Electric bus changes
Buses in Te Awamutu
Passengers using the Cambridge and Te Awamutu/Kihikihi bus services to Hamilton may notice a few changes in the New Year as the first stage to bring electric buses and increased services to the Waikato begins.
Waikato Regional Council and Waipā District Council are working with new operator Tranzit to roll out new buses in three stages.
In this first stage, which begins 1 January 2024, the Cambridge and Te Awawmutu/Kihikihi bus services will have new-look, smaller, diesel-fuelled buses, with an assist bus for peak times to ensure carrying capacity.
Affordable housing
Peake Mews Show Home
Peake Mews, the first affordable housing neighbourhood in Cambridge, opened on Monday with a $4 million donation from the Brian Perry Charitable Trust. Peake Mews will eventually see 47 two-, three- and four-bedroom homes. The first eight households received their keys and moved in with a special welcome party. Home buyers access funds from Secure Homes, a leasehold programme which offers home at half the cost of similar freehold properties.
Festival back
Festival One organisers have confirmed they have more than 60 artists and bands taking to the Hartford Farm, Karāpiro stage for its 10th birthday on Auckland Anniversary Weekend. Tickets have gone on sale for the event which was forced to cancel only hours in this year when heavy rain hit the rural site.
Design plans
Peake Mews Show Home
Hamilton-based Designwell will lead the work to fine tune St Peter’s School, Cambridge’s long-term redevelopment plans. Creative director Alexander Wastney will look after the interior re-design process and says he is excited about working on the project given the school’s rich history and the possibility of intertwining the old with new to create an enhanced learning environment for students.
Blood needed
New Zealand Blood Service holds its last collection days of the year today and tomorrow in the Cambridge Town Hall from 1pm to 7pm. People who lived in the UK, France or the Republic of Ireland between 1980 and 1996 are still unable to donate despite Medsafe declaring ‘mad cow’ disease restrictions are over. The service expects to welcome the new donors early next year.
Dam opens
The Karāpiro Dam road will temporarily open from tomorrow (Friday) until 7am on Monday January 8 and then again for the Waka Ama event from January 14 to January 22. The road will then close again until August while Mercury Energy removes and replaces the second unit and headgate in the dam building itself.
New library
A feasibility study underway by Paua has shown using the current Waipā service centre in Cambridge as a site for an expanded library, heritage centre and museum is not an option as the footprint is unsuitable and will not meet the function. A draft report is expected out this week which will recommend finding a new location for the $28 million project.
Ski plan
The Department of Conservation wants feedback on an application by Pure Tūroa Ltd for a concession to operate the Tūroa Ski Area on Mt Ruapehu, in the wake of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Limited entering liquidation in 2023.
Farmer fined
A Waikato farmer has been fined $70,000 in Te Awamutu District Court for unlawfully discharging dairy effluent on his Waitakaruru farm three years ago. Douglas Torr was sentenced by Judge Brian Dwyer following a defended hearing and a failed application for a discharge without conviction.
Forty up
The Te Awamutu Wheelchair Wagon, a voluntary service providing transport for people in wheelchairs, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month. Its first trip was made on Christmas Day 1983.
Scout jamboree
More than 4000 scouts, leaders and staff will be at the 23rd NZ Scout Jamboree at Mystery Creek Events Centre for a week from December 30.
Big spenders
Waikato continues to be the fourth hottest spot (behind Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington) in New Zealand for visitors to spend their money, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment. At a district level, Waitomo (up 28 per cent to $101 million), Waipā (up 21 per cent to $216 million) and Ōtorohanga (up 23 per cent to $40 million) saw the largest leaps in visitor spending in the 12 months to October 2023, compared to the same period the year before.
Road works
Work on a right turn bay to enable easier access to McAndrew St in Kihikihi is expected to be completed today.
Daniel wins
Para athlete Daniel Kitts, from Te Awamutu College, won the T37 category of the 800m at the New Zealand Secondary Schools track, field and road championships in Christchurch earlier this month.
