TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 1
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2021
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NOVEMBER 11, 2021
Parking woes, by George By Mary Anne Gill
Safety issues at the George Street public carpark and the level of action by the district council are worrying the Te Awamutu Community Board. In her report to the board on Tuesday, board chair Angela Holt said while Waipā District Council had budgeted $170,000 to parking improvements in the town, it was not clear how much of that would go to George Street. “There is some money allocated to carpark improvements, however we need to push harder to get the George Street carpark
addressed before someone does get hurt. “That carpark is getting busier and busier and how someone between McDonalds and the Warehouse has not been seriously hurt is unbelievable. “We do not expect everything to be done at once but doing nothing year in and year out is not acceptable,” she said. Entrance to the car park is from Sloane Street to the west, where traffic mingles with McDonald’s takeaway clients and George Street, to the east. When The News visited, several cars were seen travelling
the wrong way through the car park. Board member Richard Hurrell was just as frustrated. “It was asked of them and it’s in the too hard basket. If they are considering the safety thing, they need to have a footpath from the shops on the northern side of that carpark to the toilets. I don’t know how nobody has been run over in that area,” he said. “We said originally that was needed but it’s been ignored.” Another in support of changes was Jill Taylor who said the changes needed to happen very quickly as people had ignored the
no exit signs for at least 12 years. The board was to recommend to the council’s Service Delivery committee to approve the installation of a marked walkway in the carpark from McDonalds to The Warehouse with a raised crossing between the public toilets and The Warehouse. It would provide a safe place for pedestrians to cross and slow traffic down at the blind corner, Holt said. But board members recalled they had a standing motion with the council and so instead asked for staff to find that so they could decide at the next meeting.
The George Street car park confuses drivers and is a safety concern for the community board.
Church land up for sale By Mary Anne Gill
The Te Awamutu Presbyterian Church has offered to sell part of its land in Mutu Street to Waipā District Council to help fund its new church. Te Awamutu Community Board Jill Taylor member Jill Taylor made the announcement at the board meeting this week. She said the offer had gone into council on Monday. The amount of land would create 30 much needed car park spaces in the middle of town, she told the board. The church was offering the land to the council and would use the funds raised to help build their church, she said. Council had first rights to buy, otherwise the land would be sold privately. Board chair Ange Holt said it was “thinking outside the square”. There has been a Presbyterian Church at 80 Mutu Street in Te Awamutu for more than a century. The previous Hinuera stone church, built in 1965, was demolished six years ago for safety reasons after it was deemed earthquake prone. Plans for the new $3 million church on the large site incorporate an auditorium, hall, commercial kitchen, flexible function and seminar rooms, counselling spaces, play areas, a barista corner and offices. The new spaces would be available for use and hire by the community seven days a week. Church services would be held in the auditorium along with weddings and funerals which have had to be turned away since 2015.
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With over 16 years real estate experience, Lynne has returned back to her home ground and looks forward to helping clients old and new in the local Piopio and Te Kuiti area.
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