2021 Civic and Community Awards

14 December 2021

In conjunction with the Hokitika Lions, Westland District Council recognised local members of the community at an awards ceremony held during the final Council meeting of 2021.

Award winners were:

• Westlander of the Year – Jimmy Gordon
• Senior Westlander of the Year – Ian Gilbertson (Gibby)
• The Brian McCarthy Trophy for Community Involvement – Lucan Bradley
• Community Involvement (Youth) – Bless Groome

Visit our website to find out more about these deserving recipients and scroll down to view more photos.

Photos by Westland District Council

The Library is here to help

14 December 2021

If you are having difficulty downloading your Covid-19 vaccine pass the library staff are happy to help. Call them on 03 755 6208 or email the library to make an appointment with the Book-A-Librarian service and a staff member will help you with the process.

Your Library at the Orange Traffic Light Setting.

The library is open as usual.  All visitors to the library are required to scan or sign in and wear face-masks (unless exempted). No Vaccine Pass is required for entry.

There will be no face-to-face events or programmes in the library for the time being but we have lots on offer for everyone, including online events and a brand new reading challenge ’12 Badges of Christmas’.

Check out our what’s on page.

Photo by Westland District Library

Dealing with waste over the Christmas period

14 December 2021

Westland District Council wants to remind residents about the knotty problem of unrecyclable Christmas wrapping this festive season.

The waste team says, “Where you can, try to save the wrapping and ribbons to reuse – but if you’ve got so excited to unwrap and the wrapping is torn or otherwise unusable, make sure it goes into the right bin.”

While paper wrapping can be put in the yellow recycling bin – metallic, plastic or foil wrap, gift bags and ribbons aren’t recyclable and need to go into the rubbish.

You can also now take your glass jars and bottles to the Hokitika Transfer Station to recycle for free. All glass needs to be clean and intact.

Here are some further handy tips to steer you through your post-festive clean-up and the coming year and help reduce recycling bin contamination.

Photo of Glass bins by Envirowaste

It’s a dogs’ life

14 December 2021

As the weather heats up we would like to remind dog owners that a hot car is not the best place to leave a dog. They do not regulate their temperature in the same way that people do and will get overheated very quickly. The best thing to do is leave your dog at home with plenty of water and shade. It’s also better to walk your dog early in the morning or later in the evening when the temperature has cooled down, or take your dog for a nice swim at the river. When out and about always make sure that you have your dog on a lead unless you are in a designated off-lead area.

During summer more people come into contact with dogs and dogs come into contact with more people. Last summer in Westland Matters we shared some information and ideas about how to keep everyone safe and well when people and dogs come together. You can find that information here.

Photo by Jake Hutchison on Unsplash

Museum taking shape despite delays

14 December 2021

Despite delays caused by a redesign of the foundation, and the Covid-19 lockdown and associated supply issues progress continues to be made on the Carnegie building. The work is running about 40 days behind schedule but contractors expect to hand the building back by the end of March 2022.

The structural steel wall columns and roof diaphragm were scheduled to be completed at the beginning of December. This is an important step in providing earthquake strengthening and support to the building. With the completion of the steelwork, new wall framing and ceiling installation will begin. A new environmental control system (HVAC) is being manufactured offsite and will be installed in January 2022.

Photo by Westland District Council

Let’s keep up the vaccination momentum

14 December 2021

By now you will have heard that the new vehicle offered by Development West Coast and Grey Ford is still “Up for Jabs”!  C’mon Coasters, we have until 24 December to get both doses to be in to win!

Being fully vaccinated reduces the severity of Covid-19 for anyone unfortunate enough to catch it, which reduces the pressure on health services and will help us move towards Green on the protection framework. Those that are unvaccinated are eight times more likely to be hospitalised than the vaccinated (according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Click here for details about vaccination clinics in Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport, and mobile/pop-up clinics, visit.

Upcoming drop-in mobile clinics in Westland are:

Between Christmas and New Year, vaccinations will only be available at Greymouth Te Nikau Hospital. You can drop in for the Pfizer vaccine, but you will need to book to get the AstraZeneca vaccine or a booster shot:

• Wednesday 29 December, 10am – 4pm, Pfizer vaccine only
• Thursday 30 December, 10am – 4pm and Friday 31 December, 10am – 2pm, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.