In Defence of the Heritage Values of Robinsons Bay
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NEWSLETTER November 2020 In Defence of the Heritage Values of Robinsons Bay becomes operational, there will still be the traffic generated from those passengers wishing to come to Akaroa for the day, and the same problems caused by an excess of buses and tourists in the town will need to be addressed. We will need to keep up the pressure on the City Council to ensure these issues remain top of mind, and come up with some valid plans in mitigation, something which has previously been lacking. It is welcome too that ECan have at last decided to take a more rigorous stance in enforcing some of the hitherto neglected aspects of our maritime regulations relating to cruise ship activity. It remains to be seen how effective this new regime will be in regulating and monitoring the conduct of cruise ships and the frequency of visits, but at least the framework now exists to relieve the town from the seemingly unstoppable increase in the number of ships visiting which it had previously faced. Some Minor Milestones of 2020 From the Chairman SUBMISSIONS MADE As everybody is by now well aware 2020 turned the existing As an Akaroa resident, one of the most heartening things this world on its head. The fiasco of the Ruby Princess and its past year has been to see how many days in winter and spring infected passengers travelling around New Zealand before the town has been at near capacity, buzzing with people in the disembarking in Australia, and becoming the subject of a cafes and bars and shops, in a way we've not seen in these criminal investigation, served to highlight the dangers of cruise months before. Indeed some businesses report that June and ship activity at a time of a pandemic, and it exposed also the July gave them their busiest months ever on record in vulnerability of New Zealand ports and the need to tighten our terms of turnover and profitable spend generally. Perhaps this regulatory framework. gives weight to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Whereas in March I was able to make a submission to the Environment's report which revealed that 60% of New Christchurch City Council on the perils of cruise ship activity Zealand tourism is actually domestic based, not international and their potential to pollute undetected and unregulated, by arrivals, and therefore there is much to be gained from the end of the year the Civic Trust had moved to other more promoting the town's attractions to New Zealanders. pressing matters, most importantly the contentious waste In other words, Akaroa need not be reliant on mass tourism water scheme which the council at this moment is and the cruise ship industry in which it has previously put so deliberating, in an attempt to find a resolution to an almost much stock. It has been proven that the town can survive on impossible problem. The Civic Trust, as is mentioned enlarging its appeal to another group of visitors entirely. elsewhere in this newsletter made submissions based on Business operators who previously seemed in thrall to the heritage values which would be eroded in the Robinson's Bay benefits of cruise ship passengers now reveal that the long- scheme. We await with some trepidation the final decision term benefits of having people come and stay in the B&Bs, that the council will come up with, as they are in the browse purposefully in the shops and make purchases, and unenviable position of having to determine something with have evening meals in the restaurants, far outweigh any of grave economic consequences and at the same time balance the passing benefits of daytime cruise ship visitors. many ecological and contentious landscaping issues. However the cessation of cruise ship activity for the time Other submissions in which the Trust has been involved cover being can only be seen as temporary and at the Civic Trust we objections to the proposed pedestrian build-out in Beach Rd must re-double our efforts to continue what we have initiated to which the Trust remains vigorously opposed. At a time of in trying to ensure that the town is capable of withstanding stringent cost-cutting and financial cutbacks it is baffling that the pressures of mass tourism and the cruise ship industry. schemes like this receive the funding required to proceed. Even when Lyttelton's magnificent new cruise ship berth 2 The Trust continues to push the city council to recognise that which has not to date included the important aspects of Akaroa is a distinct and unique community, not another heritage, concentrating more on adventure tourism. suburb of Christchurch, and we resist vehemently all attempts OUR AGM ON NOVEMBER 28 HAS A DISTINCTLY HERITAGE at further suburbanisation of the town. THEME AND WE ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS TO ATTEND FRENCH FARM HOUSE The ChristChurch Cathedral restoration and reinstatement has The fate of this important building, dating from the 1840’s, proved a thorny and divisive topic, and the Akaroa Civic Trust occupies a place in every newsletter we produce, and we are is pleased to welcome the Anglican Bishop of Christchurch The now at a point where we have turned to Heritage New Zealand Right Reverend Dr Peter Carrell and local resident Peter for financial assistance, as the project is beyond the limited Guthrey, chair of the ChristChurch Cathedral Reinstatement resources of the Akaroa Civic Trust to take to the next stage. Trust, to come and enlighten us on this exciting project which As the Trust to date has committed significant sums from its they are currently undertaking, and of course seeking further limited resources to this very worthwhile project, it cannot funding to complete. Please tell your friends and help us make afford to turn its back on the challenges, and we will continue yet another AGM be delivered to a full house at the Gaiety to seek ways of preserving this historic iconic building. hall. PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONER FOR ENVIRONMENT VISIT CHANGES TO THE BOARD TO AKAROA As we reach the end of another year it is time to say goodbye The Trust can claim significant credit in securing the visit to the to one or two retiring members of the board, and in particular town by the Right Honourable Simon Upton (as mentioned on farewell Rosie Davidson our tireless and passionate secretary other pages of this newsletter). Over a working lunch and for so many years, who has decided to move north with her drinks later in the day we were able to discuss the issues that husband Nick. We wish all the Davidson family the best of we hope will be considered in the compilation of the health and happiness in their new location. forthcoming report to the government. One of the most encouraging signs of addressing mass tourism's effect on small Also retiring is David Epstein whose wise counsel has always towns in the Commissioner’s first report is the view that more been available, and Timmy Richardson, as we reluctantly of the same cannot be a sustainable way forward. The Civic accept his decision to step down to allow him to concentrate Trust has a healthy scepticism of the cruise industry's ability to on other matters in his busy life. We also say goodbye to Marie regulate itself, acknowledging that there are powerful partners Haley and wish her all the best. with vested interests at play here. My thanks to all my fellow Board members involved for their CIVIC TRUST INITIATIVES WITH AKAROA RATEPAYER AND invaluable contribution over the last year. Whilst it is often RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION AND AKAROA DISTRICT unwise to single out people in particular, I believe the weight PROMOTIONS of our work always seems to fall upon the same group of people on the board. In addition to those mentioned below, I During the year trustees have met with representatives of the pay tribute to Lynda Wallace, Rodney Laredo and John Wilson two local associations ARRA and ADP in an attempt to find in particular for always being willing to step up when there is a common ground that would result in a more unified strategy particular job to be done. We must remember that as with all for the development of the town. My thanks to Harry Stronach voluntary organisations board members freely give of their in particular for his tireless dedication to this very important own time, and we must record our appreciation of this. initiative. At the time of writing we are faced with the need to compile a detailed investigation of issues to be covered i.e. an Happily, we do look forward to welcoming several new economic report, and currently we simply do not have the trustees who are heritage minded and have signified they are resources to carry out this professionally. Deputy Mayor very keen to play a part in the Board of the Civic Trust in the Andrew Turner has encouraged us to proceed along these future. It is fitting that I pay tribute to the indefatigable lines, as only this type of research will enable the council to Victoria Andrews, my deputy chair, without whose assist us in implementing such a strategy. We still await with encyclopedic knowledge and dedication to attending to so interest the Destination Management Strategy promised by many matters that fall within the Civic Trust's sphere of the council some months ago and as yet unseen. We are interest, we would not be able to play our part in the commu- aware that in compiling such strategy, representatives of nity fully.