Western News: May 03, 2016

More documents

Recommendations

Info

6 Tuesday May 3 2016 your local Views Housing subsidy still needed A Government heating and insulation subsidy programme comes to an end in June. Community Energy Action Charitable Trust chief executive Caroline Shone writes this week’s column about the importance of the programme and why it should continue in some form. Shelter is one of the most basic of human needs and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that everyone has the right to housing. It can be debated that housing that makes people sick, isn’t housing at all. However, houses that are damp, houses that are cold, with the people living in them unable to heat them to an adequate temperature to keep them healthy, are a reality for many households in Christchurch. The old, the young and the sick suffer most in those houses. We all know the result. Every winter sees many residents ending up in hospital with preventable cold-related health issues. Even healthy people get sick more often in those cold, damp houses. SOAP BOX From experience we know that installing insulation and heating in people’s homes especially those with health conditions will reduce hospitalisations, delivering cost savings to the health system. Installing insulation and heating is a one-off cost but the benefits last a long time, saving money on health and saving lives every year. The Government through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has spent $450 million nationwide on insulation and heating subsidies over the last couple of years. And we know it has made a difference. The current subsidy programme comes to an end in June this year. It would be fantastic if subsidies would be available in the future for those who need insulation. It’s a great way for Christchurch people to help those in their community who need a bit of help to create a warm, dry, healthy home. WE SPECIALISE IN THE CARE AND PRESERVATION OF TREES • Pruning • Expert Tree Felling • Fully Insured • Free Quotes • Powerline Clearing Member of NZ Arboriculture Association For quotes and enquiries phone 03 349 7143 | For urgent enquiries phone 027 272-6710 Email: office@arbor-tek.co.nz COLDS IMMUNISE YOURSELF Have you immunised yourself & family against the bacterial complications of colds this winter. • Branch Chipping • Competitive Rates • Orion Approved Contractor FULLY QUALIFIED ARBORISTS www.arbor–tek.co.nz Something on your mind? Email georgia.oconnor@starmedia.kiwi in 150 words or less. Facebook us on www.facebook.com/riseupchristchurch/ Give the kids a chance Kennedys Bush resident Chrys Horn writes that it makes “no sense” to assume graffiti and property damage at Halswell Domain will increase if a proposed skate park goes ahead. I was surprised at the narrow scope of last week’s Western News article Skate park debate fires up, which talked to four blokes who are dead against having a skate park in the domain and seem to have it in for kids on wheels – unless those wheels are on a miniature train, of course. My reading of the article was that their concern was not so much about a skate park but about the tagging that has been happening around Halswell, and the domain in particular. There are a couple of observations I’d like to make on this. It makes no sense to accuse kids who do not yet use the domain of things that are going on there already. Perhaps it’s the kids who play rugby league, soccer, netball, touch or softball or who ride miniature trains who are doing that tagging, since they are already WARM STEAM VAPORIZER using the park. I personally don’t believe this, but it makes more sense to suppose this than to accuse skateboarders rollerbladers, scooterers or stunt cyclists who are not even there yet. For sure, tagging is an issue and people really don’t like it but let’s deal with the tagging as the separate issue that it is. Why blame it on a bunch of kids who couldn’t possibly have done it? I’m sad that we prefer the idea of dismissing local kids with an interest in wheel sports over working together on the problem of tagging. My question is how can we work together to sort out the one or two taggers around the place who are causing the trouble? I’m sure we’re equal to this challenge and that as a community we could come up with some great ideas on how LAWyerS We have over 40 years’ experience to assist you with… • Buying and Selling Houses and Commercial Property • Wills, Trusts and Estate matters • All issues facing you and your business; • Employment Law matters; • Traffic matters; • Earthquake related issues; and • Advice regarding Retirement Villages Natural Steam Relieves Cold & Flu Symptoms Call John, Brendan or Andrew today on 03 366 8996 to find out how we can help you. Email. lawyers@mclegal.co.nz Airport Business Park 92 Russley Road Christchurch 8042 WESTERN NEWS to catch a tagger or perhaps channel their interests into something more constructive. As for noise, all of the potential sites that are being consulted on are well away from private homes so that noise is not an issue. Oddly, where I live, the biggest noise is not go-karters or longboarders speeding past my gate or people talking and shouting in the park next door, but cars driving past my gate. I’m guessing that the most noise for most people living in around parks is actually cars driving past at 50-60km/h. We are a community that has around 4000 children and young people and we need to provide them with spaces and opportunities to develop their social and physical skills. We provide playgrounds and sports grounds so why not a skate park and could we do it please without making these young people feel that they don’t have a place in our community and that they are a lesser, more dangerous species? Most of the young people I know are amazing and many contribute a great deal to this community. I want to live in a community that supports them and offers them opportunities. CHEAPEST IN THE CouNTry! 20% OFF Entire range of L.A. Girl 70% OFF Blackmores Vitamins Up to 65% off Shiseido / ZA For more deals see our online store. Freight free for orders over $50 or for club members. Phone 0508BEAUTY. 401 Main South rd, Hornby (Beside Weirdos) Ph 344 0333 | www.clearancehealthandbeauty.co.nz Follow us on Facebook 50% OFF ALL Vitamin & Mineral Supplements ® One course of Buccaline tablets can give up to three months protection * Suitable for children under two years SPEcIAL PRIcE $109.99 *Excludes Sleep Drops BARRINgTON PhARMAcY Next tO COuplaNdS, 256 BarriNgtON St Ph 332 3156 10% dIScOUNT EvERYdAY USINg *ExcLUdES PREScRIPTIONS & SALE STOck
WESTERN NEWS Tuesday May 3 2016 7 Readers respond to the Western News article on residents’ fears that anti-social issues might escalate if a skate park is installed in Halswell Domain: Darryl Clarke: You did a piece in the paper on residents not wanting the skate park in Halswell Domain. Well we agree as on Tuesday night all our cars on the road or driveways on William Brittan Ave got tagged including mine. The walkway next to my house on the path was spray-painted with some very rude words. TRANSFORMATION: The concept design for the $9 million upgrade at Halswell Residential College. The construction is expected to be completed by January next year. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF EDUCATION Kate Cleverly: As a local resident and mother-of-two I am very disappointed to read the one-sided article around the proposed skate and recreation facility for Halswell. I have worked for many years with children and young people in our community and have never found them to be anything less than respectful. The issues raised over the placement of the proposed skate park are biased, judgemental and quite insulting. To suggest that skateboarders are all young boys who are a spray-can wielding social nuisance is quite frankly ridiculous. The skateboarders I know – who range in age from three to 23 and are most definitely both girls and boys – are far from synonymous with anti-social behaviour. They are kind, caring and respectful young people who just want to do something other than play traditional sports or swing on the swings. Rather than detracting from the domain a carefully planned skate and recreation facility will enhance Halswell, and provide an activity for children like mine who are too old (or just don’t enjoy) to play on the playgrounds or ride on the trains. The domain could become a thriving hub of activity which really does have something for everyone. I would strongly suggest that those opposed to the facility for reasons such as anti-social behaviour, tagging and noise actually visit a functioning skate park like the one in Prebbleton and, rather than dismiss all young people as delinquent, actually talk to them and ask them for their view and how they might overcome such concerns. I have and I can assure you the last thing they want is that kind of behaviour and they have some great suggestions for making sure it doesn’t happen. $9m upgrade for special education college Halswell Residential College will be undergoing a $9 million upgrade with construction expected to be completed by January. Four new family-style villas will be built to accommodate up to 32 students. The plan is to replace the institutional-style accommodation blocks and help enhance the school’s education programme. The new redevelopment is designed to have a multi-purpose learning environment allowing students and staff to be together in a welcoming and multi-functional space. It will include earthquake strengthening of the main school buildings and an upgrade of the carer’s accommodation. Halswell Residential College provides round-the-clock special education for children and young people with complex needs. The plan behind the redevelopment is to strengthen the school’s ability to deliver education for students who need significant curriculum adoption due to an underlying intellectual impairment. CANTERBURY HORTICULTURE CENTRE - HAGLEY PARK Opposite the Hospital THIS FRI, SAT & SUN FRI 6 MAY 9AM - 7PM • SAT 7 MAY 9AM - 4PM SUN 8 MAY 9AM - 4PM MASSIVE RANGE OF SKIS, SNOWBOARDS, BOOTS, CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES INCLUDING HELMETS, GOGGLES AND GLOVES.
Page 1 and 2: Western INVITING FREE TUESDAY MAY 3
Page 3 and 4: WESTERN NEWS Tuesday May 3 2016 3 n
Page 5: WESTERN NEWS Tuesday May 3 2016 5 n
Page 9 and 10: WESTERN NEWS Tuesday May 3 2016 9 F
Page 11 and 12: WESTERN NEWS Tuesday May 3 2016 11
Page 15 and 16: 2 [Edition datE] WESTERN NEWS Tuesd
Page 17 and 18: [Edition datE] WESTERN NEWS Tuesday
Page 19 and 20: WESTERN NEWS Tuesday [Edition May d
Page 25 and 26: PROUDLY PROUDLY CHRISTCHURCH CHRIST

Western News: May 03, 2016

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?