Quake rubble sows seeds for new recreation area

The site that was used to sort through the material from buildings that were damaged or demolished after the earthquakes is going to be turned into a recreation area.

Final landscaping plans are being drawn up so that the Burwood Resource Recovery Park can be incorporated into neighbouring Bottle Lake Forest Park by early 2022.

The Burwood Resource Recovery Park was established after the earthquakes to sort through the vast volumes of construction and demolition waste from across Christchurch. As much of the waste as possible has been recycled but some could not be re-used and remains on the site.

Material from sites where there was a loss of life in the 22 February 2011 earthquakes is also stored at the park but has been kept in a separate area. Christchurch City Council plans to engage with quake victims’ families later this year on how the sensitive material will be dealt with long-term.

In the meantime, the majority of the Burwood Resource Recovery Park is being readied for its transition to a recreation site.

“The Burwood Resource Recovery Park stopped receiving construction and demolition waste at the end of last year but it will continue to receive truckloads of soil until the end of this year,’’ says Council Solid Waste Manager Ross Trotter.

The soil is being used to cover over the compacted mounds of rubble in preparation for landscaping. Already about 35,000 native plants have been planted in the area.

“When the landscaping work is completed we will have an additional recreation area that will include walking tracks, mountain bike tracks and areas for bird watching.  It will offer some great scenic views of the Kaikoura ranges and the Canterbury foothills so it will be a good addition to the Bottle Lake Forest Park,’’ Mr Trotter says.