Hokitika Swimming Pool brief closure

Completion of the work on the new front-of-house at the Hokitika Swimming Pool is getting close. Before opening this area to the public Council has some housekeeping to do that requires closing the facility.

The swimming pool will be closed from Monday 25 March and reopen after Easter on Friday 5 April. During this time all of the temporary facilities will be removed, and the front of house prepared for reopening.

Staff look forward to welcoming patrons back when the pool reopens.

Valuation Rolls 2024

The Valuation Rolls for Westland District Council have been revised by Quotable Value Limited (as the Council’s valuation service provider).

The revised Rating Values are effective as at 1 September 2023 and the new notices of valuation will be posted to owners and ratepayers from 14 February 2024.  The District Valuation Rolls will be open for public inspection, free of charge, during regular office hours, at the offices of Westland District Council, 36 Weld Street, Hokitika.

The revised values can be viewed until 28 March 2024.

Objections to the revised valuations must be lodged, in writing or online at www.ratingvalues.co.nz, no later than 28 March 2024.

Objection forms are available Quotable Value Limited and should be posted to:

Quotable Value Ltd – Business Support, Private Bag 39 818, Wellington Mail Centre, LOWER HUTT 5045

More information about “Understanding your Rating Value” can be found here.

The Library app is back!

Exciting news for our Library App users… it’s working again!

The Westland District Library App has been repaired and is back in action. If you deleted the app from your devices (or haven’t discovered it yet) you can download the app free by searching Westland District Library in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The Library App is a quick and easy way to search our catalogue, renew and reserve books, discover our digital resources and manage your library account all in one place. Thank you for your patience during this time, we know you have missed the app as much as we have. If you would like any help getting your app operating again, please contact the library, our friendly team loves to help.

Coming up at the library

Easter Crafts

Looking for ways to keep all those little hands busy over the long weekend? Our popular holiday craft packs are back again for Easter. Hop into the library and grab one of our activity packs from the 18^th of March. Packs are $2 each and will be available on a first-come first-served basis.

Autumn Seed Library

Get those summer seeds harvested, seedlings sprouted and cuttings prepared ready to share and swap with your fellow garden enthusiasts from Wednesday 10th to Saturday 13th of April.

School Holiday Activities

The school holidays are rapidly approaching and the library is planning to be ‘Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead’ with lots of fun activities for the whole whanau to enjoy. Keep an eye on our Facebook page or check out our online calendar for more details about What’s On at the library.

Cass Square and Custom House

Cass Square Playground

The installation of the new playground is starting to take shape. Some of the equipment is now installed and other equipment has been delivered to the site. Groundworks have mostly been completed in preparation for laying the safety matting.

Custom House

Repairs to extend the life and protect the structure of Custom House on Gibson Quay are underway. The lead-based paint has been stripped off in preparation for repainting and rotten weatherboards replaced. A new flagpole will also be installed. The work is expected to be completed by the end of March.

Creative Communities and WestREAP Art4Me

WestREAP Art4Me was one of the successful applicants to receive funding in the September 2022 round of Creative Communities Funding from Creative NZ. Art4Me and the Supported Art4Me groups support creative adults to work on visual arts projects with materials and tutor support. The funding was used throughout 2023.

Receiving funding through the Creative Communities scheme allowed the WestREAP Creative Spaces programme to run ceramics workshops, including pit firing, over three days. 10 Art4Me Artists participated, including two participants who travelled from Harihari to join the group. The course was delivered by Art4Me tutor Sam Duckor Jones and supported by Kate Gardener who provided their expertise, a kiln and location. Feedback on the workshops was really positive, with a participant commenting, “It’s always great to see how the Art4Me team support people (people either with or without higher needs) to create projects in such a friendly, genuine environment.” The programme is now a model for future programmes bringing together creative people from our community, some with special needs.

Funding was also used to purchase materials for the Supported Art4Me group in Hokitika, allowing artists to explore a range of different art mediums. This is a well-established group and a significant part of the participants’ lives. In this space, the supported artists can share their capabilities and build their skills.

Apply for funding

Applications for the March round of Creative Communities New Zealand Local Arts Funding Scheme are open now and close on Friday 5 April. If you have any questions, would like to know more about what type of projects can be funded or would like help completing an application, see our website or contact Sarah Brown, Community Development Advisor, 027 773 5236.

Increasing mobile coverage

The Government funded Rural Broadband programme, run by Crown Infrastructure Partners to improve mobile connectivity across the Westland District is in its final stages, with the last remaining towers due to go live later this year.

With 25 Rural Connectivity Group towers already live, and nine more in progress, 99% of the Westland population will have mobile coverage from Jackson Bay to the surrounds of Otira and most of the State Highway and local roads in between with all three mobile services available. “Westland will now have one of the best mobile coverage statistics of regions or districts in NZ,” according to Graham Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of Crown Infrastructure Partners.

This first tower in the second phase of the nationwide Mobile Blackspots programme on SH73 at Aickens, near Jacksons, has gone live. This part of the programme addresses State Highway coverage, and targets local roads, the ends of major trails, and communities that don’t already have mobile voice service.

Sea Week – Ocean Champion Challenge

Are you or someone you know an Ocean Champion?

The national Seaweek Ocean Champion Challenge – Moana Toa Whakatara – is a call for all environmental heroes to share what action they are taking to help solve a problem impacting our marine environment.

Entries are open until 31 March, so there is still time to enter. There are three categories:

• Creator, who advocates for the ocean through their art;
• Investigators, who contribute observations or collect data related to the marine environment; and
• Narrators, who share insight into any type of action aimed at positively impacting the ocean.

To find out more and make a nomination, visit the Sea Week website.