Red tape be damned: Councillor clears flood-prone river walkway

After years of inaction to prevent flooding at a popular walkway under a Christchurch bridge, city councillor Phil Mauger has decided to take the matter into his own hands.

The Burwood Ward Christchurch city councillor recently came across a resident who was using a shovel and a trailer load of shingle to remedy two walkways beneath the Anzac Drive bridge near New Brighton Rd.

The once popular walkways along the Avon River have been prone to flooding, with one section being virtually inaccessible, since the 2011 earthquake.

That is until Cr Mauger decided to step in - without permission from the city council.

“He was shovelling himself to death,” he said.

“I told the bloke I’ll do it - not because I can’t get in trouble, but because I don’t care.”

Cr Mauger has now covered one of the walkways with shingle using a Bobcat, lifting it up about half a metre above the level that it used to be, and allowing pedestrian access.

“It is just common sense and it is making life easier for the people in the east.”

He said he would seek city council authorisation to conduct similar work on the walkway on the other side of the river.

Duncan Sandeman, acting director of the mayor and city council chief executive’s office, said staff are working with Cr Mauger to ensure he has the correct authorisation if he wants to undertake any future work on city council-owned assets.