News …… in brief

All in tune

Let us entertain you: from left: Robert Moir and Norris Hall (tenor drums), Bruce Annandale, Robyn Irvine, David Moon, pipe sergeant Hunter Moir, Andrew Cameron, pipe major Gordon Carter (all bagpipes) and in front drum sergeant Chris Reynolds. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

All in tune: Events like the Lions Trash n Treasure market help fine tune the skills of the Cambridge and District Pipe Band who are regulars at events like the market and the Christmas Parade.

They skip the market if it’s raining heavily, but not at the parade in Cambridge where rain the last two years has resulted in hard work afterwards for the bagpipe players cleaning their reeds and drying out the instruments’ bags.

The band practices every week and for special events – like Christmas parades – join forces with their Te Awamutu and Te Kūiti counterparts.

“We’re all a big family,” said member Robyn Irving looking towards Te Awamutu tenor drummer and The News Faith in Waipā columnist Norris Hall.

Something to swing about

Looking after one of the entrances were, from left front: Sophia Gawler, 10 holding Stella, 4, a Maltese dog, Riley Hanna, 7 and at back Mike Malcolm and Katie Hanna. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Something to swing about: Leamington Primary School PTA’s fundraising efforts for swings at the school – something the school has never had – got a much-needed boost when the Harbour City Rod Club chose them as their charity of choice on Sunday for its Pre 49s Hot Road Show and Shine at Cambridge Raceway.

Party cost

Goldie the mascot adjudicates the tug of war at Waipa’s Party in the Park on Victoria Park in December last year. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Party cost: Waipa’s Party in the Park to celebrate the district’s Olympians and Paralympians last year cost ratepayers nearly $16,000, not the $40,000 sources had suggested. The money came from existing operational budgets, the council told The News in a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act response.

That included $10,268 for the event itself, $3255 in promotion and $2110 for a civic function held in the Good Union Cambridge where 92 invited guests toasted the athletes. The response does not include the staff time cost of organising and running the event.

The council was not able to track or estimate attendance numbers with any accuracy but The News was there and put the figure at fewer than 500.

• • • See Celebrating our champions
    • See below for the council’s response.

  Water in demand

  

  Cambridge Volunteer Fire Brigade’s water tanker, seen heading out recently, has had a busy time with vegetation fire callouts.

  Water in demand: Waipa district is in a restricted fire season which means anyone who wants to light an outdoor fire is required to apply for a permit through Fire and Emergency NZ’s website.

  The council has moved to “water restriction level one” because average water usage in the district has reached a trigger level. The restriction applies to the use of sprinklers. The council has not resorted to introducing water restrictions for three years.

  Headline act

  

  Kaylee Bell

  Headline act: New Zealand born Kaylee Bell, the most streamed female country artist in Australasia with more than 60 million streams will be the feature act at Cambridge Raceways’ Night of Champions in April.

  Market change

  Market change: Kaipaki Market has been held in the community’s hall for the last time after two years. From later this month it will move to Selwyn Park in Te Awamutu and be renamed the Rosetown Monthly Fair.

  Meeting cancelled

  Meeting cancelled: Waipā District Council’s Finance and Corporate committee meeting next week has been cancelled.

  Raceway hearing

  

  Night of Champions was at Cambridge Raceway last year. Photo: Angelique Bridson

  Raceway hearing: A two-day hearing has been set down for next week in Cambridge to consider an application by Cambridge Raceway for renewal and variation of an on licence. The hearing on Monday and Tuesday will be in the Totara Room of the Bridges Church. Later in the month a third application for a special licence – for the club’s Night of Champions event on April 4 – will also be held.

  Correction

  

  Clinical Nurse Specialist Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer, Ellyn Proffit with patient, Harry Ballantyne and key support person, Susan Ballantyne kōrero about the benefits of having a key support person.

  Correction: Ellyn Profitt is not a nurse practitioner as reported in The News (January 30) but a clinical nurse specialist and she wants to raise awareness at the importance of having a whānau member or friend acting as a key support person for all patients, not just cancer patients.

  Council LGOIMA response

  Council LGOIMA response: Does council think this was an appropriate spend of ratepayers’ funds given the current economic situation?
  Yes. Waipā traditionally holds a welcome function hosted by the mayor for athletes returning from the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

  Has the council had any feedback from the food trucks in attendance e.g. Cosana, Mizzoni Woodfire Pizza, Tauwhare Berry Farm, Mr Whippy and Cy-co The Cycle Coffee Company?
  No.

  How many passengers caught the free bus service from Te Awamutu and Hamilton?
  The bus service was operated by Waikato Regional Council. We do not hold the passenger numbers.

  Has there been any feedback from elected officials or members of the public to the event particularly as to the appropriateness of the day? E.g. did some suggest it might have been better held the day of the Christmas Parade or even the same day as the Great Kiwi Summer Festival at Lake Karāpiro on November 9 where some of the athletes who were at the Party in the Park event were in attendance?
  The date was set in conjunction with eight different sporting codes. Many athletes stayed in Europe to compete, or rest, and had been released from an official duty to spend time with their family. December 13 was the date they suggested as the most appropriate as it coincided with the APL New Zealand Grand Prix and KRI Christmas Regatta. That is why the day of the Christmas Parade was discounted.

  The focus of the event was enabling the public to attend without any barriers to participation. Therefore, a commercial, ticketed event such as the Great Kiwi Summer Festival was not considered as meeting this objective.

  Following the Olympic/Paralympic Games, we received feedback/enquiries regarding what council would be doing to celebrate. This came from some of our elected members, the community (St Peter’s School Alumni office, i-SITE/Destination Cambridge, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, partners who joined us for the Fan Festival event earlier in the year, and other councils from the wider-Waikato area and Bay of Plenty (both from staff and their elected members), asking if, when and where, we’d be hosting an event.

  Feedback we received at the event:

  • • One athlete shared with staff that ‘it was a great event, and cool to share it with the community, as we haven’t had the chance to do so’.
    • Another, as she was leaving, she called by our info tent and thanked the team for the wonderful event and that she appreciated it.
      The chief executive of Rowing New Zealand also thanked the team for the event and expressed how much the athletes enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the community.
    • Many attendees came up and thanked staff. We had kids coming up showing their autographs, pictures with Goldie and the athletes.
    • Parents made comments to staff about how great the sports activities with the clubs were for their kids. Club representatives also expressed their gratitude at the opportunity to be a part of the event.