Council issues 72 trespass notices for offensive behaviour
A Christchurch suburban library and bus lounge accounted for almost half the number of trespass notices issued by the city council in 2016.
The Riccarton bus lounge has been a hotspot for violence since it opened on Riccarton Rd in December 2015. There have been regular reports of intimidating behaviour outside the lounge and police have dealt with public brawls and assaults at the site.
In the eight months to August 2016, the Christchurch City Council issued 20 trespass orders preventing people from returning to the lounge for two years.
Information released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act shows the council also trespassed 15 people from Shirley library during 2016. In total, the council issued 72 trespass notices banning people from its facilities in 2016.
A council spokesman said the majority of the trespass orders (10) issued at the Riccarton bus lounge happened in March 2016 when ‘‘a serious incident’’ occurred within the south side of the lounge.
Two security guards now patrolled the area and moved on groups of individuals deemed to be loitering inside the lounge.
Trespass notices were issued if people did not listen to the security guards and their behaviour was deemed ‘‘unfavourable’’, council said.
Another 15 people were trespassed from Shirley library during 2016. The council said there was a surge in drug-related activity at the library, including theft, vandalism and violence as well as drug dealing, during the first quarter of 2016.
The problems had since been addressed in co-operation with the local police and The Palms Mall security. A security guard had been employed to assist library staff in managing any ongoing situations.
‘‘The second and third quarters show a return to normal levels of behaviour in the library.’’
Shirley resident Florence Jenner, who has been a regular user of the library for 18 years, said she had witnessed some disruptive behaviour from groups of teenagers at the library.
‘‘I saw an altercation between two boys and that was really horrible. Makes you feel sick to your stomach.’’ She said the librarians were pretty good at ejecting people from the library for bad behaviour. She did not think the security guard had been much of a deterrent.
Richmond resident Elizabeth Ashley, a regular library user, said she had never had a bad experience at the library and patrons she had seen were well behaved.
Another 15 notices were issued across eight other council libraries and 12 people were trespassed from council recreational facilities.
Seven users of Jellie Park in Burnside were trespassed, down from 20 in 2015. Four notices were issued at Pioneer Recreation and Sports Centre in Spreydon and one at Cowles Stadium in Aranui. Three people were forbidden from Hagley Park and the Botanical Gardens, one from the Linwood Service Centre and one from the Riccarton library.
They were issued for theft, threatening or antisocial behaviour, verbal or physical abuse, fighting, drug or alcohol abuse and other inappropriate behaviour.