Letters 9 April 2009
Broadband to arrive in Ligar Bay
After two petitions to Telecom we have been successful in getting a commitment from Telecom to upgrade the cabinet in Ligar Bay. In a letter dated 1 April, Mr Andrew Bowater, Telecom’s Government and community adviser, wrote to me to advise that:
“In response to your letter and petition, our network business, Chorus and Telecom Wholesale, have agreed to install the required ADSL broadband equipment into the cabinet which serves this area, which will mean broadband will be available from early June. Once it is ready for service, those residents who have registered interest with their internet service provider will receive a call notifying them of its availability. However, customers will need to live within approximately 5km cable distance from the cabinet to receive ADSL broadband services. When the service becomes available, I would suggest local residents contact their internet provider to determine whether their house is close enough to receive ADSL broadband.”
This is great news, as all those who signed the petition in Ligar Bay are within close proximity of the cabinet.
Andrew Tilling
Mountain biking in Milnthorpe Park
As frequent walkers in Milnthorpe Park, it was a pleasure to see it being utilised by the young riders of the Golden Bay Mountain Bike Club recently. Information was available on the route being used, and it was well signposted. The participants were all courteous and polite as they approached us from behind, and were appreciative when we made way for them to go through.
It is great to see our young people in the Bay being encouraged in outdoor sports, and well done to the organisers on the day.
Loretta and Jess Horton
Cycle/walkways
Several people have commented to me on last week’s article (GBW 3/4) regarding the LTCCP, where Cr Stuart Borlase was quoted: “Nobody is offering private land for stand-alone cycle/walkways from the roads...”
Such donations or exchanges are certainly needed along the highway to Collingwood and Tasman Drive out to Pohara. However, he may have forgotten that 340 metres of the Blyth’s farmland in Rototai were donated to TDC, that is, to the people of Golden Bay, for the Rototai cycle/walkway that was built last winter. Stuart must have been thinking more about future cycleways, because he supported the Rototai cycle/walkway from the very beginning three years ago. Thankfully, he and Cr Noel Riley are 120% behind its continued expansion now.
NgAng
Commercial Street drainage (or lack of!)
Every time we have a good rain there is a flood at the northern end of our main street. The worst-affected areas are both sides from the TDC building to The Brigand, but after a recent downpour, the water backed up as far as the Organic Shop. This has been happening for years, but is it really too hard to ensure the drains are kept free of blockages? Surely our local businesses pay rates for this kind of thing. Shoppers and visitors alike do not relish having to wade through ankle-deep water to reach the pavement. I bet this wouldn’t happen in Richmond!
Jill Pomeroy
Fresh FM’s A Fresh Start
Fresh FM runs a programme called A Fresh Start every Friday morning from 7–9am, featuring news and interviews from our local area. It is currently sponsored by Golden Bay Promotion Association and we have received some great feedback about the show. If you have any comments or contributions you would like heard, please contact Paddy Brennan at Fresh FM, or email <cynthia@goldenbaynz.co.nz>. Thanks.
Jane Dixon
World Heritage Day, Saturday 18 April
Support our regional heritage research collections. Join a peaceful protest in support of Nelson Provincial Museum on Saturday 18 April. This is to increase awareness of the need for a new building to house its precious heritage research collections, and for funding to enable it to be open longer hours.
The protest day is in two parts: 10am to 1pm at the Research Facility, Hilliard Street, Stoke, and then outside the museum’s Trafalgar Street exhibition building, 2 to 5pm.
For further information about the protest and Nelson-Tasman funding for the museum, contact me on 524 8112 or by email: penny.griffith@paradise.net.nz
Penny Griffith
Joan Whiting Public Forum
The Joan Whiting Memorial Trust board is now holding a regular public forum at the start of their monthly board meetings. Anyone who would like to talk with the trustees is welcome to attend . Board meetings alternate between Takaka and Collingwood, and the next meeting will be held in the front room of the Junction Hotel Takaka on Thursday 16 April. The public forum is scheduled for 30 minutes between 5 and 5.30pm.
Mik Symmons
Secretary Joan Whiting Memorial Trust
Tourism numbers in Golden Bay
Year: 1992 1997 2002 2007 2008 2009
March: 2086 3466 5001 5807 5919 4894
