North Canterbury News: December 23, 2020

NEWS
North Canterbury News, December 23, 2020
5
Strategy aims to
increase visitors
By DAVID HILL
Waimakariri residents will
play akey role in driving anew
visitor strategy for the district.
The Waimakariri District
Council, Enterprise North
Canterbury and industry
stakeholdershave been
working on the Waimakariri
Visitor Marketing Strategy for
2020­25,with afocus on
boostingnumbers.
‘‘Ourlocal residents are our
ambassadors by sharingour
activitiesand events with their
friends and family, which
makesuparound 66 percentof
visitors to ourdistrict,’’ says
Vanessa Thompson,the
council’s business andcentres
adviser.
Most of the district’svisitors
come from Christchurch for
day trips, whilethe rest of
Canterbury and Auckland are
the next biggest markets, with
Australia beingWaimakariri’s
largest international market.
The visitor spend in 2019 was
$93 million,which puts the
Waimakariri district 46thout of
67 localauthorities aroundthe
country.
Thereare plentyofchances
for growth, Vanessa says.
WhileWaimakariridoesn’t
have iconic attractions, there
are opportunities to promote
what the district has to offer,
such as boutiqueshopping,
walking and cycle trails, local
artists and farm visits.
‘‘There is work we can do
aroundchanging the thinking,
so it’s not just seen as a
thoroughfare on the wayto
Kaikoura,Hanmer and
beyond,’’Vanessa says.
‘‘It’saboutencouraging our
visitors to see our district in a
different light and providing
them with reasons for them to
come and visit and experience
and enjoy more of whatwe
have to offer.’’
Over the nextthreeyears
Enterprise NorthCanterbury
plans to work on developing at
least two themed mapsayear,
such as cycling, boutique
shopping, hiking, water
activities, golf,campingand the
town centres.
Chief executive Heather
Warwick says investing in local
eventsprovides opportunities
for local residents to invite
friends and familytovisit.
She says the organisation
will continue to build on
relationships with operators,
promotionsassociations,
community boardsand
residents.
‘‘We have so muchtooffer
visitors and localstoexplore
and recreate.”
Stadium Waimakariri,which
is due to opennext year, and
proposed developments such
as the water sports park in
Kaiapoi, are also expected to
draw visitors to the district.
Lorraine plans abusy retirement
By SHELLEY TOPP
Fernside School teacher Lorraine
Malpass has retired after 27 years at the
school.
Lorrainebegan teaching at Fernside in
1994,which makes her the longestserving
teacher in the school’s156­year
history.
Aspecialassembly was held recently to
recognise her long service.
Lorraine’s husband, Alan Malpass,
retired four yearsago. He was also a
teacher and aformerdeputyprincipalat
Ashgrove School in Rangiora.
The couple, who have been married for
41 yearsand live in Rangiora,both enjoy
cycling and plantospend their retirement
coveringNew Zealand’s famous
cycletrails, startingearly next year. They
also intendtospend more time withtheir
threeadult sons and granddaughters.
Lorrainesays it will be hard stepping
away from along career doing something
she loved. But, after Covid, she realised
the time was right to leave and she has
been working part­time,job­sharing at
the school for the lastyear, to ease herself
into retirement.
‘‘I think education is in really good
hands,’’ she says. ‘‘We have an awesome
curriculum that givesyou scope.’’
Lorraine especially likes the focus on
environmental education and the more
relaxed approachtolearning, with
childrenbondingand working in groups.
‘‘Weall do betterifweare relaxed and
feelvalued,’’ she says.
New technology has also enabledabig
change in learning. ‘‘It provides ahigher
level of learning. Partofthat is making
mistakes and learningtopersevere.
‘‘That is how we learn, and learning
empowerspeople.’’
Helping childrentoprogress has been
the bestpart of herjob, she says.
‘‘I lovetheir enthusiasm,their joyfor
life and the way theytell it likeitis. We
are very luckyatFernside School. It has
been such aprivilege to be part or our
children’s lives,helping themtodevelop,
grow and learn.’’
Retiring ... Lorraine
Malpass, right, with
parent­help gardener
Jo Chapman during
the recent Gardens of
Fernside and Family
Market Day.
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