Closure brings the end of an era
Christchurch household refuse has been going to Burwood for 20 years, but the city’s refuse is now heading north to the new Kate Valley Landfill in North Canterbury.
The last trucks carrying commercial and household refuse swung out of Burwood Landfill last month.
Since it opened 4,865,000 tonnes of refuse from Christchurch and in later years, from other local authorities, were received at the Burwood landfill.
Areas of the landfill were systematically filled. Staff managed the rubbish placement down to the last cubic metre to ensure the necessary space was available until Kate Valley opened, says the council’s manager of refuse operations Dave Harris.
The filled area occupies 51 of the site’s 91 hectares. When the landfill first opened it was a flat area. Today it has mounds as high as 25 metres.
As areas were filled, they were “capped” with a metre of gravel, 600mm of clay, up to a metre of soil and planted, initially with grass, to prevent erosion.
The aim is to create an attractive recreation area which will be a continuation of the Bottle Lake Reserve in the west and connect with the Pegasus Bay Walking Track along the coast.
Plans include tracks suitable for walking, running and mountain biking as well as areas for picnicking. One of the present tasks is to shape and contour the mounds to capitalise on their height and provide tracks with varying inclines. Tracks will take walkers to lookout points which will provide views out to the coast and across the city.
Wetlands will be formed in naturally lowlying areas which will collect storm water from other areas. “We’re going to enhance what is already there with trees and shrubs which we hope will encourage the return of wetland birds and insects,” Mr Harris says. “The area will be suitable for walking and bird watching. Bellbirds and fantails are already returning to the first restored area.”
Tracks are being developed in the area closest to Bottle Lake Reserve which was opened in May. As other areas are completed they will be opened to the public.
It is envisaged the entire area will be completed in late in 2007.
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