Gordon to stand
Roger Gordon at a recent council meeting. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Cambridge-based Waipa District councillor Roger Gordon, 77, announced today he will stand for a third term on the the council at September’s local body elections. The decision came after discussions with his family.
“The last term has been a period of considerable challenge and there is a lot of unfinished business particularly with Three Waters and a Revised Long Term Plan.
“There will be considerable change to the form of council post Three Waters. I believe my experience will contribute to an exciting future for our district and the people of Cambridge,” he said.
22 May 7am
Milner honoured
Cambridge Community Board chair Sue Milner speaking at the service
Long-serving local body politician Sue Milner was honoured at last night’s Cambridge Community Board meeting with a long service award for her exceptional dedication and service. Milner, first elected to Waipā council in 2010, served three terms before standing for the community board in 2019 and then chaired it for three years before handing over to Jo Davies-Colley in 2022. She remained on the board this term but is standing down.
Dog going …
Wag the dog. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
This corten steel sculpture by artist James Wright depicting a dog catching a frisbee is to be moved from its spot on Te Awa Cycleway midway between the Gaslight Theatre and Velodrome to Waipā council land in the off-leash dog area near the theatre. The Te Awa trust has engaged artist Jeremy Shirley to add a mural to the side of the theatre as a way of making the cycleway one of New Zealand’s great bike rides.
Heritage restored
Carpet Mill’s Michael Collins, left, checks out the final result with Town Hall general manager Simon Brew. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The first of two significant upgrades at the Cambridge Town Hall had its christening on Saturday. Final touches were put to the Victorian Room, opposite the Town Square, the day before with work on the ceiling completed and carpeting laid. Work on the Edwardian Room on the opposite side of the hall is now well underway – the kitchen is stripped out and timber walls removed. There was good news when it was found the original tongue and groove timber, originally thought too borer-ridden to be of any use, could be reused thanks to a pressure injection treatment method allowing the timber to be used in the Victorian Room, preserving a key piece of the building’s heritage.
Work on the Edwardian Room on the opposite side of the hall is now well underway with the kitchen stripped out and timber walls removed. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Behind the bar: Cambridge Town Hall general manager Simon Brew behind the new bar in the Victorian Room.
Works complete
New Zealand Transport Agency’s massive road maintenance programme around Waikato and Bay of Plenty has wrapped up. Crews completed an ambitious schedule of road rebuilds, resurfacing, and chip sealing, alongside ongoing maintenance efforts. Major Waipā worksites completed included SH3 work – a six-week road rebuild through Ōhaupō and a four-week road rebuild in Rukuhia.
Fieldays again
Aerial view of Fieldays 2024. Photo: Stephen Barker.
The usual Fieldays road closures have been approved by Waipā District Council from June 11-14. The whole of McEldownie Rd and Mystery Creek Rd between Mellow and McEldownie Rds and between Gate 2 and Gate 5 of Mystery Creek Events Centre, are affected.
Rates owing
Just over $200,000 is owing in unpaid rates to Waipā District Council from last financial year while 80 per cent of this year’s rates had been paid to the end of last month with $18.9 million outstanding. Water rates owed were $2.1 million. All become overdue if unpaid by July 1.
Hearing rescheduled
Police, the licensing inspector and the Medical Officer of Health are opposing the renewal of Five Stags in Leamington’s liquor licence. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The Waipā district licensing hearing which was to be held earlier this month to consider the alcohol licence application by Five Stags bar in Leamington will now be held next week at the council’s service centre. The licensing committee held a pre-hearing meeting with all parties on the day set aside for the public hearing.
Consultation opens
A management plan for four reserves under the care of Ngā Pae Whenua – Taumatawīwī, Waikaukau, Te Reti and Koroki Kahukura ki Hinuera Scenic reserves – is being developed and public consultation is open until late next month. Ngā Pae Whenua is a joint management body made up of iwi representatives from Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Waipā District Council. The reserves under its care were part of the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura treaty settlement.
Road names
Three new private road names – Ngakinga Lane, Fable Way and Taawharuwharu Lane – have been approved by Waipā District Council for Cambridge developments off Thompson and Moore streets and Kaipaki Rd. Council rejected the name Marsden Ave or Marsden Lane for the Kaipaki development, accepting the double a in Taawharuwharu as the name, which means many gullies, is a gift from iwi.
Street parking
Fort Street with St John Ambulance on the right and at the end of the street the Police.
Formalised parking will be established in Cambridge’s Fort St and approximately 40 spaces created. Access down the street, which includes residential homes and commercial operators, had worsened as town centre workers were using it all day while there were parking demands for the police station, St John Ambulance, Cambridge Early Learning Centre and the Bridge Club.
Traffic back
Damage to the rail track at Telephone and Holland roads on SH1B.
The Holland-Marshmeadow Rd intersection on State Highway 1B has reopened following final surfacing work. The rail crossing on Telephone Rd itself must remain closed for another couple of months until KiwiRail has completed their signalling work. To prevent vehicles using the rail crossing, shipping containers are installed across the road.
Bollard mystery
Birchwood Lane bollards
Bollards and chicanes in Birchwood Lane, installed by Waikato District Council to slow down traffic in Tamahere have been removed – but not by council. The lane intersects with Alfred Main Drive, which has a slip road leading to the northern lane of the Waikato Expressway.
Consultation closes
Community consultation on Waikato District Council’s draft 2025-2034 Long Term Plan closed on Sunday with 550 submissions received on roading, water services, community halls, affordability and waste services.
Stubbs again
Peter Stubbs
Co-Lab, a council controlled organisation owned by several councils which identifies shared opportunities, has changed its constitution to allow chair Peter Stubbs another term.
Stubbs had already been chair for two terms of three years and the Co-Lab board was keen to extend his term while planning and modelling for the Waikato Waters Done Well entity.
