This river is the jewel in the crown of our area and we are proud to safeguard this special part of our community.  The LCRA is approaching this in two ways: supporting the Opawaho/Heathcote River network and working with our community to enhance the Ashgrove Reserve – another treasure in our area.

We see the two being linked together  – both enhance each other and both have their roots in the history of our area.  The Ashgrove Reserve was planted many years ago and is one of the few native plantings in the suburban Christchurch.  The other two are Deans Bush and the Ernle Clark Reserve, further up Ashgrove Terrace. We have some rare trees in the Reserve, some of the plantings up to 100 years old.

The LCRA is working with the local residents, the Parks & Reserves Dept of the City Council  and local experts Alice Shanks & Colin Meurk to develop a holistic management plan for the Reserve through which its native plantings are extended, weeds and pest are reduced.  With river bank enhancement that little corner of Ashgrove Tce will become a true treasure.

Some of the avenues we can pursue is to create a ‘Friends of Ashgrove Reserve’ entity through Facebook, call public meetings to gauge support, publish an inventory of the trees, write a local history of the site and encourage loclas to share their memories of living near there over the years, which is already happening.  Please contact Sue Bye at suebye.bye@gmail.com if you have anything to share.

Several people ave mentioned the water feature that used to be there.  It was spring fed and the spring is still there, so who knows what we might be able to do!

Thank to everyone who has been in contact and attended our preliminary meeting.  Special thanks to Mandy (our park ranger), Alice & Colin.  The precedent has been set by Ernle – let’s see what we can do!