Buses for show
Buses have been scheduled to and from the the Light and Sound show on Saturday November 4. They will leave from the Square in Victoria St, departing every 15 minutes from 5.45pm through to 7.45pm and returning from 9.15p.m with the last bus leaving at 11.15pm
To manage the inaugural event the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce decided to release tickets on the event page using Humantix to ensure departure congestion doesn’t overshadow the Light and Sound show.
Work begins
Work has begun on a signalised pedestrian crossing on State Highway 3 (SH3) at Ōhaupō. The crossing will be constructed outside the Windy Ridge Function Centre and the Ōhaupō Store and will improve safety for pedestrians crossing the busy state highway. SH3 will remain open to two lanes of traffic for the majority of the works and traffic management will be in place. Construction is expected to take around four months to complete, from October 2023 to February 2024, allowing for a month break over the Christmas holidays when traffic flows are very busy.
Night time detours
Ongoing work on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway will see night-time southbound traffic detoured for about five weeks. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises its contractors require a block of closures – Sunday to Thursday each week, running from 12 November to 14 December, 7pm-5am. All SH1 southbound vehicles will be rerouted along SH1B-Gordonton Road. Heavy vehicles (50 tonnes and over) must use SH1B, including the local road detour around Telephone Road, and connect to SH1 again at Cambridge or via SH26 into Hamilton. The detours will be signposted. The Lake Road detour will add about 10 minutes to travel times, while the freight detour will add up to 15 minutes.
Anti social driving
An increase in late night anti-social driving behaviour has prompted Waipā District Council to propose a light motor vehicle prohibition under its Public Places Bylaw. This will give police more powers to take action in problem areas. Rural residents, property owners and businesses on roads where prohibition is proposed are being invited to have their say. The roads identified after research into occurrence and consultation with Police are: Gudex Road, Appleby Road, Wells Place – from Waikato Expressway to Moemoea Place.
Roads named
Patrick Hogan Ryman Village
Five private roads in the Patrick Hogan Ryman Retirement Village in Cambridge have been given names after consultation with Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Haua Iwi trusts. Mahi Tahi (to work together), Pukatea and Tiitoki (endemic trees at the site), Puriri and Kiekie (native trees/plants) have been approved by Waipā’s Service Delivery committee last week subject to Land Information New Zealand approval.
Liquor hearing
The Waipā District Licensing Committee held a hearing in Cambridge today (Wednesday) to consider an application for renewal of an off-licence for NKM Princess Ltd t/a Blackbull Liquor. A labour inspector from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) was invited to be a witness at the hearing after finding certain breaches in minimum employment standards by the employer. NKM Princess was issued with an improvement notice last year and has since achieved compliance, MBIE’s head of Compliance
and Enforcement Simon Humphries told The News.
Vercoe dies
Hugh Vercoe
Former Matamata Piako mayor and Waikato regional councillor Hugh Vercoe has died of cancer aged 80. He was mayor between 1998 and 2013 and then on the regional council until last year.
Vercoe served as Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management group chair from 2010. He was a director and shareholder in the Morrinsville News community newspaper.
A service to celebrate his life will be held at the Morrinsville Events Centre on Friday at 11am.
Cars damaged
Three cars parked outside Hidden Lake Hotel at Lakewood were damaged when glass bottles and a broom stick were thrown at them about 2am Sunday. The News understands the incident was captured on CCTV and the footage has been handed to police.
Man charged
A 44-year-old Cambridge man has been remanded in custody to face a series of charges in court in Hamilton next month. Sergeant Ben Joll said a search of the vehicle the man was driving uncovered methamphetamine, cannabis, a pistol, knife and drug paraphernalia. He had been stopped after complaints from the public about erratic driving.
Costs up
New Cambridge wastewater treatment plant.
Professional design services for the new Cambridge Wastewater Treatment Plant have been increased by $500,000 from $3.554 million which Waipā’s Service Delivery committee approved in May last year without any contingency. Hamilton-based Pattle Delamore Partners Ltd, an engineering and environmental consultancy, have undertaken unenvisaged professional services including additional physical groundwater monitoring and solar array design, Water Services strategic lead Robin Walker told Waipā’s Service Delivery committee last week.
Signs gone
Signs at a pedestrian crossing
Chemist Warehouse removed signs which conflicted with district council bylaws following complaints, but some signs promoting a breast cancer awareness event in Hamilton tonight (Thursday) – and obstructed motorists’ view of pedestrians and crossings in Cambridge – were only removed following questions from The News. They were still on show near the Velodrome and elsewhere around town this week.
Charity money
Cambridge’s Jumble Around op shop has distributed $183,000 to 94 not for profit organisations. President Marianne Jarvie said the recipients included Cambridge Community House, Cambridge Volunteer Fire Service, Achievement House, Interlock NZ Trust, St John Cambridge, Kiwi Outreach and Cambridge Life Skills Institute. Jumble Around has been operating for 55 years and has generated several million dollars for Cambridge.
Sharemilker banned
A former sharemilker has been sentenced to home detention and banned from being in charge of animals. Mark Richardson was in sole charge of a herd of about 165 cows at Te Awamutu between November 2015 and February 2020. After he sold the herd, a vet found evidence of tail breaks and injuries to 84 cows. The 48-year-old was prosecuted by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Incorrect title
Our story on the Salvation Army Family store receiving a new rimu counter, thanks to the work of some St Peter’s School students, incorrectly named Jenny Carson as the store manager. She is a store volunteer. See: Store counts on St Peter’s
Rally visits
The Targa New Zealand Rally was in the region this week as competitors negotiated Aspin, Te Miro, Waterworks, Mangere and Pukewhau roads.
Rowing regatta
The Craig Steenson Memorial Rowing Regatta will be staged at Karāpiro Domain on Saturday.
