NEWS 20 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>September</strong> <strong>10</strong>, <strong>2020</strong> Soft spots in Covid recovery forecast By DAVID HILL Covid19 recovery dominated the earlypart of last week’sWaimakariri District Council meeting. Business and centres manager SimonHart provided arecovery update, while councillorsbackeda plan to develop a‘‘foodsecure district’’atits meeting in the Ruataniwha KaiapoiCivicCentre. Whilethe economic outlookfor Waimakariri was looking positive for now, many economists were still forecasting asignificantsoftening of the economy, Mr Hart said. ‘‘We are mindful that while the economy is tracking well, there are some industries thatare struggling. ‘‘Some economists arestillsaying therewill be asecondwave after the election, and athird wave whenthe impacts of borrowing start to setin.’’ In areport to themeeting, community team managerTessa Sturley saidSatisfy Food Rescue had been granted$690,000from the Ministry of Social Development’s food securecommunities fund to develop afood security project. Councillorsapproved afurther $24,600 from the Covid19 recovery fund to assist withemploying a community development worker to assist withestablishing the project for an initialsixmonth appointment. Food security was identified as a ‘‘significant gap’’ by the Food Bank and Budgeting Collaboration,which was established during the lockdown, and by SocialServices Waimakariri’s Covid19 surveys, Ms Sturley told councillors. MayorDan Gordonsays it is essential thatsupport be made available for those at risk in the community. ‘‘We are in an uncertain environment. Retailsalesare strong, consentsare holding up and, anecdotally, thingsare really positive, but at the end of the day we are waiting to see what happens when the wagesubsidy runs out.’’ Councillors approvedaKaiapoi Tuahiwi Community Board recommendation for council staff to conduct further investigations into the proposed Kaiapoi cycleway after concernswere raised by Peraki Street residents. The cycleway wouldlink the town with Christchurch oncethe New Zealand Transport Agency’s new clipon cycle lane addedonthe eastern side of the State Highway1 motorway bridge opens later this year. The council is building acycle connection from the bridge, running alongthe western side of Main <strong>North</strong> Road through to the Vickery Street/ Williams Street intersection. It had been proposed to continue the cycleway along PerakiStreet to access the centre of Kaiapoi, or the MafekingFootbridge, to connect to the PasschendaeleMemorial Path through to Rangiora. The additional consultation meansthe timeframe is now uncertain, but staff hope to be ableto completethe projectbymid next year. Age catches up with Lionesses By DAVID HILL The Rangiora District Lioness Club is set to call it aday after more than 30 years. The club plans to disband and disperse its funds later in the year as the realities of an ageing membership takes it toll. ‘‘It was ahuge decision to disband, but we had alot of information so we made awellinformed decision,’’ president Anne Thorne says. ‘‘I think some of the ladies will gravitate towards the (Rangiora) Lions. ‘‘A lot of our ladies are over 80, so they’re feeling they want to help. ‘‘The mind is willing, but the body’s not,’’ she says. Members may continue to meet as asocial group, secretary Rachel Bloomfield says. ‘‘They still want to meet socially, which is Offering hope ... Rangiora Lionesses secretary Rachel Bloomfield, left, and president Anne Thorne sort through offerings as part of the Handbags of Hope appeal at Compass FM last week. PHOTO: DAVID HILL important at that age and we still have an active craft group that meets and does some knitting for the community.’’ The pair were at Compass FM last week sorting through offerings as part of their regular Handbags of Hope appeal, which benefits the Community Wellbeing <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Trust, the Oxford Community Trust and the Hope Community Trust. The Lionesses recently presented grants of between $2000 and $<strong>10</strong>,000 to 16 schools in the Rangiora and Kaiapoi areas for pupils from families who have suffered hardship because of Covid19. ‘‘We’ve had some amazing feedback from the schools and it’s going towards anything from school breakfasts to school uniforms, or activities where the principal has felt there is aneed and they have been so grateful,’’ Rachel says. 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