Ashburton's mayor is backing a proposal to make Mid Canterbury residents pay more for events at the new Christchurch stadium Ratepayers outside the city won't contribute directly to fund or run the new $683 million One New Zealand Stadium / Te Kaha Ashburton Mayor Brown said he supported the user pays model over attempts to introduce a region-wide rate "If people from Mid Canterbury want to use the stadium they may have to pay a little bit more - I'm happy with that They either pay the levy and use the facility or don't pay it and don't use the facility - it's not something forced upon them "If they put the levy too high then it will deter people from using the facility and that's not what they want so they will need to put some thought into what the levy will be." a roofed stadium with 30,000 seats and room for 36,000 concert-goers Christchurch City Council and Venues Ōtautahi the council-owned operator of sports and hospitality facilities have ruled out seeking ratepayers across Canterbury to contribute to the cost of operating the arena Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said they are developing a commercial model that will cover the cost of running the stadium which includes a potential ticket levy for people living outside the city Harvie-Teare said the details around the ticket levy are still being worked through and will be workshopped with the council later this month It will come down to having the "system and technology to enable that to be done accurately" She said additional financial support isn't expected to be needed for the stadium's operations for at least the first three years after it opens Funding for the construction of the stadium has come from central government ($230m) The city council allocated $453m - with ratepayers contributing through a 30-year levy at an average of around $144 per year One New Zealand secured the naming rights sponsorship for 2026-36 for the stadium but the land beneath the venue will remain Te Kaha and the whole precinct will be known as Te Kaharoa - the names gifted to the city by Ngai Tūāhuriri Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger said he would ask other Canterbury councils to help pay for the new multi-use arena in the city That request was never formally followed through Brown said Ashburton would "need to see a good business case" to prove the financial benefits of the arena in Christchurch to the district to warrant any contribution suggesting "we have our own projects to fund." Mauger did eventually ask for help with operational funding when he wrote to Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton and Environment Canterbury chair Peter Scott in February 2024 LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air Christchurch's long-awaited $683 million stadium is on track to open its doors in one year's time Construction of the 30,000-seat roofed arena is continuing ahead of its planned opening in April 2026 New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News 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 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 pilot's flight path spelled 'I love you' in the sky over Auckland and Warkworth 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 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 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 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 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 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 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) 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 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 Five weeks of night work to resurface a section of SH1 in Ashburton is due to start from Sunday 30 March through to around 9 May UPDATE: Weather has affected the original start date for this work Although the work’s biggest impacts will be experienced overnight after 8pm this work will slow down traffic during the daytimes also says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Crews will be renewing the asphalt on SH1 West St from the SH77 intersection at Moore St to the Ashburton River Bridge in three stages Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA in Mid Canterbury “Crews will be working on SH1 from 8pm each night through to 6am each morning Detours will be available for all traffic but there will be delays at times,” he says night-time work will affect daytime journeys “People need to be aware that traffic management will change over the five weeks,” says Mr Chambers to highway closures and local road detours People need to build in extra time along this section of SH1 West St.” He advises allowing an extra 30 minutes if you are travelling through Ashburton after 8pm – and if possible avoid travelling during the typical morning and afternoon peaks “We acknowledge that even though we are completing the most impactful work at night the work site will cause congestion and delays in the area during daytime.” The State Highway will be reopened each day at 6am under temporary speed limits with reduced lane widths There will be no work undertaken over Easter Weekend – Friday 18 April through to Easter Monday KiwiRail will take the opportunity to complete maintenance work on the SH1 level rail crossing prior to the resurfacing This will reduce disruptions around further works being required in the immediate future NZTA thanks all night-time drivers for taking care around the work site and on the detour routes when they are being used “We only have a few short weeks left before autumn temperatures make this kind of project unviable so crews will be doing their best to complete it as fast as they can.” Work happening from next week (10 March) which will also affect Ashburton road users the Ashburton District Council will be undertaking maintenance and renewal works replacing a 110-year-old watermain within SH1 between Kermode St and SH77 Drivers can expect some disruption and delay with construction works in the area from Monday 10 March while these works are completed ahead the highway surfacing rehabilitation works Central and local government have been looking for ways to overcome the challenges facing water services – that is wastewater and stormwater – known as three waters As a result, the Government has announced a reform programme, with the latest direction being set in December 2023. The reform has been previously known as Three Waters, Affordable Water, and now it's called Local Water Done Well the Council ran a survey of residents to gather public opinion on the reforms to help inform the stance of the Ashburton District During the Government's development of these reforms, the Ashburton District Council sent several submissions to Government indicating its concerns. It also joined a group of 30 councils called C4LD - Communities for Local Democracy who opposed previous iterations of the reforms Now that the Government has settled on the Local Water Done Well programme the Council is considering what might work best for Mid Canterbury under the available options various Council Controlled Organisation structures (CCO’s) or consumer trust models Water CCO’s can borrow up to 500% of their operating revenue from the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) which is a much higher lending rate than councils can currently access the Council will narrow down its options and discuss with the community in March or April 2025 The Council will then write a Water Services Delivery Plan.  Plans are due to be submitted to the Department of Internal Affairs by August 2025 and will be subject to the approval of the Minister for Local Government The Government reviewed how to improve the regulation and supply arrangements of drinking water wastewater and stormwater (three waters) to better support New Zealand’s prosperity The 2017 review ran in parallel to the latter stages of the Government Inquiry into Havelock North Drinking Water which was set up following a campylobacter outbreak in 2016 Up to 5500 people were ill as a result and four people are thought to have died from associated causes The initial findings of the review were consistent with many of the Havelock North Inquiry’s findings and raised broader questions about the effectiveness of the regulatory regime for the three waters and the capability and sustainability of water service providers Effective three waters services are essential for our communities A key feature of Local Water Done Well is providing councils with the flexibility to determine the optimal structure and delivery method for their water services the Government is progressing legislation to expand the range of local government water service providers by enabling the establishment of new These new water organisations are intended to enable enhanced access to long-term borrowing for water infrastructure – supporting infrastructure development Councils will continue to be able to deliver water services directly (such as through inhouse business units) however they will also be able to establish new water organisations that are more financially and operationally independent of councils These models also make it easier for councils who wish to enter joint arrangements to achieve cost savings Councils will be able to design their own alternative delivery arrangements as long as these arrangements meet the minimum requirements set out in legislation Councils will also have choices about which water services are provided through different service delivery arrangements they may wish to provide drinking water and wastewater services through a water organisation but retain stormwater services in-house the Government has committed that water services will remain in public ownership Councils and water organisations will not be able to privatise water services The choices available to councils include: Councils that already deliver water services via a council-controlled organisation or council-controlled trading organisation will be able to continue to use these arrangements the council-controlled organisation or council-controlled trading organisation will be subject to all of the new statutory requirements that will apply to water organisations and changes are likely to be required to meet these requirements as long as these arrangements meet the requirements for water service providers This guidance provides further detail on the following illustrative examples outlined below Other delivery models are permissible provided they meet certain minimum requirements or if a council obtains an exemption Water Services Delivery Plans (Plans) are a way for councils to demonstrate their commitment to deliver water services that meet regulatory requirements councils will provide an assessment of their water infrastructure and how they plan to finance and deliver it through their preferred water service delivery model transitional requirement under the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024 timeframe and process for developing and accepting Plans either individually or with other councils by 3 September 2025 (unless an extension is granted) For councils that set up or become involved in a water organisation it is expected that councils will establish constitutions with requirements expected to include: There are no restrictions on what can be included within a company constitution provided it meets the requirements of relevant legislation To ensure financial separation from councils is maintained amendment of key features of the constitutions will require agreement by super-majority (75%) of shareholders Shareholding councils may also wish to provide for the establishment of a shareholder council (or similar body) to represent council interests in the entity This body would support the coordination of multiple council interests and could play a key role in developing shareholder expectations appointing board directors and overseeing performance Establishment of a shareholder council (or similar body) is not a statutory requirement but is advisable to avoid multiple interfaces between the water organisation and its owners Members of a shareholder council could be appointed by councils and/or trustees of consumer trusts there would be no statutory restrictions on who could be appointed to a shareholder council The process of appointing a shareholder council could be set out in a shareholder agreement Live on the Lawn – An Afternoon of Jazz & Groove Grab your picnic blanket and soak up the sounds of Canterbury’s finest musicians in the beautiful Ashburton Domain Bring your own picnic or grab a bite from our onsite food trucks Proudly supported by The Breeze - see you on the lawn Set aside Saturday 29 March in your calendars a new outdoor music event has been announced for Ashburton: Live on the Lawn will offer an afternoon of live jazz set amongst the trees with visitors encouraged to bring their picnic blanket and settle down for a lazy Saturday afternoon of beats amongst the blooms and people are invited to bring their own lunch and refreshments or find a tasty treat from one of the onsite vendors Council is hoping that Live on the Lawn will become an annual event although the genre of music is likely to change from year to year said the event will fill an important gap in the Council’s line-up of community events “We have well-established and successful events such as Glow in the Park Light up the Night and the Hakatere Noodle Festival but we knew we were missing an event in late summer “An outdoor concert in the domain is a great fit for the warmer months and while it will be family-friendly offers something a bit more orientated towards adults.” The roster for this year includes a who’s who of Canterbury jazz royalty including The Curio Club - a trio specialising in transforming well-loved rock and pop songs into jazz; Garden City Combo - comprising of members from Christchurch’s Garden City Big Band; and Swing 42 – a group of some of our most dedicated and respected jazz musicians Live on the Lawn will take place on the Long Lawn (located adjacent to the West Street layby) in the Ashburton Domain on Saturday 29 March from 12pm-3.30pm Follow the Council’s Facebook page or website for updates 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 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 MetService National Weather Update: May 7 - May 9 will Ashburton still roll out green waste bins That was the question Mayor Neil Brown wanted answered during the recent council budget workshops at the end of January The government changed the mandatory requirements for councils to introduce food waste services at the end of last year It was a decision made months after the Ashburton District Council consulted on introducing a broader organic waste service set to roll out in September 2026 with strong community support Brown felt it required another discussion following the government backtrack "I'm not saying we would change any decision but I think we need to have the discussion to confirm or change [the decision]… because things have changed." It made good sense to at least have the discussion he said after the workshops concluded last week The brief discussion reaffirmed the council's direction "The decision to continue with the rollout was pretty straightforward "The community has expressed strong support for the introduction of a green-waste kerbside service and we've already secured substantial funding from the Ministry for the Environment "The tender process is going well and we remain on track to introduce the service from September next year when our new waste management contract takes effect." the government agreed to five policies to improve household recycling The standardisation of which materials can be included in recycling schemes took effect in February The new government decided at the end of last year that the other four (mandatory kerbside composting and recycling for urban areas report on materials diverted from landfill and performance standards for council recycling and composting schemes) will no longer go ahead The Ministry for the Environment update in December stated the government decision had been aimed at reducing additional costs on councils and allowing more choice around the timing for introducing any new services It also said the government would continue to support councils to introduce recycling and food scraps collections through the Waste Minimisation Fund A Ministry for the Environment spokesperson said the council was granted $863,000 through the Waste Minimisation Fund "This is to help the council establish a combined food and green waste kerbside collection service for households." Ashburton has already received around 70 percent of its funding towards rolling out the bins The project is due to be completed by early 2026 and the council would have to "discuss any changes to this timeline with the ministry" The household was accused of putting out multiple yellow and red bins to dump 480kg of rubbish and becoming abusive when approached about it A Fair Go episode pinned Ashburton as one of the worst recyclers in the country - which the council disputes Rotorua Lakes Council will introduce weekly food and green waste kerbside collection from July 2026 while its general rubbish collection will reduce to one fortnightly pick-up Ashburton District Councillors have agreed to split the cost of the new second bridge and connecting roads with Government Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today that Government would pay for a bridge across the Ashburton River from Chalmers Avenue to Carters Terrace and Council would pay for a new connecting road on the Tinwald side of the bridge Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown said Councillors had discussed the funding proposal and agreed in principle to it “I’m thrilled with where it’s landed and we’ll be presenting a more detailed financial breakdown of the split to our community in due course The cost to council will be the building of the local road and this cost will be known once the design is completed “Officers are currently evaluating roading designs and we view this as an inter-generational project meaning that current and future generations should be expected to pay their share of the costs.” Mayor Brown said there had been some hard conversations over the past year or so and staff at both Council and NZ Transport Agency for getting the project to this important step.” Under the Government’s funding proposal the bridge would be considered a part of the State Highway network and maintained by NZ Transport Agency as part of its state highway work programme Mayor Brown said it was his understanding that the bridge would not be tolled “The new road at Tinwald could also open up future possibilities for housing when the process of re-zoning the land is completed.” Council would be responsible for constructing and funding 100% of the roads connecting the bridge to the rest of the local roading network the roads would receive Council’s usual NZTA subsidy of 51% for future maintenance Mayor Brown said a second bridge had been the subject of much community and Council debate and discussion since 2006 when it was first raised through the Ashburton Transportation Study “This new bridge will benefit local and regional traffic which creates significant pressure points on the state highway at peak hours and it will ensure a second crossing of the river if the existing bridge is out of action “The 2021 floods closed the bridge and highlighted the vulnerability the state highway network so a second bridge will make travel safer and freight connections more resilient “Another advantage of this project is that much of the land has already been acquired for the bridge and new Tinwald road and construction can happen without major disruption for the community and road users I look forward to seeing the first shovel in the ground in 2026.” The second bridge is listed in the Fast Track Approvals Bill to expedite the consenting process 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 Celebrate 160 years of the Ashburton Domain with a free outdoor screening of Inside Out a movie that the whole family will enjoy.   Bring your blanket for a picnic or buy some treats from the food court Arrive early to enjoy our pre-show live entertainment and a special giveaway Proudly supported by The Ashburton Guardian About Disney Pixar's - Inside Out (Rated G) Eleven year-old Riley has her world turned upside-down when her family moves to San Francisco 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 King's Birthday Weekend | Ashburton Domain “I feel like there’s not a lot to do if you’re not drinking.” Ashburton locals tell us what’s hot (and what’s not so hot) in Ashburton a small town an hour south from Christchurch.  The Regions is a docuseries that gives a snapshot of the lives of regional rangatahi in Aotearoa and what matters to them most Watch the series now on TVNZ+ and YouTube “I imagined life outside Gloriavale would look sad…but that’s not true at all.” “Hunting is the one thing that got me out of dark space.” ‘Sometimes being on the grounds feels mamae.’ Rangatahi at a gym in the Hokianga tell us what’s hot or not about their region “You actually have a sense of knowing who you are when you get that diagnosis.” ‘There's a lot of people that feel lonely growing up here.’ This marae is three hours’ drive from the nearest town ‘There’s a saying that Stewart Island is 10 years behind everyone else.’ but it’s my life - I’m going to do what I want.’ these rangatahi are at the beach learning how to fish It's a place that teenagers have organically chosen to make their own You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image An agreement is now in place to manage the construction of the second Ashburton bridge and connecting road as one project Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown said the bridge is really important for the community “I’m excited all the necessary paperwork to get it started is now signed and sealed.” NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and the Ashburton District Council signed the deal at the end of last week It means NZTA will tender the full work package as a design and build project later this year Construction is expected to start in mid-2026 Mayor Brown said the council will talk with the community about how it will fund the road construction once the costs are known “The most important thing for everyone to know is that this project can finally begin.” The agreement between the council and NZTA will mean the council still has a say in approving the concept plans for the second bridge and connecting road There will also be regular meetings during the construction period “to ask questions and ensure it is done in a timely manner” NZTA’s regional relationships acting director Ian Duncan said the NZTA board officially approved the project at its meeting last week allowing the work on the ground to now get under way Duncan said he is pleased to see progress on this project acknowledging the second bridge will provide significant resilience and new road connection across the Ashburton/Hakatere River Associate Transport Minister James Meager said the agreement between NZTA and the council is a major milestone in the second bridge project said the next steps are for geotechnical investigations to begin on the site in the coming days and weeks “A registration of interest will go out to market this week for technical and design support “This will be followed by procurement for detailed design and construction later in the year.” That tender process will determine how much the section of the new local road will cost The council has been buying property for the project since a land designation was confirmed in 2014 and the bridge and connecting road are shown in the District Plan It’s understood they are in the process of negotiating the purchase of the final property Ashburton Library and Keep Learning Mid Canterbury are teaming up to offer Ashburton’s first Fix It Fair on Saturday 1 February Pop along to the library between 10am and 1pm and you’ll find volunteers from local community groups able to fix your items or help you make a plan for where to get the item fixed Library Manager Jill Watson said the Fix It Fair was a free event and people could pop into the library at any time during the event with their broken items like a shirt with a missing button or a necklace with a broken clasp “We’ll have people there with the knowledge to fix things or offer advice “There are several aims of this event the first being to reduce things that are thrown away into landfill Fixing something that is broken saves money and the earth’s resources “The fair is also a great way for people to connect to community groups share their knowledge and learn repair skills.” CanBead will be on hand with all the tools needed to fix jewellery They can help with things like fixing clasps and shortening Digital Waitaha will be there to fix gaps in your knowledge when it comes to working out how to use your phone They can't fix faulty devices but often problems are with the user not the device itself so come along and get support and answers to your questions Menzshed members can help assess your items and show you what types of things they can fix down at the Menzshed where they have all the equipment to fix almost anything Mid Canterbury TimeBank members and other community volunteers will be available to offer simple repairs to household items - bring it with you and try your luck They can also mend or alter your clothing so you can get more wear out of it There’ll also be help to troubleshoot your garden woes Greenpeace says the levels of nitrate in Ashburton's water supply have reached unsafe levels Greenpeace is sounding alarms over Ashburton’s water claiming nitrate levels in some supplies pose a dangerous threat to infants – despite the council’s assurances of its safety The environmental advocacy group held a free bore water testing event at the Ashburton Town Hall in early April and said nearly one in five samples exceeded nitrate levels associated with blue baby syndrome Ashburton District Council group manager of infrastructure and open spaces Neil McCann said the council does its own testing and collects samples monthly from all 10 community drinking water supplies to ensure they do not exceed the maximum allowable nitrates as set out in the Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand “The latest test for the Hinds supply was 6.47mg/L nitrate-nitrogen (28.7mg/L nitrate),” McCann said the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards set a Maximum Acceptable Value (MAV) of 50 milligrams per litre (mg/l) for nitrate which is equivalent to 11.3 mg/l nitrate-nitrogen.” While those levels are still within the national limits Greenpeace says the standard – set in the 1950s – is outdated and doesn’t account for other known health risks associated with nitrates Greenpeace Aotearoa campaigner Will Appelbe said two samples collected during their event tested at “just over double the level of nitrate permitted in drinking water” referring to the 11.3 mg/l nitrate-nitrogen MAV “This standard doesn’t capture other serious health risks associated with nitrate-contaminated drinking water,” Appelbe said Almost half of all bore water samples tested at the event were above 5 mg/l of nitrate the level recommended by the New Zealand College of Midwives as the maximum for pregnant people to safely consume A sample from the Hinds town supply tested at 6.55 mg/l of nitrate a figure marginally higher than the council’s result from its own monitoring “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 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.” McCann said the council would continue testing all supplies extra monitoring is required when supplies reach 50% of the MAV but [the] council has been doing this on all its supplies since 2013 as the general level of nitrates in groundwater in Canterbury is well-documented” He said that while the council does not monitor private water supplies “We strongly encourage private bore owners to test their own supply regularly” Greenpeace’s findings align with results from Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) own monitoring ECan science director Dr Tim Davie said ECan was not aware of the exact results from Greenpeace’s testing events but what was shown confirmed ECan’s findings that nitrate in groundwater was a significant issue in the Ashburton District with policies and rules to reduce the amount of nitrate leached into our groundwater,” he said “Our role as a regional council is twofold – we monitor water quality in Canterbury’s groundwater and we regulate land use practices that can affect water quality.” Greenpeace blames nitrate pollution in Canterbury primarily on intensive dairying with nitrate from cow urine and synthetic fertilisers leaching into aquifers “Intensive dairying is the main source of nitrate pollution in Canterbury,” Appelbe said “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 “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.” Davie said ECan imposes stricter land use controls around community drinking water sources and that its Land and Water Regional Plan sets out limits on permitted land use activities with resource consents and compliance monitoring required to ensure those limits are respected and Davie said ECan would continue to follow the lead of national health authorities regarding any future changes “We support calls for more research on any possible links between nitrate concentrations and human health we follow the lead from national health authorities on determining safe limits of contaminants in drinking water and any questions regarding human health should be directed to health authorities,” Davie said Appelbe said there was a “growing body of evidence” that indicated longer-term exposure to drinking water above 0.87 mg/l can increase the risk of bowel cancer “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,” he said Mid Canterbury’s largest community event is back for another year with EA Networks proud to contribute to the success of the event as a key sponsor Group Manager of Compliance and Development Ian Hyde said Ashburton District Council is thrilled that the partnership is continuing “The very first Glow in the Park was a celebration of 100 years of electricity in the district and EA Networks has been a part of the event every year since so it’s exciting to have them on board again.” EA Networks Chief Executive Onno Mulder said EA was excited to support Glow in the Park again “We’re passionate about contributing to our local community so having the opportunity to bring people together for events like Glow in the Park really appeals to us.” Visitors to Glow in the Park can expect an enhanced experience with the lighting displays encompassing a wider area of the domain many new light features will be making their first appearance in Ashburton Last year’s event drew around 40,000 visitors over three nights and organisers estimate that almost half travelled from outside of the district “Glow is the perfect excuse for people to plan a long weekend getaway to our district and explore the many other attractions and experiences that Mid Canterbury has to offer,” Mr Hyde said “Entry remains free thanks to our lineup of amazing supporters and we look forward to announcing some of these partnerships and more of what people can expect to see at Glow in the near future.” EA Networks Glow in the Park will be hosted in the Ashburton Domain on King’s Birthday weekend Find out more at glowinthepark.nz or follow the event page on Facebook 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 many about water: the second Ashburton bridge has cleared its last administrative hurdle water reforms that affect this district are out for consultation and Lake Hood is closed until further notice because of cyanobacteria The bridge is being progressed now that it has been signed off by the board of NZ Transport Agency; the council and NZTA have signed an agreement to manage the bridge and connecting road as one project The bridge has been on council's radar for 15 years and there has been a lot of consultation and planning to reach this point The deal struck with Government is that they will pay for the lion's share (the bridge itself and embankments) and council will cover the cost of the connecting road (between Carters Terrace and Grahams Road to the south) With NZTA currently undertaking six weeks of road works at the northern end of the existing bridge on SH1 there are probably many who wish the second bridge was already built Local Water Done Well is the name of the Government's new programme for the delivery of drinking water and Council is talking with the community at the moment on the right delivery model for Ashburton district a much-enhanced version of what already happens There were two public meetings about the this important decision this week and submissions are coming in already - that is good for this is a big decision and councillors need to hear from the community and who they want to deliver water services in the future for Council as managers of the lake and for all those who use it The need to shift a national water ski event because of the closure was particularly disappointing but the public health risk was too great to continue We are following advice from Environment Canterbury and Health New Zealand to treat the lake canals and extension as one waterbody as the algae is dynamic and able to move With two substantiated cases of exposure to cyanobacteria already reported (and from different parts of the lake) we know the water as it is at the moment poses a genuine health risk I was pleased to see visitor numbers in our library are rising and on a par with other modern libraries around New Zealand.Some people take out books some come in for meetings or gather to do an activity some visit the makerspace and recording studio and some visit for a coffee and a cinnamon scroll That is what modern libraries are all about: They are hubs of their communities and their customers are big and small and all are on their own literary and digital journeys Ashburton's long awaited second bridge is closer than ever with the government's announcement it will fund 100 percent of the cost of the bridge while the council picks up the tab for the connecting road which successive councils have been campaigning for almost two decades will run across the Ashburton River from Chalmers Avenue to Carters Terrace Neither the government or the council will put a dollar figure on their respective bills, but the most recent estimate was for about $130m with NZTA funding at least 51 percent ($66m) the new arrangement will see the NZTA meet the full cost of the bridge Flooding in 2021 saw the South Island supply chain almost severed after damage caused the closure of the SH1 bridge with the only alternative involving a 13-hour diversion The bridge was forced to close again in 2023 following severe weather Mayor Neil Brown said he was delighted with the new arrangement and felt the council would get "the better end of the deal" paying for the new connecting road on the Tinwald side of the bridge While some in the community objected to the location of the second bridge in a largely residential area Brown said final location at the end of Chalmers Avenue had already been consulted on and council had put a designation on the land around a decade ago He said planning for the bridge goes back even further when the town's transportation study identified the need for a second bridge The existing bridge as more than 21,000 vehicles on a weekday peaking at 30,000 vehicles per day on weekends The mayor said he had a committment from Transport Minister Simeon Brown that the bridge will not be tolled "Through our negotiations with the minister Simeon Brown said construction on the bridge which is one of the 149 projects included in the government's Fast Track Approvals Bill Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday A second bridge for Ashburton is ready to go - on paper anyway - they just need the money - Jonathan Leask reports from mid-Canterbury Audio The Transport Minister is not ruling out introducing a toll on a second Ashburton bridge - either on the new bridge or existing State Highway 1 crossing - to help pay for its construction A two-month delay in clearing flood debris from a SH1 bridge is "not acceptable" Here’s a summary of Council services over the Christmas and New Year public holidays 2024-25 – there are a few temporary changes to operating hours at some facilities The customer services counter at Te Whare Whakatere will only be closed on the public holidays this year The service desk will be open on Friday 27 December You can still get in touch with us by phone at any time over the holiday period if you have a problem or urgently need to contact us as the afterhours service will be operating 24 hours-a-day - please phone 03 307 7700 Looking for something to do with the kids? Check out our summer activity guide here There is no kerbside rubbish and recycling collection on Christmas Day so Council will be collecting everyone’s wheelie bins one day later than normal that week Wednesday’s collection moves to Thursday and Friday’s collection will take place on Saturday Kerbside collection services are as normal for the week beginning Monday 30 December and bins will be emptied on Wednesday 1 January Keep your recycling sorted correctly: Paper gift wrapping and flattened cardboard can be put in the yellow recycling bin bows and ribbons aren’t recyclable and need to go into the rubbish Try the tear test - if you can’t easily rip it it’s likely to have a plastic coating so chuck it in the red bin Remember to have your wheelie bins out by 7.30am on collection days and use your windstrap The Ashburton Resource Recovery Park will close at 12pm on Tuesday 24 December and be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day It will be open and operating usual hours from Friday 27 January to Tuesday 31 December The resource recovery park will also be closed on New Year’s Day The facility will be open on Thursday 2 January and resume normal hours thereafter The Methven green waste dropoff will be closed on Wednesday 25 December and on Wednesday 1 January.The Rakaia Resource Recovery Park will be closed on Wednesday 25 December and on Wednesday 1 January The centre will close at 3pm on Tuesday 24 December and be closed on 25 and 26 December It will open from 10am-5pm on Friday 27 December It will close at 3pm on New Year’s eve The centre will be closed on 1 and 2 January Normal hours resume for the gym and stadium from 3 January but the aquatic area is closed for scheduled maintenance from 3 January until 2 February Keep an eye on the centre’s Facebook page for other holiday activities The Mt Hutt Memorial Hall at Methven will be closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January Operating hours on other days are 10am-2pm The Ashburton Library will close at 1pm on Tuesday 24 December and be closed all day on 25 and 26 December The library will be open 9am-5pm on weekdays and from 10am-4pm on weekends during the holiday break The Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum will be open 10am-4pm every day except Wednesday 25 December and Thursday 26 December including the great Santa Hunt when visitors try to find all the sneaky Santas in their hiding spots Watch out for details on Facebook for the facility’s daily activities during the holidays Council’s customer services counter at Baring Square East will be closed 25 and 26 December then the afterhours/24 hours-a-day telephone service will be operating - please phone 03 307 7700 Please phone 307-7700 if you have stockwater queries Public toilets around the district will be open daily as usual and Open Spaces staff will be on deck to keep our parks and reserves looking ship shape All services will return to normal by Monday 6 January Māori are the takata whenua or "people of the land" of Aotearoa New Zealand.  In the 2018 census 3,333 people or 10% of the population in the Ashburton district identified themselves as having Māori descent Māori had extensively explored Te Waipounamu (the South Island) They developed a complex infrastructure of ara tawhito (traditional travel routes) which sustained important social and economic relationships These ara tawhito traversed the island providing access to resources trade opportunities with other iwi and hapū (tribal and extended whānau groups) and mahika kai (food gathering areas) Māori traversed the Ashburton District using a coastal route to the east of the town Hakatere and Rangitata provided travel routes to the interior that joined ara tawhito across Kā Tiritiri-o-te-Moana (the Southern Alps) to Te Tai Poutini (the West Coast) In the 1850’s the first English settlers arrived and settled the rural area of the district as sheep grazing runs producing wool In 1858 Ashburton’s town was established When the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 by seven high-ranking Kāi Tahu rakatira (chiefs) it was seen as a convenient arrangement between equals However the government failed to honour its obligations under land purchase agreements robbing Kāi Tahu of the opportunity to participate in the land-based economy alongside the settlers In 1849 the Kāi Tahu ancestor Matiaha Tiramōrehu penned the first formal statement of Kāi Tahu grievances about the land purchases marking the beginning of generations of Kāi Tahu petitioning the Crown over the following 150 years Kāi Tahu are takata whenua and the recognised iwi authority in all but the most northern part of Te Waipounamu including the Ashburton District As the Ashburton District is part of three different takiwā (tribal areas) mana whenua (authority over the land) is shared between three different tribal entities - Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga and Te Taumutu Rūnanga Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua is based at Arowhenua marae to the south of Temuka Arowhenua marae is the home base for the Kāti Huirapa hapū The takiwā of Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua extends from the Rakaia River to the Waitaki River sharing interests with Ngāi Tūāhuriri ki Kaiapoi between the Hakatere and Rakaia Rivers and Te Taumutu Rūnanga in the area north of Hakatere and thence inland to Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Main Divide Visit https://arowhenua.org/ to find out more The takiwā of Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga centres on Tuahiwi north of Christchurch and extends from the Hurunui to Hakatere sharing an interest with Arowhenua Rūnanga northwards to Rakaia The takiwā of Taumutu Rūnanga centres on Taumutu and the waters of Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) and adjoining lands and shares a common interest with Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga and Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua in the area south to Hakatere Hakatere marae is a mātāwaka (pan-tribal) marae and community centre servicing the needs of other iwi Māori and the wider Ashburton community Hakatere Marae hosts regular health and community events open to the public, their venue is available for hiring and you can get involved by contacting them here If you would like to find out more information Ashburton District Council created the Tūwhana App and other resources about Ao Māori (the Māori world) and Samoan and Filipino cultural protocols and language as these are two of the most spoken languages in the district search for  Tūwhana in your app store If you are interested in getting familiar with Māori culture, you can find events, wananga (workshops) and  Te Reo Māori (Māori language) classes on the Keep Learning Mid Canterbury website 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 NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council have signed an agreement to manage the construction of the second Ashburton bridge and connecting road as one project NZTA will tender the full work package as a design and build project later this year.The NZTA board officially approved the project at its meeting last week says NZTA’s Acting Director Regional Relationships Ian Duncan.Central Government will fund the 360-metre bridge plus embankments from Chalmers Avenue to Carters Terrace Ashburton District Council will fund the connecting local road from Carters Terrace to Grahams Road “This second bridge is so important for our community,” says Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown “I’m excited all the necessary paperwork to get it started is now signed and sealed The agreement Council has signed with NZTA means we will soon see and approve concept plans for the second bridge and connecting road and then have regular meetings during the construction period to ask questions and ensure it is done in a timely manner.”Ashburton District Council has been buying property for the project since a land designation was confirmed in 2014 and the bridge and connecting road are shown in the District Plan.Mayor Brown said the project could be completed away from existing traffic routes given it will be part of a new local road network without major disruption to residents and travellers.“There’ll be a roundabout at the intersection of South Street and Chalmers Avenue and another at the end of the new connecting road and Grahams Road and a footpath on the Tinwald side of the new road.“We’re looking forward to seeing physical works starting as early as possible in 2026 and Council will have a better idea of how much the road section will cost once the tender process is complete.”Council will talk with the community about how it will fund the road construction once the costs are known Mr Brown says.“The most important thing for everyone to know is that this project can finally begin and our town will be a lot more resilient and our roads much safer when it is complete.”NZTA’s Acting Director Regional Relationships Ian Duncan says he is pleased to see progress on this project The 2021 flood highlighted the vulnerability of the existing SH1 Ashburton bridge and the wider state highway network so a second bridge provides insurance in the event the SH1 bridge is unable to be used for whatever reason.Ashburton people may see geotechnical investigations underway on site in coming days and weeks and the start of the procurement and tendering process The 55-year-old dad of three announced MAGA as his slogan last week when he said he would run for the mayoralty he said he realised it was associated with anti-Trump sentiment US President Donald Trump stood on the slogan Make America Great Again ‘‘I look at him and think ‘There’s a lot of good he does’ But he undoes that good with a lot of crazy comments and I think he’s reckless as a politician,’’ Ryan said He defended choosing the slogan in the first place ‘‘I just thought it was a catchy sort of a phrase,’’ Ryan said Ryan has attracted both praise and derision on social media mostly around his planned campaign goal of replacing Ashburton’s second bridge project with a Dorie to Hinds bypass ‘‘First sensible person to mention anything regarding the congestion.. I don't know how many I've heard saying we need a bypass not a bridge,’’ said one commenter on The Ashburton Courier Facebook page ‘‘A man talking sense at last,what a good idea to bypass the town that a lot of people have wanted instead of the Chalmers Ave option that the majority at the time did not want but council ignored,’’ said another Critical comments included ‘‘What a bloody dreamer’’ ‘‘Dorie to Hinds seems pie in the sky thinking if the article had read Dromore to Winslow I’m sure it would attract a lot of support’’ the second bridge is going to ease the congestion’’ Ryan said he welcomed criticism and believed any personal attacks were merely ‘‘knee-jerk’’ ‘‘I think most of the negative comments are good Ryan was confident of winning the election and believed he would do so by a landslide incumbent Mayor Neil Brown said this week he will make an announcement at the March 19 district council meeting on whether or not he will stand again The second-term mayor has served on the district council for 21 years He said he had still not made up his mind whether to restand His decision would be based on the service he had already given and I don’t get to do a lot of that,’’ Brown said A school in Canterbury has been criticised for requiring students to carry “culturally inappropriate” passes permitting them to wear “incorrect uniform items” such as pounamu saying he is “grateful” to those who raised the issues – enabling him to make things right Ashburton Intermediate’s laminated passes include the student’s name and class and specify the “incorrect uniform item” they have been permitted to wear “Student must present pass on request,” it states A photograph of one of the passes was shared on social media over the weekend It seems if you wanna be Māori at Ashburton Intermediate you have to carry this pass and present it to anyone who asks you for it,” the person who posted it said and it’s a taonga that holds deep spiritual significance I don’t see why Māori students should need a pass to wear something that represents their identity and heritage,” said another A further comment read: “That’s why you just need to send your kids to kura Māori.” Principal Brent Gray provided a statement to the Herald this morning after discussions with the school’s board of trustees “We are grateful to those who have raised the issues around the pass and will rectify immediately any seeking of passes to wear a taonga/pounamu which we have not denied the wearing of to anyone during my time here,” he said “The board will also review the uniform code ensuring that incidents of this nature do not occur in the future “We have issued a response and apology to our school and Māori community and deeply regret any offence we have caused and apologise to all whānau hapū iwi as it was not our intention to cause any grief.” “We have been made aware that as part of our uniform pass system we have issued passes that are culturally inappropriate,” Gray said “Thank you to those who have brought this to our attention and be assured that this is something that we will rectify immediately “Our sincere apologies to anyone we have offended.” A Russian businessman is the new owner of the former Ashburton District Council building Havelock Development Limited, a company that has Alexandre Germanovitch as a director recently purchased the site for $2.3 million Germanovitch also owns the 1198-hectare Mt Potts Station and associated lodge in the Rangitata Valley It was purchased in 2011 for $3.7m following Overseas Investment Office approval The businessman also bought one of the grandest but run-down mansions in Devonport in Auckland in 2013 and embarked on a major renovation Germanovitch now owns a slice of central Ashburton after the purchase of the three-storey former council administration building and 5059 square metres of land Ashburton council chief executive Hamish Riach said settlement had been expected at the end of January "The paperwork has now been completed and the new owner will no doubt release plans for the site when they are ready." The $2.3m sale price will offset the cost of the $63.2m Te Whare Whakatere Ashburton's library and civic centre which opened last year The council sold the former public library building for $1.1m last year to CBR Properties Limited which plans to renovate the building into a boutique hotel It also sold two relocatable buildings for $160,000 The project also received $20m from the government's shovel-ready infrastructure programme That reduces the total build cost of the building for the ratepayers to under $40m Corrections and Clarifications RSS Ashburton is "turtle town" no more as the council ends permanent 30kph school speed zones Drivers will only need to slow down near Ashburton schools for the hour around drop-off and pick-up times under the changes Resident Grant McFaul said he was pleased the permanent lower speed limit around schools was ending which followed a Government speed rule change last year the Labour-Government aimed to improve road safety by lowering speed limits around schools McFaul described the permanent 30kph school zones as "preposterous" and pleaded with the Ashburton District Council not to "turn Ashburton into turtle town" McFaul also acknowledged the council was "hamstrung by dopey legislation" as he felt the councillors wanted to introduce variable speed zones but couldn't do so under the laws at the time After a year and a half of living in "turtle town" McFaul said he was happy to "see common sense finally prevail" "I haven't seen many drivers taking notice of the 30kph outside of school times anyway," McFaul said The 30kph school speed zones will change in time for the start of the school year NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has given the council sign-off to install new signs advising motorists that the 30kph school speed zones only apply at the beginning and end of the school day Ashburton District Council had opted for permanent 30kph speed zones outside urban schools rather than spending thousands on electronic variable signs as the static signs weren't an option When the council introduced them in May 2023 the decision was met with frustration from the community who wanted the zones to be variable and after a month Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown called for a review the new Government signalled it would amend the speed limit rules which came in October last year The council had hoped to have the changes in place before Christmas but the sign-off from NZTA only came this week The 30kph limits will now apply from 8.30-9.30am and 2.30-3.30pm on school days Council infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said the lower limit around schools had plenty of support but the main complaint was that the 30kph limit was permanently in place "The change to a variable speed limit will mean outside of school days and the peak morning and afternoon periods the speed limit will be the same as surrounding roads "While the variable limits apply in the morning and afternoon on school days motorists should always be cautious near schools," McCann said The council's roading maintenance contractor HEB will install the signs before January 27 Minister of Transport Simeon Brown says the government is reversing Labour's blanket speed-limit reductions from next year Analysis - Proponents argue even marginal time savings for some drivers justify the changes More than 300 applications for speed bumps raised crossings and other traffic calming measures won't progress after the Government withdrew the funding available to local councils Roughly half of survey respondents supported a 30km/h maximum school speed limit in urban areas The AA says the sign rollout is a win-win as the minister announces the details of the change stand-alone business unit to deliver its three water services in the future Contractors work on the new sewer main near Milton Road It is one of two options detailed in community consultation that starts today The other option is a Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) Both models meet Government’s Local Water Done Well directive which imposes more stringent national quality and monitoring standards for drinking water Mayor Neil Brown is writing to all households in the Ashburton District This model is an enhanced model of how Council already delivers three waters services and will be ringfenced financially – meaning money collected from ratepayers for water services is kept separately from other Council work and spent only on water services work When Councillors selected the proposed model recently they said it still gave Council strong control over the three waters services and the enhanced inhouse unit would integrate better with other Council teams asset management and property - in other words resilient and high quality water services while retaining local control The alternative option that is in the consultation package details a CCO for water services and this would operate independently with its own governance and management structure A board of directors would need to be appointed and set up costs would be slightly more than the inhouse model initially The consultation period will run until 27 April and a final decision on which model moves forward will be made by 21 May The chosen model will be part of a Water Services Delivery Plan that Council must submit to Government by early September Want to know more? Head to itsourplace.nz 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.   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 Luxon Government has just introduced a bill into the House that would make it legal to kill protected wildlife Greenpeace understands the Bill is being rushed through all stages… 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 People who normally drive south of Ashburton in the evening or early hours of the morning need to plan around some night-time bridge closures 9 March and will close the Rangitata River bridge initially Both bridge decks are being re-surfaced.  Detours will be in place for both sites Drivers of light vehicles and HPMV will be able to take the detour route around the bridges adding half an hour or so to the travel time however it is not suitable for Oversized vehicles Work will run from Sunday 9 March to Friday 14 March Rangitata River Bridge: Closed overnight only This work is weather dependent so check the NZTA Journeys or Travel pages for any updates: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/canterbury A Russian oligarch is the new owner of the former Ashburton District Council building a company that has Alexandre Germanovitch as a director Germanovitch also owns the 1198ha Mt Potts Station and associated lodge in the Rangitata Valley The businessman also bought one of the grandest but run-down mansions in Devonport in Auckland in 2013 and embarked on a major renovation Germanovitch’s purchase of the three-storey former council administration building and 5059sq m of land in Ashburton was settled on Friday Ashburton District Council chief executive Hamish Riach said settlement had been expected at the end of January “The paperwork has now been completed and the new owner will no doubt release plans for the site when they are ready.” The project also received $20m from the Government’s shovel-ready infrastructure programme Sign up to The Daily H 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 Councillors and members of Historic Places Mid Canterbury joined forces yesterday to launch two town walks designed to show off Ashburton’s heritage and cultural spots Each walk takes about 30 minutes and has its own brochure with interesting facts about the buildings or items that feature The brochures were organised by Historic Places Mid Canterbury and printed with the help of Council; they are available at Council’s library and civic building and the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum Project spokesperson Julie Luxton said the group wanted to celebrate the town’s heritage and culture and members had gathered information about suitable spots before picking a total of 28 and splitting them into two walks “It’s really exciting to get it off the ground.” who chairs the Mid Canterbury Heritage Working Group said a combined walk in the sunshine yesterday was a great way to launch the brochures places and memorials that are special to us as our history has helped shape us into the people and district that we are today I hope residents and visitors alike will learn something new about our town.” one of seven important buildings from the past that have been recognised in recent years with blue plaques to publicly denote their historical significance to the town The hall was cleverly absorbed into Council’s new library and administration building Another building to feature is the Federated Farmers Building on the corner of West and Tancred Streets which was built in 1912 for the Bank of Australasia Other spots are the bright red pillar box for mail on Burnett Street the heritage listed Holy Name Catholic Church and the overhead rail bridge A special tree on the south-east corner of Baring Square West is also in one of the walks representing Mid Canterbury’s direct link with the 1915 battlefields of Gallipoli You can view digital versions of the heritage walk brochures: