There is a possibility that the tickets sold at the Woolworths Ashburton supermarket were won by a single player – meaning they took home just over $69,000 in Lotto winnings last night The tickets – sold at Woolworths Ashburton South – are among 15 Second Division tickets to win a total of $17,357 in last night’s official Lotto draw One of the tickets sold at Woolworths Ashburton also won the Powerball Second Division prize – taking their total winnings to a cool $35,030 They just missed out on Powerball’s $6 million prize after failing to pick all six of last night’s Lotto numbers Powerball will now roll over to Wednesday’s draw a Woolworths Ashburton South employee said it wasn’t the first time a winning ticket had been sold at their supermarket one customer returned to the store to claim a large cash prize won from an Instant Kiwi “scratch-to-win” card sold in-store They expected the winner (or winners) of last night’s four Lotto tickets to collect their prizes from the store this morning In one of its last press releases on the “lucky” stores Lotto said Unichem Storford Lodge Pharmacy in Hastings had “long held the title as New Zealand’s ‘luckiest’ Lotto store” having sold at least 49 winning First Division tickets over the years The Hawke’s Bay store sells six times the number of Lotto tickets as any other store in the region in an average week Richmond Night n’ Day also has a lucky streak with at least 35 people winning the First Division prize after buying their tickets from the Nelson shop Other Lotto stores previously named among the “luckiest” in the country include Christchurch’s Pak‘nSave Riccarton (33 First Division wins) nearby Hornby Mall Lotto (31 First Division wins) and Coastlands Lotto in Paraparaumu (33 First Divison wins) Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday A weka hitched a 300km ride to Christchurch in a ute Updated 5.30pm Thursday - Ashburton Civil Defence Emergency Management is monitoring conditions and advising people to stay up to date with the latest forecasts after MetService issued an orange Heavy Rain Warning for Mid Canterbury Thursday 1 May: Council roading crews are reporting mostly surface flooding after spending the day inspecting roads in the Ashburton district for damage Civil Defence local controller Ian Hyde said the district’s roading network appeared to have fared well enough considering over 100mm of rain fell on the plains in 36 hours “We’ll have a much better idea of road damage once the surface water drains away.” Some Methven roads affected by Dry Creek floodwaters remain closed and the sunshine bridges across the Hinds River are also closed Road closures are on Council’s live closure map Police are also reminding people to take care on roads if they needed to travel because of the surface water and difficult driving conditions The depth of the water is not always obvious stopping you from seeing hazards like potholes or washouts New Zealand Transport Agency has no concerns over State Highway 1 bridges in the Mid and South Canterbury area Highway monitoring will continue and more detailed inspections undertaken if required when river levels start to drop There is significant surface flooding and potholing on SH1 There is also significant surface flooding on SH77 Methven and Rakaia Gorge with crews maintaining traffic management sites and monitoring Thursday 1 May: The MetService is predicting another 30-60mm of rain up to 6pm tonight for Canterbury The prolonged rainfall means surface flooding and difficult driving conditions continue Take care if you are on the roads as the depth of the water is not always obvious NZ Transport Agency is monitoring the state highways Potholes will make for a slower journey between Rakaia and Glenavy on SH1 and five crews are working hard today and tomorrow expect to see temporary speed limits around sites of deep potholes Minor flooding on SH77 at the Rakaia Gorge drivers need to slow down and expect a slower journey See highway updates on NZTA's journey planner here Ashburton District Council road crews are out checking on the state of the network and asking people to take care with widespread surface flooding across the district There are no current concerns for bridges over State Highway 1 Environment Canterbury had updated its flood advisory but the main impact remains north of the Rakaia at this time Sunshine bridges over the Hinds River are washed out, and several roads near Methven have been flooded by Dry Creek and are closed. You can view our live road closure map to see the details please let us know by phoning Customer Services on 307-7700 Wednesday 30 April: MetService has issued their updated forecast for the evening According to the forecast, the district can expect 80 to 100 mm of rain, on top of what has already fallen. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h. Snow lowering to 700 metres tonight - view District Elevation map There remains a moderate chance of upgrading to a Red Warning and Civil Defence encourages residents to stay up to date with the latest warnings on the MetService website Environment Canterbury (ECan) has issued a flood warning but the most significant flood flows are expected in the foothill rivers and streams of the Waimakariri No significant out-of-river flooding is currently expected in the Ashburton District however Environment Canterbury staff are continuing to monitor the situation.2.30pm Wednesday 30 April:  Barkers Road at Methven is closed because of flooding at Dry Creek and Dobson Street West in Ashburton is also closed because of flooding Wednesday 30 April: Ashburton Civil Defence Emergency Management is monitoring conditions and advising people to stay up to date with the latest forecasts after MetService issued an orange Heavy Rain Warning for Mid Canterbury streams and rivers may rise rapidly and surface flooding and difficult driving conditions are possible Drivers are encouraged to take extra care on the roads with surface flooding and hazardous driving conditions likely in places. Any road closures can be viewed on the Council’s live road closure map. Barkers Road at Methven is closed because of flooding at Dry Creek The sunshine bridges over the Hinds River have also been washed out Dobson Street West in Ashburton is also closed because of flooding - that's the road at the back of the Warehouse Surface flooding and potholes are being reported on State Highway 1. See highway updates on NZTA's journey planner here Surface water is being reported across the district and difficult driving conditions continue Rivers across the Canterbury will see elevated flows, but we are not currently expecting significant out-of-river flooding in the Ashburton District. Environment Canterbury staff will continue to monitor flows and vulnerable areas of the rivers closely. Check their website for the latest river flow data Flows from stockwater intakes have been reduced ahead of the heavy rain and Council continues to monitor conditions across the network Please check your own water races to ensure there's nothing that could cause blockages The gates to the Bowyers Stream reserve have been locked due to very wet ground conditions and the risk of flooding with more rain forecast The area will be opened again when weather and ground conditions allow Visitors can still park and walk into the reserve to use the toilets which are still open View all news from 12 May 7:00 to 15 May 18:00 from 17 May 9:00 to 17 May 16:30 from 17 Apr 6:00 to 9 May 18:00 from 7 Apr 7:00 to 27 Jun 18:00 View all Road Closures | Live map Ashburton was denied the simple pleasure of a wind-down drink at the end of the working day Part of the former eastern suburban dry zone the suburb welcomed its first licensed premises in 2022 when Two Doors Brewing started pouring from its 12 taps after jumping through a mountain of red tape The craft brewery and restaurant has since been joined by Oydis Bar on the other side of High Street where cocktails and Sri Lankan snacks go together like a dream the watering holes mount the argument that Ashburton no longer has any red (or beige) flags over the straightforward enjoyment of life 12 kilometres from the CBD “There were quite a few objections even when we were renovating from people who were really stuck on the idea of the dry zone,” says Two Doors owner Andy Yates “But I think everyone has now seen that we’re just a nice local restaurant that also happens to be a microbrewery We do a lot of community events and have a beer tap for fundraising Yates can certainly attest to that: he lives eight minutes’ walk from Two Doors Venues to visit when the sun goes down over the leafy east are also upping the suburb’s ranking in the desirability stakes “This is the sort of place we missed from other places we lived It’s a touch of the nightlife you might find a few kilometres closer to the city.” Big blocks and period homes account for a median house price in excess of $1.9 million but there’s a noticeable new guard of young families seeking their own slice of the good life with Jonathon O’Donoghue from Jellis Craig Seddon: Is this ‘burb home to Melbourne’s ugliest train station? Hawthorn: This suburb has the most private schools per capita in Melbourne Metung: The new Metung Hot Springs is bringing in the tourists I love Joe Frank Cafe for my coffee fix. It’s a fantastic family-run business. Apart from the lovely people there, its position right next to the Anniversary Trail is perfect when going for a morning or Sunday walk. High Street is a classic Melbourne shopping village with everything from a supermarket to my local dentist and everything in between. It literally has everything you could possibly need. I feel it’s underrated by the surrounding suburbs. I love to take my kids to the epic playground at the Markham Reserve on Victory Boulevard. It has the best play equipment for them to have fun on and is surrounded by beautiful parklands and great walking trails. 5 Baths2 ParkingView listing A main-bedroom suite fit for royalty is vast and serene and features a Carrie Bradshaw-worthy walk-in wardrobe and spa-equipped en suite. There’s a second main bedroom downstairs, along with lifestyle luxuries including a wine cellar, butler’s kitchen, separate study, mudroom-laundry access to the house from the double garage. The three other bedrooms all have en suites and walk-in-robes. The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate De Grey Mining (ASX:DEG) has extended its option period to acquire the Ashburton Gold Project from Kalamazoo Resources (ASX:KZR) by six months in order to receive the results of a recent metallurgical testing program In February 2024, De Grey signed a deal to acquire Ashburton for $33 million including the existing 1.44-million-ounce gold resource Ashburton sits near De Grey’s Hemi Gold Project in Western Australia and $3 million of the acquisition price has already been paid as a non-refundable option fee.  Kalamazoo says De Grey has the option to pay the remaining $30 million in cash or shares — in two $15 million tranches — at any time during the extended option period to acquire the project which has a market capitalisation of $16.7 million says the updated option schedule — which is now due to expire on 4 August 2025 — will depend on the timing required to include the metallurgical results in geological resource models and optimisation studies.  Both of these are required to be completed as part of De Grey’s due diligence investigations.  The extension  comes after De Grey released assays from its recently completed metallurgical drilling program at Ashburton which comprised 10 holes for 2,252.3m of drilling.  The drilling program is a key component of De Grey’s due diligence under the acquisition agreement.  The latest results include 47m @ 5.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold Kalamazoo CEO Luke Mortimer says these results continue to highlight the exploration upside and economic potential of the project, and also drew attention to the recent announcement that Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) has agreed to acquire De Grey for roughly $5 billion we will continue to work with De Grey’s exploration and management team as its final Ashburton Gold Project due diligence activities are completed,” Mortimer says.  Kalamazoo Resources is a mineral explorer focused on its portfolio of gold and base metal projects in the central Victorian goldfields.  Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au    Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon Unico Silver (ASX:USL) says the final results from phase-two diamond drilling at.. Dateline Resources pursues OTCQB listing in US North Bay advances gold production optimisation  Gilded market: Has jewellery demand lost lustre? ASX ends winning streak as energy sector... Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths... Metro on track to hit 2025 bauxite... ASX shifts down a gear Stay Informed on up-to-the-minute mining news Get the best articles straight to your inbox ASX ends winning streak as energy sector tumbles05 May Military Metals discusses antimony exploration in Slovakia05 May Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon05 May Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths targets    05 May De Grey Mining has extended the option period to acquire Kalamazoo Resources’ Ashburton gold project (AGP) by six months as assay results from a recent metallurgical drilling program returned promising results De Grey signed a deal in February to secure Ashburton for $33 million which includes the existing 1.44-million-ounce gold resource The company has already paid a non-refundable $3 million option fee and recently extended the exclusivity period by six months to August 4 De Grey’s extension allows additional time to process metallurgical samples and integrate the results into resource models and optimisation studies De Grey can exercise the option at any time with the purchase split into two $15 million tranches paid in cash or shares Kalamazoo also acknowledged the potential impact of Northern Star’s recently announced acquisition of De Grey “During the transition period, we will continue to work with De Grey’s exploration and management team as its final AGP due diligence activities are completed,” Kalamazoo chief executive officer Luke Mortimer said which comprised 10 holes totalling 2252.3m “We are pleased to announce numerous high-grade gold intercepts from De Grey’s recent metallurgical drilling program at the AGP,” Mortimer said “These exceptional results continue to highlight the significant exploration upside and economic potential of the AGP.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements Australian Mining has informed the industry on the latest news and technologies from across the mining sector Australian Mining is a leading resource showcasing the latest in mining innovation © Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved | Swan Districts Football Club Council’s community facilities were inundated over the school holidays by hundreds of youngsters taking part in activities ranging from Easter egg hunts and inflatable pool play to 3D printing and making colourful Council’s People and Facilities Group Manager Mosley said all the activities were mapped out in an April What’s On guide telling residents what was happening at the Ashburton Library Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum and EA Networks Centre but no doubt the guide was extra handy in the mixed weather we had over the holidays It was great to see so many people using our community facilities.” almost 400 people enjoyed the Aqualand inflatable waterpark over several days and there were 332 bookings over seven days for the holiday programme which included a trip to the Antarctic Centre to learn about huskies with learn-to-swim classes and water safety education Ms Mosley said the free water safety morning was popular “Learning stations were set up and people asked lots of great questions so they could know more about how they could keep their friends and families as safe as possible in the water The raft building that was part of that event was a lot of fun too.” with one lucky hunter heading home with a 1.2kg chocolate egg Almost 120 children took part in activities over the holidays period Activities for young adults included 3D printing a kawaii shark Ms Mosley said 116 adults also took part in activities at the library over the holiday period “There were seven sessions booked in the sound studio as well as eight demo sessions 19 people attended two Sahaja yoga meditation sessions and 34 came to two of our regular knitting group sessions The garden conversation group and an exercise group for seniors were also pretty popular.” The school holidays were a flurry of colour and creativity at the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum A highlight was the vibrant workshop run by the Tagata Moana Trust where Pacific youth gathered for a full day of hands-on STEM learning through a Pacific lens Ms Mosley said there was also a lot of laughter and song during the Island Breeze event “Sarah Johnston’s recordings of nurses made during World War Two also drew the crowds with over 70 people coming along to hear her present her research We are thankful to to RNZ and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision for this very moving experience that formed part of our Anzac Day exhibition Land honouring four brave Ashburton locals.” The gallery and museum’s holiday programme attracted hundreds over the two weeks De Grey has completed site-based due diligence activities and now expects camp demobilisation by the end of this month which Kalamazoo CEO Luke Mortimer says is a key milestone of the due diligence process De Grey Mining signed an exclusive option agreement with Kalamazoo to acquire the Ashburton Project the $30 million will be received in two tranches with the first $15 million payment being received upon exercise of the option The other half will be received within 18 months of the option being exercised.  Mortimer says De Grey exercising the option to acquire Ashburton “should result in a significant re-rating of our company and enhance its future prospects” “De Grey has exclusivity for 12 months until 4 February 2025 with the right to extend for a further six months to exercise the option and the completion of its site-based activities is a significant step forward in this assessment process,” Mortimer says.  De Grey will continue collecting photographic data of historical drill core stored onsite and will complete the relogging of high-priority drillholes through the centre of the Mt Olympus deposit.  Earthworks and rehabilitation activities are expected to also be completed by the end of this month.  The company adds in relation to De Grey’s metallurgical drilling program sample geochemical analyses are progressing and initial metallurgical sample compositing has begun.  Metallurgical testwork will be ongoing for the next few months De Grey has collected 90 historical reverse circulation drillholes for hyperspectral mineral analyses.  Ahsburton comprises granted mining leases and exploration licences including an existing 1.44 million ounce gold resource lies 35km from Paraburdoo and 290km south of De Grey’s Hemi Gold Project which has a market capitalisation of $17 million is a gold and base metals explorer with assets in the central Victorian Goldfields Pilbara and Murchison regions of Western Australia Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au    De Grey Mining’s option to acquire Kalamazoo Resources’ Ashburton gold project is advancing with De Grey personnel having arrived on site to progress multi-pronged due diligence studies and activities Historical drill core and sample pulps have been retrieved from storage for incorporation into the due diligence and data review at the Mt Olympus deposit The historical pulps have also been dispatched for laboratory broad spectrum multi-element analysis Detailed drone-based aerial photography and mine surveys were completed to assist with geological and geotechnical models De Grey’s exploration team mobilised to site at Mt Olympus to prepare for metallurgical drilling in May The diamond drilling campaign designed to obtain metallurgical samples across Mt Olympus has been progressing since June Holes are being logged and sampled on site with the samples being despatched for laboratory multi-element analysis “We are delighted to report that as part of the Ashburton gold project sale process De Grey is on site and making significant progress towards completing its due diligence studies,” Kalamazoo chief executive officer Luke Mortimers said “Should De Grey exercise its option and acquire the Ashburton gold project Kalamazoo will receive a total of $33 million in cash and/or De Grey shares which would be an excellent result not just for our shareholders but also for De Grey and its proposed Hemi gold project in the Pilbara.” De Grey first signed the exclusive option agreement with Kalamazoo in February 2024 The agreement provides De Grey with a 12-month option to purchase Ashburton and its contained 1.44 million ounces of gold resources as well as all associated mining and exploration licences and applications “The outcome for Kalamazoo would be consistent with our strategy of identifying, acquiring, and discovering projects which we can enhance, and thereby create tangible shareholder value,” Mortimers said The Ashburton gold project is located on the southern edge of the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia The public holiday on Anzac Day 2025 will bring some changes to Council services and facilities The Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum and EA Networks Centre will both be open on Anzac Day but the Ashburton Library and civic centre will be closed There are no changes to kerbside collection services Residents will have the chance to remember New Zealand’s fallen soldiers on Friday starting with the dawn service at the Ashburton Cenotaph at Baring Square West at 6.30am Deputy Mayor Liz McMillan will attend the early morning service as well as the 7.30am service at the Hakatere Marae Mayor Neil Brown will be the guest speaker at Methven's commemorative service and at the civic service and wreath-laying at the Ashburton Cenotaph at 11am Anzac Day marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War Temporary road closures will be in place for Anzac Day ceremonies at Baring Square West The art gallery and museum is inviting people to join them for a special Anzac Day talk with Sarah Johnston Sound historian Sarah is researching recordings made between 1940-1945 by New Zealand’s mobile broadcasting units She will shed light on recordings the broadcasters made of New Zealand nurses Courtesy of RNZ and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision she will play some of these 80-year-old recordings and talk about the men and women who we hear in them The nurses' recordings are part of a wider Anzac Day exhibition, Land, Sea and Air which explores the stories of four Ashburton people who put themselves in danger during the Second World War though the art gallery and museum will close for two weeks from 28 April while its reception areas are merged There will be no change to kerbside collections on Anzac Day so put your bins out as normal The Ashburton Resource Recovery Park will be closed on Anzac Day EA Networks Centre will be open on Anzac Day from 1pm-7pm (pools and gym close an hour earlier at 6pm) Council’s Customer Services counter at Te Whare Whakatere If you have a problem or urgently need to contact us then the afterhours/24 hours-a-day service will be operating - please phone 03 307 7700 Mineral Resources (MinRes) is celebrating a milestone at the Port of Ashburton with the first loading of a Newcastlemax ship The next size of bulk carrier after a Capesize vessel the Newcastlemax has an intake of approximately 190,000–210,000 wet metric tonnes (wmt) with a maximum beam of 50m and length of 300m The step up comes just six months after Onslow Iron achieved first ore on ship in May “We’re excited to have reached this milestone by successfully loading the first Newcastlemax vessel just six months since commissioning the first ore in May on Mini-Cape vessels,” MinRes shipping manager Gus Couani said “This achievement will open up the rest of the global Newcastlemax fleet which allows for more vessel flexibility and reduced cost.” Cargo commenced loading on November 10 with completion achieved on November 13 marking the fastest turnaround time for any vessel loaded at the Ashburton anchorage to date The ship is also the first LNG (liquified natural gas)-powered bulk vessel charter by MinRes in a move to reduce carbon emissions by around 425 tonnes A total of 203,100wmt was loaded onto the ship Following the first convoy of road trains with autonomous haulage solutions technology arriving at Onslow Iron in late April MinRes has confirmed that practical completion of Onslow Iron project infrastructure such as the dedicated haul road is expected to be completed by the second half of 2024 Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements New filtration and UV disinfection equipment at the Hinds water treatment plant will be commissioned this week with no disruption for those connected to the township’s supply The new block building at the Hinds Water Treatment Plant houses UV equipment Drinking water for Hinds comes from a 102m bore and under new drinking water quality assurance rules the treatment plant needed extra filtration Infrastructure and Open Spaces Group Manager Neil McCann said water from the deep bore was safe to drink but Council was required to meet new national rules we will have upgraded all the Council drinking water supplies that needed to meet the new rules but the projects are tracking on time and on budget.” contractors built a new building to house the new filtration and UV equipment and it will be fully operational as part of the treatment plant by Friday Mr McCann said the cost of the work at Hinds was about $630,000 and $100,000 was saved by re-using UV equipment from Methven’s former water treatment plant “There’ll be no disruption during commissioning to the Hinds water supply which delivers drinking water to about 340 people living in the township.” The Hinds upgrade was delivered by ARC Projects; all the drinking water upgrades are being done by either ARC or Ashburton Contracting Ltd Tinwald and Rakaia are currently waiting for the arrival of UV equipment from Canada Mr McCann said each plant required custom-made UV equipment which was made in Canada and then shipped to New Zealand “The UV units are not off the shelf items as they are made to specific requirements for the electrical supply and the building that will house it We’ve been at the mercy of the shipping industry getting them into the country though but we’re still on track for the work to be completed by the end of this year.” Upgrade work is also under way at Chertsey MinRes reportedly aware of port fee charges upfront Chevron has rejected claims of special treatment over port fees in the Pilbara following media reports alleging a confidential deal with the West Australian Government that could deliver the US energy.. 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Sign in here Energy News Bulletin (ENB) is the Asia Pacific region's most comprehensive source of daily energy news providing unparalleled insight into the Energy sector through expert commentary and researched features each focused on a key discussion point for the energy sector brought to you by the Energy News Bulletin Intelligence team Energy News Bulletin’s new report examines what the energy and resources industry thinks of the idea of a nuclear-powered Australia ENB’s CCS Report 2024 finds that CCS could be the much-needed magic bullet for Australia’s decarbonisation drive ENB’s latest Cost Report findings provide optimism as investments in oil and gas ENB’s inaugural Future of Energy Report details the industry outlook on the medium-to-long-term future for the sector in the Asia Pacific region Council is teaming up with Toyota Ashburton and Zonta to run a free session for women to learn more about car maintenance including how to fit new wipers and check the oil in their car will be at Ashburton Toyota on Monday 19 May Group Manager of Infrastructure and Open Spaces Neil McCann said Ashburton Toyota was supplying cars and trained technicians and Zonta was supplying a bite to eat at the end of the night “It’s a free event and there'll be places for 40 women who will also go home with a gift bag from our road safety team.” The event will be in Toyota’s workshop with different work stations set up for hands on learning Mr McCann said similar courses in Timaru had been hugely popular “We’re expecting lots of interest and the aim is to share tips on basic car maintenance The women will get a good idea of how the engine works its different parts and the common things that could go wrong “If you’re thinking about buying a car we’ll also have some valuable insights about what to look for and about how the vehicle star safety rating works.” There will also be a chance to ask about some of the new vehicle safety technology that modern cars are equipped with where women of all ages could build independence and understand more about how their vehicles worked Those wanting to attend the event must be 18 years or older. They can register for the event here Greenpeace Aotearoa says that it is deeply concerned about the safety of drinking water in the Ashburton District after close to one in five bore water samples tested for nitrate at the beginning of April exceeded levels linked with blue baby syndrome The organisation says that this is indicative of a failure by Environment Canterbury to protect drinking water from contamination.  “Environment Canterbury has a responsibility to protect Cantabrians and they are failing in their duty by allowing drinking water contamination to exceed the Government’s maximum standards for nitrate contamination.” Two samples tested were just over double the level of nitrate permitted in drinking water – a standard set in the 1950s to prevent Blue Baby Syndrome this standard doesn’t capture other serious health risks associated with nitrate-contaminated drinking water.  Almost half of all bore water samples tested at Greenpeace Aotearoa’s Ashburton town hall water testing event in early April were above 5 mg/L of nitrate a level linked to an increased risk of preterm birth The New Zealand College of Midwives recommends pregnant people consider avoiding water above 5 mg/L for nitrate A sample from the Hinds town supply also tested at 6.55 mg/L “It’s unacceptable that these communities have such high levels of nitrate in their drinking water and it’s particularly concerning for pregnant people and small babies whose health could be at risk,” adds Appelbe.   should be able to drink the water from their kitchen tap without worrying about getting sick This is a present and looming public health crisis for Mid Canterbury.” There is a growing body of evidence that indicates that longer-term exposure to drinking water above 0.87 mg/L can increase the risk of bowel cancer Greenpeace tested 27 samples from the Ashburton town supply “Safe drinking water is a fundamental necessity for life and it’s alarming that rural communities are dealing with such dangerously high levels of nitrate contamination in their water.  “Intensive dairying is the main source of nitrate pollution in Canterbury – with nitrate from dairy cattle urine and synthetic nitrogen fertiliser leaching into drinking water supplies The solution is clear – we need a phase out of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and to transition to more sustainable forms of agriculture that don’t pollute the lakes Local body elections are approaching later this year and people in the Ashburton District are ready to demand their elected representatives take action to address this drinking water crisis,” says Applebe.  Call on Christopher Luxon to leave New Zealand’s freshwater protections alone The Australian election result has sent a clear message across the Tasman: voters will not tolerate Trump-style politics that fuel environmental destruction and ignore the climate crisis Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling out the Luxon Government for “leaving the gate wide open” to more dairy conversion with no plan to protect fresh water from pollution Greenpeace Aotearoa has written to Manatū Hauora – Ministry of Health again following testing that revealed high levels of nitrate contamination in Ashburton District drinking water Mid-way through consultation on the future of Ashburton's water services mayor Neil Brown is encouraged by the community getting involved in the conversation It is - after all - one of "the biggest decisions council will make in many so it is important to hear from the community "The public needs to tell us if we are heading in the right direction it's tick box exercise and gives us an indication of what people are supporting." The consultation is part of the government's Local Water Done Well reforms which require councils to submit a plan on the future of their water delivery by September Ashburton District Council had received 79 submissions as of Monday public meetings were held in Methven and Ashburton last week Brown outlined the proposal for the stand-alone business unit before taking a wide range of questions "The infrastructure is owned by the Ashburton District Council." That does not change under the stand-alone business model The council provides drinking water to 70 percent of the district the other 30 percent are private drinking supplies which are not under the regulations he said There were several questions about water meters and introducing volumetric charging - where the user pays for how much water they use rather than a set rate Brown said it is not a part of the legislation The council introduced water meters in Methven for leak detection and they have been effective at finding them "That's all we have been using water meters for the drinking water regulator or commerce commission says you need to charge by a volumetric method we would have to meter the [rest] of the supply." New builds are having water meters installed and all businesses have a meter and pay a volumetric charge Adding fluoride to drinking water was also raised Brown said the council has no plans to change the status quo where Methven is the only supply with fluoride and any decision around fluoride was now up to the Ministry of Health The district infrastructure is in good shape because the council "spent a lot of money over the years on infrastructure" He estimated $60m of council debt was for water services the council needs to change how water services are managed and delivered in the future but whichever model is chosen will cost more The consultation closes on 27 April with hearings The deliberations and decision will be made on 21 May the council will prepare its water services delivery plan to submit to the government by 3 September - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air Te Whatu Ora last week issued a warning about toxic blue-green algae in Lake Hood near Ashburton Canterbury's 10 water zone committees look set for a restructure but the Ashburton chair is questioning where the accountability is in the proposed new model More than half of the wells monitored in the Canterbury Regional Council's annual groundwater survey have shown nitrate levels are still likely increasing Local Democracy Reporting RSS Follow RNZ News Police have confirmed one casualty in a fire that significantly damaged a Glassey Drive home overnight in Ashburton Fire and Emergency received calls of the blaze at 12.45am About 25 firefighters were on the ground extinguishing the blaze they also had assistance from police and ambulance but earlier could not confirm if all residents were accounted for Investigators returned to the scene on Sunday morning and found a body in the debris Enquiries into the cause of the fire are continuing Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday A FENZ spokesperson said the original alert at 2.30am gave no details but they soon found a ute crashed in a ditch The eastern Bay of Plenty is expected to bear the brunt of the worst downpours Four fire crews and a specialist swift water rescue team responded and freed two people from the car Health New Zealand has admitted it marked an upgrade to faulty pipes at Auckland City Hospital as complete when in fact it was not Police are investigating a fire at an abandoned property in the suburb of Manurewa overnight New Zealand RSS Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial The victim of the April 6 blaze in Ashburton was 30-year-old sheep shearer Richard Parore The sister of a young father killed in a house fire says his tragic and untimely death will leave an “irreplaceable” hole in their family The victim of the blaze in Ashburton last Sunday was 30-year-old sheep shearer Richard Parore His older sister Melanie Ruka told the Herald “Smokey was a cheeky bugger who put himself out there and had a knack of bringing people together” Ruka said her brother was a very loyal friend who didn’t hold grudges against anyone She said Parore’s happy place was the shearing shed but “he was even happier with a group of his mates and a box of Steinlager The free beers always tasted a bit sweeter” His mother paid tribute to her beloved son by reaching out and asking the community to help her “whānau as we work together and figure out life without my boy” Nona Parore wrote in a Givealittle post And we as a whānau are collectively just trying to navigate through the grief that has happened so suddenly “My son was a young father to my precious moko who’s 5 years old He was a beautiful soul to his whānau and friends.” Nona Parore said any funds will go towards funeral costs and any additional costs will go towards Richard’s son Emergency services were called to the scene in the early hours of Sunday Parore’s body was recovered later that morning Police and fire investigators completed their scene examination on Monday which about 25 firefighters attended with help from police and Hato Hone St John and the death had been referred to the coroner The public holidays over Easter and Anzac Day 2025 will see temporary changes to some Council services and facilities Ashburton’s kerbside collection service will not operate on Good Friday so people whose bins are normally emptied on a Friday should put them out for collection on Saturday 19 April instead Bins will be collected as normal the week beginning Monday 21 April Anzac Day is on Friday 25 April and there will be no change to kerbside collection that day; put your bins out as normal The Ashburton Resource Recovery Park will be closed Friday 18 April and closed Anzac Day Friday 25 April The park will be open its usual winter hours 9am-5pm on Saturday 19 April Sunday 20 April and Easter Monday 21 April Rakaia Resource Recovery Park will be closed Friday 18 April and Monday 21 April The Methven greenwaste facility will be open Sunday 20 April The Ashburton Library will be closed on Easter Friday and Easter Monday 18 and 21 April; it will open on Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm The Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum will be closed Friday 18 April but open for the rest of the Easter holiday break which offers a great chance to check out the latest exhibits 1-4pm and is inviting people to join them for a special Anzac Day talk with Sarah Johnston EA Networks Centre will be closed on Friday 18 April It will be open 7am to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday 19 and 20 April (though pools and gym close an hour earlier at 6pm) and open on Easter Monday 21 April from 10am-5pm it will be open from 1pm-7pm (pools and gym close an hour earlier at 6pm) Come down and try the new outdoor sand court – pop into the centre’s reception area and they will roll off the covers Bring your own beach volleyball or hire one Snap Send Solves and website requests will be cleared when the office opens for business as usual on Tuesday Customer Services will be closed on Anzac Day Temporary road closures will be in place for Anzac Day ceremonies at the Cenotaph at Baring Square West on 25 April The civic service and wreath-laying ceremony at Baring Square West starts at 11am Public toilets around the district will be open daily as usual over Easter and on Anzac Day Piche Resources (ASX:PR2) has unveiled results from the first six reverse circulation drilling holes completed at its Ashburton Project in Western Australia The holes targeted uranium mineralisation at the Angelo A prospect where no drilling has been undertaken in the last 40 years and confirmed the down-dip continuation of the mineralisation The best results include 6.98m @ 1,617 parts per million (ppm) uranium equivalent from 191.84m and 4.36m @ 2,205ppm uranium equivalent from 109.89m Piche says all holes returned “significant high-grade uranium mineralisation” the highest being a 0.34m interval measuring 16,050 ppm uranium equivalent Managing Director Stephen Mann says the latest drilling work confirms the historical results from years past “Drilling to date has confirmed that mineralisation occurs within the typical unconformity model with highly altered uranium-rich sandstones at the unconformity and the potential of mineralised ‘feeder’ zones extending steeply below that unconformity zone,” he explains “It is expected that further drilling in this campaign should result in more clarity of the distribution and controls of mineralisation.” Once drilling has been completed at Angelo A the rig will move to the Angelo B prospect Piche expects to begin a follow-up diamond drilling program later this month Located 140km southwest of Newman in WA’s Pilbara region the Ashburton Project spans three tenements totalling roughly 122km2 Piche also owns the Sierra Cuadrada Uranium Project and Cerro Chacon Gold Project in Argentina as well as other packages of land prospective for uranium Piche Resources made its debut on the ASX in July with a market value of just over $16 million prior to listing Write to Oliver Gray at Mining.com.au Most voting-age residents of the Ashburton District would have received a letter from the Electoral Commission in the past month reminding them about voting in the local elections this October and typically when an incumbent mayor chooses to leave there’s always more interest in these elections If you want to have your say on who represents you around the Council table or update your enrolment details if you have shifted If your details are correct in the Electoral Commission’s letter, then you don’t need to do anything. If not, update your details and return the form in the reply paid envelope, or go online at vote.nz and update them that way There are about 28,500 eligible voters in the Ashburton district and so far almost 84 per cent of them are enrolled to vote Your elected officials (Councillors) make decisions to ensure the smooth management of services that are essential to communities – like safe drinking water as well as facilities like a public library It is a challenging and rewarding role and councillors constantly balance the needs of the district against the nice-to-haves Council will be holding a candidate information evening on 2 July for those interested in running One big decision Council is making at the moment is the future delivery of its water services under the Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation there were over 200 responses and the vast majority supported Council’s proposed model of an in-house standalone business unit to keep delivering drinking water While the current Council will make the decisions on the structure of our future water services it will be up to the new Council to ensure those decisions are implemented seamlessly and water services continue to run well This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive A Hong Kong investor has acquired a childcare centre in Melbourne’s south-east suburb of Ashburton for $10.79m Nino Early Childcare centre is licensed for 134 places and was sold to the first-time investor for $80,000/place The 1,683 sq m centre was built in 2018 and is currently Leased to Nino Early Learning Adventures Stonebridge Property Group’s Kevin Tong and Rorey James were handling the transaction “Our annual Lunar New Year event hosted over 130 attendees (mainly Asian investors) and the overall sentiment and feedback from the offshore buyers remain positive with many of these groups cashed up and eager to buy,” said Tong “Note that this buyer pool represented 56% of all the Childcare centres we sold in Victoria over the last 12 months.” Childcare centres have been a growing asset class for Asian investors The recent transaction is the latest in a series of childcare sales by Stonebridge’s Asia Practice to Asian capital “We have seen a resurgence of market sentiment from both investors and vendors across recent weeks with this sale being a promising sign for what we believe will be a highly transactional year,“ added James “While the yield for the property was influenced by a higher rent and an upcoming market review the sale should provide the market confidence of the continued for Victorian childcare assets.” In December, Stonebridge sold a portfolio of three Victorian childcare centres for $35m Green Street’s global news publications are not provided as an investment advisor nor in the capacity of a fiduciary  Our global organization maintains information barriers to ensure the independence of and distinction between our non-regulated and regulated businesses is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 482269) and a private limited company incorporated in England and Wales with company number 06471304 Greenpeace Aotearoa will be offering its free drinking water testing service in Ashburton and Methven this Friday and Sunday This is the first time the organisation’s water testing programme has returned to the Ashburton area since 2023 when 77% of samples had elevated levels of nitrate Drop-in testing events will be held at the Ashburton Events Centre on Friday and the Mt Hutt Memorial Hall in Methven on Sunday should know the water coming out of their tap is safe to drink “Canterbury is a hotspot of freshwater contamination in Aotearoa Many communities are drinking water that is contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate A growing body of research shows that nitrate levels in drinking water well below the current legal limits – as low as 1 mg/L NO3-N – can increase the risk of bowel cancer drinking water samples from Oxford and Darfield tested at or above 5 mg/L of nitrate the level which has been associated with an increased risk of pre-term birth “We’re particularly concerned about households on private bores Previous testing events have found samples with levels as high as 25 mg/L of nitrate contamination in people’s drinking water These people are often unaware that the water coming out of their kitchen tap is unsafe.” “I have lived in Canterbury my whole life and seen how the land has been transformed in just a few decades and it has contaminated the groundwater that Canterbury communities rely on for drinking water.” “The long-term solution is to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and move to more sustainable farming practices Environment Canterbury must take leadership on this impacted communities can vote to make a difference later this year at the local elections.” Ashburton District Council and the Electoral Commission will hold a community open day on 29 May to encourage people to make sure their enrolment details so they can vote in the local elections later this year Anyone who is enrolled can vote in the elections which are held to select the people we want to represent us on our local councils Councils make decisions on things like rates The community open day on 29 May will be held in the Ashburton Lakes Room at the Ashburton Library and the Electoral Commission Team will be available between 9.30am and 2.30pm and from 6.30pm to 7.30pm Group Manager for Democracy and Engagement Toni Durham said it was important to vote and have a say on who the mayor and councillors would be “Council’s Welcoming Communities advisor will also be helping share information about the local elections with the district’s migrant and newcomer communities and we’ll be exploring ways to engage with young people who will be eligible to vote for the first time.” the open day on Thursday 29 May is also an opportunity to learn more about the local elections including key dates and how to nominate a candidate If you are unable to make it to the open day you can enrol or update your details, including your address, online at vote.nz Library staff can help you with this or you can call 0800 36 76 56 for help What are the key dates for the 2025 local elections Ashburton's second bridge has been 15 years in the making Initially planned to ease increasing traffic volumes the 2021 Canterbury floods highlighted its critical role for Ashburton and the South Island It's not there yet, but the Government will fund the bridge while the Ashburton District Council covers the new connecting road Still, some believe the Chalmers Ave route for the second bridge isn't the best option Comments like "the only solution is to put a highway bypass on the outskirts of town and leave Ashburton traffic to get where they want to go" appear every time the project hits the news Bypass options were considered in the early days but discarded due high costs and a lack of NZTA support has seen the second bridge progress from concept to construction Brown remembers considering the options in 2010-11 and that the Chalmers Ave option was the most cost-effective and Chalmers Ave ticked the most boxes to deliver what was required "It's also the one that NZTA supported and suggested if council didn't support it then they wouldn't be funding their share "It was the logical decision to go with Chalmers Ave." A bypass was considered expensive in 2011 and today it would probably cost $1 billion and cause major disruption it would take years to get all of that done." Diverting SH1 to a new bypass route would also see the council inherit the infrastructure - the 97-year-old bridge and the traffic lights - along the existing SH1 "That would be a huge added cost going forward." He still believes Chalmers Ave is the right option There is now light at the end of the tunnel (not one of the options considered) and with construction of a second river crossing in Ashburton in sight In 2005 Transit New Zealand (now NZTA) and the Ashburton District Council commissioned Opus to identify transportation demands within the Ashburton urban area through to 2026 and recommend measures for improvements This led to the Ashburton Transport 1 Study It highlighted the future problem of State Highway 1's ability to cope with increasing traffic particularly at the Ashburton River Bridge A second bridge was identified as the solution for local traffic a report explored 13 options for the second bridge including bypasses to the west and east of the town Chalmers Avenue to Grove Street was initially the preferred option with Chalmers Avenue to the east of Tinwald the second option A second report in 2011 focused on eight options They included an eastern bypass from Fairton to Winslow with the 26km route estimated to cost between $69-84m or a shorter 9.3km route from Seafield Road to Laings Road for $48-58m The report noted a bypass and the removal of through traffic was "likely to have negative impacts on Ashburton businesses" and that NZTA funding was unlikely The council identified the Chalmers Ave options as the preferred route Connecting to Grove Street met plenty of public opposition and the council resolved to focus a Chalmers Avenue to east of Tinwald options - an urban and a rural option The bridge route was fought by the Ashburton Bridge Action group which produced now-former councillors Dianne Rawlinson and Alasdair Urquhart A decision was made in 2013 to go with the Chalmers Ave route linking up with Grahams Road and seek land designation including affected landowners and stakeholders Their recommendations were considered at a council meeting in May where the Notice of Requirement for the designation was confirmed when mayor Angus McKay used his casting vote leading to an amendment in the District Plan at the time the construction of the bridge was intended to begin in 2026 Work on a business case to secure Government funding started at the end of 2018 The council budgeted $7.5m in its 2021-31 long-term plan for was an estimated $37m project The council submitted the detailed business case to NZTA to help fund a 'nationally significant' $113.6m second bridge in 2022 The business case also reiterated the bypass options were not progressed due to affordability concerns and it only benefitted through traffic "which accounts for only 20-30% of the demand on the existing SH1 Bridge" This posed the risk a bypass would carry a relatively low volume of traffic and "not solve the inherent problems" The second bridge project was included in the National Land Transport Plan released by the Government in September NZTA and the council reached a funding agreement in December with construction expected to begin in 2026 Brown said the second bridge is a local road that will benefit SH1 by providing an alternate crossing for the local traffic and freeing up the flows on SH1 "Traffic isn't going to divert from SH1 to go through town to use the second bridge "A lot of those vehicles [that will use the second bridge] are already using Chalmers Ave now as they come over the SH1 bridge and turn down South Street." Chalmers Ave used to be a two-lane road but the onset of cycle lanes reduced it to one The roundabouts on Chalmers Ave were upgraded last year to handle the increased traffic volumes and heavy traffic already using the road Brown said the rest of the road is programmed to get a new asphalt seal "We just have to wait for any underground works to be completed before we do it." The second bridge was a hard and long sell to get approved for NZTA funding Initial estimates put the Chalmers Ave second bridge at $30-35m but the latest 2024 estimate put it at $130m A Fairton-Winslow bypass was estimated at $69-84m so would now exceed $250m a total of around 6km of new SH1 highway the Government will fund and a previous cost estimate in 2022 was $120m which would have the 26km Fairton-Winslow route cost $520m excluding the added extra land and bridge costs Putting the second bridge alongside the existing SH1 bridge is another popular option It had community support because as a SH1 bridge it would have been government-funded but NZTA opposed having three bridges in "such close proximity" The other factor was the push for four-laning SH1 from Rolleston to Ashburton Four-laning SH1 was set to be considered by NZTA In 2017 when a business case looking at traffic solutions on SH1 between Christchurch and Dunedin was ready to go before the NZTA Board the National Government announced its roads of national significance policy that included four lanes from Christchurch to Ashburton That had the business case shelved only for National to lose the election later that year and the roads of national significance were scrapped by the incoming Labour-led coalition Government released under the Official Information Act shows the preferred option was not four lanes It included a second bridge in Ashburton and a series of "2+1" lanes essentially alternating passing lanes between Christchurch and Ashburton It suggested West Street/SH1 be four lanes between Havelock and Moore Streets and signalled required upgrades at the Walnut Ave/SH1 intersection (traffic lights installed in 2022) and the Tinwald corridor at the Lagmhor/Agnes Street (traffic lights installed in 2024) LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown remains confident that the town's second bridge won't fall into what could be a $24 billion fiscal hole The long-awaited project will help reduce congestion along State Highway 1 where the existing bridge has had to close twice due to flooding in recent years Ashburton District Council has again welcomed ANZ bank as the naming partner for the 2026 Business of the Year Awards Mayor Neil Brown and ANZ Senior Manager Jeremy Macavoy ANZ Senior Manager Jeremy Macavoy said ANZ was proud to be the naming partner of the awards for the third time "Every awards season we discover new inspirational stories of home-grown people doing amazing things in the business world “It’s great to take a moment to recognise acknowledge and celebrate local success.” Mayor Neil Brown said the awards are open to any Mid Canterbury-based business and offer an opportunity to showcase their success to a new audience “Whether you’re a sole operator or trading at scale and whether you’re a new or established business – these awards are for you.” “Many people who’ve taken part in these awards have said it’s been a great networking event.” The Ashburton District Council is teaming up again with Rí Rá Events to run the awards “They know how to make the event a great experience and an overall fun night for everyone.” Category winners and a supreme winner will be announced at the gala dinner on 20 February 2026 at the aviation museum’s huge superhangar which also hosted the 2024 awards The event category partners for 2026 include Abbot Insurance Brokers The awards are held every two years and entries for the 2026 event will open in the coming months For more information visit the ANZ Business of the Year awards website businessoftheyear.nz Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article Dunning was appointed solicitor general in 1768, probably at the instance of Lord Chancellor Camden, who as chief justice of common pleas had upheld Dunning’s argument against general warrants (in Wilkes’s case) Dunning’s election to Parliament was secured by Lord Shelburne The man who died on April 6 following a house fire on Glassy Drive in Ashburton was Richard Parore The victim of a fatal house fire in Ashburton was 30-year-old shearer Richard Parore Emergency services were called to the blaze in the early hours of Sunday Friends and family have paid tribute online “Richard will miss ur smile and humor,” said one user which had seen about 25 firefighters attend with help from police and Hato Hone St John Pigeons are not welcome at Te Whare Whakatere in Ashburton The district council plans to spend $20,000 on a Flock-Off bird deterrent system to rid the new $62.1m library and civic centre of its bothersome birds Chief executive Hamish Riach said the cost of the technology will be offset by a reduction in cleaning costs "The cost of cleaning is in the region of $15,000 per annum so the $20,000 investment for the Flock-Off system has a strong payback within 18 months," Riach said "We also foresee an escalation in the cleaning costs as the pigeons become more established He said the intention is to install it at Te Whare Whakatere first and if it proves successful it will then be installed at the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum as well "We investigated several other options such as shooting and spikes which were discounted for various reasons including aesthetics or practical suitability for the building." The "discreet looking solution" generates a series of electromagnetic pulses that birds perceive as an area to avoid he said "The signal creates an invisible barrier which deters birds without harming them "It operates at a voltage like household appliances and poses no danger to the public The council is still working through the details of where the technology will be installed he said It is also awaiting the official sign off in the annual plan process Pigeons were not declared pests in the Canterbury Regional Pest Management Plan 2018 - 2038 which means there is no statutory responsibilities for anyone to control pigeons But the cost of cleaning up after them has long been an issue for buildings in Ashburton's CBD the Ashburton Event Centre - a council funded agency -continues to battle the pigeons roosting in the comfort of the heating system on the roof Ashburton Trust Event Centre general manager Roger Farr recently provided a six-month update to the council "They are not as bad as they used to be on our building," he said "It does cost a considerable amount of money each year "We are spending anything up to $15,000 at the moment maintaining pigeons and cleaning the roof." He said they have a contractor in twice a year to clean the roof and it just "has got to be done" He told the councillors after a recent heavy rain "there was a smell coming through the air conditioning" "If its not cleaned it permeates through the whole building," Farr said Two bronze bird statues have flown the coop You might not have ever heard of pigeon racing but there are clubs all around Aotearoa with people just like these two competitng Police say a man had been shooting pigeons at his home - which borders the school - with a BB gun Top Stories RSS Come along to an advance screening of the Greenpeace documentary and drinking water have been heading on a rapid downhill trajectory People across Canterbury are fighting back to protect their access to fresh water – and this is their story Join Greenpeace campaigner Will Appelbe as he travels throughout the Canterbury region speaking to communities who are on the frontlines of the freshwater crisis We speak to elders who have experienced dramatic changes to their local waterways within their lifetimes as a result of industry pollution and we hear from those who are campaigning to improve the state of lakes Greenpeace will be hosting two FREE advance screenings of this documentary in April 2025 RSVP for these and related events. We will continue to work to distribute the documentary after these screenings – so stay tuned for more information The damage caused by Canterbury floods is yet another reminder of the risk of continuing to ignore the intensive dairy-fuelled climate crisis Your toast and your porridge might soon have an unwelcome new ingredient Let the Government know what you think of raising the Roundup/glyphosate limits on food That’s the question behind a survey being carried out by the Age Friendly Ashburton District Steering Group and Safer Mid Canterbury at the moment Residents aged 55 and over are being invited to complete the survey so that they can contribute their experience of living in Ashburton District Findings from the survey will help create an age-friendly plan to celebrate the best of living in the district for older residents and to see what could be improved to make the experience even better The voluntary survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and responses are anonymous The survey is a Safe Communities project and has been funded by the Office for Seniors (within the Ministry for Social Development) The age friendly steering group is chaired by deputy mayor Liz McMillan and includes Cr Carolyn Cameron and Cr Lynette Lovett The easiest way to do the survey is online here Paper copies are available for you to print at home and completed surveys can be returned to the Ashburton Library as well as Lochlea Lifestyle Resort reception Terrace View and Coldstream Lifecare reception A fatal fire in Ashburton in the early hours of Sunday is not considered to be suspicious Emergency services were called to the blaze on Glassey Drive Police said the deceased was found inside the building and that there were no other people unaccounted for Police and Fire investigators had now completed a scene examination and determined the fire was not suspicious The death has been referred to the Coroner said she was woken in the middle of the night by two men who knocked on her bedroom window to alert her to the fire and there was a lot of smoke and a lot of sparks." Police have confirmed one casualty in a fire that significantly damaged a home in Glassey Drive Bring your family and join us for three magical nights of light food and fun for all ages at Ashburton Glow in the Park Don't miss the chance to experience Ashburton Domain under the colourful glow of our breathtaking lighting displays Visit glowinthepark.nz to find out more Free entry | 5.30pm-9pm | King's Birthday Weekend | Ashburton Domain