Your community Newspaper l
Richmond
l
Hope
l
Every Wednesday
Hope Fair dodges showers P 12
Brightwater
l
Wakefield
l
Murchison
Wednesday 22 September 2010
One Year In Business P 14 - 15
Change to layout curbs school vandalism
Figures released under the Official Information Act state Ministry of Education has paid more than $29,000 between 2005-09 to Richmond School to help battle vandalism. Tim says this sum is “no doubt quite accurate” but certainly doesn’t reflect the degree of vandalism inflicted on the school during that time as intimated by a September 16 Nelson Mail report. “We get a grant (for vandalism repair and prevention) like other schools in the region which is based on historical vandalism but in recent times we have had virtually no vandalism. “We’ve used the bulk of this money for prevention measures such as building gates and fences and installing additional security lighting,” says Tim. He says vandalism was a much greater problem a few years ago until two classrooms, which blocked the public’s view from Oxford Street, were relocated and open access between Church and Oxford streets was cut off. Tim says a playground fortress, which was a favourite place for idle youth to hang out and cause nuisance and damage at night and weekends, has since been removed. Richmond School principal Tim Benton (left) with Ben (go to page 2) Max of Max Fencing which is building a new $50,000 fence
Proud to be locally owned and operated
FREE
Wakefield looking for 100 members for centennial P 22
Media reports that Richmond School is the primary school worst affected by vandalism in Nelson region are “misleading and being misinterpreted,” according to principal Tim Benton.
Soggy start for gardeners Being a milkman for 50 years in all kinds of weather has conditioned 92 year-old Bert Fauchelle for gardening in the rain. Richmond has had double its average of rain days this Spring - see page 2