2 May 2017

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Geotechnical engineers and a team of abseilers will on Wednesday try to make safe a rocky bluff in Victoria Park that is peppered with loose rock.

Some of the loose rocks.

Loose rocks in Victoria Park.

Geotechnical engineers from the Slope Stability Engineering Panel have been monitoring the Port Hills for increased rock fall risk since the Port Hills fire in February and are worried the unstable rock poses a danger to people using Dyers Pass Rd and the Harry Ell walking track.

The rock is located on a bluff in Victoria Park that stands about five metres high and 50 metres long.

The panel has recommended Christchurch City Council take urgent action to address the safety of the bluff.

“The rock is very unstable, probably due to the high volume of water that was sluiced over it during the aerial assault on the Port Hills fire. If we don’t remove it, there’s a high risk it will come down of its own accord,’’ said Christchurch Port Hills Recovery Manager Murray Sinclair.

“If that were to happen, it is almost certain that some of the rock would fall onto the Harry Ell walkway and onto Dyers Pass Rd, potentially putting the public at risk.’’

In a bid to reduce the risk of that happening, a team of abseilers under the supervision of geotechnical engineers are going to go into the area on Wednesday to scale the loose rocks and make the bluff safe.

Stop/go signs will be used to control traffic movements along Dyers Pass Rd while the work is done and the Harry Ell track will be closed to the public.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause but this is a high use area and it is important we make it safe,’’ Mr Sinclair said.

The Harry Ell walkway will be closed from 9am to 4pm on Wednesday from the top vehicle entrance in Victoria Park all the way up to Dyers Pass Rd.

The stop/go restrictions on Dyers Pass Rd will be in place between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Summit Road replanting restricts access

Summit Road will be closed for recreational access over the next three weeks while replanting and weeding is done on Mt Cavendish Bluff.

Because there is a likelihood of rockfall, the road will be closed to walkers and cyclists from the Bridle Path to Major Hornbrook saddle. This is expected to be on the following dates:

  •  Monday, May 8 to Friday, May 12 from 8am to 5pm
  •  Monday, May 15 to Friday, May 19 from 8am to 5pm
  •  Monday, May 22 to Friday, May 26 from 8am to 5pm

Crater Rim Track is suggested as an alternative.