A community-led campaign to have the residential red-zone areas along the Ōtākaro Avon River turned into a park is about to come full circle.
In the Council chambers on Tuesday morning, the Avon-Ōtākaro Network (AvON) will receive the petition they presented to the then MP for Christchurch East, Lianne Dalziel, on the steps of Parliament on 2 May 2012.
The petition, which had more than 18,500 signatories, asked Parliament to work with Christchurch people and local authorities to ensure the red-zoned areas along the Ōtākaro Avon River became a river park and reserve, rather than being remediated and rebuilt on. That request was met last year when the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Regeneration Plan was approved.
Tuesday morning’s ceremony will see the petition, along with the Select Committee report that resulted from it, given back to AvON spokesperson Evan Smith by Minister Poto Williams, who is now the MP for Christchurch East, along with Mayor Dalziel.
The petition and report will be returned in the same hand-woven kete it was originally provided in.
The select committee report can be viewed here: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/document/50DBHOH_PET3109_1/petition-of-mark-loyal-gibson-on-behalf-of-the-avon-otakaro