North Canterbury News: January 18, 2024

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2 The NEWS North Canterbury News, January 18, 2024 If youwould like to reachmore customers and growyour profits, we canhelp. Contactustoday to findout more. Managing Editor Robyn Bristow 027 312 1581 robyn.bristow@ncnews.co.nz Sales Manager DaynaBurton 027 312 0089 dayna.burton@ncnews.co.nz Reporters ShelleyTopp 027 404 6137 John Cosgrove 021 195 0284 Advertising Amanda Keys 027 536 6224 amanda.keys@ncnews.co.nz Jo Padgett 027 482 0733 jo.padgett@ncnews.co.nz Get in touch Phone:03313 2840 or 03 3148335 14 Ashley Street, Rangiora www.starnews.co.nz Editorial: info@ncnews.co.nz Advertising: sales@ncnews.co.nz Distribution:deliveries@alliedpress.co.nz WE NEED YOU! Deliverersrequired forthe North Canterbury News To South Island Distribution Manager P: 029 983 2293 E: mark.kelly@mainlanddistribution.co.nz Service to others recognised ByJOHN COSGROVE Kaiapoi resident Phil Humphreys believes every person recognised in the New Year'sHonours list had avery supportive partner to help them achieve their awards. ‘‘I couldn’t have done it at all without the help and support of my wife, Karen. ‘‘She was my rock, my driver, my manager and my biggest supporter,’’ he says. Mr Humphreys was recognised with aMember of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM), in the 2024 New Year'sHonours for services to people with disabilities and sport. Since becominga quadriplegic in 1982 the former Royal New Zealand Navy physical training instructor (PTI) has supported people with physical disabilities voluntarily for 40 years. He says initially he was a bit overwhelmed and pleasantly surprised when he received notification late in September 2023, from the Governor General's office. ‘‘I had to ask Karen to read the letter out as Iwas confused as to what it was all about.’’ Karen, aformer special needs teacher aide and volunteer ambulance member, says Phil was in disbelief about it all until it sunk in later that day. ‘‘When the list was eventually published, our children called and told him SUMMER LAWNMASTER SPECIALS $100 of any Lawnmaster Alloy Mower* Metro 450 NOW$579 Rapid solution From Page 1 Craig says RAPID numbers are the only solution, with GPS in rural areas not being able to pinpoint exact locations and nonreflective signs not showing up at night. The RAPID system is the main method used by emergency services. ‘‘It’s important that property owners keep their RAPID numbers free of vegetation to ensure they remain clearly visible, both day and night. Check out thesefeatures • Free10hrservice • BallBearing wheels • Ready startengines (no priming) • Quality alloychassiswith LIFETIME warranty • 5Year warranty • Oiled andfully assembled 2628041 360 FlaxtonRoad,Rangiora Ph 03 3135563 www.kingsmowersheating.co.nz how proud they were of him.’’ Mr Humphreys joined ParaFed Canterbury in 1983 and has been atrustee and chairperson of Paraloan between 2006 and 2018. Paraloan helps people with disabilities get lowinterest loans to help them build suitably equipped houses. He was aboard member and chairperson of ParaFed Canterbury from 1985 to 2012. He used his background as aNavy PTI to assist people with disabilities wanting to take up sports and recreationalactivities, and training disabled athletes nationwide, including Paralympians. In the early 1990s he saw wheelchairrugby played in Perth, and thought it would be awonderful sport for disabled (tetra and quadriplegic) athletes to play in NewZealand. ‘‘Little did Iknow how popular or physical it would become.’’ He broke his neck while serving with the New Zealand Forces in Singapore, and was repatriated to Burwood Spinal unit. He continues to visit the facility weekly to give talks and demonstrations on sports for those with physical disabilities and to support new patients there. But Parafed hasn’t been his only passion. Mr Humphreys has been a community board member ‘‘It’snot just emergency services that are reaping the benefits. ‘‘We’re getting alot of feedback from businesses and services, power and telecommunications companies, even couriers, that it’s savingtime,’’ Craig says. For more information, contact Liz Atkins at Liz. Atkins@hurunui.govt.nz or visit the council website at hurunui.govt.nz/propertyrates/rapidnumbers. Honoured ... Mr Phillip Terence (Phil) Humphreys, of Kaiapoi, a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, in recognition for services to people with disabilities and sport. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE in Shirley, and an active Kaiapoi RSA member, working for atime as its welfareofficer. From 2011 to 2018, he served as amember of the Conserving water From Page 1 The council urges residents torefertocheckitsalright.nz for advice on when to avoid mowing or using machinery. ‘‘As aCouncil we are working with our contractors to plan mowing operations on cooler, damper days, and to carry fire extinguishers and monitor as they go. If the conditions escalate then we will consider whether some activities like mowing are undertaken at all.’’ Steps to take to conserve water: Waimakariri Access Committee, offering accessibility advice for parking and buildings and training for Waimakariri District Council staff. Fix water leaks promptly. Adjust your mower height to leave grass taller to provide shade to soil and reduce evaporation. Embrace abrown lawn. If you do water your lawn, do so sparingly and during the early morning or late evening to minimise water loss through evaporation. Stay Informed. Keep yourself informed about local water restrictions and adjust your lawn and garden care habits accordingly. Sweep outdoor areas rather than hosing them.
NEWS The North Canterbury News, January 18, 2024 Maintenance costs crippling bowling club By DAVID HILL, Local Democracy Reporter Anhistoric pavilion may be abandoned as the Rangiora Bowling Club struggles with the increasing maintenance costs. Club president Norman Hewett said the 112yearold building was unsafe and the insurance costs alone were getting beyond the club’s means. ‘‘The short answer is, we don’t want the building. We want someone to take it away.’’ The club is based at Good Street, just north of the town centre. The pavilion is registered with Heritage New Zealand and listed in the Waimakariri District Plan, leaving the club with few options. The stairwell was noncompliant and there was no wheelchair access, meaning the club was unable to use the upstairs facilities. Mr Hewett estimated it could cost up to $1.5 million to bring it up to code. ‘‘It looks nice from the street, but the problem is the financial upkeep is way beyond abowling club,’’ he said. ‘‘And we don’t need it. Even if we could raise the money to bring it up to code, we wouldn’t be able to use it and the insurance costs would escalate. ‘‘We are too old for that sort of thing. Most of us are well over 70.’’ Mr Hewett said an attached building behind the pavilion was sufficient for the club’s needs. The club, which has amembership of 140, does have reserves, but the club’s synthetic bowling green needed to be replaced every 15 years. The surface was last relaid in 2013, following awind storm. Built in 1911, the pavilion served the Rangiora Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club, which originally shared the site. It cost 945 pounds and was opened on October 28, 1911. The three clubs purchased 1.25 acres on the corner of Blackett and Good Streets in April 1905, but later parted company, with tennis and croquet moving to new sites. Mr Hewett said the club was working with the council to source funding for a feasibility study to consider what options were available. He suggested the council could move the building to another site. Alternatively, the club could sell the site and start again. Waimakariri Mayor Don Gordon said he had met with the club and wanted to explore options to support the members. But the feasibility study needed to be completed first, he said. AHeritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga spokesperson said representatives had visited the pavilion. ‘‘We expressed our support for the adaptive reuse of the pavilion building and supported the club’s intention to investigate options for the pavilion and the associated land parcel.’’ Free conservation advice was available for owners of listed historic places. The club may be eligible for funding Landmark ... The 112yearold Rangiora Bowling Club pavilion. such as Lottery Environment and Heritage and the Waimakariri District Council’s Heritage Contestable Fund, 3 PHOTO: DAVID HILL the spokesperson said. LDR is local body journalism cofunded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Wait continues for Oxford landfill decision By DAVID HILL, Local Democracy Reporter The consenting process for aproposed Oxford landfill has been delayed further, with adecision now not expected before May. The application from Woodstock Quarries Ltd to develop alandfill at 513 Trigg Road, View Hill, near Oxford, which was first submitted in 2021, has caused widespread community concern. Independent commissioners instructed the applicant on December 22 to provide an updated consent application to ‘‘identify all changes made’’ since the previous version dated August 29. The applicant then has until March 15 to provide further information to questions from the commissioners, including providing ‘‘the outcomes of expert caucusing on engineering drawings’’. Woodstock Quarries Ltd submitted five resource consent applications to Environment Canterbury, and aland use consent with the Waimakariri District Council, to expand an existing hard rock quarry, and to develop a landfill for disposal of construction and demolition waste, contaminated soils and special wastes. OxfordOhoka Community Board chairperson Thomas Robson said the delays have been ‘‘incredibly frustrating’’, but he accepted the process. ‘‘As acommunity board we were very disappointed by the most recent delay.’’ Woodstock Quarries Ltd director Darryn Shepherd said his company began the process five years ago, conducting investigations and preparing the application. ‘‘May is only another four months, so it will fly by and hopefully we will get a result. ‘‘If we are fortunate and we are granted aconsent it will do alot of good for the community.’’ Mr Shepherd said there had been a range of views expressed by the community. ‘‘Right at the start we had some nasty, personal stuff sent through to us, but everyone has the right to have an opinion.’’ Around 400 submissions were received, with opponents questioning the need for another landfill when the Kate Valley Landfill had plenty of capacity and the Burwood Resource Recovery Park landfill in Christchurch was closed in 2019 due to alack of use. Formal hearings, which ended in September, left residents frustrated as they felt the process was weighted heavily in favour of the applicant, which kept adapting the application. ‘‘Throughout this consenting process the community has been bombarded by new information, which has made it hard for the community to counter,’’ Mr Robson said at the time. The community board submitted against the landfill, raising five main concerns traffic effects, fire safety, dust, operational logistics and amenity effects. Mr Robson said the use of narrow, rural roads by 55 tonne trucks would create dust, congestion and damage to roads. Trigg Road was also abusy school bus route. It would create access issues for emergency services, including fire engines, while Oxford was ahigh wind zone and vulnerable to dust contamination. Mr Shepherd said he understood the concerns, but he was confident the landfill would be safe. ‘‘We have always said at the start, we are not going to do anything that’s unsafe or will prevent our children taking over the operation one day.’’ Once the applicant has responded to the commissioners’ questions, submitters will have until April 5 to make comment. The applicant will have aright of reply by April 19, before the commissioners close the hearing, with a decision expected 15 working days later. LDR is local body journalism cofunded by RNZ and NZ On Air. SHOE SALE Hurr i KaiapoiMill, Ranfurly Street,Kaiapoi Ph 03 327 0576 They’r walkin ou th doo fas Monday –Friday 9am–5pm|Saturday 10am–1pm Closed Public Holidays&Long Weekends 2637288
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North Canterbury News: January 18, 2024

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