Protestors have begun a tit for tat with Wellington City Council, removing fencing that blocks off the City to Sea bridge, which is planned for demolition due to seismic issues.
The council fenced off the central city bridge on Monday.
A court case to save the bridge failed, but demolition work is on hold until at least the end of September while the council awaits recommendations from the Government’s earthquake-prone buildings review.
Wellington Civic Trust has been campaigning to save the bridge, and its chairperson, Helene Ritchie, was at the protest yesterday.
“We were confronted with … our City to Sea bridge fenced off by the council, however, there are some people who cut the fences down and we could go on to the bridge, look at the wonderful view of the harbour and hills, and protest.”
After the protest, a security guard asked the group if they would put the fences back up, Ritchie said.
“We wouldn’t do that, why would we? … We want the public to have access to the City to Sea bridge forever,” she said.
Wellington City Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said the removed fences were reinstated on Saturday.
However, Ritchie said protestors were also planning to take them down again on Sunday, during another protest.
And MacLean said if that happened, the council would “do the same again” and put the fencing back up.
Ritchie would not confirm whether the group would retaliate once again, if the fences come down on Sunday and go back up.
“We will need to regroup after this weekend and we won’t reveal our plans yet,” she said.
Wellington City Council voted to demolish the bridge late last year.
Wellington Civic Trust sought a judicial review, arguing that decision was flawed – but that was thrown out last week in the High Court, with Justice Christine Grice finding the council had not made any mistakes.
Advocates for saving the bridge have argued it could be restrengthened for significantly less than the council claims.