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Irate residents sound off about new tsunami sirens
They built their dream home to optimise a magnificent coastal view, but now a Parua Bay couple say they can’t see past the “eyesore” of a giant tsunami siren that’s suddenly appeared “smack bang in the middle” of the prized vista.
Jared Russell and Sarah Clinker said they weren’t notified or consulted ahead of the installation of a 1.8m high tsunami siren unit atop an eight-metre steel mast, as part of Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group’s (NCDEMG) siren network upgrade.
Civil Defence acknowledges the couple weren’t consulted but said the location of the siren was crucial to the wider network and was decided at an earlier public meeting.
The network upgrade, funded by ratepayers at a cost of $6.7 million to date, was expected to be completed by October. Ninety four Danish designed solar-powered tsunami siren units are being installed to replace the old network, along with some new additions.
Russell and Clinker said they worked hard for the chance to build their waterfront home in the exclusive Parua Palms housing estate, at Whangārei Heads. They should at least have been notified the siren was going to be put on the previously clear council reserve land in front of them.
Parua Palms Estate had numerous restrictive covenants protecting the integrity of its enviable views, including one that prevented structures above five metres.
“The erection of the siren flew in the very face of that objective,” Russell said. It was also right on the allowable distance from their boundary line.
The couple were “flabbergasted” when they saw contractors and a crane arrive this week. Once the siren was positioned atop the mast, the whole structure stood about 10 metres tall, right in the middle of what used to be their uninterrupted sea view.
“It’s an eyesore,” Russell said. They weren’t the only ones affected either, he said.
Beachgoers who had previously used that part of the reserve to turn their boats around would no longer be able to do so as the structure was in the way.
Other neighbours were also upset and worried about how loud the siren would be.
“There were at least 10 other places around here it could’ve been erected, if only the community had been asked,” Russell said.
However, he was no “NIMBY” (a “not in my backyard” campaigner) and would have been more tolerant of the siren had the height of it been more in line with the five-metre covenant set for the subdivision and had the whole thing been moved a metre or two sideways.
After a sleepless night worrying, Russell phoned the NRC and Barfoot Construction on Thursday morning but neither answered and an hour and a half later he was still waiting on a response.
Part of the reason for his call, he said, was as a courtesy to let them know he had blocked access to the site so contractors couldn’t continue work until he had spoken with their bosses.
Russell also questioned the $60,000 price tag of the new sirens, asking what features they had to warrant such a massive price increase from the $2000 cost of the old ones. Such expensive technology surely shouldn’t be so intrusive in the landscape, he said.
NRC Emergency Management Specialist for Tsunami Projects Brendon Gray said, “We appreciate that this has come as somewhat of a shock to the couple.
“Construction on this site has come ahead of schedule, so we had not had the chance to provide them with the notice we would have liked, and we have been in touch with them to work on any possible options going forward.
“When selecting a site, there are a large number of considerations we have to take into account, and we work to try to minimise any potential visual and environmental impacts on our communities.
“However, ultimately the number
one priority is ensuring that they are in effective locations to provide that community with early warnings against tsunami threats.
“The design of the sirens, including the height of the pole, are all factored into making sure they are working as effectively as possible for the community.
“As each siren is part of a network, sites are strategically chosen to ensure effective sound coverage and early warnings against tsunami, not only for that community, but for the entire region as moving one site can create sound gaps and make the network as a whole less effective.
“This siren will help provide warnings to residents from Ritchie Rd through to Taihoa Rd, replacing three older sirens.
“In the lead-up to the installation we met with community groups to consult on the project, and this location was pointed out to us as the preferred option, out of the limited options available due to that large number of site requirements.
“The current siren network is coming to the end of its operational life and no longer meets the required national warning guidelines,” Gray said.
The erection of a new tsunami warning siren near the intersection of Beach and Pah Roads, Onerahi, has also come to a standstill over issues voiced by that community.
The siren was being erected in the very centre of the only flat part of a park there, obstructing the use of the land and presenting itself as a likely target for vandalism.
Several objectors had contacted Whangārei District Councillor Nicholas Connop with their concern about the siren. Councillor Connop is also a member of the Onerahi Civil Defence group and Northland’s civil defence emergency management group.
He too had been shocked by the stealth with which the new sirens had gone up and he was also disappointed that neither of those two civil defence entities had been kept abreast of relevant information.
Objectors weren’t upset with the sirens themselves, but with the location of them.
“People understand they’re (the sirens) are needed and vital but when you put something right in the middle of a park or someone’s view . . . there needed to be more holistic consideration,” Connop said.
He understood that where the location was likely to present an issue, residents were going to be consulted. He advised anyone with concerns about the sirens to contact NRC in the first instance.