Mike Montgomerie has announced he will stand in the Waipa District Council Maungatatutari ward at this year’s local body elections. The one-term councillor was recently appointed Finance and Corporate committee chair and got himself a significant pay rise but told fellow councillors he was not worth it.
See: Changes in Chamber
Local Choice
Group visiting
A group of 20 people from the Seattle Friendship Force – five of whom were home hosted in Cambridge – visited Cambridge Stud last week.
The whole group, plus their New Zealand hosts from the Hamilton and Waikato Friendship Force visited Cambridge Stud and Ross Bros Museum in Hautapu while others took time to shop or explore other parts of Cambridge.
Seattle Friendship Force from the US at Cambridge Stud.
Tickets on sale
Honey Hireme-Smiler
New Zealand sport legend Honey Hireme-Smiler, 43, will serve as the master of ceremonies at the Waipā Networks Business Awards Gala on May 2.
Renowned for an illustrious career that includes four World Cup victories and representing the silver fern in league, rugby, sevens, and nines, Hireme will add to the allure of the prestigious event honouring the district’s businesses and people that strive for excellence.
Entertainment for the evening includes performances by New Zealand’s finest jazz ensemble, the Nairobi Trio, while stylish cigarette girls welcome guests with superbly crafted, 1920s-inspired cocktails.
Hill dies
Rosemary Hill
Rosemary Hill, 94, a former Waipā deputy mayor and The News 2019 person of the year, has died. Her legacy ties her to several Cambridge organisations including the former borough council, community board, the Community Health and Community Trust, Community House and the Arts Council. She taught at Cambridge High School for 20 years. The News will publish a full obituary soon.
Bus boost
The EV double decker bus on Waipa regional services. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Back to school, work and tertiary studies have influenced an increase in regional bus patronage, and numbers on Cambridge and Te Awamutu-Kihikihi services to Hamilton both went close to 13,000 each last month. The 120 who caught the South Waikato Connector from Cambridge and the 403 who caught the Te Kūiti Connector from Kihikihi, Te Awamutu and Ōhaupō, helped tumble previous records.
Consents up
Waipā District Council recorded a 13 per cent increase in building consents in the quarter between October 1 and December 31 compared to the same period in 2023. But code compliance certificates were down 28 per cent to 218 in the last three months of 2024.
In Business
Waikato Business News’ March edition is out this week and features the first students studying for a Master of Pharmacy practice degree at Waikato University who will solve a ‘dire’ regional problem. Rukuhia couple Graeme Burton and Val Glenn have turned their respective talents into separate businesses, we meet a young man training to become a blacksmith, how three young women went on to own Hamilton’s largest dancing school, pop into Soccer United to discover more about the beautiful retail game and clamber over Ian Brennan’s Te Miro hill country farm. See more: wbn.co.nz
Run on Sunday
Morrinsville’s Amelia Kerr (162) of St Joseph’s School watches from behind as St Peter’s Catholic schoolmates Zara Sudfeldt (205) and Grace Littlejohn (204) cross the line in 19th and 20th in the year 7 and 8 2km race in 2023.
The Waipā Fun Run organised by St Peter’s Catholic School will start in Victoria Square, Cambridge on Sunday morning. The family event featured 5 and 10km run/walks, a 5km team challenge, and a 2km school challenge. The schools event attracted 22 schools in 2024.
New record
More than 9100 people used Cambridge’s Hamilton Rd cycleway in January, statistics from Waipā District Council show. Anniversary Day was the busiest with 414 of the month’s 9146 people split into 5222 cyclists and 3924 pedestrians.
Creative fund
Creative New Zealand’s Waipā Creative Communities Scheme fund of $31,750 has opened for applications and close later this month. Individuals, groups and organisations can apply for grants, typically ranging from $500 and $5000.
Houstoun venue
Michael Houstoun will make his first appearance at the Autumn festival. Photo: Pete Monk Photography
Concert pianist Michael Houstoun and blues singer songwriter Hammond Gamble are performing in Cambridge’s Woolshed in Te Awa Lifecare Village not Te Awamutu Lifecare Village (February 20). The News apologises for having a keyboard that auto predicts!
