Nelson Weekly
Treat yourself.
Locally Owned and Operated
Selwyn Place, Nelson or www.jenshansen.com
Tuesday 20 January 2015
Artist starts work on new mural
Page 11
3 Salisbury Rd, Richmond & 2 Muritai St, Tahunanui
Open Day Saturday 24 Januar y
Life membership for runner
Page 15-17
‘We’re ready for the Black Caps’ Andrew Board The groundsmen at Saxton Oval will have the best seats in the house as the Black Caps take on Sri Lanka today – and they are expecting a heck of a show. Head groundsman Dan Hooper says the pitch will suit the batsmen and should mean plenty of boundaries during the third one day international fixture in the
Page 26
Nelmac’s head groundsman for Saxton Field Dan Hooper and Nelmac’s turf operations manager Nick Hofmann check out the Saxton Oval pitch ahead of today’s ODI between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka. Photo: Andrew Board.
seven-match series. It is the second ODI to be played at Saxton Oval but the first of four this summer, with three Cricket World Cups games to be played there in February. Dan says he’s much more relaxed this year than last. “Last year it was raining for four days leading up to the game and we had real issues with drainage in the outfield. But all that’s sorted now and the pitch is in good
condition. We’re ready for them and for a good game.” Both Dan and Nelmac’s turf operations manager, Nick Hofmann, will be watching the game from the groundsmen’s shed, right on the outfield. The view will be fantastic but Dan says he won’t be able to fully relax until the first few overs have been bowled. “We’ll still be on call but the nerves will be gone.” The game starts at 11am today, January 20.
New rules will kill kids ride
The operators of a charitable “Noddy Train”, which has operated in Nelson without incident for 29 years, have been told they now need to operate within steel safety fencing – a restriction that will see “the end” of the popular train. The Noddy Train is a quad motorbike towing a trailer which is dressed up to look like a train, and reaches a top speed of 12 kilometres per hour – jogging speed. It is owned by the Nelson North Lions Club and attends around 15 community events
each year. Each ride costs $2 and the profit is given back to the event organisers, usually netting around $200 for the schools, church galas and community groups that run the events. The train has operated for 29 years without a single safety incident but the latest permit application to the Nelson City Council contained a new requirement, that the area the train operates in is fenced. Secretary of the Lions club, Peter Goodman, says he was shocked by the new rule.
Andrew Board Editor
andrew@nelsonweekly.co.nz “They’re saying ‘just because you haven’t had an accident it doesn’t mean one won’t happen’. The conditions of operation are that we have to provide barriers to the satisfaction of the local body, and what they’re saying now is that we need those steel fences around the area that we’re op-
erating, which is quite crazy.” In the past, the Lions have put down cones and signs to warn people of the area they are running the train in. Peter feels the council is trying to squeeze the club out by imposing restrictions that aren’t enforced elsewhere, including the drivers wearing a safety helmet. “Often we operate in an open sports field without people around and if you look at
SEE PAGE 2
What colour would you like? - Sales - Service - Repairs - Rentals
A selected range of mobility scooters are now available in custom colours
Colibri A new lightweight scooter available in five interchangeable colours
Pegasus Great mid-sized scooter for shopping & cruising
Home Healthcare Equipment and Mobility Products Visit our showroom at: Cnr McGlashen Ave & Croucher St, Richmond, Nelson
Additional copies $1
100% locally owned and operated
Comet Robust, fourpoint suspension, 50km range
Ph: 03 544 7717 www.accessmobility.co.nz
www.nelsonweekly.co.nz