Six projects primed for launch
All six major proposals in Waipa¯ District Council’s 10-year plan have been approved in principle, despite some mixed feedback from the public.
The tentatively approved projects included improving Cambridge Town Hall, developing Te Awamutu town centre, building the Waipa¯ Discovery Centre, protecting heritage sites, establishing a new sports and recreation centre in haupo¯, and the charging of development contributions for Waipa¯.
Ratepayers and residents were given the opportunity to make submissions on the proposals online and physically between March 15 and April 20.
Verbal submissions from the public were also given in the council chambers from May 8 to 10.
After that, members of council started deliberating on their positions on the proposals.
Regarding the Cambridge Town Hall, Waipa¯ mayor Jim Mylchreest wanted to bring the planning process forward on protecting and making improvements to the building.
‘‘I just get the feeling that it shouldn’t take us four or five years to work out what to do with the town hall,’’ Mylchreest said.
While it would require an adjustment to timings in the budget for the ensuing years, council agreed in principle to support advancing the process up, recognising the importance of the town hall to Cambridge and to Waipa¯.
Councillor Clare St Pierre was pleased by public engagement on the idea of remodelling the Te Awamutu town centre to suit upcoming growth.
‘‘There was a lot of positivity about that development, which I think was great to hear, because of all of the care that had been put into developing the concept,’’ St Pierre said.
‘‘I think it signals that we need to continue to involve our community in the development of the plan.’’
Although only 53 per cent of online submissions supported the idea of ratepayers funding the Waipa¯ Discovery Centre in Te Awamutu, councillors viewed it as a project of great cultural value to Waipa¯.
Mylchreest said recognition of heritage sites outside of Te Awamutu was also important.
‘‘I think we do have to make sure that the heritage sites focus on this whole district,’’ he said.
Although the proposed funding for the haupo¯ sports and recreation was hotly contended in public submissions, receiving just shy of 50 per cent support, council decided to continue with the plan in principle.
But they decided collectively that the means of funding the project would be reconsidered following public concern expressed over the way rates were being targeted at some households who didn’t think they would be making use of the facility.
The official budgeting plan for the next 10 years will be adopted on June 26 and put in place on July 1, but projects will still be subject to alterations as time goes on, particularly in annual plan discussions next year.