Council to look at buying Wainoni houses

The Christchurch City Council is to consider buying the two houses at the centre of last week’s discovery of two bodies in Wainoni.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says a number of councillors and the Burwood/Pegasus Community Board Chairman David East have shown strong support to talk to the owners of the property in Hampshire Street under which the two bodies were found and the adjoining house with the view of Council purchasing the properties.

“These latest deaths have shocked our city, and stunned the local community.

“This is a community where the locals have big hearts and put a lot of effort into addressing issues and putting in place support networks for their residents.

“The Council wants to work with this community to find a solution which would bring the community some hope and optimism,” he says.

“It is important we do everything that is possible to help this community to recover from the trauma of the horrific deaths of these two young women.

“One option could be to remove the two houses and create a memorial park; another could be to use the two houses to create a facility to support the work of the local community.”

Mr Parker says it was hoped initial conversations could be held with the owners in the next day or two.