She was unable to walk her dog, which she had had only a few weeks, until her ribs healed, disrupting important \u201cbonding\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n
Lindsay reported the incident to Whanganui District Council the next day and was called by a staff member who said the section was repaired.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should never have been sitting there like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The damaged section of plastic mesh on the Whanganui River boardwalk that Shonagh Lindsay tripped on before Whanganui District Council repaired it.<\/p>\n
Lindsay said when she asked if the mesh was on a regular maintenance schedule, the staff member said it was not.<\/p>\n
The council told the Chronicle its land transport team was \u201cregularly inspecting the boardwalk\u201d and investigating another report of curling and areas \u201cwearing sooner than expected\u201d.<\/p>\n
Chief infrastructure officer Lance Kennedy said the council had received no other injury reports.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were concerned to hear that someone was injured and the mesh in that area was repaired the following day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The council could not constantly monitor its large network of walkways, and community reporting was important to identify issues and respond quickly, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe inspect and maintain them based on condition, risk and available funding. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut conditions can change quickly, and wear, weather or deliberate damage can create issues between checks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Plastic mesh complied with the NZ Cycle Trails Design Guide and was widely used on boardwalks and trails in New Zealand, Kennedy said.<\/p>\n
The council installed the plastic (polymer) mesh treading in August after reports of cyclists receiving punctures, and safety concerns<\/a> led it to remove wire mesh treading installed months earlier. <\/p>\n There was also a report of a child who had metal stuck in their foot.<\/p>\n