North Canterbury News: October 28, 2021

NEWS
10 North Canterbury News, October 28, 2021
Scooter training run
Waimakaririresidents are being
invited to take apink scooter for aspin
this weekend.
To mark the start of asix month trial
of commercial hire e­scooters in the
district, Flamingo Scooters is offering
community training days this weekend
for anyone wishes to learnhow to use
the scooters or simply enjoyafree
ride.
Training dayswill be held in the
council’s Rangiora service centrecar
park on Saturdayfrom10am to 1pm
and in Charles Street parkand ride
site, next the Kaiapoi New World on
Sundayfrom 10amto1pm.
The trial will run from November
until April next year,with e­scooters
available for hire in Rangiora,
Kaiapoi, Woodendand Pegasus.
The e­scooters will be abletotravel
most places withinthe natural town
boundaries and betweenRangiora,
Kaiapoi and Woodend usingthe
Passchendaele Memorial Path and the
Rangiora­Woodend Path.
WaimakaririDistrictCouncil
business and centres advisor Vanessa
Thompson says the trial will allowthe
council to explorethe impact of
commercial hire e­scooters on public
spacesand to see if there is aplace for
this technology as an alternative
transport solution.
‘‘One potential benefit is that the
successful uptake of e­scooters
alongside other alternative transport
options, could help alleviate pressure
on town centrecar parking and reduce
transport emissions,’’ she says.
The SelwynDistrictCouncil held a
similar trial in 2019which was deemed
asuccess, with22,000 e­scooter trips
taken throughoutthe trial’s duration
and permitswere issued to bothLava
and Lime to continue operating
commercial hire e­scooters.
In the pink ... Training runs are on offer this
weekend on aFlamingo Scooter. PHOTO:FILE
Council staffhave discussed the trial
with localaccessibility, youthand
olderpersongroups, with some of the
feedback incorporatedinto the trial
with the inclusionofspeed
restrictions and no­go zones in busy
pedestrian areas
Flamingo Scooters will be
responsible for covering the
infrastructure and operational costs.
More information about the trial can
be found at waimakariri.govt.nz/
scooters.
Kaikoura shows the way
Kaikouraisleading the three North
Canterburydistrictsinfullyvaccinated
rates against Covid19, with68% of the
vaccine eligible population fully
vaccinated as of lastMonday(October
25).
This compares to 66 per centofthe
vaccine eligible population in Hurunui
now fullyvaccinated,and 64 per centin
Waimakariri,MinistryofHealth
figures show.
Eighty fiveper centofthe vaccine
eligiblepopulationinWaimakariri
have hadtheir first vaccineshot.
Hurunui is nextwith84per cent and
Kaikoura has 82 per cent.
Nationwide, 87 per centofvaccine
eligibleKiwishave had their first
vaccineinjection but only 71 per cent
arefully vaccinated,which is still
considerably belowthe 90 per cent the
Governmenthas saidisrequired
beforeisolation restrictions canbe
eased.
Book printing flaw awindfall
Aminor printing flaw in abook run has
provided alucky windfall for schools in
Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.
The flaw in Just Imagine: ADrawing
BookFor Children,byWoodendartist and
children’s book author, Joanne McDougall,
meant the bookscouldnot be sold and
weredestined for the landfill. But instead
of that Joannecame up withamuch better
idea.
‘‘A bit of fluff on aprinting plate meant
there was aminor flaw,and rather than
dumping perfectly functional books in the
landfill, Caxton Pressallowedmetoget rid
of them,’’ she says. ‘‘Four hundred and fifty
copieshave goneuptothe Pacific Islands,
to be giventoschools or needy children,
thanks to Rotary International.’’The books
wereloaded intoRotary International
containers destined for Samoa, Fijiand
Tonga.
‘‘Rotary International fill containers
withmedical and educational supplies
and transport them to places in need,’’
Joanna says.‘‘Itisreally cool. Various local
church groups and charities do muchthe
samething on asmaller scale, thoughtheir
focus is generally more local.There is a
hugenetwork of people and organisations
working behind the scenes to help people
and make the world abetter place.’’
Joanne McDougall
Just Imagine: ADrawingBook For
Children,provides basic drawing lessons
supplemented with practice pages.Itcan
be purchasedfrom Joanne by contacting
her on 021 064 5688 or orderingacopy at a
bookstore. Joanne has donatedafree copy
for North Canterbury News readers. To go
in the drawtowin acopy of the bookemail
your name, address and phonenumber to
info@ncnews.co.nz by Thursday,
November 4. It will be drawn on Friday,
November 5, and the winner will be
notified by phone.