Ratepayer takes stand against proposed Amberley cricket ground
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
An Amberley ratepayer says he intends to fight a plan to develop a cricket ground in the new Eastern Reserve.
John Weyers has asked to speak at a Hurunui District Council meeting on Tuesday, November 26, when the council is due to adopt its new reserve management plan.
A proposal to develop a new cricket ground is included in the plan.
But Weyers said there is no need for a new cricket ground, as cricket is already played at the Amberley Domain.
‘‘If Amberley needs a cricket ground that is one thing, but they are talking about doing it in the only green space available in a residential area.’’
Weyers said he had heard of plans to build an international standard cricket ground in the reserve at a cost of more than $900,000.
‘‘The area is screaming out for a nice park for the community.
‘‘I am hoping to be able to speak at the meeting and I will be asking whether it is appropriate to use ratepayers funds when there is no evidence there is a need for it.
‘‘I will be considering what action to take if it passes.’’
Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said a cricket ground was first mooted for the Eastern Reserve a decade ago.
While there has been interest in establishing an international standard cricket ground, it is not the council’s intention, he said.
‘‘The shape of this particular piece of ground is for a cricket ground, based on an agreement with the developer.
‘‘It was what the council decided it wanted to do, based on community feedback at the time.’’
The council entered into a sale and purchase agreement with the developer in 2014 and the land was vested in the council two years later.
Dobbie said funds have been set aside to develop the reserve, with 90% coming from development contributions.
‘‘We will be seeking to move forward with the reserve, but that is up for the council to decide.
‘‘We haven’t gone out for tender yet, but our engineers’ estimates are well below $900,000.’’
Dobbie said an area has been set aside for other sports and it will include a children’s play area and a pump track.
There was potential for tennis courts, croquet and other sports, as well as a modest sports pavilion.
The council consulted on its draft reserve management plan earlier this year, receiving nearly 200 submissions.
The Eastern Reserve attracted the most interest, with residents expressing a range of views on how they wanted the reserve to be developed.
Views varied from those in favour of a cricket ground and those opposed, while others advocated for outdoor areas for light exercise and fellowship for the growing elderly population.
The Amberley Cricket Club has played cricket at the Amberley Domain since the 1890s, but in recent years there had been a dispute due to the overlapping seasons with football.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.
Would you like a free copy of our February 2025 issue?
Kia ora neighbours. We give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine. We're still on the hunt for tomato recipes, so send your family's favourite way to use up your homegrown harvest, to: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the mag
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