Fantasy and film
Eight Cambridge school students are part of Youth Orchestra Waikato which will play at the Fantasy and Film Performance at the Town Hall on Sunday. They are Valentina Di Maio and Nicole Van Der Maazan from Cambridge High School, and Lucia Li, Gordon Chen, Amirdha Kanchi, Samuel Haines, Dylan Wang and Grace Cox from St Peter’s School.
Artistic trio
Art in the eye of the beholder: Cambridge Art Society members, from left Noleen Sommerville, Desma Barrie and Joanna Holmes in the Cambridge Town Hall. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Artists from all over New Zealand were part of the 150-strong exhibition catalogue of paintings and drawings in various media, sculpture and pottery on display during the Autumn Festival at the Town Hall. A People’s Choice Award was won by Auckland artist Michael Freeman for his pastel depicting a cow and called 100%NZ. It was listed for $4750, the most expensive painting on show. Second was Irina Gronous’ Breeze and Michelle Sigley with By the Pond was third. Nineteen artworks were sold.
100%NZ People’s Choice
Early browsers at the Cambridge Art Society’s art exhibition and sale at the town hall. Photo: Viv Posselt
Bricklayers and rehab …
Susan Ellis, left, and daughter Miriam Ellis at Cambridge Bricktopia.
Miriam Ellis crashed her mountain bike four years ago and suffered a brain injury which contributed to her being bored during recovery. One of the things she liked to do to help the brain fatigue was putting lego pieces together to create masterpieces.
She and her son could do it together and their collection increased. March was Brain Injury Awareness Month, so Miriam created Cambridge Bricktopia during the Autumn Festival to bring together young and old through the creative and rehabilitative power of Lego.
All funds raised on Saturday went to Brain Injury Waikato. Miriam was there with Cy Co, the cycling coffee machine she created after the crash. Children from several schools provided pieces they had worked on and other children from around Waikato worked on the Lego Miriam now owns as part of her therapy and her son’s enthusiastic nature of creating lego masterpieces.
Getting stuck into the Lego was, from left Sammy Simpson, 8 of Waikato Montessori, Xander, 6 and Benji, 8 Hale of Goodwood School. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Plant ahead of budget
Cambridge’s new Wastewater Treatment Plant is well on track to open in 2026
Cambridge’s new wastewater treatment plant project is progressing faster than planned, remains on budget, and is set to open next year. With work ahead of schedule, Waipā District Council has brought forward a portion of the budget from the 2025-26 financial year to enable the project to continue to meet its milestones. Water services manager Karl Pavlovich says the adjustment, which brings forward $5.8 million, is simply a matter of timing. The new facility will include an onsite solar farm, that will generate enough energy to power the plant during the day. The wastewater treatment plant will play a crucial role in supporting the growing community of Cambridge, ensuring sustainable water management, and enhancing the infrastructure for future generations.
Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan opens the value last year to send treated water from Cambridge’s new $105 million treatment plant into the Waikato River. The plant takes wastewater from Cambridge, Leamington, Hautapu and Karāpiro Domain. Photo: Supplied
Board report
Cambridge Community Board deputy chair Elise Badger’s six monthly report to the Waipā Strategic Planning and Policy committee this week highlighted its Long Term Plan work for a new Cambridge Library/Community Hub, a vibrant CBD and Cambridge Connections. She also reported on the town’s sister city relationships.
Cyclists galore
Cambridge Cycling Festival
March was another record for the Hamilton Rd cycleway in Cambridge with 9336 people – 5636 cyclists and 3700 pedestrians. Waipā council has added new counters in Cambridge and Kihikihi.
Roundabout work
Cambridge Rd roundabout
The Cambridge Rd roundabout outside Te Awa Lifecare Village is expected to be finished by September. The roundabout includes an underpass to link cyclists and pedestrians from Bridleways Estate to the 3Ms/St Peter’s development on the other side above the Te Awa Cycleway and Waikato River.
Hautapu success
Mayor Susan O’Regan speaks at the Hautapu Industrial Precinct After 5
Watchu Security celebrated its first birthday in the Hautapu Industrial Precinct by hosting the year’s first Chamber of Commerce Business After 5 for Hautapu neighbours last week. Mayor Susan O’Regan gave about 100 people an update on the council’s Long Term Plan and water decisions.
Correction
Councillor Mike Pettit lives in the Cambridge ward and not outside the boundary as reported in The News, 20 March.
Hive to jar
Black Shepherd Apiaries in Horahora near Cambridge have been awarded two gold medals at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards. Ben and Robyn Stinson who founded the company in 2018 handle every step — from hive to jar — covering the hives, and the production and packaging of their products, which is relatively rare in the industry. It ensures they keep their finger on all aspects of the production cycle and that all the honey is traceable to its source.
Give us the money
Local councils in fast-growing parts of the country are being given the opportunity to borrow more. The Local Government Funding Agency – the organisation that issues debt on behalf of councils – has created a new pathway for eligible councils to apply to have their debt limits lifted. Hamilton, Tauranga, Waipā and Queenstown Lakes councils are most likely to meet the criterion.
Waste busters
Keen community members get stuck in planting neighbourhood gardens.
Waipā District Council has $50,000 – provided to councils from the Ministry for the Environment’s waste disposal levy – to help bring your waste-busting project to life. One project that grew as a result of the fund last year was Street Harvest, which expanded its neighbourhood gardens. The project provides worm farms where people can dispose of their food scraps, and veggie gardens for fresh produce. Thanks to the fund, the project has tripled the amount of food scraps being processed, and produced more food as a result. Project manager Elise Badger said what started out as a way to reduce waste and grow food has turned into something really special.
Express delays
There will be north and sound bound lane closures on the Cambridge section of Waikato Expressway until tomorrow (Friday) to allow contractors to reseal sections of the road prior to the onset of winter. There will be four worksites in total to be repaired – 2 northbound and 2 southbound. Following the work the lanes will be under temporary traffic management with a reduce speed limit in place.
Nearly done
Work on State Highway 3 between Rukuhia and Narrows roads near Hamilton airport will finish tomorrow (Friday). The rebuild work involved digging out the existing road layers and replacing them layer by layer. The road was then surfaced, swept and line marked. The work was completed one lane at a time.
Resource ready
Tamaki Zero Waste Hub
The transformation of part of the wastewater treatment site in Cambridge into a cutting-edge sustainability hub is officially underway, marking a major milestone in Waipā’s green future. The new resource recovery centre will offer a convenient place for people to drop off recyclable materials, purchase repurposed items and play an active role in minimising waste.
Contract extended
Waikato Regional Council has extended the contract of chief executive Chris McLay for another two years. He was originally appointed for five years from September 2020, with the option of a two-year extension if the council supported it.
Southern partnership
Waikato Chamber of Commerce is partnering with South Waikato District Council to set up a part-time chamber staff member to provide services to local businesses. It will be an opportunity for South Waikato businesses to network with others, connect to the wider Waikato Chamber membership and access global connections for exporters through the chamber network.
Creative success
This Christina Vandy photo was taken in Waihi Water Lily Gardens
Te Awamutu wedding photographer Christina Vandy won the creative division category and was named wedding creative photographer at the Icon International Photography awards in the US last month. One image was captured in 2022 at the Red Barn in Cambridge, while another was taken at Waihi Water Lily Gardens.
Red Barn in Cambridge. Photo: Christina Vandy
