Bund views

Residents get expansive views across the estuary of the Heathcote and Avon Rivers/Ihutai when they’re enjoying the new shared path on top of the bund in South New Brighton Park.

The bund running through Bridge Reserve, south of Bridge Street, reduces the risk of flooding in this area of eastern Christchurch as well as providing an elevated, two-metre-wide pathway for walking and cycling.

“This project has a positive community impact and it was great to  complete it to such a high standard with the planting and mulch as the finishing touches,” Project Manager Aaron Martin says.

“It was much anticipated by the locals and on our final day there was a queue of people waiting for the fences to come down so they could use it!” he says.

“It has been really well received. When I visit there now, people see me in my hi-vis and comment about how much they enjoy it.”

The planting tied everything together and the experts from Citycare Property’s Open Spaces Horticulture Team worked in collaboration with the Christchurch City Council landscape architect.

More than 5,600 native plants and trees were planted.

“Every plant species was specifically sourced so its roots don’t penetrate the bund,” Aaron says.

“The whole point is for the bund to be impermeable to prevent flooding and if plant roots penetrated the bund it would create an avenue for water to pass through,” he says.

“So plants with shallow roots were chosen and the configuration of the landscape design considered the depth of the plant roots in progression depending on their distance from the bund core.”

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87beowVSSpA