News …. in brief

Fathers Day on a roll

Raring to go: Families took the opportunity to treat Dad to a bike ride. Photo: Supplied.

A change in the weather, a new cycle pathway to explore and Father’s Day resulted in the best turn out yet for Bicycle Revolution’s Spring Roll. More than 100 riders met by the white gates at Lake Te Koo Utu on Sunday and headed out on Hamilton Road enroute to the Velodrome.

The ride from there down to Te Awa River Ride gave participants a new lease of life for the stretch to the Gaslight Theatre before trying out the new path up Alpha Street and into Bryce Street.All riders completed the 7.5km ride at the Good Union where they were treated to a pot of chips.

Bike rack full: Parked up following a 7.5km ride for Father’s Day. Photo: Supplied.

Governance group

A project governance group has been established to guide future decision-making on the delivery of water services in the Waipā district. The Local Water Done Well Project Governance Group is made up of mayor Susan O’Regan, deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk, councillors Clare St Pierre and Mike Montgomerie, and staff with subject matter expertise. An iwi representative will also be appointed.

Resthaven goes yellow

Cambridge Resthaven resident Florence Shearman, right, spent a few hours last Friday handing out daffodils to care centre residents – she is pictured here with Jean Robinson. Florence is wearing the QSM she was awarded in 2019 for services to seniors; she spent years volunteering for the elderly in Cambridge under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Development and has organised many local Global Walks for the Aged. Photo: supplied

Cambridge Resthaven marked Daffodil Day last weekend by handing out daffodils and enjoying a yellow-themed shindig to celebrate fundraising efforts that raised $2867.50 for the Cancer Society. Village resident Linda Gorham turned August into a month of fundraising for the society by organising events and raffles that culminated in a grand finale lunch held at Resthaven last Saturday.

She organised 20 raffles as well as events that included a sausage sizzle, movie night and a housie afternoon, and visited other clubs around Cambridge with raffles and daffodil pins.  Her efforts were well supported by businesses, organisations and individuals who  offered raffle items and donations. The August 31 finale featured a yellow theme, with attendees encouraged to wear yellow and the entertainer even singing yellow-themed songs.

Lauriston Olympics

And the medal winners are… Every four years from 2012 Lauriston Park residents have taken part in their own games – humorously tagged the ‘Lympics’. The last two weeks have seen a high number of the almost 300 residents taking part competitively in 15 disciplines – some of which, not surprisingly, do not appear in the real Olympics.

Bridge opens

Good Local Media’s sister publication Waikato Business News reviews the opening of Waikato River’s newest bridge Te Ara Pekapeka last week which was tinged with sadness because of Kingi Tuheitia’s passing only hours earlier. Waipā and Waikato mayors Susan O’Regan and Jacqui Church were among the dignitaries at the opening. More: waikatobusinessnews.nz

Bishop dies

Bishop Denis Browne

The Catholic Hamilton Diocese’s second bishop Denis Browne, 86, has died after a long illness. He served as a priest for 62 years. Three of the six Browne children born to Neville and Catherine – Michael, Denis and Neville – became priests, two Margaret and Agnes, became Sisters of Mercy and Mary, the eldest, married.

Bishop Browne was a regular visitor to Waipā’s two Catholic churches – St Patrick’s in Te Awamutu and St Peter’s in Cambridge – during his service in the diocese from 1994 to 2014 and regularly played at Cambridge Golf Club.

Creative pie

Just over $52,000 is being made available in the latest round of Creative Communities funding for Waipā organisations. Creative New Zealand makes the funds available for councils to distribute in September and March.

Record holder

Madeleine Waddell has broken the New Zealand under 17 and under 18 women’s 400m records at the World Athletics under 20 championships in Lima, Peru. The 16-year-old St Peter’s School student ran the event in 53.50 as she finished her semifinal in fourth place to miss out on qualifying for the final. Tamahere’s Boh Ritchie, 17, was fifth in the 800m semifinal, recovering from her disqualification from the 1500m heat the previous day.

Daffodil Day in Cambridge