DRAFT LTP book.indb - Hurunui District Council

Cheviot Ward Profi leBackground and HistoryCheviot is well-known for its rural history, and from the1950s, the township of Cheviot was a relatively settled, stablecommunity that was largely self-contained with various tradesand businesses.Cheviot ward’s other settlements include Parnassus whichoriginally had a railway station, a sole-charge school and somebusinesses. The famous Waiau River road/rail bridge was here,before being abandoned and replaced with a new road bridge.Prior to the opening of the old bridge in the 1930s a ferryacross the river carried goods north and south. In the 1950’s thesettlement of Spotswood had a hall (which is still used regularlytoday) and a public library. Gore Bay was a largely picnicking andholiday venue with some permanent residents, and Conway Flathad its own school. Domett, originally a railway town, is nowonly populated by farms, and the old Domett Railway Stationhas now been relocated to the main road as a cafe.The Cheviot Rural Water Supply was put in place in 1971,with further extensions in 1980. Cheviot District High Schooltransformed to an area school in 1976, and in 1978, thetownship’s old hospital was converted to a medical centre.Recreation / Visitor AttractionsThe Cheviot area offers a variety of quality accommodation,from hotels and motels to farm stays and home stays thatprovide a traditional slice of kiwi life. In the township there areseveral cafes, a museum and a golf course.The Cheviot Hills Domain and Mansion Foundation was theoriginal site of the historical home of the founder of Cheviot,William “Ready Money” Robinson. The front steps of themansion are still in place, and lead into the cricket pavilion. Thedomain has a charming walkway and superb picnic spots. StAnne’s Lagoon, about 2 km north of Cheviot, is a popular naturereserve that used to provide Mäori settlements around the areawith eel. The Sunday Craft Market is a great place to stop, witha great range of handmade crafts of very high quality available.The market is often there on Fridays too, weather permitting.Gore Bay is nature’s treasure trove, offering great surfi ng,amazing walks and popular camping grounds and the nearbyCathedral Gully, a spectacular weathered clay canyon. TheHurunui and Waiau Rivers are easily accessible for salmon, troutand white bait fi shing, while Conway Flat is yet another stunningsite for surf casting. The area’s spectacular coastline providesopportunities for watching both whales and sea birds.Current Profi leDraft Hurunui Community Long Term Plan 2012 - 2022The population of the Cheviot Ward is estimated at 1,340.The Cheviot Ward had a population count of 1311 in the 2006Census. It had experienced a slight decline (around 30 people)over the last two census periods. Cheviot Ward’s residentsmake up approximately 12% of Hurunui District’s populationas a whole.State Highway 1 runs through the centre of the CheviotTownship. This is a great strength for development and growth,as it makes the township highly accessible, as well as visible,while simultaneously increasing visitor numbers through traffi cand heavy transport.The importance of traditional farming is an on-going strength inthe Cheviot economy.With the closure of Parnassus School, the Cheviot Ward ishome to only one school now – the Cheviot Area School in theCheviot Township.The Cheviot Medical Centre operates from an old convertedbuilding that is less than ideal for the provision of services andis unlikely to be adequate for future demand. A new purposeddesignedbuilding or an upgrade to the existing medical centreis proposed for consideration for 2016/17.Based in the Cheviot Township are volunteer fi re and ambulanceservices and two full-time police offi cers. A council servicecentre is also located there, and the community library is basedat the Cheviot Area School. A volunteer rural fi re force operatesat Conway Flat.Ward GovernanceDistrict Councillors are responsible for representing theinterests of their ward, setting Council policies and monitoringthe Council’s performance. They are elected every three yearsby the voters of their ward.The Cheviot Ward is currently represented by one councillor:Vince Daly.The Cheviot Council committees include the Cheviot WardCommittee, and Reserve Committees at Spotswood, Cheviot,Domett and Port Robinson.Key Long Term Opportunities and Challenges61Changes to staffi ng at the Council Service Centre broughtabout an opportunity to review current services and look atopportunities for the future. After considering public feedback,the Cheviot Ward Committee’s preferred option is for a