Back to the future for Methven ihub?
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
There will be an investigation into Methven’s ihub returning to booking agency services, the same activity that wasn't working and had the town's i-site shut three years ago.
The Ashburton District Council has accepted a request from the the Mt Hutt Memorial Board, where the ihub is situated, to investigate the Methven ihub becoming a booking agent, with the council to weigh up the economic benefit.
Chief executive Hamish Riach reminded councillors that the i-site in Ashburton was closed and Methven’s restructured in 2017 due a decline in revenue for bookings before the Methven i-site then closed in 2020, only to be reborn as the Methven ihub, an information centre without online booking services.
“The i-site lost money and was closed to form the ihub,” Riach said.
There may have been a shift in demand which was worth investigating he said, and there will be upfront costs in setting up as a booking agent to consider, as part of the investigation.
Deputy mayor Liz McMillan, who attended the board meeting, said the request had come from the people working at the ihub who were receiving a number of booking inquiries, particularly for the Ōpuke Thermal Pools.
Currently, the ihub is only able to pass on information to visitors.
“They still feel there is an element of visitors that would benefit from using a service where they could call up a motel and make the booking on their behalf for example,” democracy and engagement group manager Toni Durham, said.
“They don’t have that ability at this stage, they just pass on contact details.”
As a booking agent they would receive income from making the bookings.
“There would be a little bit of income but there would be a cost as well so we would need to go away and understand what those numbers look like before we decided to go that way or not.”
Once the investigation is complete, a report will go before the council for a decision.
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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