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2 <strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>Courier</strong>, <strong>November</strong> <strong>30</strong>, <strong>2023</strong><br />
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Build customers,<br />
sales and profits<br />
withus...<br />
Delivered to allhomes,<br />
lifestyle blocks and farms in<br />
MidCanterburyand Geraldine<br />
news<br />
Susan Sandys<br />
Editor<br />
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027 628 7679<br />
susan.sandys@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
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Sales Manager<br />
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027 587 6351<br />
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Sales AccountManager<br />
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021 510 804<br />
karen.gane@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
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AdvertisingSales Support<br />
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get in touch<br />
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Sports car awriteoff<br />
SUSAN.SANDYS<br />
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
High performance sports cars were<br />
believed to be racing each other<br />
near Mt Somers on Thursday last<br />
week, before one crashed at high<br />
speed and severed apower pole.<br />
Afirefighter who responded to<br />
the scene and wanted to remain<br />
anonymous said he believed the car<br />
which crashed was a‘‘topoftheline<br />
sports model’’ Toyota, thought<br />
to be worth about $90,000.<br />
The car had rolled three orfour<br />
times after severingthe pole. The<br />
driver and his male passenger were<br />
out of the writtenoff car as the<br />
firefighters arrived, while their<br />
friends in about four other cars<br />
includingaMercedes, Audi and<br />
Lotus were at the scene.<br />
‘‘They were all perched up there<br />
for awee while, they all<br />
disappeared once they knew they<br />
(the driver andhis passenger) were<br />
alright,’’ the firefighter said.<br />
‘‘The driver was more upset about<br />
his car Ithink, he was good as gold,<br />
just more in shock.’’<br />
The passenger had reported<br />
havingseatbelt bruisingand a<br />
couple of nicks on his head.<br />
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AFTERMATH: The power pole on<br />
Arundel Rakaia Gorge was severed.<br />
Hato Hone St John transported<br />
oneinaminor condition and one in<br />
amoderate condition to <strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
Hospital.<br />
By the time firefighters arrived,<br />
police were already at the scene of<br />
the crash, on Arundel Rakaia Gorge<br />
Rd about 10.40am.<br />
It is understood police were<br />
alerted to the speeding cars before<br />
the crash, with many people having<br />
heard andseen at least two groups<br />
speeding and overtaking as they<br />
headed south. They were thought to<br />
McIntosh Commercial Construction<br />
McKainQualityConstruction<br />
Mike Greer HomesMid Canterbury<br />
Milestone Homes MidCanterbury<br />
MuldrewBuilders<br />
Pearce Builders<br />
QuaidConstruction Company<br />
SimonRossConstruction<br />
Smithand Sons <strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
SnowfedBuilders<br />
StuBell Construction<br />
Trident Homes <strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
befrom the Christchurch area.<br />
Mt Somers lifestyle block owner<br />
Don Stanton said the sound of the<br />
cars’ engines as they raced each<br />
other was loud, he could hear it<br />
about <strong>30</strong>0m away as he worked away<br />
at the back of his property. Stanton<br />
hoped police would lay dangerous<br />
driving charges against the driver<br />
in the crash, which happened about<br />
2km from his home.<br />
‘‘I was absolutely horrified at the<br />
speed these vehicles were racing<br />
down here. and it was no surprise<br />
that one hit apole.’’<br />
He estimated their speed was<br />
more than 150kmh.<br />
Police said no charges had yet<br />
been laid. Further information was<br />
not available as it would form part<br />
of ongoing inquiries into the<br />
circumstances.<br />
EA Networks spokesperson<br />
Jeremy Adamson said the struck<br />
pole had to be replaced. Power was<br />
taken out to about 1400 connections<br />
as far away as the Rakaia Gorge.<br />
‘‘This was asignificant<br />
undertaking because of the size of<br />
the pole required. Repairs by EA<br />
Networks were completed and the<br />
network restored to normal by the<br />
evening.’’<br />
Light Up festivitiesasuccess<br />
LiveChristmasmusic filled the air in<br />
downtown <strong>Ashburton</strong> on Saturday as<br />
crowds gathered to celebrate the<br />
lighting of the town’s Christmastree<br />
on EastSt.<br />
Santa and his elves were on hand to<br />
entertain, alongside dance<br />
performancesatLight Up the Night.<br />
There was also achildren’s activity<br />
area, court jesters,the Balloon Man<br />
and food trucks.<br />
About 5000 people visited over the<br />
duration of the fourhour event,<br />
comparedtojust <strong>30</strong>00 last year.<br />
While down on the district<br />
council’s prediction of 8000 to 10,000<br />
people, the district council is<br />
describingthe event as asuccess.<br />
Council group manager<br />
compliance and development Jane<br />
Donaldson said there had been ‘‘good<br />
growth on last year’s event’’.<br />
‘‘The feedback we've heard from<br />
attendees and the community has<br />
been very positive and we're pleased<br />
with how the eveningwent,’’<br />
Donaldson said.<br />
Event attendance was difficult to<br />
predict and could be influenced by a<br />
wide range of factors.<br />
An added bonus was the event may<br />
end up costing ratepayers less than<br />
the budgeted$<strong>30</strong>,000.<br />
‘‘Thanks to the generous support of<br />
Hokonui, <strong>Ashburton</strong> <strong>Courier</strong> and<br />
Level Electrical, the cost for this<br />
year’s event looks like it will end up<br />
at around $25,000.’’<br />
Light Up the Night was criticised<br />
earlier this year for having cost<br />
ratepayers too much last year<br />
($48,000) and attracting too few<br />
people.<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> event organiser Carol<br />
Johns was one of those critics.<br />
However, Johns only had praise for<br />
this year’s Light Up the Night.<br />
‘‘This year they didn’t spend as<br />
much and it looked as though the<br />
people of <strong>Ashburton</strong> bought into it,<br />
which is absolutely fantastic.’’<br />
See page 18 for photos.<br />
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