NOTEWORTHY

AT THE BANK

The RiverLink project will get under way from next year after the Hutt Valley Council received $98.9 million from central government towards its construction. The project will improve the stop banks at Melling, and build new vehicle and pedestrian bridges across the Hutt River. The plan is intended to turn the central city towards the river, encourage investment in building, and help provide more affordable housing. The funding accounted for over half of the $192 million set aside by the government for infrastructure spending nationwide.

NOT BABE

Wild pigs have been appearing around the city suburbs, with sightings in Aro Valley, Brooklyn, and Karori. They have been terrorising dogs and livestock, and even eating young goats. The species was introduced during the late 1700s, and are spread across around a third of Aotearoa. It’s likely that the ban on hunting in these areas during lockdown allowed their unmanaged numbers to skyrocket. PARKS AND RECREATION

Construction work on a new commemorative park in Titahi Bay will begin in 2023. The design will acknowledge the history of the area, including the Marines Hall, which was deemed unsafe in 2012. Porirua Parks and City Services Operations Manager Mark Hammond hopes the mix of wananga spaces, seating, planting, and shaded areas will make up for the ten-year delay while permission was sought to demolish the hall and develop the site. MELLOW YELLOW

After missing out on social activity during lockdown, many dogs are now suffering from separation anxiety as their owners return to work. There has been a rise in dog attacks in Wellington, with attacks on people rising from 37 in 2021 to 63 in 2022, and on other animals from 65 incidents in 2021 to 94 in 2022. Earlier this year Wellington City Council launched a campaign to encourage owners to tie a yellow ribbon around a nervous dog’s collar to let others know to give them extra space.

Gift the stories of Wellington with a subscription this festive season. Each Capital gift subscription will receive a limited edition designer tea towel, free.

HEY MAYOR

Tory Whanau has been elected as the new mayor of Wellington city. The 39-year-old won by a landslide 34,462 votes, more than double the number for incumbent Andy Foster, who came in second with 16,711 votes. It was the biggest victory margin in the 18 years since Wellington moved to Single Transferable Voting (STV). Tory is the capital’s first Māori mayor. She says her top priorities are to fix the pipes, provide more homes and efficient public transport, and take action on climate change.

DONATION SUITE IN AND OUT PROBLEM SOLVERS

A premier venue for performance, seating 200, will be part of the new National Music Centre thanks to donations from Infratil, H.R.L Morrison & Co, and the Lloyd Morrison Trust. Redeveloping the former Ilott Theatre in the Town Hall is part of the plan for the music centre – a collaboration between Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and the Wellington City Council. The Lloyd Morrison Theatre will open early 2025. After two terms as deputy mayor Janet Holborow has won the top role as Kāpiti mayor, by a tight 200 votes. The Wairarapa has also seen big changes at the helm, with three new mayors. Former Carterton mayor Ron Mark is returning to the role; for Masterton it’s Gary Caffell; and South Wairarapa’s new mayor is Martin Connelly. Incumbent mayors in the Hutt and Porirua have been re-elected. Massey graduates Jillian Miller and Sarah Lakomy are among the 20 finalists in the international James Dyson Award for engineering design, judged by its founder. Somnum (pictured), Jillian’s entry, improves the fit of animal sedation masks. The currently onesize-for-all mask means isoflurane gas leaks out and is breathed in by veterinarians. Sarah’s design, called Hatch, is an adjustable bassinet which will make it safer for mothers to pick up their babies while recovering from labour in a maternity ward. The winners of the $59,000 award will be announced on November 16.