Tamahere
I hope your year has started well and I am sure we all share concerns for those less fortunate, whether due to weather (Mt Maunganui disaster) or other concerns. Life is a challenge, how we meet those challenges defines us.
Mike Keir
Being a local councillor is definitely a challenge, particularly if you believe, like I do, that we could be doing this better and want to change a system that is inflexible and resistant to change. However, I am optimistic and like a challenge.
The start of 2026 has been a mixed bag for the Tamahere Ward. Many will have the challenge of a four month closure of Morrinsville Road, for the construction of a new roundabout at the Matangi and Silverdale Rd intersection. This road closure was poorly communicated to affected Matangi and Tamahere residents by Hamilton City Council. Businesses will be particularly impacted. Work starts on this project on February 16.
There are also other issues of significance on the table for Tamahere. Last Saturday the Tamahere community participated in a well-attended open day to consider a number of issues.
One was the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing proposal to centralise their Waikato operations on a 150ha site south of Pencarrow Road. This is a big development and will have both positive and negative impacts for our area. It was great that NZTR fronted up to answer questions and let people know what they were thinking. Most concern seemed to be around increased traffic and NZTR has some work to do for this project to be viable.
Also discussed was the development of the Tamahere Reserve, between the expressway and Woodcock Road, as a community space, including a potential dog walking area, providing increased access to gully trails and native plantings carried out by the Tamahere Mangaone Restoration Trust, who are doing great work in our gully systems.
Future plans for the development of Tamahere look out 50 years. How will our community grow? What influence does the current community want to have in this process? Things like could parts of Tamahere become part of Hamilton or Waipa, amalgamation of councils, consenting process, section sizes are some of the discussion points.
Titoki Sand Quarry, adjacent to the Tamahere Reserve, is coming to the end of its life as a quarry. The owners were on hand to discuss options to develop this large area in the middle of Tamahere, with connection to the proposed Hamilton Southern Links Expressway.
It was disappointing that the New Zealand Transport Agency was not on hand to answer Southern Links project questions. Hamilton City Council provided posters for alternate routes, while Morrinsville Rd closes access to Hamilton from Matangi Road, but were also not present.
The Tamahere Community Open Day was well organised and run by the Tamahere Community Committee and a good day for the community. Thanks to all its members, particularly to Charles Fletcher as chair of the Committee, who put a huge effort into making this such a successful event.
Mayor Aksel Bech, left, with Mike Keir
