Ashburton Courier: September 10, 2020

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NEWS 2 Ashburton Courier, September 10, 2020 www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz BUSINESS OWNERS Build customers, sales and profits with us ... Keep watchonhospital, warnsretiring doctor Over 16,065 copies delivered to EVERYhome,farm, RD and lifestyle blocks in MidCanterbury news Linda Clarke Editor 308 7664 linda.clarke@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Reporters Mick Jensen mick.jensen@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Toni Williams toni.williams@alliedpress.co.nz advertising Jann Thompson Sales Manager 308 7664 027 587 6351 jann.thompson@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Karen Gane Sales Account Manager 308 7664 021 510 804 karen.gane@ashburtoncourier.co.nz getintouch Editorial linda.clarke@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Advertising info@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Production murray.thompson@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Accounts accounts@alliedpress.co.nz Distribution/Deliveries mary.summerfield@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Office office@ashburtoncourier.co.nz 03 308 7664 199 Burnett Street,Ashburton www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz 2300919 TONI.WILLIAMS @ashburtoncourier.co.nz Dr Chris Ryan has officially hung up his stethoscope andleft his Ashburton medical practice. Dr Ryan,65, is planning to ‘‘sit in thesun’’ at Lincoln in his retirement. He spentthe past 31 years as GP at Moore StreetMedicalCentre. He moved to Ashburtonwith his wife, Mairead andtwo young childreninthe late1980s after finding life in Wellington not to his liking. ‘‘When you haveayoung family your priorities changealot. City life doesn’t have thesame attraction as it usedtohave and you’rethinking more of schools and space,and flat land to kick aball around,’’ he said. ‘‘Ashburton’s aprosperoustown, although it was going through avery hard time then, schooling was good, housing was very reasonable. ‘‘Itseemedavery goodpackage and Ifound it wasbetterthan Iexpected. Ifound it very pleasant.’’ There have been somehighs and lows with many changesinthe community in the past30years. ‘‘WhenIcame it wasprobably the whitest place in the country butnow it’s very cosmopolitan and I’ve found that quite interesting and enjoyable really.’’ ‘‘It’s very much like Wellington with people mixing together more.I think that’s veryexcitingand stimulating.’’ However recruiting younger GPs to thearea was anongoingissue as well as getting accesstospecialist medical care. It wasgetting harder to get patients in need access to see specialists, or in for surgery, especially those in real need, he said. While oncall commitments had Dr Chris Ryan eased there was still feweryoung doctors wantingtocommit to a community practice,with many not ready to set down roots. He said the loss of specialist medical care in thedistrict and the downgrading of Ashburton Hospital was aconcern. ‘‘We lost quite abit when we lost our specialists. You’re gettingletters back from bureaucracysaying (patients) don’t meet criteria ... and someofthem are pretty well crippled or in agony.There justisn’tthe attempt to getthem in.’’ He said there was often no clear way to go forward with acase. ‘‘Once upon atime you could senda letter to aseniorcolleague andit wouldbeconsidered and they had an obligation to reply to you. The public OFF 174 Burnett Street Ashburton |Phone 308 5269 |www.redmonds.co.nz health service haslargely shrugged its shouldersonthat really. ‘‘The district healthboard is now blaming having to getthings done in the privatesector with specialists. ‘‘Toalarge extent(those specialists have) felt disenfranchised with alack of medicalleadership and so they have decided you can’t do the job withoutussoyou’ll have to do it on our terms, with the patient being lost in the middle really.’’ Dr Ryansaid it was importantMid Cantabrians kept awatch on what washappening with the Canterbury District HealthBoard. ‘‘There has been lots of money overspent but not much of it in Ashburton. It’s very much akneejerk reaction in the city too, as Ifound from myone term on the hospital board, to cutoff theperiphery from the facilities. Ithink if peoplevalue whatthey are getting now they should watch it carefully.’’ He believed there was alot of staff employed over the years but theyhad not been used efficiently. ‘‘There have been alot of contracts signed in Christchurch but withnot with agreat deal of patient benefit.’’ Thedebtincurred at the district health board was not all to do with earthquake recovery,hesaid. ‘‘I’ve been very lucky to work in the timeIhave, and there has stillbeen a sense of doctor/patient relationship going ... I’ve had somemarvellous patients which has made mylife very satisfying. ‘‘You hear nowmedical centres seeminglywant to stop patients from seeingthe doctor.’’ There was lessdoctorcontinuity which resulted in aloss of personal service. ‘‘I’ve often thought Iwas the last family grocer and the supermarkets are taking over,’’hesaid. CBD work plan changed to help retailers Ashburton retailers arepleased contractors revampingthe CBDhave alteredtheirwork scheduletomakeit easier for Christmas shoppers. Retailers were worried timing of thework on Tancred Street would affect trading andbusiness owners Chris Redmond,Richard Wilson and BobMcDonald met with Ashburton District Council seniorstaff to find a compromise. The work on TancredStreetwas to have startedatCass Street and worked towardsEast Street.Now contractors have agreed to alter their scheduletostartatEastStreet early next monthand work towards Cass Street. That section ofTancred Street,at least to the pedestrian crossing, will be completebyDecember. Mr McDonald saiditwas agood outcome forretailers andshoppers. Customers would be able to enjoya new Tancred Street, with East Street and BurnettStreet largely untouched. Theshoppingprecinctwouldbea more welcoming place leadingupto Christmasand while thechanges would notsuiteveryone,they would benefit themajority, he said. ‘‘While it makes more sense for them to work from theCassStreet end,weappreciate themchanging their scheduletoaccommodate CBD businesses.’’ 2311477
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz Neighbours rebuff rural tourism plan LINDA.CLARKE @ashburtoncourier.co.nz NEWS Ashburton Courier, September 10, 2020 Festiveforest to spreadcheer Aforest of Christmas trees will spring up in the Ashburton Trust Event Centre at the start of December. The artificial trees are part of asparkly plan by theAshburton County LionsClub to start the festiveseasonwith some community cheer and members are hoping people will join them. The club is encouraging schools, groups,businesses and individualstopay $10 for a space to erect their own treeat the event centreand decorate it; the trees will be judged and Left: Mark your calendars for the Ashburton County Lions Club’s festive forest event say members (from left) Marie McAnulty, Sue Green, Margaret Kerr and Lynette Lovett. Ashburton’s prizes awarded. Thefestive forest willthen be open to thepublic to enjoy. Club spokesperson Marie McAnulty said each tree had a space about 1.5m square and only artificialtrees were allowed.Decorationscould follow any theme within the Christmas vibe. Thetrees will be set up on the stage at the eventcentre. ‘‘We also hopetohavesome stalls with Christmas goods for sale in the foyer.’’ Entry to see the treesafterjudging will cost $2. There will be rafflesand food and drink for sale too. Thetrees will be at the event centre on December 3, 4and5. Setup will be on the morning of December 3, with judging between 12pmand 1pm;public viewing will follow.There are 3 plans for alaser light showon the eveningofDecember4. Marie said the project was notafundraising event though anyprofit would go to theclub’s charities in the community. The Ashburton men’s Lions Clubis alsohelping. She said the club wasgetting the word out aboutthe event early so peoplehad plentyof timetoenter andorganise decorations.Retailers for the stall space were also being sought. Marie said the club just wantedtogenerate some feelings of wellbeing as the district recoveredfrom lockdown and ongoingcovid pressures. She hopedschools andresthomeresidentswould be amongthose to visitthe display. specialists Farmers Corner and neighbourson Longbeach Roadairedcontrasting views at a hearing this week over aproposeddistrict plan change thatcould pavethe wayfor the tourist retail centre to expand. Onesaid it would be like building afood processingplantindowntownAshburton. Independentplanning commissioner PatriciaHartehas adjournedthe hearingof an application by Farmers Cornerfor the AshburtonDistrict Counciltochangethe tourist spot’s landdesignationfromruralBto ruraltourism. MsHartewill send her recommendationtocouncil after weighing up all sides. Agreen light from her would allow Farmers Corner to thenseek consent to build accommodationand afunction hub on 21ha at Longbeach Road,alongside its existing retail complex. OwnerPeterHuang wants to provide more thanashopandgo facility and in the future would like to build silo accommodation and offerruralexperiencesthere and via other MidCanterbury tourismoperators. Neighbours objected to the plan change, citing lossofviews, trafficdanger, wastewaterand noise concerns. They say abiggercomplex would be out of kilter in the ruralBenvironment. DairyfarmerDavidGeddes wasagainst the planchange,saying the accommodation would be better in Ashburtontown, where there were the roads andservicestodeal increased traffic and people. He saidallowingthe plan change would be like allowingafoodprocessing plant to be built in downtown Tancred Street. Farmers Cornerstarted life in town, butthe business grew and visiting tourist buses cloggedthe streets around Baring Square.It moved to Longbeach Road. Thelawyer for the company, Pru Steven, said the districtplan did not protect views but the applicants were willingtolimitthe height of buildings in the identified viewshafts of neighboursto5m. Ted Wood saidhecouldnot seehow the Farmers Corner plan change would contribute to the district’s economyas claimed. Taiwanese visitors arrived by bus and shopped on siteand most of whatthey bought was not locallymade. The most affected neighbours areSteve and KarenClements, who built theirhouse to takeinviewsofMtPeel and theSouthern Alps. They are also concernedabouttheir drinkingwaterbeingcontaminated by increasedwastewater from amore populated Farmers Corner. Any wastewater systemwouldneed consent from EnvironmentCanterbury. 43’’SMART TV QA 65’’QLED TV • Dual tuner reception with satell and UHF for qualityreception • Smart connectivitywith full browser • Tableorwall mountcapability • H570 W970 D48 Was$899 $ 799 $5.53weekly • QLED panel forultimate picturequality • Smartconnectivitywith full webbrowser • Dual tuner forUHF or satellitereception • H835 W1450 Was$5999 $ 3798 $25.13weekly 55’’QLED TV 75’’LED TV • QLED panel forthe best picturequality • Smart connectivitywith full webbrowser • Dual tuner forUHF or satellitereception • H725 W1250D70 Was$3499 $ 2996 $5.53 weekly • 4KUHD forgreat picturequality • Smart connectivitywith full webbrowser • Dual tuner forsatelliteand UHF reception • H1048 W1693 Was$4499 $ 3799 $25.14 weekly 2311575
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Ashburton Courier: September 10, 2020

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