Lock-down rehearsed A “lock-down” has been practiced at Mount Aspiring College for the first time, so staff and students know what to do if an armed or threatening person is on or near the school grounds. PAGE 2
Lakefront management plan The draft Wanaka Lakefront Reserves Management Plan is to be considered, and possibly amended, by the Wanaka Community Board before it is released for public submissions. PAGE 3 THUR 20.03.14 - WED 26.03.14
WANAKA’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
For duck’s sake
inside:
Competitors Story page 11.
Litterless lunchboxes PAGE 2
Signs to warn drivers ducks may be crossing Ardmore Street have been erected at either end of Pembroke Park. The two signs cost the Queenstown Lakes District Council about $500. They were suggested by Wanaka resident Karen Neilsen after she saw one of a pair of ducks run over on Ardmore Street last year. Wanaka ward councillor Lyal Cocks voted against erecting the signs.
In Flagrante PAGE 7
PHOTO: WANAKA.TV
Library one-stop-shop still a no-go Silver in Sochi PAGE16
Jessica Maddock Wanaka Sun A group formed to advocate for the Wanaka Library says it remains “hopeful” the facility will not become a one-stopshop providing a range of council services. The idea was mooted during a restructure of the Queenstown Lakes District Council last year. There was strong community opposition to the plan, along with a proposal to reduce the number of library staff from nine to six employees, or 7.25 to 4.7 fulltime equivalent positions. A member of the recently-formed
Wanaka Public Libraries Association (WPLA), Kate Bariletti, said while the group lost its bid to save the library jobs, it hoped the council would heed its opposition to the service centre being merged with the library. “It is our expectation that it will not proceed,” she said. The WPLA requested the council review its library services, and a taskforce – comprising local librarians, community group representatives, teachers and library consultants hired by the council - was formed, and chaired by the mayor Vanessa van Uden. The taskforce has developed recommendations on how library
services could be provided in the future. These recommendations, which are on the council’s website, were presented at a public forum in Queenstown last night. A similar forum is being held at the Lake Wanaka Centre tonight from 6.30pm and the WPLA is urging people to attend. One of the consultants’ recommendations is the “physical integration of customer services with library where possible/appropriate.” Wanaka ward councillor Lyal Cocks told the Wanaka Sun this change would require approval by elected members, not just council management, as it related to service levels.
Councillors had not supported moving the customer services department to the library, when it was first suggested during last year’s restructure. Lyal said no decision would be made until councillors had considered the taskforce’s recommendations, following this week’s public forums. However, in response to an inquiry by the Wanaka Sun, the council’s operations general manager, Ruth Stokes, confirmed “all customer services staff, not just Wanaka, are being trained in basic library functions as part of our move to one contact number for Story continues page 2...