintained by the council; and the steep and overgrown area that has largely been closed.

Volunteers from Te Awa Kura planted hundreds of natives in the upper section last year and would hold their first planting day of this year this Saturday (1pm to 3pm).

A second planting day was planned for May 28, in the dog walking area.

Volunteers and council staff removed large quantities of boneseed from the upper portion of Barnett Park last year.

This year, they would target banana passionfruit​. It produces pretty pink tubular flowers and edible fruit, but smothers other vegetation, and is officially an unwanted organism.

The Te Awa Kura name was being used unofficially, Neave said. The group had approached Ngāi Tūāhuriri​ but discussion was pandemic put off until the Covid-19 eased.

The group also hoped the flat area south of the dog park would become a wetland, Ward said. It was already wet and engineering could help slow and cleanse rain water coming off the hills. Redcliffs residents supported the dog park, he said.

The nearby Heathcote Quarry walking track could also reopen next summer, Rutledge said. Officially closed by earthquake damage and hazards, it was also used often. The council had set aside $20,000 for repairs.

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