Additional festive lighting proposed

Christmas may not quite be just around the corner but it is on the Temuka Community Board’s agenda.

The board will consider buying extra Christmas decorations for Temuka’s town centre at a meeting on Monday.

In a report to the board, Timaru District Council land transport manager Andrew Dixon said $4000 was set aside in the 2020/21 district annual plan for improving Temuka’s seasonal lighting, with the same amount again budgeted for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 years.

‘‘Costings for purchase and installation are being prepared and will be tabled at the community board meeting,’’ Dixon said.

‘‘The Temuka District Lions Club are also promoting to improve the Christmas lighting for the Temuka CBD, and have indicated that they may provide additional funding for these,’’ he said.

Temuka’s Lions began pushing to spruce up the decorations ahead of Christmas 2019, when it teamed up with the board and council to raise funds to install $15,000 worth of blue and white lights on King St.

Each light featured a twin koru and small star.

‘‘This was considered the first stage and further decorative lights are planned.’’

Dixon proposed purchasing lights similar to those bought last year to ‘‘ensure consistency of the theme and have efficiencies with installation’’.

Purchasing the lights could either be done through the allocated funding, by seeking more funding from outside sources, or deferring the matter to next year so $8000 would be available.

‘‘Given that the Temuka Lions Club are proposing to contribute to the funding of the proposed decorative lights, consultation with the club should be undertaken,’’ Dixon said.

‘‘It should be noted that additional decorative lighting will increase operational expenditure for the annual installation and taking down of these decorations each Christmas season.

‘‘This increased cost will be included in future council budgets.’’

A Lions spokesperson said the club had tabled a few ideas with the board about the decorations, but would wait to hear back before divulging them.

Temuka’s main street after the first batch of new lights went in last year.