Eight city projects shortlisted

Hamilton City Council (HCC) has shortlisted eight community projects to receive the first tranche of the Government’s Three Waters Better Off funding.

The projects include the City Safe programme, planting and maintenance within Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park and cycling and pedestrian education.

HCC approved the funding application in December, but hadn’t shortlisted any projects. The selection of the projects means the application to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is now finalised.

The money will be used for native planting and accessways in Te Awa O Katapaki reserve in Flagstaff North ($3.9 million) as part of HCC’S Nature in the City strategy; planting and maintenance within Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park ($500,000), as well as workplace and school travel planning, and cycling and pedestrian education ($700,000) which is part of the Access Hamilton strategy.

Also, $3.1m will go towards the City Safe programme, which provides CCTV cameras, graffiti removal, and patrols for anti-social behaviour; $750,000 will be used for corporate sustainability and climate change education programme, $1.75m will be used for community grants, and $3.3m will go towards providing more council data to the public and improving online services for customers. Lastly, $500,000 will be used for projects to deliver on HCC’S He Pou Manawa Ora — Pillars of Wellbeing — strategy.

Hamilton’s total share is $58.61m, of which $14.6m is available this year, while the balance from July 1, 2024.