Ashburton Courier: October 29, 2020
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www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Coding club expands<br />
Tenyearolds Ben Hughes<br />
andAsher Cavill are among<br />
aselect groupofkids who<br />
have taken up microbyte<br />
coding at the<strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
Public Library.<br />
It’s partofaonehouraweek<br />
coding clubset up by<br />
children’slibrarian<br />
Jonathan Nixon.<br />
They useMicrosoft<br />
Makecode Arcadewhich is a<br />
freeonline programwhich<br />
gave more optionsand<br />
workedbetterwith the<br />
computer hardware at the<br />
library, Mr Nixon said.<br />
Most of the up to 15<br />
members asessionwere<br />
familiar with the blockbased<br />
visualprogramming<br />
language and website<br />
Scratch, although some<br />
were newtocoding.<br />
MrNixon hasbeen<br />
overwhelmed by interestto<br />
jointhe club, which was<br />
intended to be aMicrobytes<br />
on Mondays session for<br />
those aged 10 to 14 years.<br />
Butdemandwas so strong<br />
there is nowaTuesday<br />
session too. At one point Mr<br />
Nixonhad awaitinglist.<br />
The club has been going<br />
nowfor around five weeks,<br />
running during theschool<br />
term. Thelibrary has 15<br />
chrome books for members<br />
to use during sessions which<br />
allowed them to each work<br />
on their own programming.<br />
Tenyearold Ben Hughes enjoys learning code during a<br />
Microbytes on Monday session at <strong>Ashburton</strong> Public Library.<br />
They were continuing with<br />
sprite animation and<br />
working on game<br />
development.<br />
Thereare plans to upload<br />
each of the completed<br />
programstothe library's<br />
mobile kitronic arcade<br />
systems, which areshared<br />
withvisiting class groups to<br />
get children interested in<br />
coding.<br />
New home-buyers meet<br />
Abusyproperty market has<br />
led to alunch witha<br />
difference next week.<br />
Ray White salesperson<br />
Cheryl Fowler is hosting a<br />
lunch for housebuyers new<br />
to theareaand shehopes<br />
the newcomers willbecome<br />
friends.<br />
Shesaidthere was high<br />
inquiry from firsthome<br />
owners wanting to take<br />
advantage of low interest<br />
ratestoborrowand get on<br />
the property ladder, as well<br />
as from Kiwicouples<br />
returning from overseas or<br />
wanting to relocate from<br />
other partsofthe country.<br />
Somewanted tolive in the<br />
homes they bought while<br />
others were looking to<br />
invest and rent.<br />
‘‘<strong>Ashburton</strong>isagreat<br />
place to invest your money.’<br />
Cheryl said the November<br />
2lunchwas forwomen who<br />
hadrecently bought in the<br />
area, through herorother<br />
realestatecompanies.<br />
Eightwerebookedtoeat<br />
at TasteCafe andshe hoped<br />
theywould become friends.<br />
She is workingonanother<br />
eventtoinclude the men.<br />
The newcomers had come<br />
fromas farnorth as<br />
Auckland, Kerikeriand<br />
Tauranga andasfar south as<br />
Dunedinand Invercargill.<br />
‘‘It canbehard integrating<br />
intoanew community. It<br />
will be nice to get together<br />
andget to know eachother<br />
andstart to make<br />
friendships.’’<br />
All the newcomers had<br />
movedto<strong>Ashburton</strong>within<br />
the pastcoupleofmonths.<br />
Cherylsaid Kiwis<br />
overseas were also looking<br />
at homes in <strong>Ashburton</strong> via<br />
the internetand sometimes<br />
sendingfriends and family<br />
to checkthem out at open<br />
homes.<br />
She had an offer recently<br />
from aKiwi in Europe who<br />
was wantingabolthole or<br />
safe place to return with his<br />
family. ‘‘He missed out<br />
because he did not puta<br />
high enough price in but I<br />
am stillactively lookingfor<br />
him.’’<br />
Cherylsaid house prices<br />
in <strong>Ashburton</strong>were not as<br />
high as in cities, so were<br />
attractivetobuyers.<br />
There was gooddemand<br />
forresidentialsections at<br />
new subdivisions.<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> <strong>Courier</strong>, <strong>October</strong> <strong>29</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />
Request for siren<br />
The South RakaiaBach Owners<br />
Association has askedthe<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong>DistrictCouncilfor<br />
$5000 to replace its emergency<br />
siren.<br />
Theassociation bought and<br />
restoredanold emergency siren<br />
to use at the settlement15years<br />
ago.Theyfelt it necessary to<br />
protectresidents and home<br />
owners from the range of<br />
potential events thatcould impact<br />
the settlement and require<br />
alerting people.<br />
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Theassociationsays it cannot<br />
be repairedand the huts are now<br />
without an emergencysiren.<br />
The funding request has fallen<br />
outside council’s grants calendar,<br />
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Thesettlement’s recent<br />
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