Community hall rises from ashes
Seven years ago, Karangahake Hall was burnt to the ground by an arsonist who was never caught.
Karangahake Public Hall Committee chairperson Anee Harris remembers it vividly.
‘‘My partner turned up at 3am banging on the door saying the hall’s burning, so I raced down here and it was pretty well alight by then,’’ she said.
The loss devastated the community, she said.
‘‘But then, we feel like it’s a phoenix rising from the ashes – out of this we’ve got something that is a better hall and will last a lot longer and go on to be a legacy for the next generation in the area.
‘‘To finally unveil this beautiful building and share it with our community and the wider community is very exciting.’’
Today, a new hall on the same Karangahake Gorge, Paeroa, site will be officially opened after years of planning and hard work by a dedicated committee.
The new hall has cost $497,000 to build, funded by an insurance payout, she said.
‘‘We had $500,000 from insurance, initial quotes came in around $1 million, and we have built it with about $3000 to spare.’’
There are already bookings for the hall, for weddings, birthdays and local community groups.
There’s also a group of volunteers who run a market each weekend to raise funds for the hall.
After the hall was lost, the market was moved to Paeroa, raising about $10,000, Harris said.
The original hall was completed in 1957 by local men providing the labour, working every weekend for ten months.
‘‘It was a huge undertaking for such a small community, and for their hard work to be so senselessly destroyed was devastating.’’
Replacing the hall was a unique project, she said.
‘‘Small communities all around the country are losing their halls, and to be building a new one these days is rare.’’
Wooden inside, the new hall features a high ceiling with trusses that mirror the historic bridge nearby, and picture windows to give spectacular views of Mt Karangahake.
There’s also a large kitchen, storeroom, cloak room, a records room for a display of historic photos and video, and provision to build a stage and install a sliding dividing wall in the future.
The committee hoped to open the hall on the weekends, depending on vseollluinngtewerast,etro, troaricsheefus nandsdfionrfothrme haatilol nby about the area to tourists using the Hauraki Rail Trail.
They also hoped a new public toilet would be built to replace the one that was lost. Harris said the committee would like to thank those who built the new hall.
‘‘All of the tradesmen who worked on the hall have been locals.
‘‘And we have been very appreciative of the support of several local businesses and contractors who have generously donated time and materials to the project.’’
Hauraki Herald
Split over car parks
Central Tokoroa business owners and the South Waikato District Council are at odds over the effect of fewer car parks in Leith Place. The makeover of Leith Place includes a common space, new information centre and a talking pole forest. It also includes just 100 car parks, compared to the 132 at present.
Mayor Jenny Shattock said the upgrade would revitalise the CBD and bring vibrancy to the area.
She believed there would be ample parking because they were introducing time limits.
‘‘This will stop people from parking in these parks all day long and free up the spaBceussifnoresosumrasnhoIvpapnerGs.r’’ay said it was a misconception that the new information centre and toilets would encourage passing motorists to stop.
‘‘What will be the cheapest petrol prices, that will get people off and if they come off and they think I’ll have a look around.’’
Gray believed the proposed road changes would cause congestion when buses, campervans and other big vehicles came into the area.
He said the flow of traffic will also be disturbed and made more complicated as traffic will be pushed towards the McDonalds intersection where it is confusing, with the potential to cause accidents.
Tokoroa Unichem Pharmacy owner Derek Tingy said the removal of car parks and unnecessary and costly revamp will disturb customers and cause havoc when it comes to parking.
‘‘I feel the council should pause for a few years, although beautify the area with low plantings, blossom trees and gardens, update the existing amenities and information centre by washing, painting where necessary.’’
‘‘The new monolithic information centre could be just an area where undesirables loiter and rubbish gathers, as eslnicteerotaf itnhme teinmtew. ill only occupy a small
Shattock said there are 223 parking spaces available in the Dreghorn car park which is less than 500 metres from Leith Place and Leith Place staff should park there.
Once the build kicks off it is expected to take about six months to complete and cost $3,970,000.
South Waikato News
Mayor happy with rates plan
Rates are scheduled to rise, but rises will be within inflation, Taupo¯ Mayor David Trewavas says.
Councillors passed Taupo¯ District Council’s final Long-Term Plan [2018-2028] at a meeting on Tuesday.
The plan includes average rates increases of 3.44 per cent in the 2018/2019 Karangahake Public Hall Committee chairperson Anee Harris financial year. Following this, average rates increases of 2.67 per cent, 2.59 per cent, 2.39 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 2.21 per cent are expected.
Trewavas said he was very happy with the plan.
‘‘There’s nothing over the finance strategy limit, so it’s basically in line with inflation,’’ he said.
Local government plans were a balancing act between meeting the wants and needs of communities, whilst keeping rates affordable and sustainable, he said.
‘‘The council has committed a lot of time to it and following meetings, public submissions and consultations, we’ve come up with a plan that reflects what our community wants, going forward,’’ he said.
‘‘We’ve still maintained the levels of service and the look and the feel of the district will only be enhanced in the years to come.’’
According to the Long-Term Plan, the council predicts capital expenditure of around $31m in 2018/2019, $27m in
2019/2019, and $37m in 2020/2021. This spending is on transport, wastewater, water, stormwater and community facilities.
Alan Menhennet, the council’s head of finance and strategy, said the Financial Strategy Limit the council has adopted – to which rates rises are compared – is based on the Local Government Cost Increase index.
The LGCI index is similar to the Consumer Price Index, however, relates to the cost of local government expenses like capital expenditure on pipelines, and earthmoving and site works and operating expenditure such as local government sector salaries and wages.
While the 2018/2019 average rates
iFnicnraenacsiea(l3S.4tr4apteergyceLnitm) citoomfe3s.5cploesrecteontth, e the outlook improves in the nine years after that, Menhennet said.
‘‘We’re living within that financial strategy for the next 10 years, and it’s a very conservative financial strategy limit.
‘‘We’ve set the limit to 1.5 per cent above that Local Government Cost Index,’’ he said.
Trewavas said the council had also retained an AA credit rating from Standard and Poors.
‘‘They obviously see we’re tracking the right way and keeping our operating costs to a reasonable level, while maintaining services,’’ Trewavas said.
All councillors present voted to approve the Long-Term Plan. Cr Rosie Harvey and John Williamson were absent.
Taupo¯ Times