Ashburton Courier: August 27, 2020

www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Baring Square up for refresh
NEWS
Ashburton Courier, August 27, 2020
17
Baring Square East will be
rejuvenated while the
AshburtonDistrict Council’s
new $51.6 millioncivic centre
and library is built across the
road.
Council is looking for
feedbackonits plans for the
square, which it hopes will be
used more.The plans include a
civic plaza that will leadtothe
new building.
It is proposed that the road
out front will become 30km/h
and be one­way, while the
squarewill feature newpaving
and planting, while keeping
the water feature, the whale
bones,the memorial statues
and, of course, thetownclock.
Theclockwas originally
housed in the tower of theold
Post Office, erected in 1901,
and restored in the 1970s by
the AshburtonLions Clubas
part of theclocktower builtto
mark the county centennial in
1976.
Thesquareitself is named
after William Baring,a
memberofthe first New
Zealand LandAssociation.
One of the memorial statues
celebratesfarmingpioneer
John Grigg, of Longbeach.
Theplanout now for
feedbackisabout keeping
someof theold while looking
to the future. It has been
developedbyAthfield
Architecture.
Communityfeedbackwill
inform thefinal designbut
council is callingfor written
submissions only, and there
will be no publichearings.
Ashburton District Mayor
New Ashburton council group
manager, community services
Steve Fabish.
Baring Square East will be revamped.
Neil Brown says various
features in the square paid
homage to thedistrict's past
and council was proposingto
build on this legacy withaneye
for the future.
‘‘BaringSquare East is areal
focal point for Ashburton. The
clock tower, John Grigg statue,
Boer War memorialand
concrete arbors, whatwe
informally call the
whalebones, all celebrate
parts of our heritage. In recent
times,it's also been used for
events.
‘‘With an important
community facility going up
next door, we wanttomake
sure that the squareis
appropriately integrated into
thedevelopmentinaway that
celebrates our past with some
contemporary elements.’’
People can look at the plans
onlineatcouncil’s website or
front counter and make a
submissionbySeptember16.
Preliminary work on the
civic centre andlibrary site
has begun.Tendersfor the job
are expectedtobereleased
next month.
Council advisedthatBaring
SquareEast Road,between
Havelockand CameronStreet,
will be closedfromMonday for
about two years, while the
projectisunder way.
New manager at council
Anew senior manager has
joined the executive team at
theAshburtonDistrict Council
and willleadthe community
facilities and activities area.
Steve Fabish is the group
manager for community
services, arole that
encompasses EA Networks
Centre, Ashburton Public
Library, Ashburton Art Gallery
andHeritage Centre, customer
services, parks and open
spaces, economic
development, and liaison with
district halls and reserves.
Council chief executive
Hamish Riach says Mr
Fabish’s appointment
completesthe council's
restructuring processwith a
focus on the delivery of
community services.
‘‘We are verypleased to
welcome Steve to the council
andour community. He brings
withhim awealth of local
government and community
servicesexperience, and I'm
sure he will make agreat
contributiontothe
management of ourimportant
front­facingservices and
facilities.’’
Mr Fabish said he looked
forward to working within a
progressive district with
community facilities that were
not often seen in communities
the size of AshburtonDistrict.
Mr Fabish was previously
Hauraki District Council's
group manager ­community
services&development,and
has also worked for Matamata­
Piako DistrictCouncil as their
community facilities manager
and communityfacilities parks
officer. Prior to that, he
operated his own landscaping
company for13years.
Mayor Neil Brown.
Awards
recognise
top effort
Nominations are open for the
AshburtonCommunity Honours
Awards.
The awards aredesigned to
acknowledge contributions to
the district and serveasan
inspirationtoothers.
Theyrecognise individuals
andorganisations.
AshburtonMayor Neil Brown
saysit's importantthat those
who selflessly contribute their
timeand efforts should be
recognised, and that theawards
are the perfectopportunity to
do so.
‘‘Thereare many incredible
people from avariety of diverse
backgrounds in our community
who work selflessly donating
their time for the benefit of
others. Without their
contributions, many of the
activities and services we enjoy
wouldnot happen.’’
The awards areinfour
categories: Mayor's Award for
Public Service, Ashburton
Medal,Civic Awardsand
Honorary Citizens.
Mr Brown, deputymayor Liz
McMillanand councillors Leen
Braam, AngusMcKay and
Stuart Wilson willassess the
nominations and select the
successful recipients.
Volunteers of any age can be
nominated and theycan be
involvedinorganisationssuch
as school boards, managing or
coaching sporting teams,
assisting with church activities;
conservation projects, helping
in the health,elderly or social
servicesector, being aleader or
helper with ayouth
organisation,orgivingtimein
the area of art, cultureor
heritage.
We’re proud to introduce our new
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