Calls for an iconic Waimakariri event
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The time is right for an iconic Waimakariri event, says a Kaiapoi business leader.
Kaiapoi Promotions Association (KPA) chairperson Martin Pinkham says such an event could put the district on the map and be eligible for government funding.
He was speaking at last week’s Waimakariri District Council audit and risk committee meeting.
He was keen to sit down with the council’s economic development arm, Enterprise North Canterbury (ENC), Rangiora Promotions and the Oxford Promotions Action Committee.
KPA’s largest event was the Kaiapoi Christmas Carnival and Santa Parade and it was planning to bring back the Kaiapoi River Carnival early next year.
ENC general manager Heather Warwick supports the idea, but said it would need to be considered carefully.
She said an event like the Selwyn Sounds would bring little benefit for Waimakariri businesses.
‘‘We need something that sells the region like the Waipara Valley Wine and Food Festival, rather than another event where people don’t have to stay the night and our retailers don’t see any benefit.’’
A lack of accommodation was one barrier for a large event.
But Warwick wondered whether there needed to be a single big iconic event.
She said Oxford had been successful with a several smaller events throughout the year.
ENC holds the regional events fund for Waimakariri, and Warwick said funding had been provisionally improved for an ‘‘exciting’’ new event centred around the Kaiapoi River in March next year.
Rangiora Promotions chairperson Ross Ditmer said he would welcome a conversation around an iconic Waimakariri event.
But he wondered whether a large event would be more sustainable if it was privately run.
‘‘We have an iconic event in Rangiora, Muscle Car Madness, which has been run for more than 30 years by a private entity.’’
He said Rangiora business owner Karl Horwarth has ‘‘had some great ideas’’ for a winter festival, a festival of colour and a light festival.
‘‘But it is a matter of who puts it together, because you can’t rely on volunteers to make it sustainable.
‘‘So, does the council take ownership of it, or do you look to private entities to run it?’’
Rangiora Promotions employs a part time events co-ordinator to run events, with volunteer support. Ditmer said the organisation’s strength is being able to run free family events, such as the outdoor cinema and fireworks event last Friday (November 25), as well as the santa parade and party in the
park.
■ Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Waimakariri district plan faces more delays amid changing rules
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Changing Government legislation is causing headaches for council staff, as Waimakariri’s new District Plan is set to be delayed again.
Waimakariri District Council development planning manager Matt Bacon said he was relieved when the last of the public hearings ended last week.
But with final council reports due on December 13, staff will have just two working days to present the final District Plan on December 17. A district plan helps to control and manage the development of the district or city.
‘‘We are working through what it looks like and we will update the council at its meeting on December 3,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘But we will likely seek another extension from the environment minister and the Resource Management Act (RMA) minister.’’
The council first notified its draft District Plan in September 2021, but within months legislation was introduced with new medium density residential housing standards (MDRS).
‘‘We needed to call for further submissions and we had to create a separate hearing panel to consider the plan variations to allow for the MDRS,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘We have tried to merge the process as much as possible, as well as looking at re-zoning and incorporating other new legislation.’’
When the draft plan was first notified there was no National Policy Statement (NPS) for Indigenous Biodiversity, but an NPS was introduced - and then replaced.
The Natural and Built Environment Act came into being last year and then repealed, and then there is the NPS on Urban Development and the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan.
The Government is now working on more RMA reforms and Environment Canterbury is working on the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement.
And then there is the Fast-Track Approvals Bill, which includes three proposed housing developments in Waimakariri - two of them outside of the future urban development areas identified in the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan.
All three housing developments in the Bill have been included in submissions to the District Plan, including a proposed 850-home development at Ohoka, near Rangiora, which is also subject to an Environment Court appeal.
‘‘We haven’t seen the detail, so whether it is the same proposals, we don’t know, but they are different processes so we have to just keep doing what we are doing, until we are told otherwise,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘It might just be a timing thing, but we just don’t know.’’
Bacon said delaying the District Plan until new legislation is in place is not an option.
‘‘We are looking at what we can control and having a watching brief, and we will look at transitional timings because we don’t always have to immediately change planning documents when new legislation comes in.’’
Planning manager Wendy Harris said navigating changing Government legislation is a normal part of council planning work.
‘‘If we waited we wouldn’t do anything and we would go nowhere.’’
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
The tiger who came to tea
Trays are such a useful item to have in the home – they are obviously great for serving food and drinks, particularly breakfast in bed! Find out how to create your own with Resene wallpaper and Resene Colorwood wood stain with these easy step by step instructions.
Loading…
