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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The cost for council stockwater services in Mid Canterbury could more than double.
The minimum charge for Ashburton District Council’s stockwater is proposed to increase from $260 to $700.
The cost increase will be part of a wider revenue and … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The cost for council stockwater services in Mid Canterbury could more than double.
The minimum charge for Ashburton District Council’s stockwater is proposed to increase from $260 to $700.
The cost increase will be part of a wider revenue and financing policy consultation process coinciding with the draft long-term plan, in which the council proposes to end delivering stockwater by June 2027.
Councillor Russell Ellis was concerned about the message the proposed increase could be sending.
“I wonder if there is a perceived risk to council going out with this increase to $700 at the same time we are going out with the stockwater closure in three years’ time, for people saying we are trying to influence that decision by doing this as well.”
But councillor Richard Wilson said the proposed increase would only help encourage stockwater users to start seriously considering alternate delivery options sooner.
“It will bring out where we are trying to head with stockwater.
“This will focus their minds and should help with our process.”
The targeted rate is based on the race length crossing or adjoining a property and is used to fund race maintenance.
A declining number of contributors means that the stockwater budget, which exceeds $1m, is being divided between fewer ratepayers over time and making the current approach unsustainable, the council report stated.
The solution is for the remaining users to pay more.
The minimum charge for race lengths up to 246m is proposed to more than double by increasing to $700.
The increase would also reduce the per metre charge for the races over the 246m.
The other options are to increase the charge to $500, increase it to $700 by 2025-26 – making consecutive $220 increases, or keep the status quo.
The council previously consulted on increasing the minimum charge to $600 in 2021.
The majority of the 105 submissions supported the status quo and the council decided to only increase the minimum charge by $50 each year for the first three years of the 2021-31 long-term plan.
Since 2021, there has been a reduction of 25% in stockwater ratepayers and a 20% reduction in network length, senior policy adviser Richard Mabon said.
It was unclear if the reductions were driven by the $50 increases or other factors, Mabon said.
Volumetric charging is not an option as the council is not able to gauge what each property uses.
Stockwater is part-funded from the general rate due to the community-wide benefit aspects, and in 2023-24 it was 7.5% of the total funding.
It is proposed to increase to be between 10% and 20%.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A changing room will be exclusively designated for disabled pool users at the EA Networks Centre in Ashburton.
But whether it can actually be enforced - and therefore have a positive impact - has been questioned by the council.
The decision to … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A changing room will be exclusively designated for disabled pool users at the EA Networks Centre in Ashburton.
But whether it can actually be enforced - and therefore have a positive impact - has been questioned by the council.
The decision to provide one accessible changing room followed a request through a public submission.
Mark Somerville asked the council in December to consider making the poolside accessible change rooms solely for disabled people and their carers, following a previous submission in 2016.
EA Networks Centre aquatic centre has four disabled changing rooms available, including one with an electric hoist. The hoist was paid for by external funding sourced by Somerville.
However, unlike disabled car parks, there is no legislation enforcing who can use accessible changing rooms, only that they should be provided.
In a report recently presented to council, staff recommended not making any changes to the status quo - having both pool-side accessible rooms be open to all pool users.
But councillors decided to designate the changing room with the hoist to be exclusively for disabled use, in six votes to four.
As the motion was put forward for a vote, Ashburton mayor Neil Brown pointed out “the staff don’t have any ability to enforce this, be aware of that”.
Councillor Richard Wilson said he was not opposed to accessible toilets, but was opposed to exclusive use of the changing rooms.
“One of the biggest problems at a pool is code browns and you want as many toilets open to all people as possible.
“I’d rather see them open to all.”
Councillor Leen Braam said it was out of respect to those with a disability in the community who may find it harder to access the pool.
Councillor Carolyn Cameron agreed, believing at least one dedicated room for people with disabilities “is the minimum we can do to ensure that our disabled community can access a publicly provided facility”.
“When you look at the footprint of the [aquatic centre], it’s not that vast that people can’t go to a bathroom further away.”
Councillor Tony Todd said he was sympathetic, but understand the inability of staff to enforce the toilet's use.
New signage will be installed to indicate exclusive use to those with a disability in one change room, but it won’t guarantee use of facilities.
People and facilities group manager Sarah Mosley said the number of disabled users at the pools was not monitored as staff couldn't always identify or determine if a person has a disability, with some disabilities not being visible.
This meant staff will not be able to enforce who is eligible to use the changing room.
Sport and recreation manager Richard Wood said he has never personally observed someone with a visible disability having to wait for a disabled change room.
The hoist cannot be used without staff “providing a piece of equipment”, Wood said
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
People will soon be jumping at the chance to dive into Lake Hood in Canterbury.
A jumping platform is under construction at the lake south of Ashburton and will be finished by the end of March.
Council people and facilities group manager Sarah … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
People will soon be jumping at the chance to dive into Lake Hood in Canterbury.
A jumping platform is under construction at the lake south of Ashburton and will be finished by the end of March.
Council people and facilities group manager Sarah Mosley said the jumping platform will be a unique recreational feature at the lake.
“It should attract those who previously enjoyed jumping from the canal bridges, as jumping from the bridges is not safe because watercraft passing under them create a hazard.”
An algal bloom warning is in place at Lake Hood, but the platform is being built at the northern side of the lake extension, which is currently a separate body of water.
It will eventually be connected to the lake extension, as it expands through future development, Mosley said.
“To allow for a 4m jumping platform, we needed a 4m purpose dug hole to enable safe jumping as nowhere in the existing lake is more than 3m deep.
“The jumping platform will be able to be used by the community at any time.
“Basic water rescue safety equipment will also be provided, but the onus is on users to be confident swimmers as it is not a supervised swimming location.”
The jump platform is part of $200,000 recreational water facilities improvement projects, which are being funded from the $4.19m the Ashburton District Council received from the Government’s Three Waters Reform Better Off Funding in 2023.
At EA Networks Centre, $15,200 is being spent on a water wheelchair and pool inflatables, an inflatable obstacle course in the Learn to Swim pool, and an inflatable tower slide for the main pool.
Funding has also been distributed to the community pools for changing rooms and water treatment equipment.
The Hinds Pool ($48,200) had alternations to Plunket rooms to become changing rooms, and new changing rooms were approved at the Rakaia Pool ($39,500).
For the Tinwald Pool, $36,100 was spent on surveying, concepts and design work for a potential rebuild.
The Hinds Pool also received new pumps and a new chlorinator ($19,500).
New chlorinators at Mayfield ($3,300) and Rakaia ($2,400), and chemicals for pool water quality at both Mt Somers ($400) and Ruapuna ($400) were also funded.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
30kph speed limits imposed around Ashburton’s schools are to become time-restricted but only after new laws kick in.
The Ashburton District Council has decided slower limit will apply on school days 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
… View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
30kph speed limits imposed around Ashburton’s schools are to become time-restricted but only after new laws kick in.
The Ashburton District Council has decided slower limit will apply on school days 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
Permanent 30kph urban school speed zones were introduced in July last year but after just one month, Ashburton mayor Neil Brown called for a review, claiming they were not working.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has since announced the Government is to amend the setting of speeds law, including allowing variable speed limits on roads approaching schools during pick-up and drop-off times, rather than permanent reductions.
The council has resolved to enforce the variable limit once the Government makes the changes to permit the signs.
Councillor Richard Wilson had been keen to “correct the mistake” by making the change immediately, and not wait for the Government changes.
There are similar signs already in use elsewhere in the country, Wilson said.
“To put them up now, people understand it, and we all believe that is the law,” he said.
Council chief executive Hamish Riach explained it would be encouraging residents to break the law, as the 30kph would still be the legal speed limit until the law is changed.
The recommended option had been for the speed limits to be restricted to school days between 8.30am and 3.30pm.
Councillor Russell Ellis supported that, wanting to put "child safety over and above a small amount of inconvenience for some of our drivers".
His motion for the daytime restrictions didn’t get enough support from the other councillors.
Councillor Tony Todd said he lives close to two schools and assured the other councillors there “is very little action” outside the school drop off and pick up times.
“During the day all the kids are basically in the grounds.”
The all-day time frame would be overreaching, Wilson said.
It can happen, but “children don’t just run out on the road”, he said.
“All our roads have very good footpaths on them, and that is where you walk.”
With the signage timings sorted, Brown now wants further consideration and consistency in where the signs are placed.
“I’ve heard some are placed well and others are placed too far away from the school. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern in them,” Brown said.
The signs are placed by the best judgment of staff based on access to the school and can be considered in a further review once the speed limits have been in place for a year, Chamberlain said.
*LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
“A way of life locked in time.”
That is the best way to describe the Ng King Brothers Chinese Market Garden Settlement Heritage Park in Ashburton, Robert King says.
More than 200 descendants of the original families gathered for the official … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
“A way of life locked in time.”
That is the best way to describe the Ng King Brothers Chinese Market Garden Settlement Heritage Park in Ashburton, Robert King says.
More than 200 descendants of the original families gathered for the official opening of the heritage park on Sunday.
Robert King is the great-grandson of Charlie King, one of the founding members of the market garden.
“This site is authentic. It is real. It is not a replica," he said.
“It has been strengthened for longevity and preservation.”
The 2.3-hectare heritage park centres around the remnant buildings of the market gardens, restored to maintain the humble and original look of the buildings.
King said the initial project was to stabilise, strengthen and retain the area.
The market garden settlement on Allens Road had operated from 1921, growing to be the largest Chinese community in the South Island until it closed in 1964. It had since fallen into disrepair.
Yep Ng started the process when he approached the council in 2008 about restoring the site.
He was the driving force of the project, but died 10 months before the opening. His dedication to restoring the site was honoured at the opening.
It took five years to track down the descendants to gain consent to sign a memorandum of understanding to give stewardship of the site to the Ashburton District Council in 2013.
A working group began developing plans for the site in 2016 and the work to transform it into a heritage park began in 2019.
Ashburton deputy mayor Liz McMillan said the Chinese families overcame many challenges to become part of the social and business fabric of the district.
The heritage park will “uphold the legacy of early settlers” and be an important part of the district's history, McMillan said.
Eight interpretive panels on the site tell the stories of Chinese immigration, market gardening, the buildings, and the Ng King people, while a memorial rock lists the names of the original Ng King settlement partnership.
The council’s democracy and engagement group manager, Toni Durham, said while the heritage park was now open, there was still more work to be done.
“A full landscaping plan has been prepared which references both New Zealand and Chinese cultures.
“It will involve more pathways, additional planting and sculpting of the land, and seating areas.
“This will be completed over the next couple of years as funding is available.”
The final cost of the project hasn’t been tallied as it isn’t complete, Durham said.
“The project has been a collaboration with funding being provided by the council, Heritage New Zealand and the Chinese Poll Tax Trust.
“The Ng King family’s contribution has been providing their land as a community heritage park, and they see this as their way of giving back to a community that welcomed their forefathers.”
The heritage park opened to the public from Monday.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Developers want to reshape the historic Triangle precinct in Ashburton by turning it into a laneway and creating something special for the town.
Justin Skilling and Robert Grice have been restoring the old buildings along Victoria St and have big … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Developers want to reshape the historic Triangle precinct in Ashburton by turning it into a laneway and creating something special for the town.
Justin Skilling and Robert Grice have been restoring the old buildings along Victoria St and have big plans for continued major redevelopment
Their latest concept is to close the section of the street off to vehicles to make a laneway.
Skilling said they have been working with the council around the plans and will submit to the long-term plan for the closure.
“We have the plans drawn up and now it’s a matter of engaging with the councillors and the public."
Between them, Skilling and Grice own all the buildings on the southern side of the street, and Skilling owns half of the north side.
Skilling’s redevelopments started with the Triangle Café and then last year Smoke, a restaurant and butcher.
The Rabbit, a dessert and cocktail bar, opened up while Berry Beauty and CosMedics moved into the renovated old Plunket Rooms.
Grice is preparing to redevelop his existing shops into an exciting new mixed-use hospitality precinct named The Ash.
It’s all turning the triangle back into a destination.
“It was never planned, it has just evolved.
“The next step for the regeneration of the Triangle is how we tie that into [Baring Square], the library and event centre.”
The concept will be part of a submission to the long-term plan to have the conversation about how and when it could work, he said.
“While we have the momentum and everyone is saying how great it is, why don’t we make it something special for the town for the future?”
Making the triangle a laneway would provide easy links to the Ashburton Event Centre to the north and Te Whare Whakatere, Ashburton’s library and civic centre, to the south, Skilling said.
Creating the laneway will also help tidy up a dangerous stretch of road, he said.
Living right on the corner, Skilling said he witnessed near misses most days.
“I would rather make the change to prevent a serious incident than it be done as the result of one”.
Another wider aspect to consider is car parking.
Closing off the street will reduce car parking but Skilling sees the Balmoral Hall site as an ideal, centrally located solution “that’s already being used as a car park”.
The council is proposing to sell the Balmoral Hall and Polytech grounds, rather than repairing the building for an estimated $1.4m.
Another option is retaining the site as a car park on the eastern side of the CBD, Skilling said.
The council is undergoing the consent process to build a second public car park on SH1/West St.
“We already have something on that side of the CBD,” Skilling said.
With the planned second bridge expected to bring more traffic through the eastern side of town, providing adequate parking rather than having people travel back across the railway line to SH1 would be beneficial, he said.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Splashing the cash on swimming pools is considered to be money down the drain.
But the council is still proposing spending millions on an outdoor pool.
A new outdoor pool at the EA Networks Centre, at an estimated cost of $3m, will be the … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Splashing the cash on swimming pools is considered to be money down the drain.
But the council is still proposing spending millions on an outdoor pool.
A new outdoor pool at the EA Networks Centre, at an estimated cost of $3m, will be the preferred option in the long-term plan over repairing the Tinwald Pool ($3m), installing hydro-slides at EA Networks Centre ($3.5m) or upgrading the paddling pool and water play area at the Ashburton Domain ($3m).
The council's people and facilities group manager, Sarah Mosley, told councillors at a recent workshop that outdoor pools simply don’t make money.
In its best season, 3050 people in 2020-21, the Tinwald Pool recorded a $66,000 loss, costing ratepayers around $18 per swim.
Councillor Leen Braam wanted to know how that compared to the EA Networks aquatic centre.
“The challenge is all aquatic facilities lose money,” Mosley said.
“The costs are high and they provide a service that no other people generally want to provide.
“The comparison in cost is: Do you want to lose more than you need to lose?”
It was difficult to make a comparison between Tinwald Pool and EA Networks as the aquatic centre is an annual operation with multiple indoor pools, Mosley said.
An outdoor pool built at the EA Network Centre would lose less money than the Tinwald Pool if was fixed, “due to the operational efficiencies”.
The $3m figure for the Tinwald Pool is for the scope of work believed to be required, but as with any restoration “you don’t know what you are going to find”, Mosley said.
“When we find something that is out of scope, that could skyrocket the cost and we wouldn’t know that until we find it.
“That’s one of the risks of the Tinwald Pool project versus a greenfield new pool project, which also has a risk of cost escalations but not as many unknowns.”
The $3m would cover repairing the Tinwald Pool but would not include any other upgrades and wouldn’t solve the lifeguard shortage that hampered its operation last summer.
While the outdoor pool options would lose money, hydroslides would be a year-round income stream.
Hydroslides at EA Networks Centre caused plenty of debate back in 2015 but the council of the day opted not to install them.
The proposal is a joint venture operation, partnering with an outside party providing the slides that share the costs and the income.
The Domain Paddling Pool project was included in the Ashburton Domain Development Plan. The project would relocate the paddling pool next to the children’s playground and add a water play area.
It is free to use but doesn’t require lifeguards.
The long-term plan will also have a fifth option – do nothing, saving the community from funding the $3m.
If another option is chosen it will signal the long-term closure of the Tinwald Pool and alternative uses of the site will be investigated.
Councillor Phill Hooper proposed handing the Tinwald Pool back to the community to crowd-fund the necessary repairs and then run it as a community pool with a key subscription system.
It could be an option for the future but it comes with complications, Mosley said.
“It is on council land so the council does not relinquish its overriding health and safety obligations.”
As well as the health and safety factor, pools on council land still need to reach water treatment and water quality standards, Mosley said.
Councillor Lynette Lovett said Tinwald Pool needed community ownership.
“If people raise funds and put money into it they will take ownership. If council just goes and puts a [new] pool in there it will keep running the same and be closed more than it
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