Cambridge pool project on track
Here’s what’s been happening this week in community newspapers around the region.
Construction of Cambridge’s new $16 million pool complex is ‘‘trucking along’’, on track to open by the end of 2019. Demolition has taken place on the Williamson Street site and now all that remains of the old complex is rubble and the stagnant former pool. When finished, the pool complex will be open for use all year-round. ‘‘Now it feels like it’s getting close,’’ Waipa District Council Cambridge Ward councillor Liz Stolwyk said. ‘‘We can actually see the end in sight, which will be great.’’ Talk about the new pool complex had continued for many years, but now there was finally certainty for the project, with it having been approved in the 10-year plan and the land turned into a work site. ‘‘We’re at the stage now where we’re just looking at the contractors who are going to be building this, and finalising all those details,’’ Stolwyk said. She said there had been extensive discussions over the council table about whether to make the pool eight lanes or 10 lanes. But referring to future population figures, she said councillors realised it was a ‘‘no brainer’’, and that Cambridge required improved facilities like the pool to keep pace with growth in the town. And Stolwyk is particularly happy to see the pools being built. ‘‘When I first stood, that was one of the things that I wanted to see to come to fruition, because it had been talked about for far too long,’’ she said. Stolwyk frequents the Te Awamutu pool complex since Cambridge’s closed for the new facility to be constructed. ‘‘I go in there usually about half past seven, not every day but I try and go over there,’’ she said. ‘‘When I try and swim, I’m always sharing a lane. You can’t really get your own lane. ‘‘A lot of Cambridge people, I think, are heading over there, so we’re utilising lanes where the locals are being put off a bit just because of the volume.’’ That emphasised the importance of Cambridge having the facility, both to suffice for the requirements of Cambridge’s growing population, and to take the strain off the pool in Te Awamutu which is also growing. ‘‘What we’re building is right, it’s going to work, and it means we can be swimming all year round.’’ Cambridge Edition
Police issue drone warning
A high-end drone spotted flying above Matamata’s CBD has triggered a warning from police and the Civil Aviation Authority. Eye witnesses have seen what police believe could be a DJI Phantom drone hovering above the town centre, during the day and night. A drone of this type boasts a 4K camera, 4km control range, vision positioning system and 25-minute flight time. Police said it was not certain whether it was the same drone spotted or multiple crafts, as the Phantom was a popular model and retailed for about $1000 to $2000. Constable Mike Boston said flying drones over the centre of town could become a danger to nearby aircraft accessing the Waharoa Aerodrome. There was also a safety concern a drone could fall, injury people in the CBD and it was clear the operator was not aware of the Civil Aviation Authority rules attached to flying drones. ‘‘You’re allowed to fly a drone over your own private property or over somebody else’s private property with their permission. ‘‘You can’t fly it above people without their permission, so obviously flying over streets and other people’s backyards and things like that is a no-no.’’ Boston estimated the drone had a 20-minute flying time, judging by reports from people worried about the craft. Boston said penalties for using a drone incorrectly depended on the seriousness of the offence. ‘‘I think if you flew it into the airfield it’d be pretty serious, flying it over someone’s backyard might just constitute a warning but if CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) got involved there could be a pretty hefty fine.’’ Waikato model aircraft tester Bruce Simpson said there needed to be more education over what exactly the drone rules were. But he also thought the risk a drone posed had been exaggerated. ‘‘Ten years ago people who built model aircraft also built drones in conjunction with their other flying activities. ‘‘It’s reached the point now where you can go down to Noel Leeming, hand over a grand and walk out with a really capable drone.’’ He said the lower cost made drones accessible to a larger group of people who were not familiar with the rules. He said the majority of drone owners were careful and there were very few incidents where drones put people in danger. A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said there had been four drone related incidents this year, one of which was serious and under investigation. ‘‘Aviation regulators around the world are grappling with how to integrate drones into existing aviation safety systems. Like all aviation participants, people who fly drones need to know some safety rules.’’ Breaches of Part 101 and 102 of the CAA rules may be subject to fines ranging from $500 to over $10,000 for individuals and $3000 to over $30,000 for companies. Matamata Chronicle
Sculpture unveiled along trails
A permanent showcase of Puta¯ ruru College creativity can now be found along the Waikato River Trails. A new 400kg viewing frame sculpture, designed by the college’s Year 10 art and graphics students in 2017, was unveiled along the trails near Lake Karapiro last Thursday. It depicts the Arapuni Swing Bridge and koru design to reflect the movement of water. Teacher Linda Nicholson said it was an emotional experience seeing the sculpture for the first time. ‘‘We had to walk over a paddock and down a hill to get to it but when we got to the top of the hill we could see it in the distance,’’ she said. ‘‘It was breathtaking, my kids had done that. It was really emotional and I almost cried.’’ She said the journey to getting the sculpture to where it is today had been fully embraced by the students after they were approached by Waikato River Trails Trust general manager Glyn Wooller. ‘‘Myself and Alan Grace, who is the graphics teacher, worked with the Year 10 group in 2017 and we visited all the lakes [along the trails],’’ she said. ‘‘The students took plenty of photographs and met with local kuia Ruthana Begbie who gave them some of the Ma¯ ori history around the lakes which they then included in their designs.’’ Nicholson said it was an opportunity for the students to experience how things develop in the real world. ‘‘Part of the design process was making mini 3D sculptures of their proposed designs,’’ she said. ‘‘They then did a presentation for Glyn so he could choose which one to take to the council. It was like they were working for a company and we tried to keep it like that throughout.’’ ‘‘There was a lot of contextual, real learning,’’ she said. Wooller said the sculpture was another way of attracting people to the area. ‘‘The aim is that people will stop, interact with the pieces, take photos and share those with friends via social media,’’ he said. He said it was made possible through the South Waikato Creative Communities Fund. Construction was completed by Puta¯ ruru’s Woodsy Engineering. ‘‘The piece is predominantly made from Corten steel which when exposed to the environment takes on a beautiful red rust colour,’’ he said. He thanked Richard and Sally Strang for helping move the piece through their farm.
‘‘It’s reached the point now where you can go down to Noel Leeming, hand over a grand and walk out with a really capable drone.’’ Bruce Simpson