Christmas hours

Customer service Closed
25 December 2018 – 2 January 2019

Building Consents and Planning
No consent processing between 20 December 2018 – 10 January

Upcoming Council Meetings

24 January 2019

• Finance, Audit and Risk Committee Meeting
• Council Meeting

28 February 2019

• Finance, Audit and Risk Committee Meeting
• Council Meeting

Westland Library Service

What’s on in January and February:

• Win a prize in the Summer Reading Challenges for Children and Adults:
  • Children are encouraged to ‘Read for 20 minutes a day for 40 days’. Library Staff are happy to help you choose the right book.
  • Adults – read 5 library books, e-books, or audio-books over the summer.
• The library is now offering a Digital Only Membership. A Digital Only Membership is open to all Westland District residents, of any age and enables you to use our digital library services, giving you access to over 10,000 E-books, E-Audiobooks plus our E-Newspapers and E-Magazines. No need to visit the library, no overdue fees and no lost books. Perfect for going on holiday – and for completing the Summer Reading Challenge!
• The new Digital Learning Centre is available for hire. Please call (03) 7556208 or email Natasha.Morris@westlib.co.nz for information.

For further details about our events, please see our website here, Westland District Library Facebook page, or call the library on (03) 7556208.

Christmas Opening Hours:

• Tuesday 25 December CLOSED
• Wednesday 26 December CLOSED
• Thursday 27 December, Friday 28 December and Monday 31 December 9.30am – 5.30pm
• Saturday 29 December 10.00am – 4.00pm
• Tuesday 1 January 2019 CLOSED
• Wednesday 2 January 2019 CLOSED
• Normal hours resume Thursday 3 January 2019 at 9.30am.

Hokitika Swimming Pool

Summer Opening Hours:

• Monday to Friday 6.00am – 8.00pm
• Saturday and Sunday 8.00am – 6.00pm

Christmas Hours:

• Monday 24 December 8.00am – 6.00pm
• Tuesday 25 December CLOSED
• Wednesday 26 December CLOSED
• Thursday 27 December to Monday 31 December 8.00am – 6.00pm
• Tuesday 1 January 2019 12.00pm – 6.00pm
• Wednesday 2 January to Sunday 6 January 8.00am – 6.00pm

No Aqua fitness classes during Christmas Hours

Please call Angie on 03 755 8119 for further information.

Information on waste and recycling collection for the Christmas period and 2019 can be found on our website here.

The Hokitika Transfer station will be closed on:

• Christmas Day Tuesday 25 December 2018
• Boxing Day Wednesday 26 December 2018
• New Year’s Day Tuesday 1 January 2019
• Waitangi Day Wednesday 6 February 2019

Join in the fun on Waitangi Day at the Arahura Marae.

Lots of events and activities will be on offer and a free Hangi – but please register for catering purposes.

Please contact Waitangi2019@westlanddc.govt.nz for further information or to register.

Longer daylight hours mean that dog owners are spending more time out and about with ‘man’s best friend’.

Now is a good time to remind yourself of the Council’s Dog Control Bylaw and responsible dog ownership. Dog Control is managed by officers from the Council.

You can find the full Dog Control Bylaw on the Council’s website here.

Except where noted below, dogs need to be kept on the lead, including within 20 metres of children’s playgrounds and mown playing surfaces of public sports grounds.

As long as you have control of your dog through whistle, electronic collar or voice, areas available for off the leash include the following:

• Within Hokitika: MacAndrew Square Gardens; Bonar Drive Reserve; Robbins Park – Airport Drive and Prossers Bush.
• Outside of Hokitika: All public places.
• Most beach areas are also available for off the lead. Please be aware of native wildlife, particularly Little Blue Penguins who nest near the beaches. Dogs are allowed off the lead only during daylight hours. Avoid allowing dogs to be off the lead above the high tide line, in dunes, and in areas of beach-side vegetation. Your dog’s natural instincts on seeing, smelling or hearing a small creature may over-ride your abilities of voice control of them.

If you take your dog out in the car during the summer, remember that the inside of a car is much hotter than outside. Even with the windows down your dog can overheat. If you have to take your dog out in the car, park in the shade.

See Council’s website for further information here.

From 1st January 2017, pools are required to meet the Building (Pools) Amendment Act 2016.

Pool safety barriers are now regulated by the Building Act 2004, under provisions of Clause F9 of the New Zealand Building Code (Building Regulations).

Swimming Pools and Spas Pools require a building consent to install. This will require a pool fence to comply with the Act. “Pools” are all pools that have the capability of water depth greater than 400 mm.

Gates or doors entering the immediate pool area must have self-closure devices.

Refer to the Pool Safety Checklist.

Contact the Council for further information and advice.

District Assets provides input and management for most engineering-related aspects within the district’s urban and rural communities.

This involves overseeing essential services for water, sewerage and stormwater, as well as roads, parks and reserves (including cemeteries), solid waste (refuse), public toilets, buildings, fleet vehicles and the iconic West Coast Wilderness Trail.

Daily activities involve decision-making for maintenance activities, as well as planning and executing new capital projects, infrastructure upgrades and renewals.

Planning these activities requires resource consents, asset management plans, operational plans and budgeting the best outcome for ratepayers. We also collect and record monitoring data about the performance of our assets for compliance purposes and oversee the work of a wide range of contractors who act on our behalf.

Our team also proactively pursues funding cost-share opportunities including government grants for Tourist Infrastructure Funding (TIF). We also submit applications for funding under schemes such as Maintaining Great Rides (MGR), the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Visitor Driver Programme and other NZTA roading opportunities, which assists in keeping rates as reasonable as possible.

Our team is very small for the size of the district and in comparison with neighbouring councils.

Water enthusiasts in Westland will get the opportunity to replace their old lifejackets for new Hutchwilco ones at discounted prices when the Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade Van visits in January 2019.

Coastguard recommends that lifejackets over 10 years old should be replaced as seawater, sun and general wear and tear impact their effectiveness. See www.old4new.nz or contact Coastguard 0800 BOATIE (0800 262 843) for further information.

The Van will be in Westland on these dates:

• Wednesday 16 January 2019 1pm – 4pm Haast Heli Cnr State Highway 6 & Marks Rd, Haast
• Thursday 17 January 2019 10am – 2pm Jackson Bay The Esplanade, Jackson Bay
• Friday 18 January 2019 8am – 11am Franz Josef Community Centre 6 Main Road, Franz Josef;
  3pm – 6pm Hokitika Railway Terrace, Hokitika