On Labour Day Monday (24 October 2022) the BNA is running an event for Biketober. There will be a kids cycle challenge, a cycle treasure hunt (both with small spot prizes), an adults bike challenge, and winding up with a free sausage sizzle and bouncy castle at Hettie’s corner. There will be a 30 minute talk and question session about the next stage of the water main replacement pipe work being carried out by SEIPP Construction. You can also give us some feedback about possible redesign of the roadside garden beds at this corner.

Here’s the detailed timetable:

3pm Kids and adults cycle challenges, on Hunter Terrace next to South Library (where the South Christchurch Farmers’s Market meets). Slow bike rides and so on with spot prizes.

3:40pm kids set off on a cycle treasure hunt around the Loop, searching for multi coloured benches. Treasure hunt ends at Hettie's corner (Malcolm Ave/Birdwood Ave corner) at 4pm. Entries go in a box for spot prizes.

4pm Sausage sizzle and bouncy castle at Hetties corner. There will be bike smoothies too. Discussions about possible redesign of roadside plantings there, to make space for some community benches, or perhaps have edibles for community use.

4:30pm. Talk by SEIPP Construction project manager about forthcoming work on water main renewal. The next stage involves laying new pipes on Eastern Terrace and Malcolm Ave near the Malcolm Ave footbridge (and running under the river at this point).

5pm wrap up event.

The AGM of the BNA is coming up on Wednesday 28 September, 7-9pm at the South Library (in the Boardroom). There will be a talk by City Council staff about progress on scoping for the replacement for South Library, including a summary of feedback in the first round of consultation about what people liked or thought could be improved in the current South Library building. There will also be a review of progress in the Beckenham area over the past year, and discussion about what the BNA should be putting effort into next. Come along and have some input! The latest BNA newsletter will be going out through the whole area in a few days giving background info on all this. A copy of the newsletter will go up here very soon.

This annual riverbank cleanup is coming up on Saturday 7 May, 10am-12 noon. It is a city-wide effort which covers three areas (Opawaho-Heathcote River, Otakaro-Avon River, and the Estuary) and last year collected more than 400 bags of rubbish. This keeps the river safer and more attractive.

The BNA helps with a short section of this, on the west bank through Farnley Reserve and along Palatine Terrace. All helpers welcome, just bring a pair of gloves and the rest is organised.

Meet at 10am at Beckenham Scout Den, Centaurus Rd, beside the Brickworks.

This will be facilitated by CCC. RSVP to innovatingstreets@ccc.govt.nz.

Have your say on the traffic speeds in Beckenham Loop.