www.guardianonline.co.nz
the VoiCe of mid CAnterburY 24/7
Youngsters mould birds from dough P3
Guardian
Ashburton FIRST PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 27, 1879
Apathy rules in BOT elections
P7 dVds DVDs free
www.guardianONLINE.co.nz
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Home delivered from
90c Casual $1.40
Council to pay for hall quake inspections By Sue Newman Earthquake issues around memorial and rural community halls will cost ratepayers $37,000 next year. When Ashburton District councillors deliberated on submissions made to their annual plan, they looked at the costs some hall committees were faced with in the post-earthquake environment. While the council largely funds
the district’s memorial halls, rural communities are left to foot the bills for their own community hubs and for many, the cost of insurance and earthquake risk inspections have become crippling. Councillors agreed to pay insurance bills for the district’s memorial halls, totalling about $30,000 and have built this into next year’s budget. They also agreed to pay for a bulk deal on initial earthquake inspections for community halls,
but what happens after that will be up to individual rural communities. These inspections are likely to cost ratepayers around $7000. A workshop was held several months ago with hall committees where the council laid out plans for the future. While it would not be making any decisions for those committees, council property manager John Rooney said the council was prepared to spend a small amount of money so each would know the status
of its hall. “They’ll be looking at what their communities may want in respect of a hall facility. This will range from doing nothing to building something new in a different configuration or it may be bringing the existing hall up to 67 per cent of the building code,” he said. Whatever decision was made on the future of community halls that decision would be made by the community, not the council, Mr Rooney said. “There will be a variety of
options. One size does not fit all. Many of these halls that are pretty well used in their communities may be pretty old but they’re primarily of timber construction with an iron roof. They won’t meet 67 per cent of the building code, but where is the risk?” For some, dropping their brick chimney might be all that was needed, particularly if their use was not high, he said. “It’s the quantum of occupancy and the frequency of occupancy that’s important.”
Quake devastation a huge opportunity
Fifty per cent of Mid Canty parents fail to vote By Myles Hume More than half of Mid Canterbury parents did not bother to vote in Board of Trustee elections this year, schools spoken to by the Guardian have revealed. Today, new school boards across the district take office after weeks of nominations and voting. Several schools across the district did not hold elections because they had only enough Board of Trustee (BOT) nominees to fill the vacancies on the board, while some will look to bring in outside expertise, also known as co-opt members. But for some of the district’s bigger schools, the votes have been counted – although many would not have needed to bring out the Neil Simons abacas. Mount Hutt College principal secretary Evonne Lumsden said count votes when contacted yesthe school had sent out 720 vot- terday, but after opening the voting forms, but only 252 had been ing box she noticed there were returned by yesterday’s noon fewer votes than in years gone by. deadline, meaning about 37 per “I think maybe people feel cent of parents responded. happy with how things are going, Ms Lumsden said it was about because sometimes if there have on par with previous been issues you do years, however she get more people votsaid the college was ing,” she said. impressed with the Mid Canterbury calibre of candidates P r i n c i p a l s ’ to sit on their board. Association presiI think M e a n w h i l e , dent and Longbeach maybe people School principal Neil Ashburton College sent out 1850 vot- feel happy with Simons had half of his ing papers and only voting slips returned, received a mere 300 how things are and compared the back. number of respondgoing A retired Mid ents to most elecCanterbury principal, tions in New Zealand, who did not want to including local body. be named, said elecHe said his board tions appeared to was looking strong, have lost their novwith three incumelty with parents, which was also bents who would help introduce highlighted in the reducing num- two new members who had young ber of nominees who came forward children at the school. each year. Every three years, schools hold “There may be a bit of apathy Board of Trustee (BOT) elections and maybe people just don’t care, where they vote for parent nomior they may be happy with the nees who they think would be best way those people ran it for the last on the panel to govern the directhree years.” tion of their child’s school – while Tinwald School returning offic- some put forward half their board er Christine Osborne was yet to every 18 months.
‘
’
Stage 1 – now selling
49 sections priced from $167,500 to $220,000. These sections are in demand with over half already sold
Provisonal member of RVA.
Photo Kirsty Clay 050613-KC-034
Masterminds at work: Urban designer Craig Pocock and architect Bill Skews looking over the large vacant lot bounded by Cass, Burnett and Tancred streets ahead of a workshop next week involving the land’s multiple owners. By Sue Newman Ashburton has the greatest opportunity since its inception to create an inner town shopping precinct that will bring new life to its central business district, a team of designers say. When the earthquake damaged a raft of elderly buildings along Burnett, Tancred and Cass streets, their owners may have initially been devastated to discover restoration was too expensive and demolition was their only option. But out of that devastation has come a huge opportunity, says urban designer Craig Pocock.
The ex-Ashburtonian is part of a three person team working with nine landowners (including the Ashburton District Council) in the area to come up with a coordinated plan for revitalising the area in a way that will meet the business needs of each. Next week the development team will meet over two days, pooling ideas and looking at ways in which an overarching plan can be developed that will also secure the best outcome for their own site, Mr Pocock said. He’s excited by the options the giant, inner town development offers. “I’m particularly impressed by the willingness of everyone to be
part of this. It’s great and it’s a very positive start. The property owners are very open-minded.” A co-ordinated design and development would take nothing away from individual land owners’ options for their own building, but it would ensure that everyone was able to take advantage of opportunities that were created and that the best possible options for the site were explored, he said. “Here we should be able to have everyone on board and we should be able to put together one, holistic development that would be able to be done pretty quickly.” While Mr Pocock and architect Bill Skews will work with land
owners on design concepts, a third member of the planning team Andrew Mason will be working with them on the economics of the development. “There’s no point in putting up pretty buildings if the development doesn’t work economically.” In terms of the physical build, Mr Pocock said who built what and when would always be up to the individual landowners. “This is not about telling landowners what they should build or how it should look, it’s about having an overarching plan everyone can take advantage of.” The redevelopment site spreads over 20,000 square metres and created a great opportunity for
Build your dream home in the semi-rural area of Racecourse Road, Ashburton.
Large majority of stage 1 sold out. For those interested in purchasing – lodge your interest quickly. Stage 2 sections are now available, titles due in June and July. Lochlea Estate is a new subdivision, situated just a few minutes’ drive from the Ashburton town centre. These sections offer a unique ambience of tranquillity and privacy with amazing views of the Southern Alps.
Construction of the Lochlea Lifestyle Resort has commenced which is adjacent to the Lochlea Estate. The Lifestyle Resort will provide a range of indoor and outdoor activities and both Duplex and Stand-alone Villas and Aged Care Units. A fully equipped hospital is also planned. This will be Ashburton’s first complete lifestyle resort – covering each stage of the rest of your life.
Phone 03 307 9080 Free phone 0800-2727-837 - After hours: 03-302-6887 - Email: tony@lochlearesort.co.nz
Tony Sands, Resort Manager
Ashburton to develop a signature retail brand, Mr Pocock said. For an architect, while it was great having a clean slate to work with, it also created a conundrum because you had no landmarks, nothing that would give the street frontage a sense of time or place, Mr Skews said. He believes community feedback is important in coming up with a plan that will meet people’s needs and one that will attract foot traffic into the area. “We have a clean sheet and the property owners are keen to see what will come out of the workshop. This is aimed to give better co-ordinated design to get a great outcome.”
Today’s weather
HIGH LOW
10
-1