Super response to Tararua expos
Residents submit ideas on shaping district’s future
What will the Tararua district look like by the year 2050? That was just one of the questions posed in the super consultation first round being held in the district by the local council.
Expos have been held in Woodville, Norsewood and Pongaroa as well as Pahiatua and Eketahuna.
Members of the public were invited to give their feedback or submit ideas on the district strategy that will then be used to develop a strategy for the next 30 years.
This was different from a longterm plan, which was a plan for the next 10 years.
A council spokesman said this was a chance for people to get really creative in submitting their ideas.
That could involve anything, including strategies around water infrastructure or play and recreation, or even ideas on how to solve the housing issue.
At the Norsewood expo, Mayor Tracey Collis said the people in the community were excited to be involved.
“Norsewood is a very engaged community.”
Much of the interest was centred on the idea of water tanks.
Collis said this had come about after residents at Ormondville had lost water.
The residents had turned to Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty to help
them find an alternate water source.
She said she had suggested one option of buying large water storage tanks to use for drinking water storage and/or rain catchment systems.
She believed it was an idea the district could explore and it was part of the consultation round.
One Ormondville resident, David Hosegood, had approached her after the meeting and said he was keen to work together with her on the idea.
The council was asking residents
if water storage tanks were something they wanted.
They would also be considering how residents could purchase the tanks via the council without it having too much impact on their rates.
Tanks could range from 500 litres, costing an average of $400, to 30,000 litres, costing an average of $4000.
Collis said if people decided to get the water tanks, it could also open up opportunities for local
tradespeople. The Water Supply Bylaw was also a topic being presented at the expos.
Peter Wimsett, manager of strategy and district development, said the bylaw was in the preconsultation stage.
He said it was about getting the document right.
“We want to make sure people are doing what they should.”
Part of the bylaw was defining household use as opposed to commercial.
Towns in the district were at peak populations and it was a question of how big people wanted the district to be and how to manage the growth.
The final expo will be held at the Hub in Dannevirke on Thursday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.
People unable to attend the expos can give their feedback online at https://tararuadc. mysocialpinpoint.com.au/ or can pick up a hard copy from the customer service centres.