New playground equipment is about to be added to the Picton Reserve playground.

Our Amazing Place Community Treasure Hunts are free community events that seek to connect people to their local communities – and one is coming to Riccarton on March 3. While racing around the community in a fun treasure hunt, teams will discover people, places, businesses and services that are present in our neighbourhood.

The treasure hunt trail features a number of stations which each have a challenge, activity or task that must be completed by teams to gain a stamp for their "passport". These stations are hosted by local organisations at their own venue and give organisations a chance to showcase some of what they provide as a kind of open day. The day finishes with a celebratory event, BBQ and prize giving at Harrington Park!

Will the City Council heed pleas from Riccarton businesses and pull back on roadworks along Riccarton Road for several months?

Families from the Riccarton community and Riccarton Baptist Church had a great weekend together when the Oak Development Trust's annual summer camp was held at Waipara on the weekend of 12-14 January 2018.

Have you ever wanted to organise a Neighbourhood gathering? Do you want to get to know the people who live close to you? Perhaps you've always wanted to put on a potluck for the whole street...  Here's your chance to get some City Council funding to help you do it.

The Bush Inn Centre will replace its Countdown supermarket for a permanent farmers' market, expected to open in early 2019.

The Stuff website reports* that The Provedore will be a range of grocery shops organised into different sections – European, Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Organic, Halal and health foods – as well as traditional supermarket basics. Briscoes would move into the complex.

The practice of parking vehicles for sale along Riccarton Road is soon to become illegal.

When the city council’s new Traffic and Parking Bylaw comes into force in March, the owners of these vehicles will be breaking the law.

Under the new bylaw, a person must not stop, stand or park a vehicle on any road or parking place to offer it for sale, unless it is being used for day-to-day travel.

City council head of strategic policy Helen Beaumont said on some streets, it created hazards and distractions.

“Drivers have been seen making risky manoeuvres, such asU-turns, in order to get a better view or to park alongside the cars for sale.”

AA senior policy analyst Mark Stockdale said, if implemented, the city council should focus its enforcement on the busy streets where there was a risk.

“Car sales businesses shouldn’t be using public parks to sell cars for profit.”

Carols, angels, shepherds, wise men, a live baby Jesus -- all on a perfect Christchurch Christmas Eve at Harrington Park. What more could you want.

Video courtesy of Marie Byrne.