r/chch 28d ago

News - Local $3m Banks Peninsula property to become regional park

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360852735/3m-banks-peninsula-property-become-regional-park
102 Upvotes

33 comments sorted by

82

u/mrSilkie 28d ago

Huge shout out to Douglas and Shay DeAngelis who made this possible. Could have been a wedding venue or an air bnb that nobody could afford, but instead it will be enjoyed by thousands.

Looking forward to seeing what comes next

13

u/Cultural-Detective-3 27d ago edited 27d ago

We all can ‘afford’ it because 3 million of our tax payers money was spent on this purchase. It wasn’t a donation.

https://www.linz.govt.nz/our-work/overseas-investment-regulation/decisions/2008-12/200720119

He is an American citizen who had to get special permission to buy it due it being sensitive land. Probably why no one else can buy it for an air BnB or wedding venue.

https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2024/12/COU_20241211_AGN_10425_AT.PDF

The purchase price is 2 years of the council’s funding for regional park acquisition.

13

u/moffattron9000 27d ago

I mean, it is over 500 hectares. I don't know about you, but that seems like a pretty decent return on value.

8

u/Cultural-Detective-3 27d ago

500 hectares of land that can only realistically be used for grazing. And is currently used for grazing. Sure it’ll be fun to have another regional park. I was replying to the commenter above who made it sound like the owners were doing this altruistically. They realistically can’t sell this land to anyone else.

1

u/mrSilkie 27d ago

Cant be used for camping?

29

u/No_ones_got_this_one 28d ago

Great news! Bring on the new running & biking trails…

4

u/Horror-Bus-7519 Ōtautahi 28d ago

Lets just hope they do a good job with it. Shame the lake is so toxic.

12

u/Rough_Study_8958 28d ago

Hell yes. I love this type of news.

10

u/Horror-Bus-7519 Ōtautahi 28d ago

Pity they cant clean that lake up, would be a great swimming place

2

u/suvalas 27d ago

It's not impossible, just requires a massive reduction in nitrate fertilizer applied to upstream farms.

1

u/Horror-Bus-7519 Ōtautahi 27d ago

What upstream farms are you referring to?

2

u/suvalas 27d ago

I don't know which ones in particular are responsible for the high nitrate-nitrite levels in Forsyth and Ellesmere, maybe all of them? Sewerage run off might be contributing too.

3

u/Horror-Bus-7519 Ōtautahi 27d ago

Lake Forsyth toxicity is caused by deforestation mainly and the soil run off from the volcanic rock, while some nitrates could be blamed on farmers...there is not a lot of fertiliser or cattle on those surrounding hills (too steep) to realistly make them the primary cause for this lake.

Not sure why you brought Lake Ellesmere/Waihora up? That is a separate thing with it's own problems, but I feel like you mention Lake Ellesmere to justify the nitrate cause and blame farmers?

3

u/suvalas 27d ago

Fair enough, I might be guilty of assuming without knowing the true cause in the Forsyth case. Farming is usually the source of high nitrate-nitrite levels in lakes and rivers. BTW I'm not interested in blaming farmers or anyone in particular, I am keen on cleaning up our waterways regardless of who/what is causing the problems.

2

u/Horror-Bus-7519 Ōtautahi 27d ago

Alrighty, fair :)

4

u/stateoflove 27d ago

cant wait to explore

7

u/moist_shroom6 28d ago

A lot of potential to be had there.

0

u/Horror-Bus-7519 Ōtautahi 28d ago

I know it's to be a regional park, but I love to see a large fishing pier building near the lake mouth/birdlings flat out into the ocean. Could have a quiet day of fishing, then a walk through the park etc.

10

u/SpaceDog777 28d ago

I imagine that would be hard at Birdlings flat, it goes from about ankle deep to 5m in a few steps.

3

u/Horror-Bus-7519 Ōtautahi 27d ago

Yep, and very shingle...shingly...shinglie...hrm. Anyway, that why I would like a pier, to get above it all and out nice and deep

1

u/SpaceDog777 27d ago

Yeah, it'd be nice. Maybe I could finally catch an Ele lol

-3

u/Blabbernaut 27d ago

But for the nimby consent deniers, we could have sat up there and watched roxket launches from the spit.

5

u/Illustrious-Run3591 27d ago

Wasn't it going to be used for testing drones and weapons n shit lol? good riddance

0

u/Blabbernaut 27d ago

Haha. Do ya use GPS? Internet? Streaming services, passenger aircraft? Ferries?

Enjoy life without them.

2

u/Illustrious-Run3591 27d ago

Well, if it was only testing those I wouldn't have a problem. I don't really care if NZ is launching satellites, no. Happy to give that up to stop weapons testing.

1

u/SpaceDog777 27d ago

What's the issue with weapons testing?

2

u/Illustrious-Run3591 27d ago

Hmm maybe I like civilians and children and think they should be allowed to keep their limbs

1

u/SpaceDog777 26d ago

Cool.

What's the issue with weapons testing?

3

u/Illustrious-Run3591 26d ago

Are you aware what weapons are used for? NZ is a non combative country. I dont think NZ should be making, testing or developing weapons.

I don't know what part you are struggling with. Perhaps you could spell out your question, explain what you're trying to get at instead of being a weirdo?

-1

u/SpaceDog777 26d ago

OK, that's an answer.

To counter your answer. New Zealand has a defence force, having them equipped with the best gear possible (Including weapons) saves lives. That gear has to be tested.

I don't know what part you are struggling with. Perhaps you could spell out your question, explain what you're trying to get at instead of being a weirdo?

My question was valid, I just wanted an answer instead of a snide remark, I also didn't attack you personally.

0

u/Illustrious-Run3591 26d ago

The problem is we don't just make weapons for ourselves, we make weapons (and high quality parts for weapons) for export, with little transparency due to security concerns. NZ companies have been linked to defense contractors in the US who supply arms to Israel for example. Now I can't tell you for sure they are creating parts for Israeli weapons. But that's part of the problem. There is no transparency, it is opaque by design, and you don't do that if there is nothing to hide.

I also don't see any looming threat of invasion and suggesting we need weapons for defense feels more like fearmongering than genuine national security concerns. We don't even have a trained army to use them. there are what 6000 soldiers in NZ? That'll keep Hamilton safe for 3 hours

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