The Cambridge Community Board public forum before every meeting is a powerful platform for the community voice to be heard.
Cambridge Community Board, from left Elise Badger, Aloana Mackay, Jo Davies-Colley, Andrew Myers, Mike Montgomerie, Sue Milner. Absent Philip Coles.
Philip Coles
Listening to the residents of Cambridge and their concerns is a vital step in advocating for everyone. Sometimes our meeting room is overflowing with people, such as during the Cambridge Connections community response, or sometimes there is just a few people. Regardless, it is one of the most important things we do as a community board.
Over the last two months we have heard from different groups.
A year after the launch of the Cambridge Connections project, we still have members of the public seeking updates, asking questions and connecting with us over this important project. With a project reset underway, the community board is staying close to the process and ongoing developments.
Members of Cambridge’s new Public Art Trust attended our last meeting and gave us an update on their vision to raise funding for art in public spaces, on private properties and a public art trail, allowing people to walk, cycle or drive to art around the Cambridge area.
This will have a Cambridge feel and will celebrate our river and trees, sport, agriculture, Māori history and culture and much more, allowing Cambridge stories to be told through art.
All the art will have an attached QR code so people can learn more about the artist and their work. This exciting venture will launch in August.
An artist’s impression of how the new sports hall of fame will look.
We also had a presentation on the Sports Hall of Fame and an exciting proposed rebrand of the Velodrome to the Waipa Arena creating a future hub of events and activities, music, concerts, and sport.
Included in this is the Sports Hall of Fame, transported from Dunedin, reimagined and given a new lease of life in Cambridge.
The Sports Hall of Fame will include sports artefacts and a digital experience including immersive technology with a focus on inspiring the next generation into sports and recreation.
This will be a modern and innovative curated celebration of our sporting heroes across New Zealand many, of course, from Cambridge.
A crowd of about 200 people at the Michael Connett Fluoride Free meeting in Cambridge Town Hall. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
A group of residents concerned with the proposed fluoridation of the Cambridge town water supply also presented to us.
They outlined some of the reasons for their concerns as well as giving some examples of actions being taken by other councils around New Zealand.
As fluoridation of our town water supply is a directive from the Director General of Health, rather than a local government decision, the community board’s role in this issue is to hear the concerns of all groups who have an opinion on this issue and communicate this to council on their behalf.
The voices and opinions heard in our public forum whether from a large crowd or just a few individuals, are all important. We welcome anyone from the community to attend and discuss your concerns with us on any local issue.
