Category: Council

Catching up

On April 17 a press release from the SWDC announced that the planned development on the main street, in what remains of the Zen Garden, was withdrawn by the developers.

This as you can imagine set of a flurry of activity. Of which, I ended up being involved with.

In summary:

  • The Community came forward and demanded an explanation.
  • A public meeting was set up with a facilitator, Mayor, Councillors and CEO.
  • Apologies were made and assurances given.

 

What has happened since?

A report was written about how the development came to be withdrawn. This report was assessed by and independent Commissioner. Please have a read.

We are waiting for the conclusions of negotiations with Chorus…

We still have a space that is unusable and not developed. I’m sure while all this argie-bargie is going on it could be used for something.

I’ve suggested putting a gravel surface on it so at least we can run car boot sales or do some gap filler type activity. But no one was interested. I’m disappointed at some peoples complete lack of initiative.

It’s coming into Spring and Summer will be here soon and with that people will be looking again at the vacant lot and wonder for the 5th summer since the buildings came down, why hasn’t anything being done? This time it’s not all the Council’s fault. I gave the key people the opportunity for something to be done, all they had to do was say yes, but fear got in the way. Fear of making a mistake or fear of being seen to be helping the Council, or fear of the unknown or maybe it was just a lack of vision.

Maybe it’s harder being courageous and wrong, than cautious and right.

But when have I ever done anything cautious and right.

 

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Summer Activity

The Town Square or squircle has seen some activity over the Summer. These lovely people https://featherstonfirst.com/ have been running fun events. They were missed on the first friday in March. Autumn you see.

The South Wairarapa District Council have proposed usage guidelines on page 111 of this document; http://www.swdc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/FCBAGPack31Jan17.pdf. I strongly encourage anyone interested in running an event at the Town Square to take a look and let the Community Board and the Council know what you think.

These guidelines will not stop the public using the Town Square in an ah-hoc manner.

There is some discussions on Facebook about starting up a craft market there. Which as a crafts person I’d love to see. Somewhere I can sell my books would be great.

What else can the Town Square be used for?

  • A outside movie theatre?
  • Fun events?
  • Community gatherings?
  • a starting point for treasure hunts?

Have a think and share.

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Grand Opening with side of Shhhh!

The dramas with the Town Circle Opening continue!

The Wairarapa Times Ages has just gotta keep up! Things move fast in Featherston, although not as fast as the Council doing a partial about face on the reason the opening is at 7:30 am.

For three days the reason for the 7:30 am start has being to reduce electioneering. Now, after what must be hundreds of calls and thousands of FB posts the Wairarapa Times Age reports in its article “Grumbles over early morning blessing” that it’s for the blessing. Which I’ve been told should be done at dawn, but is been done an hour later. So, yea, not sure what to think.

Come on, make up your mind! Pick a story and stick to it!

A Community Led event has been organised by a few proactive and lovely people. Good on them I say.

I also got wind of a horse show on later that same day that a certain person usually enters, and having shown Arab horses with my mother, I know an early start is the best start.

I’m still showing up in my PJs with coffee and a packet of TimTams.

See you there.

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Lights

While not strictly Zen Garden related…

As everyone here knows the street lights are not the best. Some on during the day, some on at night, some not on at all. When I go out at night I always take a torch because you never know if where you will be going through or to will have street lighting.

In the Wairarapa Times Age today I see that LEDs are to replace current lighting in Masterton. How forward thinking! And talk about the electricity savings. I wonder if the SWDC would consider the upgrade for Featherston? Greytown or Martinborough?

Perhaps a submission into the next long term plan then?

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Full Steam ahead…

Just saw in the online Times Age today that the Featherston Town Square will be going ahead. Not sure if there were any changes made by the designer regarding the feedback received.

So I’m now waiting on the viability of another project I’m working on, which is to pain the Telecommunications Building with a mural. Not me painting, that’s silly, but an artist and other community artists and the community. Guess I have some calls to make on Monday.

How about a bike track? I visited this in Napier  over the Summer. My eldest loved it. That space would be perfect for it. And so many people would stop and locals would use it. We’d be there every day it wasn’t pouring down.

Just and idea.

Napier's Junior Bike Track

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Notification

So, there is this thing called Notification. It seams to happen when somebody like Council? want to change or add in a significant way to Public property. Say putting a building on Council land that is zoned a park, or some such. I’m a little vague on the details. I cannot easily find anything in the Local Government Act. But I’ve been sick with the flu so I’m a little off my game.

The movement of the BottleO onto the site proposed has not been Notified.

Notification, as far as I can tell, gives the public time to object to the placement of any such building.

But its not been done in this case. No explanation as to why, but that’s been the theme of this pony show all along.

So the BottleO is going in a place where no one closely involved actually wants it. There has been no Notification process to allow public address or opinion and only one Community Board member seamed concerned by this.

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions… 

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