Council saves sheepdog i-SITE
Tı¯rau’s iconic sheepdog i-SITE has been saved from closure.
The South Waikato town’s i-SITE, which has operated from inside a world famous corrugated iron sheepdog since 1998, faced being closed after a tender for its operation failed to gain any interest.
The South Waikato District Council, which owns the building but outsourced the i-SITE’s operation to private operator Switched on Tourism which opted not to renew its contract, has been forced to take things inhouse to avoid seeing it closed.
That’s despite having no idea how much it is going to cost.
But during the council’s January meeting, community and corporate group manager Gordon Naidoo stressed its importance.
‘‘The council strongly believes in the importance of the i-SITE, especially as a gateway to the South Waikato,’’ he said.
‘‘Staff believe in bringing the I-Site service in-house, it will be seen as a positive and beneficial move for the council and the
Tirau community with the opportunity to enhance the services within Tirau using current contract budgets.
‘‘We currently pay $120,000 for the service with $24,000 for the management of the toilets, so a total of $12,800 a month.’’
That cost is likely to change under its own control but when Mayor Jenny Shattock asked how much, Naidoo was unsure.
‘‘We are working through that,’’ he said.
‘‘Consultation we need to take is obviously the number of staff we need as it is a 365 day service, they don’t ever close, the other consultation is extending the opening and closing time of the toilets and looking at improving the infrastructure and technology.’’
‘‘We will also look in the near future of working with local businesses that are already established there to see if we can increase service efficiencies.’’
Councillors did not object to the move.
Deputy Mayor Bill Machen said it was important to have at least one i-SITE in the district.
Tokoroa’s i-SITE closed in 2019 and Putaruru’s in 2016.
‘‘[Tı¯rau’s] the place to have it because that is where most people enter our district,’’ he said. Shattock agreed.
‘‘We have to,’’ she said. Councillor Hamish Daine said the building was a national icon.
‘‘It is definitely an asset for the South Waikato.
‘‘We don’t want to lose that,’’ he said.
The cost around bringing the service in-house is expected to be finalised by March.