Groynes boat hire left high and dry for summer
A popular north Christchurch recreation reserve will be without a boat hire service this summer, following delays in obtaining a licence from the city council.
People have been hiring pedal boats and canoes at The Groynes recreation lake for about 30 years, but this summer ripples in the lake will be caused by ducks and wind rather than canoe paddles.
Phill Hanrahan purchased The Groynes Boat Hire business in July. The previous owners had operated without a licence since 1997.
Hanrahan said when he bought the business he was aware he would probably have to obtain a licence to operate from the Christchurch City Council, but he did not think it would take such a long time and prevent him from operating during the busiest time of the year. ‘‘I thought it was going to be the best thing when I bought it, but now, six months later, it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done.’’
He was fed up, frustrated, stressed and was close to walking away from the business.
‘‘A 30-year-old business has not failed because of a lack of money or patronage, it’s failed because of the council.’’
The council wanted Hanrahan to meet various health-and-safety requirements before a licence could be granted, so he engaged a consultant, who owned a rafting business in Queenstown, to help him with a health-and-safety plan. He believed he had met all the requirements.
‘‘We have jumped every hurdle that they wanted.’’
However, he still does not have a licence.
A council property consultant told Hanrahan in a letter on December 19 that the council could offer him a month-to-month licence for the 2017-18 season (until April 30), but the licence needed approval from the Fendalton-Waimairi Harewood Community Board and, because of the Christmas break, that could not happen until late February or early March.
Hanrahan said this scenario would have him operating for little over a month at the tail end of the season, which was not financially feasible because, once he started operating, he had to pay an $1100 annual insurance premium.
‘‘We wanted to bring it back to life and maybe put a cafe out there. That was our vision. We didn’t anticipate how hard the council was to deal with.’’
The letter said the council was not able to grant a longer licence because the head lease between Environment Canterbury (ECan) and the city council for the whole of The Groynes had not yet been finalised. It was understood ECan owned The Groynes and leased it to the council.
The council approached ECan to see if it could grant a four-month licence to Hanrahan directly, but ECan’s solicitor advised against this option.
The council property consultant also said a short-term licence did not guarantee a long-term licence being granted because once the head lease and management plan were finalised, the licence for the operation of a boat-hiring business would be placed on the open market for tender.
Hanrahan said the delay and uncertainty over obtaining a licence had impacted him financially and he had been unable to apply for permanent jobs because he could not commit to an employer.
‘‘We have put everything into it.’’
He was also disappointed for the children and families who would not get to hire a boat on the lake this summer. ‘‘People ring me every day asking when we’re opening. Everyone is missing out.’’
Harewood ward city councillor Aaron Keown said he felt Hanrahan’s frustration and had taken the issue up with council chief executive Karleen Edwards.
The city council was unable to comment during the holiday period.