| Cycling and Walking Subcommittee | Thursday 17 August, 3pm |
| Council Meeting | Thursday 24 August, 1pm |
| Hokitika Wastewater Treatment Plant Oversight Committee | Wednesday 6 September, 3pm |
| Council meeting | Thursday 28 September, 1pm |
Coombes Aquatics have completed the installation of the new swimming pool liner. At the end of July, the swimming pool was re-filed with water ready for reopening.
Work on the foundations has started for both the new plant room and the new entrance and changing facilities. The plant room should be ready to receive sand filters in early September. New shower facilities in the main pool hall are due to be completed in August.
The facility is scheduled to re-open in October with temporary access on the West side of the building, behind the RSA on Sewell Street, while the front entryway is completed.
Stay up to date with this and other projects on our website under ‘Key Projects’.
As I write this the celebrations for the opening of the Otira rail tunnel 100 years ago, will be in full swing on site at Otira. This is the beginning of a period of acknowledging the events that connected Westland to the rest of the country by land sea and air.
At Westland Industrial Heritage Park many of our displays follow this theme. The Livery display is expanding and features the Halls stagecoach that was the last to travel the Arthur’s Pass route before being replaced by the train when the Otira rail tunnel was completed. The boatshed, which has shared a building with the Livery, is to get a new home. This will be developed into a Maritime Centre, telling the stories of water transport, from river ferries to pleasure craft on the lakes to the port of Hokitika. The Livery display will continue to develop telling the stories of horse-drawn or borne transport.
To continue the transport theme, some of our members are keen to plan an Aviation Centre. This is very much in the concept development stage.
Industrial Heritage and many of our exhibits are, by their nature connected to the transport theme. We have earthmoving machines and trucks that built the roads, railways and airports. The railways are featured in some exhibits and are represented by our very popular Miniature Mudfish Bush Railway.
In the meantime, it’s business as usual at the Heritage Park. As well as the Livery, steady, if slow, progress continues in the steam shed; more sewing machines are joining the display and being restored to working order. Wiring work is underway in the Fire Museum and a number of other small vehicle restoration projects are progressing well.
The Landscaping group are progressing with new plans to include some of the old machinery and develop more information and viewing areas.
The Mudfish railway has continued to operate on Saturdays when weather permits. On King’s Birthday and Matariki weekends, we ran extra days and included night runs that went very well. We are grateful for our visiting enthusiasts from Halswell, Blenheim, Nelson and Greymouth who brought their locomotives (including the very popular steam locos) to assist in giving great rides to our visitors.
Our admin team has received a blow with the loss of our assistant secretary, Beryl Agnew. She has been a tireless worker and provided us with great service. She and Roger will continue to help with the landscaping.
The WIHP AGM took place on Wednesday 9 August. The planning of ambitious new projects and progress on existing projects is hampered by our very small workforce. So, if you are interested in any of the projects or just being involved with a great group of people, come and join us.
Bob Gaiger
Email: wihpark@gmail.com
Web site http://www.rustyrelics.co.nz
Photos: Westland Industrial Heritage Park
While the Otira Tunnel Centennial Commemorations have been and gone, the memory and evidence of the day of celebration is still apparent in the valley. There’s the tunneller’s hut next to the steam train boiler on Station Road, students’ paintings in the subway, an Otira river boulder proudly holding a plaque of remembrance, a newly published book about the Otira tunnel, gold and silver commemoration coins and the remnants of a buzz in the air amongst locals who participated.
Two years of planning for over 650 people who arrived on the day is undoubtedly an opportunity to be remembered. The occasion meant the old Otira hall with its sprung floor, was upgraded and the station is resplendent decked out as it is with a new paint job. Many took the chance to dress 1920’s style, find old acquaintances and strike up those friendships again. As one attendee noted, it is not often that one can find such a large diverse crowd gathered in warm convivial unity.
Families of people who had lived and worked in Otira, said they had never regretted their time in Otira. They learnt a lot, they said, about life in the mountains. But the day was a day of remembrance for those who had slogged it out, men, women and children who stayed to see the job done and they would leave behind a magnificent tunnel through the mountains – still in use 100 years later. Testament indeed to their grueling, determined work.
The celebrations remind everyone that Otira is the small, important historical gateway to the west coast, rich with its valuable preservation of memories, artefacts and monuments. In 2029, the Centenary of Arthur’s Pass National Park is to be celebrated – Otira is part of that national park and we look forward to hosting you again, here in Otira.
Until then, mā te wā,
Diane Gordon-Burns
| Library Talk: Take Action for Nature | Come celebrate Conservation Week by learning a bit more about how we can all ‘take action for nature’ every day. | Wednesday 16 August, 5.30pm.
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| Speak Up, Poetry Jam Session | Come celebrate National Poetry Day with us. Bring a poem to read, one of your own or one of your favourite authors, one that rhymes or one that doesn’t, one you can sing, whisper or hum, all words are welcome. Book your free ticket to attend here and join us to ‘speak’ or just to listen | Friday 26 August, 5.30 – 7.00pm |
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency are seeking information from the community about areas where there is community demand for changes to speed limits on State Highway 6 through Westland. This information will feed into their State Highway Speed Management Plan 2024-2027, which will be available for public consultation in early 2024.
If you have any specific areas of concern along State Highway 6 that you would like to be reviewed, please email speedmanagement@nzta.govt.nz before 30 September 2023.
Does some one or somewhere deserve to be awarded a Keep NZ Beautiful Award?
We’re asking Kiwis everywhere to nominate the people, projects and places that they believe illustrate the height of environmental excellence in Aotearoa. From all the nominations received, our Beautiful Awards judges will choose the recipients and finalists – with winners being announced at the Beautiful Ball, to be held at Parliament House on 9 November 2023.
This year’s Beautiful Awards will consist of 12 awards across four categories: Individuals, Community, Places and Towns & Cities. Thanks to Resene there will also be a Supreme Award available in the Towns & Cities category, with the winning town or city winning a mural painting valued up to $10,000.
Nominations for the Beautiful Awards are open from Monday 17 July until Monday 21 August 2023. Put your community on the map, acknowledge a volunteer doing amazing environmental work in your area, or highlight a stand-out sustainability initiative in your town or city – make your nomination now!
Make your nomination on the Keep NZ Beautiful website.
Caroline Cech, Master of Planning student at Otago University is undertaking research on community perceptions and awareness surrounding climate change hazards and adaptation in Fox Glacier as part of her degree.
Survey responses are sought from residents, workers, and local businesses in Fox Glacier. The outcomes of the research will provide decision-makers with valuable information to help plan for a more resilient future.
Visit this website to take the survey.
Council staff and the wider Hokitika community recently contributed to a mapping project about garden bird interaction conducted in Hokitika and Whangārei.
The project was conducted by Massey University students Deborah Patterson, a planner in our Hokitika office, and Kelsie Hackett a fellow Massey student. The aim was to discover what species people regularly encounter in their backyard and whether they take any measures to encourage avian visitors – such as feeding or providing a bird bath or bird house. Responses were captured via a digital survey which included the option to provide photographs.
Deborah and Kelsie created maps from the survey responses to show information about the percentage of native birds recorded at houses alongside the vegetation type, as well as the prevalence of pro-bird interactions. Project results and interactive maps here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b408a39cd484482c829def9ef8790a62
Thank you to all members of the community who took part to assist in the research.
