CHRISTCHURCH COUNCIL INSTALLS EV CHARGERS ON SOUTHSHORE SPIT WHERE NO CAR HAS EVER PARKED
Guys. Guys. I never thought I'd have to make this article. But here we are — four chargers, zero cars, one very confused seagull.
Guys. Guys. I never thought I'd have to make this video — sorry, article. deep breath Christchurch City Council has installed four EV fast-chargers on a stretch of Southshore where, according to residents, no vehicle has ever willingly parked, and I owe my community an explanation.
The chargers, commissioned at a cost the council will only describe as "within budget parameters", sit on a grass verge between a dune and a stormwater drain. To reach them, a driver would need to mount the kerb, cross a berm, and ignore a sign that says "NO VEHICLE ACCESS". To my community, I am so sorry you have to read this.
Southshore resident Fenella Boyd, 61, said she'd watched the install crew for two days and asked what the plan was. "Fella said it was 'future-proofing'. I said future-proofing for what, the tide? He shrugged and went back to his ute. Which was diesel, by the way."
I've been doing the work. I've been sitting with this. A council spokesperson told The Daily Yarn the location was chosen following a "network coverage assessment" and that the site would "activate demand over time". Asked whether any car had ever parked there, the spokesperson said they were "unable to confirm parking history at that specific coordinate". I'm growing as a person just typing this.
A second resident, Marama Te Rangi, said a consultant had visited in March with a clipboard and "asked which direction the sea was". She pointed. He wrote it down. She has not seen him since, but the invoice, she assumes, has.
The chargers are live. They are lit. One has already been colonised by a nesting oystercatcher. Links below for my new course on accountability, and for the council's twelve-year EV infrastructure roadmap, which lists Southshore Spit as "Tier 1: high-priority activation".
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Reader Letters
Trev_Hornby
Who thought this was a good idea?
couchgremlin
Lol.
wayward_wayne
Yet another example of the council wasting rates. Why not put these chargers in places where cars actually go? So much for improvement! Bloody rooted.
eco_wendy
Great, more money down the drain... literally, with that stormwater nearby.
Sandra McKenzie
Southshore residents know their spit. That spot's been empty since ever! It's like putting a bus stop in the middle of nowhere. At least the oystercatcher is getting some use out of it!
couch_thrower1978
Council must be throwing darts at a map. This strategy is nonsense.
Garry (Halswell)
In '82, councils knew how to get the basics right. A bit of common sense would do wonders today. No EV back then, just a reliable Holden and a drive that made sense.
MumOf3_Riccarton
Why are we wasting time and resources on 'future-proofing' when the present still needs sorting? Council should focus on fixing existing issues instead of chasing these pipe dreams. It has become a piss-take!
Misguided_Murray
Mate, they were implementing "high-priority activation"! Whatever that means. I'm guessing some consultant got paid a shit ton for their clipboard expertise.