Road closure
A section of Duke Street from Bryce to Dick streets as well as Lower Duke Street will close tomorrow (Thursday) until April while council teams build a new boardwalk as part of the new Cambridge pathway.
Duke Street from Dick Street through to Victoria Street will remain open for two-way traffic.
Part of Duke Street between Bryce and Dick streets along with Lower Duke Street, will be closed until April.
Part of Duke Street between Bryce and Dick streets along with Lower Duke Street, will be closed until April.
Piarere construction marked
Transport minister Simeon Brown marked the start of the roundabout construction at the intersection of SH1/SH29 Piarere this morning.
The roundabout is part of the SH1/SH29 intersection improvement project, which will improve safety, resilience and connectivity between regions. The site was blessed last month by mana whenua representatives from Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust and Raukawa.
Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Kaitiaki Poto Davies catches up with Taupō MP Louise Upston at the Piarere roundabout construction site. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Among those present were National Party MPs Louise Upston (Taupō), Ryan Hamilton (Hamilton East), Tim van de Molen (Waikato), Sam Uffindell (Tauranga) and Tom Rutherford (Bay of Plenty) along with Matamata-Piako and Waipā mayors Adrienne Wilcock and Susan O’Regan and councillors from South Waikato District Council.
Smile please: The media shot at the Piarere roundabout, from left Sam Uffindell, Louise Upston, Transport minister Simeon Brown, Tim van de Molen, Tom Rutherford, Ryan Hamilton, Adrienne Wilcock and Susan O’Regan. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Workshop deferred
A Waipā District Council workshop originally planned for next Tuesday, January 30 to discuss its Long Term Plan has been deferred to the following week, 8am, Wednesday, February 7. Mayor Susan O’Regan said the Government requirement to put three waters back into the budgets for the next 10 years had been a game changer.
“We were notified of the Government’s intention to repeal the three waters legislation late last year and that has required a significant amount of rework when it comes to council’s finances,” she said. “We have made the decision to delay the workshop until the following week because we want to ensure the updated financial information is as robust as possible before we consider next steps.”
Fun in the sun
The Howell sisters of Leamington, from left, Bonnie, 9, Roto-o-Rangi School, Beverly, 12, Cambridge Middle School, and Blayre, 4, Montessori Pre School, enjoyed playing in Waipā council’s Lake Te Koo Utu playground in Thornton Road at the weekend. The playground features multiple play modules including a large lagoon play unit, a basket swing, jungle ropes, a double mega swing, a spinner in-ground trampolines, audio and sensory equipment and a timber trail that connects the junior and senior spaces. It was upgraded two years ago. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Fly tippers come to town
Boxes and bags of rubbish dumped on the western side of Victoria Square in Cambridge. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
It was clean up time in Cambridge on Monday for Waipā council workers as illegal dumpers were out in force around the town.
Despite signs warning council will prosecute – and they did so several times last year – the dumping, or fly tipping as it is often called, continues costing council more than $60,000 annually.
The council’s website says it is unsightly, attracts rats and is a health and safety risk because of what is dumped; food waste, sharp objects and dirty nappies.
Council contractors clear it up at ratepayers’ cost and go through the rubbish to find any identifying information.
Anyone caught dumping illegally can be fined $400 and the maximum fine upon conviction at court is $5000 for an individual or $20,000 for a business.
Media get court out
A police release last week relating to an arrest inadvertently suggested the man charged would appear in the Cambridge District Court. Police media staff responded quickly when The News pointed out there is no court in Cambridge.
The courthouse closed in August 1979 and the building was sold to Cambridge Borough Council in 1983. It has been home to the town’s museum ever since.
But who would get caught out by the media release?
At last check, several radio stations including RNZ had and – for reasons we can’t quite understand – the National Tribune in Australia and UK’s Mirage News. Cases emanating from Cambridge are usually heard in the Hamilton District Court.
Cambridge Museum after refurbishment last year.
Ōhaupō powerless
An equipment failure north of Ōhaupō is being cited by Waipa Networks as the reason behind a power cut which left parts of the village without electricity power for several hours on Monday afternoon. Power was out for about four hours from just after 2pm until 6pm, with the northern end of Great South Rd most affected.
Club competition
There will be more action on the water at Karāpiro from Saturday to Monday as the venue hosts the North Island rowing championships – the first major regatta of the New Year.
Councillors against
Mike Pettit
Roger Gordon
Philip Coles
Mike Pettit, Roger Gordon and Philip Coles – all Waipā district Cambridge representatives – voted against funding for the i-Sites in Te Awamutu and Cambridge being slashed by $314,000.
The in favour votes at the council’s Service Delivery committee last year by the mayor, deputy mayor and other councillors effectively means the i-Sites will close on July 1 unless alternative funding can be found.
The News requested details of the vote under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA). See: i-Site futures debated.
Work underway
Simeon Brown
Transport minister Simeon Brown, local MPs and mayors will tomorrow morning (Thursday) be at Piarere to celebrate the start of work on a roundabout at the SH1 and SH29 intersection. Downer NZ was awarded the contract and began minor works last month, following a blessing of the site with mana whenua – Ngaati Koroki Kahukura, Ngaati Hauaa Iwi Trust and Raukawa. More than 20,000 vehicles travel through the intersection daily.
App uptake
The new Cambridge News and Te Awamutu News apps have undergone subtle tweaks – more photos, links to previous stories, property listings, jobs and funeral notices. The apps can be downloaded in both Android’s Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
Crafty holiday
Over 130 craft stalls from around the country and a mid-morning organ recital will feature at Monday’s St Andrew’s Craft Fair. The 9am to 2pm event will see four St Andrew’s musicians perform in the 10.15am Organ Concert.
No from council
Ken Morris
Waipā council will not release – yet – a long term plan spreadsheet elected members used during a lengthy workshop last month to consider whether to continue funding key projects.
The News requested it under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act but while the workshop itself was open, deputy chief executive Ken Morris says the spreadsheet is withheld to “maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions.”
New loo
Work on a new toilet facility started this week at the Leamington Cemetery and the Wordsworth dog exercise park. The work is part of the first stage of Waipā’s Cemetery Concept Plan and is expected to take two weeks. New car parks will also be added over the next year.
Leamington Cemetery
