A candidate standing for election to the Teviot Valley Community Board was named by news service Stuff.co.nz as a “prominent Voices For Freedom guest speaker” yesterday (Monday August 15).Gill Booth of Roxburgh is listed as one of five candidates vying for the four available Teviot Valley seats in the upcoming local government elections.Stuff.co.nz reported that Gill told supporters of the controversial group in June to “absolutely disrupt and rip to pieces our local council”.Voices For Freedom is an anti-vaccination and anti-mandate group associated with the organisation of the Wellington occupation at the grounds of Parliament in February this year. The group has encouraged supporters to stand for local government seats in order to hamper governance.  Candidate numbers have been low in many regions across the country making the pathway to election easier this election.In November last year Gill and fellow Teviot Valley resident Janet McDonald presented a petition opposing the government’s Three Waters reforms to the council.  The pair said that it had taken almost no prompting of people to gather 731 signatures on their petition, which Gill later said council had “completely dismissed”.  The petition decried the mandating of centralisation of drinking, waste and storm water management into four large entities. The way the government had handled the process was “an affront to democracy”, the pair told councillors during a public forum.Central Otago District mayor Tim Cadogan said yesterday he did not wish to comment on candidates standing for election. “In fairness to the crucial principles of democracy I think it would be inappropriate for me to comment.”Attempts by the Central App to contact Gill Booth yesterday for comment were unsuccessful.

Ongoing wet conditions are hampering progress on repairing Central Otago roads hard hit by the recent weather events.The issue, which will take “some time to fully address”, is particularly serious in the Māniatoto and Omakau areas, the Central Otago District Council (CODC) says. “Potholes and mud are a nuisance and can lead to frustration and safety concerns”, CODC  infrastructure services manager Quinton Penniall said. “They can't all be fixed at once, but the CODC roading team will be doing their best to get the work done in the coming weeks. “The issue we have is that if we grade now, we will damage the road. The grader softens up the existing gravel and allows more water to be absorbed, which makes the problem worse.”Quinton said spot-metalling had the same effect and was not an option until roads dry out.“We’re asking people to bear with us. Our team is working weekends to keep our roads open and safe. We will focus on repairs once the roads dry out.”Motorists could help by getting in touch if there was a road in their area that needs attention. “If you have a serious safety concern report it to the council and send in a photo.”Central Otago District Council roading deputy portfolio lead Tracy Paterson acknowledged that people who called in with concerns."Thank you to those people who have already contacted us and are patiently waiting,” she said.“As a rural road user myself I know how important it is that the roads are maintained to a good standard – for productivity and safety. For those of you on roads that are part of the NZTA (main highways) network we are happy to take your calls and will pass them on. In the meantime, be careful out there."Bridge abutments batteredMeanwhile a weight and speed restriction has been placed on Bridge 93 at St Bathans Loop Road because of fresh erosion.Following the two recent flooding events, there had been erosion of the clay layer around the bridge abutments and as a result, a heavy vehicle restriction was placed on the bridge as well as a 30km/hr speed limit.Quinton Penniall said water levels were still high, which was presenting some challenges in managing the erosion level that is occurring.Council was monitoring the bridge daily and more information will be available as water levels drop and a full assessment can be undertaken.“We are aware that Saint Bathans Loop Road is a key route, and therefore a high priority that needs attention in case there is another flood event,” Quinton said.“We are looking at some temporary measures such as dropping large rocks upstream to divert the flow straight down the middle of the bridge away from the western abutment, which is causing the erosion problem.”

A last-minute flurry of nominations from people seeking council and community board seats in October’s local body elections has delighted Central Otago District mayor Tim Cadogan.“At the start of today [Friday August 12] we were looking at the potential of by-elections. I think it’s great news we’ve got a lot of candidates putting their hands up.”Tim says it’s important for local people to take an interest as changes ahead will directly affect them.“It’s a time of massive change in local government in New Zealand and we need the best possible people around our council and community board tables to get Central Otago and our communities in the best position through those changes.”He said Central Otago represented only .5 per cent of New Zealand’s population so its people had to be smart about how they dealt with the coming changes.Three Waters and local government reforms plus the review of the Resource Management Act would all bring big changes through the coming three-year term.“We really, really need to be future focused on this. It’s a matter of taking an interest, reading the profiles of the candidates and getting to election meetings and hearing them speak.”    Interest had appeared low in the weeks leading up to nominations closing but by the midday cut-off today both Cromwell and Maniototo Community Boards had four candidates for four vacancies and Vincent and Teviot boards had five candidates for four vacancies.The mayoralty will remain uncontested but no fewer than 18 candidates will contest the 11 council seats.There are also now four candidates for the four Central Otago Health Inc seats. This body represents the interests of the community and is the sole shareholder of Central Otago Health Services Ltd which operates Dunstan Hospital. The election will be held via a postal vote with documents being sent out the week of September 16. Election day is Saturday October 8 with preliminary results being announced from midday.

A couple of new faces may find their way onto two of Central Otago’s four community boards yet after nominations for the upcoming elections were received yesterday.After a slow start plenty of seats are still vacant for district councillors and some boards, however, with no-one yet putting their name forward for the latter in the Teviot Valley.   Current Teviot Valley member Sally Feinerman is the only person from that ward to have filed a nomination. She is standing for election for a district council seat that, if successful, would also see her appointed to the Teviot Valley Community Board.The board is losing two experienced long-term members – chairperson Raymond Gunn and Stephen Jeffery who is also a district councillor. Another long-time member retiring from local body politics this term is Shirley Calvert from Cromwell.A potential newcomer to the Cromwell Community Board is Mary McConnell who filed her nomination yesterday, while Dai Johns put his name on the list to be considered for the Vincent Community Board on Tuesday.As of yesterday afternoon Cheryl Laws, Nigel McKinlay, Bob Scott, Tamah Alley, Lynley Claridge, Duncan Stuart and Sally Feinerman were listed as seeking a seat around the 11-strong council table.Current Mayor Tim Cadogan is standing again for the mayoralty with no other candidates standing as yet.No nominations have been received for any of the four available seats on Central Otago Health Inc.  This body represents the interests of the community and is the sole shareholder of Central Otago Health Services Ltd which operates Dunstan Hospital. Nominations close tomorrow, Friday August 12, at midday. The election will be held via a postal vote with documents being sent out the week of the 16th September. Election day is Saturday, October 8 with preliminary results being announced from midday, according to the Central Otago District Council’s website.

Rounding up rabbits that are damaging the Lower Manorburn Dam Recreational Reserve has failed to curb high populations and the Central Otago District Council (CODC) say poison use, while unpopular with dog owners, must go ahead.The CODC was told last week by pest overseer the Otago Regional Council that it must act on the infestation which has now reached unacceptable levels.Members of a working group for the area, however, requested methods other than poisoning be used for fear that pets would become ill after ingesting rabbit meat from affected carcasses.In a statement sent to the Central App, group representative Nigel Murray referred to council’s methods as “unacceptable”.  Suggested alternatives had been ignored and the group’s views disregarded by council, he said.Views on the risks presented by Pindone vary but council and an independent pest controller claim they are low and manageable.CODC parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey said council had “encountered some opposition” to using Pindone last year and tried an alternative control method that consisted of herding the rabbits. “However, given the rocky nature of most of the reserve, this was not overly successful and only about 60 were killed.”Gordon said shooting is another option but is only about 30 per cent effective on its own and given the terrain around the reserve could be even less effective.“Baiting is 80 to 90 per cent effective, particularly as the boundary fence has been repaired, therefore council is expecting a better result.”From Monday (August 15), if the weather is favourable, carrot bait laced with Pindone will begin to be laid. The operation will conclude about eight weeks from the start date, Gordon said.According to pest control guidelines, Pindone is the bait of choice because it causes the least suffering, has a reduced danger to domestic pets, and is a suitable means of controlling rabbits in the rugged areas found within the reserve.Gordon said Pindone carrot is used in winter, as this is when food sources are most scarce and fewer young rabbits are present.“The carrots will be dyed green so members of the public can easily identify and avoid them. The bait will be laid by hand and quad bike by a contractor.”Warning signs would be erected to ensure visitors knew of the operation.In an information sheet on Pindone, pest controller Peter Preston says his company had used Pindone for more than 10 years with minimal issues with domestic animals or farm stock. “It would take the consumption of multiple entire rabbit carcasses to affect a dog and in practice this doesn’t happen,” he said.Cases have occurred, however, which underlined the need for people to be aware of dogs’ activities if they had access to areas where bait is laid.Keeping dogs on leads and monitoring their activity was important.Gordon says council was aware that users of the reserve “may be inconvenienced” for the control period, but the benefits of having fewer rabbits would allow future native plantings to become established.

The Central Otago District Council (CODC) has ditched plans to partner-up with a developer to complete its housing subdivision at Gair Avenue in Cromwell.New styles of housing are proposed for what is now a go-it-alone development, aimed at providing affordable options for home buyers, CODC property and facilities manager Garreth Robinson told the The Central App.The desire to make home ownership more accessible, as well as confidence gained from earlier stages undertaken in a 50:50 arrangement with an experienced developer, has prompted the move.  The mix of 110 apartments and stand-alone, semi-detached and terraced houses could net between $6M and $10M for ratepayers, as well as crack open the door to more buyers. The figure, which Garreth described as “a very rough estimate in a very dynamic market”, follows a profit for council from the previous development stage of just under $10M.The rather lengthy time frame of completion in five years was due to council having to test the market and partially finance the work as it went. Semi-detached houses would be sold ‘off the plans’ pre-construction. This meant titles would not be issued until enough demand was evident to proceed.The apartment buildings would also require more complicated consenting work through council’s District Plan. While it was impossible to estimate prices at this very early stage, council was confident buyers could expect options that would allow them to pay considerably less than current offerings.The subdivision has been sectioned into five lots, each with a slightly different style of dwelling. The first stage would match the stand-alone housing of the existing development and Garreth said he hoped these would be taken up fairly quickly to help seed funds for the next stage. CODC’s proposal for the final stage of the Gair Avenue subdivisionConstruction work is set to begin late next year with the first titles being issued around autumn 2024. “Once the design for the semi-detached and terraced houses are completed, council will run a tender for an estate agent to market the property. Stage 1 will go on the market first for nine detached lots and the two additional concept designs (semi-detached and terraced houses) will be sold off plan.”Garreth said council had shown it was capable of undertaking the work and had learnt a lot through previous projects including a successful industrial subdivision on Cemetery Road.Documents show that partnering with a developer had been favoured for the first part of the Gair Avenue development to avoid council taking on the “full commercial risk” and staff being saddled with a too-heavy workload.In Alexandra council’s Dunstan Park housing development is being completed through a partnership, with the Cromwell venture being a first for the local body. “We’ve proven ourselves with Cemetery Road. We now have the skill set to do it.”The Gair Avenue plot was formerly a pine plantation and Garreth was not aware of any other previous land uses or water or soil issues at the site.It sits lower than surrounding land and often holds water after rain prompting speculation from observers that drainage issues could be present.Garreth said CODC would endeavour to use local contractors as much as possible. This had not always happened in the past and companies from outside Central Otago were used for the completed Gair Avenue subdivision and at Dunstan Park in Alexandra.Details around the council’s subdivision developments over past years had been largely kept out of the public domain with the Cromwell Community Board citing commercial sensitivity as the necessity for holding all discussions on Gair Avenue in closed meetings.CODC planning and environment executive manager Louise van de Voort earlier told the Central App that if council had elected to sell the Gair Avenue land to a developer rather than partner with one and undertake the subdivision, it would have made less than half of the gains from the first stage of the Gair Avenue project.Having an experienced developer on board had also reduced risk factors for the council in undertaking such a venture.The upcoming mixed-type housing development aimed to deliver on Cromwell’s aspirations to intensify development within the existing town boundaries, as outlined in its new Spatial Plan document, she said.  The Spatial Plan is part of Cromwell’s wider master planning exercise which also covers industrial development and protects areas considered to be valued for recreation and aesthetics.Cromwell spend over $73M The gains will be welcome to help offset a considerable spend-up in the town, mostly on long-awaited projects.Plans are being finalised for the $16M cultural centre off Melmore Terrace which will also boast a new $6M museum. These projects come with the tidy additional sum of $9.5M for project management, site preparation and landscaping. A group had earlier proposed developing the cultural centre as a predominantly community-led project, sourcing funds from grants and other sources as well as council.Meanwhile in the Clyde-Dam-era shopping mall, Wellington architects are creating a new vision for what many consider a very dated feature of the town. The budget holds $13.5M for that project plus $5.5M for a new resource centre. A further $12.3M was tagged for a possible new council service centre and $11M for a new library, according to council documents.

A very modern and minimalist approach to recognising Cromwell’s Chinese gold mining history is being explored.The site on the Kawarau Arm of Lake Dunstan between the Cromwell Heritage Precinct and Cromwell Memorial Hall has been talked about for ten years by those wishing to acknowledge the part the Chinese community played in the area’s history.When the Cromwell & Districts Community Trust recently reviewed their past community plans to see what projects had progressed or not, the idea was rekindled, trustee Janeen Wood told the Cromwell Community Board on Tuesday (August 2).The area, which slopes steeply down to Lake Dunstan, would be terraced with replica stone walling recreated. It was possible that only one Chinese hut would be built but visitors would be able to view an entire village brought to life via their smartphones.The app-based virtual reality experience would replace the traditional signs-in-the-ground style of interpretation. The virtual reconstruction could feature people moving around and give a realistic insight to the times.A recent survey had shown 87 per cent of respondents were in favour of recognising the settlement from days gone by, and current Chinese community leaders had also joined the discussion.Rhys Jenkins, who is expected to be appointed a trustee at the group’s AGM in September, outlined that a site survey and plan would be needed at a cost of around $3,000. A further $1,2000 would cover the costs of gaining consent to do the work, including a public hearing.The group were looking into funding sources within the new Cromwell hall development project for linkage to the Cromwell Heritage Precinct, and were expected to return to the board for formal support for this stage.

A slice of land will be added to the site of Cromwell’s new hall project at no cost, after the chair of the Cromwell Community Board questioned the logic of an original indication that it had to buy the land. The strip lies between the existing Memorial Hall and Melmore Terrace as unformed legal road, and in March the board was presented with a report from council staff stating its value was $550,000.Those working on the development of the new facility wished to utilise the land to “maximise the design options and overall development”. At the time the board agreed in principle to the ‘stopping’ of the unformed road but raised concerns regarding the value of the land, and the impact the purchase would have on the Memorial Hall/Events Centre budget. No decision was made and chair Anna Harrison later met with Central Otago District Council (CODC) chief executive Sanchia Jacobs, explaining that the existing site was quite “limited and challenging”.The question was raised as to why the board was required to pay for land when a community board cannot own land. It was believed that the board would effectively be buying council land, as the council, from the council. Anna asked if it were possible for council to consider transferring the stopped road to the board for $1.00 and if the matter could be expedited to avoid additional delays to the project.No discussion resulted this week (at the CCB’s six-weekly meeting) when the board was given the chance to secure the land at no cost and the move was accepted immediately. The strip’s legal title would be amalgamated into the adjoining hall site’s legal title with only minor costs involved in the transfer coming from the hall project’s budget.CODC had resolved to deal with such situations on a case-by-case basis, opening the way for the land to be taken up for the hall project without payment being necessary. Meanwhile, design aspects of the much-awaited new hall will remain a secret for now after the community board excluded the public from a discussion of ‘design scope approval’ at Tuesday’s meeting. The matter was deemed to be commercially sensitive.A date is yet to be set for the demolition of the old hall, built in 1960 by the community and now closed.

A humble workshop on Inniscort Street may become a unique new wine business after the Cromwell Community Board yesterday (Tuesday August 2) paved the way for a proposal to make-over the 57-year-old building.Pinot Junction Ltd owners Kate and Matt Barnett are proposing the wine retail outlet and bar venture. A draft resource consent application presented to the board outlines the business as being a “regional wine shop to enable retail and wine education events” utilising both indoor and outdoor areas.The building was originally built as a workshop and garage for McNulty Transport and sits beside the now-restored McNulty House at Cromwell heritage Precinct.A replacement workshop will be built in the car park to service the maintenance needs of the Precinct, a report stated. The area is owned by the Central Otago District Council and leased to volunteer group Old Cromwell Inc.In her report to the Board, SA Studio architect Jessica Sutherland said the proposal offered “great opportunities for a new authentic tourist venture within an under‐utilised existing building”.She said the adaptive reuse of McNulty Shed would provide another offering within the Precinct, which encourages both community and visitors to learn about the building, wider precinct and an important industry of the region, viticulture.Board members raised concerns over parking for wine bar customers, people visiting the precinct and adjacent arts and crafts clubrooms.Access and parking were already becoming an issue at the attraction which hosts a farmers’ market part of the year, board member Nigel McKinlay said.Parking would, however, be addressed during the necessary resource consent process the owners could now pursue.The board approved the “adaptive reuse” of the McNulty Shed and the building of a new maintenance shed in the south end of the Precinct carpark.  It also authorised Old Cromwell Incorporated to sub-lease the existing shed to Pinot Junction Ltd under terms and conditions satisfactory to the council’s chief executive officer.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is among those being told to take action by the Otago Regional Council (ORC), after allowing rabbit numbers to get to unacceptable levels in Central Otago.Fellow government department Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has also been instructed to do control work near Cromwell by the pest overseer.The DOC block where ORC’s inspection found high levels of infestation is at Poison Creek, a conservation area between Cromwell and Luggate, DOC Central Otago senior biodiversity ranger John Keene confirmed.DOC dedicates a considerably higher amount of money than LINZ to rabbit control, with DOC spending $80,000 annually just in Central Otago, while LINZ spends around $100,000 on all pest control (including plant pests) for the whole of Otago.John said DOC worked with ORC and neighbouring landowners on rabbit control and priority is given to areas where control is most needed.  “Poison Creek has not reached the same level of urgency as some other sites until now. Poison Creek Conservation Area covers 28 hectares of designated stewardship land and is dominated by regenerating kanuka forest.”He said high rabbit numbers at this site can have an impact on new seedlings but as they are unlikely to affect more mature forest the focus is on complying with the regional pest management plan, rather than protection of ecological values.The department managed land in Lake Hayes and Gibbston Valley in the Queenstown region where unacceptably high rabbit numbers had also been identified.John confirmed that rabbit control work would be ongoing across Central Otago.“This year we have more than 1000ha of control planned at sites in the Upper Clutha, Cromwell, Alexandra and Macraes areas. Because rabbits move across the landscape, we coordinate operations with neighbours whenever possible.”However, LINZ, whose infestations found to be unacceptable by ORC are around the shores of Lake Dunstan, were yet to schedule ongoing control work.  LINZ is currently undertaking poisoning and night shooting operations near Cromwell.Sonya Wikitera, Head of Crown Property, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).“We have not carried out rabbit control around Lake Dunstan in recent times,” LINZ head of Crown property Sonya Wikitera said.“We prioritise and allocate funding to manage pests on LINZ managed lands according to requests from regional councils which are responsible for monitoring pest impacts, and in response to information from adjacent landowners and managers,”Expensive wire fortresses are essential for Mokihi Reforestation Trust’s native plantings if they are to survive the rabbit pest around Lake Dunstan.Plantings in the Lake Dunstan LINZ-managed area, including those undertaken by Mokihi Reforestation Trust, are regularly targeted by rabbits. The cost of protecting plants from the pest is equal to, if not more, than the cost of the plants themselves, LINZ says.LINZ says once current control operations are completed around Lake Dunstan it will assess the results and continue to monitor (and control where necessary) rabbits in the area. Recent inspections on land managed by the Central Otago District Council had not resulted in any ‘request for work’ letters being issued from ORC, a CODC spokesperson confirmed last week.Control work on council land was budgeted into annual expenditure with areas focused on including Alexandra airport and the Lower Manorburn Dam area. 

Soon after announcing the re-opening of the Cromwell Pool, the Central Otago District Council (CODC) says it is to close again and Alexandra pool hours will be reduced.Next week’s Cromwell closure is, however, only expected to be for three or four days, while  work on a new eco-friendly water-heating system is completed.  The Alexandra pool issue relates to staff shortages which have been predicted for some time. CODC says the Cromwell shut down is scheduled from Monday August 8 until “about” Thursday August 11.“It’s not the news people want to hear so soon after the pool’s opening three weeks ago,” CODC parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey said.However, he said a brief closure to completely finish the heat pump’s operating system was always on the cards, because of the Covid-related difficulty of getting equipment into the country.“We were able to open knowing we still had a bit of work to do, and this period has enabled the project engineers to commission the complex systems that are behind the scenes, that allow the pool to operate.”If work progresses better than expected next week, the pool may be able to open sooner, Gordon said.Council regretted the inconvenience created for pool users but said supply issues were out of its control. Gordon thanked pool users for their patience and said vouchers will be issued for missed swim school classes and memberships put on hold for the three days of closure.Alexandra pool opening hours cutMeanwhile in Alexandra, pool opening will soon be reduced due to staff shortages.Pool users were notified last week that from August 15, hours would be reduced three days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).Since the beginning of the pandemic there has been an increasing shortage of lifeguards, which is having an impact on swimming pools across New Zealand, a notice to users stated.The CODC has also begun to feel the effects and had to make the difficult decision this week to reduce the opening hours at the Alexandra Pool, to ensure safety for users.Cromwell Pool is not affected by the reduction at this stage.In the past week it had been a struggle to provide coverage for absences, due to Covid and general sickness at the Alexandra Pool, CODC aquatics manager Carly Getson said.“We are mindful that this is disappointing for our community, and we are doing everything we can to run all of our programmes, including Learn to Swim Classes, Swim Skills, Aquafit, Swimming Club and Kayak Polo,” she said.

A new police group focusing on the Wānaka and Queenstown party scene will have benefits for Central Otago.In an update to the Vincent Community Board yesterday Senior Sergeant Clinton Wright said staff in Central Otago would be able to “plug in” to the new Otago Lakes group for information and help with anyone who may be of interest in organised crime activity in this area. He told board members policing in Central Otago is in “a good spot” despite the challenges of Covid-19 and current economic hardships. “What’s really quite nice is Central just carries on carrying on.”Only a few staff had been affected with the virus and all positions would be full once a replacement area liaison was hired, he said. Senior Sergeant Clinton Wright updates the Vincent Community Board in Alexandra on TuesdayA new rural liaison and a detective were also expected to be added to complement staffing levels.While there was “quite a bit” of ongoing family harm and mental health work spread across the district, this had been consistent but had not increased in the past six months.Youth incidents were keeping to normal patterns of spiking during holiday periods when young people became bored, Clinton said.Police nationwide were working to get offenders out of the cycle of repeatedly ending up in the courts and jail and this was particularly well advanced in Central Otago.There had been one “lower level” arrest related to drug activity with that person being remanded in custody in Dunedin on Tuesday. More progress on that investigation was expected in the coming days.  Drug-related issues in Central Otago were “always” being worked on, Clinton said.On the roads, increased breath testing work was planned and this would be “popping up” across Central to ensure offenders were dealt with and policing was visible to motorists, he said.

A critical shortage of lifeguards in Central Otago could result in public swimming pools reducing their opening hours.A recent recruitment drive by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) failed to attract any applicants, during a time of staffing shortages across a wide range of industries in the south.CODC aquatics manager Carly Getson said Central was not alone in this issue. Many councils including Queenstown Lakes were struggling to find staff and have had to reduce operation at the Queenstown and Wānaka pools.‘We have not received any applications in our recent recruitment process,” she said.“Our lifeguards are central to the successful operation of our swimming pools. Unfortunately, there is a lack of available trained lifeguards in the region, which is also reflected in the wider aquatic and recreation industry at the moment.  “We are facing a variety of workforce issues in our communities that are very much Covid related.”Carly said water safety was always the highest priority but council understood the expectation from the public for pools to be open as normal.The council operates pools year-round in Cromwell and Alexandra and a summer-only facility in Ranfurly. Pools in Millers Flat, Ophir and Roxburgh - where a new pool is currently being built - are run by the local communities.While the Cromwell pool seems to be the least affected by staff shortages at present, others may soon have reduced hours, Carly said. “The reality is if we don’t hire staff soon there isn’t enough staff to operate seven days a week across our pools and to do so safely.”The council is urging people who are out of work or looking for a change to consider diving into a new career.They hope to find people with a passion for community health and wellbeing, who enjoy customer service and can swim 200m in under six minutes. Full training will be provided for applicants, Carly said.New eco-friendly pump at CromwellMeanwhile the Cromwell Pool reopened last week with a newly-installed centralised water-sourced heating.CODC parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey and staff were pleased to see the heat pump doing its job and people back in the pool.    “The project, which involved converting from the LPG boiler to a system that transfers heat from the water mains to the pool, has not been without its challenges,” he said.“We’ve had supply chain issues with getting the equipment into the country, and there’s been Covid on top of that, which have both impacted on the work programme. But we have got there in the end. Thanks to everyone for their patience over the past three months.”The spa pool was still below its normal temperature but would increase to historic heat settings as ongoing “background work” on the new heat source was completed, Gordon said. Cromwell Pool crew member Eli Cantelmi with the new heat pump at Cromwell poolCODC received a $100,000 grant from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) towards the cost of the heating replacement.Cromwell Community Board chair Anna Harrison said the board had fully supported the initiative, which would result in a significant reduction in council’s carbon footprint in operating the Cromwell Pool.“We’ve been looking forward to a cleaner, greener chapter for the pool with the upgrade of the heating system. Now we can have a more sustainable future, with fewer carbon emissions. This is quite an achievement and something we can be proud of as a community,” she said.The new system will also mean lower operating costs and will shift the majority of energy usage to electricity.Gordon said council had not as yet considered installing solar panels to offset the electricity costs and usage.“At this stage a detailed look into the use of solar panels hasn’t been undertaken, this may be something to consider in future years as technology improves.”  Swim School resumed on Monday (July 25) for the beginning of term three.

With two and a half weeks to go before nominations close, early indications show a trickle rather than a flood of interest for local body seats.Concerns were expressed in Alexandra on Tuesday (July 26) that very few people had turned up to a council-run information evening for prospective candidates.These follow ongoing worries that pressure from lobby groups, general “grumpiness” and major changes being required of local government by central government could be off-putting for those looking to stand.Local body elections are held every three years and cover Central Otago’s four community boards, the mayoralty, council and Central Otago Heath Inc. Only two candidates – Sally Feinerman (Roxburgh) and Lynley Claridge (Alexandra) have so far filed their nominations.Others who have confirmed to the Central App so far that they intend to stand again for the October election include mayor Tim Cadogan, deputy mayor Neil Gillespie, councillors Nigel McKinlay, Dr Roger Browne and community board members Anna Harrison and Bob Scott. Cr Tracy Paterson, Vincent Community Board (VCB) chair Martin McPherson and Cr Tamah Alley also confirmed they were looking forward to standing again and Cr Ian Cooney was undecided, partly due to health issues.No response had been received by deadline from VCB members Sharleen Stirling-Lindsay or Anna Robinson. VCB deputy chair Russell Garbutt resigned in June 2022 and no by-election was held to fill his vacant seat. The board decided on Tuesday not to elect a new deputy chair due to the impending election.No response was received by deadline from Cromwell Community Board’s (CCB) Werner Murray, Cheryl Laws or Tony Buchanan. Robin Dicey resigned from the CCB in April 2021 but his seat was filled by Bob Scott.Councillor and former CCB member Shirley Calvert has announced she will not be standing in the coming election, joining two other very experienced members in leaving local government - Teviot Valley Community Board (TVCB) chair Raymond Gunn and TVCB member and councillor Stephen Jeffery.  The Central App did not receive a response from current community board members Norman Dalley or Cushla Aitchison from Teviot Valley, or from any current Maniototo Community Board members. It has been indicated that one new candidate may be standing in the Teviot Valley and that four of the five Maniototo members intend to re-stand.At a meeting this week Cr Roger Browne said low turn-out to this month’s candidates information evening was “very disappointing”.“So few people turned up. I don’t know if that means that very few people in the community are interested but I was quite amazed at how few people came along and expressed any interest in standing for any of the positions.”Cr Tracy Paterson told the Central App she felt people were possibly nervous about putting their hand up due to major reforms underway.  The government has begun the process of legislating new centralised water management that will take that work away from local government and is also proposing significant changes to how local government operates and what its responsibilities are.“After the coming [general] election we don’t actually know what the face of local government is going to look like and also with Three Waters being taken away, are councils going to look quite different… we don’t know the answer to that. There’s also a lot of things people are quite grumpy about at the moment, around what money is being spent on, like rates.” Tracy believed future work should focus on the basics, a view that was shared by mayor Tim Cadogan at a recent Maniototo Community Board meeting.“When I think about this district going forward,” Tracey said, “it’s about getting our core business, our infrastructure and things like that, getting that right and done correctly and all the nice-to-haves will come afterwards.”Nominations close at midday Friday August 12 and voting documents are sent out in mid-September. Voting closes at midday, October 8.

All 176 acres of Omakau’s multi-purpose recreation grounds will come under scrutiny as the writing of a management plan gets underway.The area is utilised and looked after by hockey, squash and rugby clubs as well as community groups and part of it is leased to the Omakau Golf Club. The Omakau Recreation Reserve Committee runs an onsite camping ground and maintains some of the reserve. The Central Otago District Council (CODC) is required to have management plans for all its recreational reserves and with a new community hub already being developed at the site, CODC planning and strategy parks officer Nikki Aaron told the Vincent Community Board (VCB) it was an ideal time to create a plan.“The community are working very hard on the new hub there. There’s already been a lot of consultation done on the use of that space.”The VCB earlier approved funding of the community hub in its Long-Term Plan of up to $1M, through a loan, reserve fund contribution and general reserve contribution(a third each).The whole reserve had “enthusiastic and committed volunteers” who helped manage the space on behalf of the council and the community.The new plan would provide for future development and reflect any pressures, constraints, conflicts and opportunities for the management and development of the reserve. It would also help accommodate growth experienced in the Omakau community, Nikki’s report stated.User groups will be involved in creating the new plan which will be open for public submission for two months.Board chairman Martin McPherson said, in approving the move, it was a good thing to be happening for the community of Omakau – a place currently being “bashed” by flooding. 

Just over half of the neighbours responding to a recent council survey, oppose the removal of pines from the Half Mile recreational Reserve near Alexandra.Sentiment appears fairly evenly split over whether the trees - considered by authorities to be wilding pines - should stay or be felled to prevent spread.Fifty-six per cent of all 154 respondents – not just those who lived nearby – favoured removal of the trees to make way for a new landscaped, open area.The Central Otago District Council (CODC) initially moved to fell the trees in October last year. With the bulk of funds coming from the Central Otago Conifer Control Group, the plan was to fell, clear debris and leave the site, after giving the public about 10 days’ notice of work beginning via a media statement.A view from the council reserved at Half Mile looking south-east with Jolendale Park to the leftAfter residents (who value the area for biking, walking and as protection from sun, wind and traffic noise) strongly objected, CODC halted work and proposed a development plan.The plan featured native plantings and highlighted features typical to the area like large schist rock formations.The pines have been blamed for spreading seed across neighbouring land and contributing to the degradation of landscapes, something the residents’ group denies.In response to council’s survey question regarding support for the development plan, 54 per cent agreed it would “enhance the area and meet the needs of the community”, while 38 per cent disagreed with that statement.Of respondents who lived near the recreational reserve 49 per cent disagreed with the statement and 43 per cent agreed.Seventeen of the total of 154 respondents lived outside of the Vincent Ward, according to a council report. Of the Vincent Ward respondents, 53 lived in the neighbouring area to the reserve.Eighty percent of respondents said they use or have spent some time at the reserve, with 19 per cent visiting weekly.The survey summary will be presented to the Vincent Community Board today (Tuesday July 26) but no decisions are yet required.A further report by council staff detailing the next steps is scheduled for late this year after the local body elections. CODC executive manager planning and environment, Louise van der Voort confirmed yesterday that the trees will remain in place until after that report had been considered.

In less than two years’ time Central Otago ratepayers may be receiving their first water bill from a new central government entity, after handing over water assets currently owned by them through the Central Otago District Council (CODC).Legislation is already going through parliament in preparation for the government’s Three Waters reforms, due to be actioned by July 1, 2024. It is aimed at improving and upgrading water quality and services, some of which have long been neglected, across the country.Many people agree improvements are needed but object to the way these are being planned.The CODC’s elected members will be refining a submission to parliament on the changes next week. Councillors would express the local communities views, CODC infrastructure services executive manager Julie Muir said.“The tone of the submission will reflect the views of the council, which is that our community doesn’t want it (3 waters reform): If we have to have it, these are our views,” she said.At a council meeting last week members agreed that a submission to the Water Services Entities Bill be drafted, circulated to councillors for feedback and finalised prior to July 22, the closing date of the Bill which is now before select committee at parliament.This Bill will establish the four entities – one for most of the South Island - that will provide water, wastewater, and stormwater services in place of councils.The Bill contains the ownership, governance, and accountability arrangements for the new entities, and the arrangements that will be put in place during the transition period over the next two years, according to a council media statement.   It’s the first in an expected package of legislation, with more coming soon that will provide details of the transfer of assets and liabilities from councils to the new entities. New legislation is also created to outline the specific responsibilities that will be handed to the entities and how they manage pricing, economic regulation and consumer protection regimes.The Bill currently going through Parliament covers the transfer of employment of staff (excluding senior managers) who predominantly work in the water activities from councils to the new entities. Of specific interest was the requirement for the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to oversee council’s agendas, and decisions relating to water activities during the transition period, Julie said.A number of organisations that council was affiliated to were preparing submissions on behalf of local government organisations.“The Otago and Southland councils have also agreed to share their submission to assist each other in providing feedback to government on what is a large and complex bill, which will have significant implications on our communities.”Meanwhile council recently received two petitions on the matter from lobby groups requesting a binding referendum be held on the reforms. Because the changes have already been decided upon and are being actioned by central government, it was not seen as a useful or constructive action for council to take.The petitioners also wanted council to stop paying membership to Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), a national body that supports councils as a parent organisation.CODC mayor Tim Cadogan told viewers on his weekly video broadcast that after October’s local body elections representatives from LGNZ would be invited to come and explain how they have dealt with the reforms and the benefits to the region of membership.

Denser housing development is on the way, possibly next door to you. As the next step in the Central Otago District Council’s moves to accommodate growth in and around Central’s towns, legal rule changes will soon be made regarding what can be built where.Council say housing affordability concerns have also driven the changes which are part of their master-planning exercise for the whole region.Having an advance plan for where intensification can occur and where rural land will be sacrificed for housing aims to give council and therefore ratepayers better control of development.The current legal changes underway are known as Plan Change 19 (PC 19) and only apply to residential development.  The public are being asked to give feedback on PC 19 and the sweep of changes it will make to the way the district’s residential areas are zoned and managed. Those intending to do so may, however, want to set aside some time for giving feedback, unless they are familiar with legalese and planning matters.The proposal is set out in a 34-page document and supplemented by a separate 45-page document outlining legal definitions of different types of housing. A third document of 30 pages provides an assessment of whether PC 19 is the best way to achieve the area’s housing goals. The assessment is favourable.CODC principal policy planner Ann Rodgers says council wants the community to get involved and to have their say. “The residential chapter of the District Plan has not been subject to a full review since it was originally drafted in 1998, so this is important for our district, and we want to know what the community thinks.”The documents have been prepared by the CODCl, with help from a planning consultant.  Drop-in sessions would be hosted by council on the changes, with details of those yet to be finalised, Ann said.PC 19 more specifically has been driven by the direction set out in the Vincent (Alexandra area) and Cromwell spatial plans.It introduces new definitions and rules for large lot residential zones, low density housing, medium density housing and new rules around residential subdivision. Among the changes, new ‘Medium Density Residential Zones’ are proposed within the townships of Alexandra, Clyde and Cromwell in areas that are within a walkable distance of commercial areas or other key community facilities.“A more intensive density of development is anticipated in this zone compared with the other residential zones and it is intended to develop over time to provide for a range of housing options, including more intensive options, to meet the diverse needs of the community, provide affordable options and provide a greater critical mass to support commercial and community facilities,” the report states.PC19 doesn’t deal with rural, business or industrial resource areas or rural settlements zones, according to a council media statement.Meanwhile submission periods have closed but no decision has yet been notified on Plan Change 18 (PC 18) which deals with an extension to Cromwell’s industrial zones.PC 18, which also actions the CODC’s spatial plan, would allow a 50.9 hectare extension to the Cromwell Industrial Resource Area in one area as well as adding a separate 11 hectare block. Both border the current industrial area.  “The land is located between Bannockburn Road and Cemetery Road, north of the Schaffer Beetle Reserve, and fronting onto State Highway 6 between the intersections of Cemetery Road and McNulty Road,” according to a council report.The proposal attracted nine submissions, three in opposition from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, the Department of Conservation (partly opposing) and Werner Murray. It also received four in support from Highlands Motorsport Park, 45 South, Cerise Orchard and SH6 at Cromwell and two neutral submissions (Aurora Energy and Transpower).Documents on PC19 can be viewed online on the Council’s consultation platform here and feedback closes in early September.

The time has come for the Teviot Valley community to start sharing its views on the massive Lake Onslow proposal.This week Cabinet confirmed a pumped hydro scheme at Lake Onslow appears “technically feasible” at this stage, although more work is needed.Many have taken a wait-and-see approach to the proposal so far and, while more will be known in six months, the Central App understands that government representatives will be talking directly with local organisations in coming weeks about the project’s considerable impacts.If it goes ahead, the hydro scheme will be the largest in New Zealand’s history. There are predictions of a four-year build with 3,000 direct jobs and an economic boost to the area. Where the workers would be sourced and where they could live is unclear as Central Otago is suffering major worker and housing shortages. Water from the Clutha River would be pumped up to Lake Onslow during surplus supply times then released down through the underground powerhouse during periods of low-supply such as droughtsWhether the locals have an appetite for another think-big scale project after the construction of the Roxburgh hydro dam (1956) and Clyde dam (1993) is another unknown. The government’s feasibility study is being paid for from a $30M fund assigned to this project and other NZ Battery Project electricity generation options being explored.In 2020 the government announced an extra $70M was being set aside to expedite stage two of the studies, with an eye on the goal of making the country’s electricity generation 100 per cent renewable by 2030, five years earlier than planned.Cabinet confirmed last week that, from the range of alternative technologies, the NZ Battery Project will narrow its focus from five to three non-hydro options for the remainder of phase one. The options are flexible geothermal, hydrogen and biofuels.Energy and Resources minister Megan Woods recently updated her Cabinet colleagues on progress.Although the feasibility studies into possible dry year solutions are ongoing through the rest of this year, her update confirmed the project was “on the right track” and helped refine the scope for the remainder of phase one.This further work, including the geotechnical investigations underway in the Teviot Valley, will be done over the next few months to analyse potential construction, engineering, cost, timing and consenting, as well as integration with the transmission system, according to a project newsletter.  Traditional-style plumbing at Lake Onslow huts, Central Otago“Early analysis also shows Lake Onslow could mitigate the dry year problem and would support a pathway to a 100 per cent renewable electricity system. It could also help smooth wholesale prices and reduce need to overbuild renewable generation to replace fossil fuel generation,” the newsletter stated.“But more work is required to incorporate environmental, cultural, social and geotechnical findings, and refine potential design options. This will give a good indication of development timelines and costs for a feasibility level decision.” The Lake Onslow feasibility study underway not only assesses the technical feasibility of such a scheme, but will also weigh up the environmental, cultural, social and commercial considerations.“The area around Lake Onslow is culturally significant and so it is important that we continue to work with mana whenua while exploring the possibility of this scheme. “It’s also important we understand the possible impacts on the local community and we will be continuing to engage with community members in the coming months. In particular, we appreciate the investigations place uncertainty and stress on a small group of landowners who would be significantly impacted if the scheme was to go ahead. We will continue to work directly with these landowners.”The project team is also analysing the impacts a pumped hydro scheme at Lake Onslow would have on the electricity system, prices and commercial incentives and how the scheme would connect to the grid. No guarantees of lower electricity prices have been given.