Sports off
The Sports Field Lease Model project has been taken out of Waipā District Council’s 10-year Long Term Plan. A total of $5.159 million was to be spent on the council taking control of the district’s 17 ratepayer-owned sports fields and employing a sports liaison officer from 2027.
Signing off
This is the last edition of the year and we will be back on January 9, 2025. Keep your eye on our website teawamutunews.nz for any breaking news stories. Email [email protected]
Hampers to go
Volunteers gathered at Zion Hub in Te Awamutu early on Monday ready to sort and pack about 200 Christmas hampers for families in need. They were part of Operation Christmas Hamper, a collaborative community-led initiative bringing together local organisations and businesses. Co-ordinator Jill Taylor said the initiative has been going for about 10 years. Hampers contain toys, food and treats for families identified by various social agencies, including the police and Kainga Aroha. They were packed and distributed to recipient families over three days earlier this week.
Streets named
Dairy Lane, Waipiko Dve, Willow Rd, and Rose Ave have been approved as street names and Manawanui as the reserve for the Waipiko Landing development in Te Awamutu. Resource consent for the development was granted in mid-2022 and it will feature 77 lots, three public roads and a private road. The development is the first stage of the T11 growth cell.
Black belter
From left: Alex McIvor, Gerard McCarthy, Nidaime A Nakamura, Michael McIvor and Matt McIvor.
Te Awamutu Karate Club Alex McIvor, who practices law in Te Awamutu as a director of Gallie Miles, achieved his Yondan – 4th dan black belt – grading in Christchurch last weekend, capping off a successful year for the club.
Gotcha
Teenagers caught vandalising a Waipā playground in Cambridge have given time back to the community by painting over graffiti in other locations.
Museum funding
Ōtorohanga District Council will fund the town’s historical society to the end of June after it was turned down for a Lotteries Board grant. The Ōtorohanga Historical Society has operated the town’s museum for half a century. The council has granted $29,000 for staff wages from January to June 2025.
Perfect score
St. Peter’s IB Diploma Cohort 2024
A St Peter’s School, Cambridge student has become the first student from the school to achieve a perfect score of 45 points in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme. School dux Zach Macaskill-Smith was part of a cohort of 58 students to participate in the programme and the first from the school to ever get a perfect score.
See: A perfect score
Piarere update
Piarere Roundabout December 2024
Construction on the new 60-metre roundabout at Piarere reached another milestone when the first completed approach roads opened this week. The roundabout opened to traffic in September and two temporary approach roads were used while work continued on the three permanent approaches.
The change this week sees traffic from all three of the legs approaching the roundabout – the intersection of highways 1 and 29 – using the roundabout. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) acting regional manager Infrastructure Delivery Waikato/Bay of Plenty Bruce Waugh said the temporary layout had operated well and planning was made with a view to keeping the road open during the switch.
The opening of these approaches results in the current tie-in road for Tīrau traffic becoming an access lane for nearby properties.
The temporary Hamilton approach road will remain in use while work continues on the permanent configuration, which is expected to be finished in early 2025.
Help at hand
A Waipā Networks owned company which has celebrated 10 years of donations to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is encouraging others to follow suit. Waikato Tree Services donates five days of arborist services every year to maintain walking tracks and help protect the sanctuary from predators on the maunga.
On patrol
Waikato Regional Council maritime officers will be patrolling coastal and inland waters in force this summer as part of the annual Operation Neptune. The annual operation from Boxing Day to January 12 covers coastal, lake and river boating areas across the Waikato region. This includes Raglan and Kāwhia in the west, the Coromandel Peninsula, along with the Waikato River from Port Waikato through to Lake Karāpiro and Lake Arapuni down to Lake Ōhakuri. Last summer, Operation Neptune staff identified 393 bylaw breaches and issued 94 formal warnings issued and 299 infringements.
