Mabel Howard Reserve
I live next door to Mabel Howard Reserve in King Street, Sydenham.
Over the past 6 months or so, the maintenance of the reserve has declined considerably with the grass not being mowed as regularly as it was and weeds being left to take over.
In early December, I noticed the two chestnut trees in front of the reserve(one close to my driveway) were looking sick, with the previously healthy leaves suddenly dying off. On further investigation, I noticed some of the flower beds in the reserve had been sprayed with weedkiller, in the vicinity of the trees and near the playground area.
I called Christchurch City Council and lodged a complaint and asked if the trees could be looked at asap in the hope of saving them.
This week I finally received an email from the council's community parks team leader, part of which reads "I’ve passed your concern about the two trees to our arborist team, who will investigate further. The spray used by our maintenance teams is called Bio-Weed Blast, an organic product, and would not cause any decline in the trees or be applied near playground equipment. Mowing and gardening are now handled by council staff, who are proactive and committed to delivering the best results".
Just wanted to share this in the hope some others may raise concerns with the council as well.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
Christchurch South Community Gardens Market Day
Christchurch South Community Gardens summer market day, tomorrow December 6th at 188 Strickland Street 🌞
10am-1pm
Plants, produce, preserves, baking + more. Also yummy sausage sizzle! 🌭🫕
Bring the family down for a bite to eat or to buy some produce 🪴🧁🥤
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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