New trail to open along Avon River
Anew trail for walkers, runners and cyclists is being built along the banks of the Ōtākaro/Avon River. Work to prepare the 12km transitional Avon Trail started last month and Cantabrians will be able to walk, run or cycle sections of the trail from Barbadoes St to Pages Road in New Brighton from the spring. The full trail is expected to open in early 2018.
Christchurch City Council contractors will prepare most of the trail at the same time as their upgrade of the temporary stopbanks. The first section of work will start from Retreat Road/ Avonside Drive through to the Gay- hurst Road Bridge.
The top of the stopbanks will be smoothed and a fine gravel surface added that will be suitable for a wide range of uses.
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says the trail announcement is great news for the city and will really help promote the regeneration of New Brighton and the surrounding area.
“This will really showcase what’s possible in terms of the journey from the city to the sea. I can see this really taking off.”
Avon-Ōtākaro Network is leading this project and community volunteers will help prepare some sections of the trail.
Evan Smith, from Avon-Ōtākaro Network describes the trail as “a great transitional initiative to give everyone easy access to the amenity of the lower Avon and surrounding red zone.”
“Now the former red zone land alongside the river has mostly been vacated, cleared and grassed, people are beginning to see the true extent and potential of the river corridor. The more we can offer as many folk as possible the opportunity to explore this, the better.”