North Canterbury News: June 29, 2023

NEWS
The North Canterbury News, June 29, 2023
An icy splash, then dash to warmer climes
By JOHN COSGROVE
25
Mayorsand MPs, Santas and Grinches,
Fred and Wilma,ballerinas and Elvis all
took the big step on Friday evening as they
plungedinto icy coldwater for charity at
theannual Big Splash.
The Charles Upham BIG SPLASH,
supported by Ryman Healthcare, was held
at the RangioraRSA Club to raise funds
for the Rangiora Stroke Cluband
RangioraPromotions.
Thisyear as the rain fellaround them,
21 peopletook the plunge.
Dressed as a ballerina, Raewyn Bishop
saysthis was the third time she had
jumped in and it was agood cause to
support.
‘‘Mynana was in the strokeclub and I
knowafew that havehad strokes, so Ifeel
thisisagood cause to get behind,’’ she
said.
Jumping much later, HurunuiMayor
Marie Blacksays she had an awesome
timeinthe plunge pool and it wasn’t as
coldasshe thought it wouldbe.
‘‘You are in and out so quickly you never
feelit. But how lucky are we that we can
helpsome peoplewho need help, it is a
great privilege to be part of thisevent.”
Elvis (HughButler)was the oldest
jumper on the night.
The resident at Rymansays it washis
first time jumping forcharity in support of
hiswife who sufferedamajor stroke four
years ago, and he wanted to do something
to support the stroke club.
‘‘It wasn’t thatcold, Iwas more worried
about my wig whichfloated away.’’
Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon found
theconditions abit colder than others,
when organisers loadedthe pool up with
icebefore he jumpedin.
‘‘It was so cold, but it’s all supportinga
great cause, the Rangiora Stroke Club and
Rangiora Promotions havedone agreat
joborganising the event tonight’’
Big splash ... Corey Cross jumps into the icy cold water at the Big
Splash.
PHOTOS: JOHN COSGROVE
WaimakaririMPMatt Doocey also
foundthe conditionsinthe pool icy cold,
as he was the first of the 21 jumpers.
‘‘I think that was one of the coldest years
that Ihave jumped in. Ithink theymight
haveput alot of ice in that pool justbefore
Ijumpedin,’’ he says.
RangioraPromotions event organiser,
Karen Dugdale, says the 21 participants
had beenworking hard for the pastcouple
Mayoral plunge ... Hurunui Mayor Marie Black takes the plunge
into the Big Splash pool.
of months raising sponsorship funds for
theirbig icy splash.
Funds raisedwill be split between the
Rangiora Stroke Club and Rangiora
Promotions.
Labour achievements
in North Canterbury
A total of $4.7 million provided to schools in the Waimakariri
District as part of the School Investment Package to assist inupgrading
classrooms, sports facilities and playgrounds
$4.1 million allocated to protecting the Puharakekenui/Styx River
asaviable spring-fed river ecosystem as part of the Jobs for Nature
Program
$11 million given to shovel-ready projects inWaimakariri, including
Ashley/Rakahuri river protection & fairway management and
Kaiapoi community flood protection
$5.7million allocated from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund to
Rangiora for transport and water reform projects, to accelerate the
delivery of around 1,300 affordable homes
Affordable Water Reforms will save Waimakariri households
$2,430, or 50% a year, by 2054
A net gain of 43 public houses, with 76 in the pipeline (compared to a
net loss of 7 public houses under the previous National Government)
180 students in the Waimakariri District benefiting from Ka Ora, KaAko
(Healthy School Lunches Program)
$3.96 million for delivering strategic cycling networks around
Waimakariri, including Woodend to Kaiapoi/Woodend to Pegasus
cycleways, wayfinding for thenew walking and cyclingconnections,
and completing gaps for onroad cycle lanes in Rangiora
Work on a $41 million project to improve road safety in Waimakariri
began in December 2022. $35 million of this will go towards the stretch
of SH1 betweenSaltwater Creek andthe Cam River/Ruataniwha. These
safety improvements, including flexiblemedian barriersand wide
centrelines, will help reducethe risk alongthis increasingly busy
highway corridor
Completed the $290million Northern Corridor motorway and shared
path to connectthe Waimakariri district to St Albans in December 2020
DanRosewarne
Labour list MP basedinNorth Canterbury
03 3821195
dan.rosewarne.mp@parliament.govt.nz
/DanRosewarneWaimakariri
Authorised by DanRosewarne MP,Parliament Buildings,Wellington