Around 100 cross and concerned Russell citizens, a sizeable percentage of the whole village population, gathered at the Christ Church parish hall Friday Jan 3rd to voice their opposition to the idea of a helicopter pad in the village. The Russell Protection Society is once again leading this latest battle to protect Russell’s long cherished way of life. RPS Chairman Bob Drey outlined the many ways in which the proposal contravenes major aspects of the Resource Management Act as well as FNDC’s own plans, rules and regulations and pointed up the vague, poorly supported and general paucity of information provided by the applicants.

This chopper operation wants to run up to 40 flights a weeks between 0800 and 2200 every day from a site off Matauwhi Road, with up to 11 flights a day. They say they are seeking only two flight paths, but there were many speakers at the meeting who laughed at the idea of that being adhered to with even more general derision heaped on the idea of the FNDC ever monitoring them anyway. It was pointed out that even if those two paths, unlikely as it may be were stuck to, it would still affect vast swathes of Russell. “It would go to the very heart of what we treasure about the place we live in” says Bob Drey, “but perhaps more importantly for the economic future of the village; it would not only affect our amenity, it would forever alter what we offer to our many NZ and overseas visitors…the peace and quiet of a character village would be replaced by the sounds of Apocalypse Now!”

The meeting unanimously passed a resolution demanding FNDC make the project a publicly notified application, something they are notoriously reluctant to do; so that Russell people can show their opposition and have the democratic say they are democratically entitled to. Several speakers called on everyone there to get in touch with the council in general, their officers and every councillor they know, and the Mayor in particular to let them know the level of feeling in the town. A media campaign will be mounted and several pages of petition were signed on the spot.

“We stopped Mayor Brown’s attack on Russell a few years ago” says Mr Drey “and if John Carter lets this through we’re prepared to stand up to him as well.”

The Council is presently waiting for further information from the applicants before proceeding any further.

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