SWAN SONG PETONE TRIUMPH Band jammin’ Villagers take Waterloo head out McBain signs off P5 Shield P56 The Hutt News Tuesday, April 12, 2016 Heritage A beacon in the gardens preserved for future SIMON EDWARDS The ‘‘best office building in the Hutt’’ is how Hutt City Council chief executive Tony Stallinger describes the earthquake- strengthened and refurbished council administration building on Laings Rd. The upgrade ‘‘preserves heri- tage, but in a new way’’ he told The front facade, roof and some about 100 community leaders and interior columns are all that is left of key project contractors invited to the original building. a sneak preview of the interior last week. The 1967 west wing extension The public will get a chance to could not be earthquake- see what their $23 million has pur- strengthened. In a clever touch, chased on May 15, when Mayor the glass wall at the western end Ray Wallace will officially cut the of the building has a dot pattern ribbon and guided tours take that depicts how the original place. facade looked. Deputy Mayor and Civic Pre- However, despite council say- cinct Working Group leader ing in 2014 that all 220 staff that David Bassett reminded the had been in the old building could guests of the dilemma councillors move back in, 48 parking, faced in 2011. The 1957 building environmental health, and com- ‘‘had come to the end of its life’. It munity services staff are in was earthquake-prone and coun- rented premises in Market Gr. cil’s own rules stipulated if it was Stallinger declined to reveal the not strengthened by 2018, it had to rental cost, citing commercial be demolished. sensitivity. All this was at a time when Despite the 2014 report, amalgamations of councils were Stallinger said it had always been being debated. Would Lower Hutt thought it might be necessary to need such large council head- lease extra space. This, rather quarters in the future? than a bigger building, gave coun- Bassett said the urge to pre- cil flexibility in case there were serve the landmark heritage future changes in local govern- building in the heart of the city ment. Regulatory and consent proved strongest but it was staff levels had risen in the last 24 decided future-proofing the build- months with increased economic ing would also have an eye to the activity and the addition of the fact it might serve a different pur- government-funded Health Famil- Hutt City Council strategic projects manager Alan Yp shows guests the soaring, three-storey atrium in the refurbished pose in the future, and its design ies team. council administration building. Gone are cubby-hole offices and a warren of corridors. The interior is now open plan and had to be flexible. modern. There are glass-walled meeting rooms on the ground floor and the back of the building is all glass looking out ‘‘It was not an easy decision to onto Riddiford Gardens. Stephen Poulopolous, of Architecture+, said at night the council building lights would be like a ❯❯ lantern to people in the gardens. make,’’ Bassett said. Editor’s View – page 13 LADIES NIGHT! A DIY NIGHT WITH THAT Girly Touch... 21ST APRIL 6-9PM PROCEEDS GOING TO TE OMANGA HOSPICE REGISTER IN-STORE TODAY! 2 HUTT NEWS, APRIL 12, 2016 stuff.co.nz YOUR PAPER, YOUR PLACE did you know... 1. NIGHT SKY Home ownership rates in NZ Astronomy Photographer of the have fallen from 66 to 63 per Year Mark Gee, will give tips at the cent since 2008, despite the FROM War Memorial Library, Friday, number of residential 6.30-8.30pm, before a shoot outside. properties rising by 83,600. THE Bring your DSLR camera and tripod. EDITOR 2. SOUNDS FINE Sunday is International Record Store here Day. Bring your favourite music on T is room for suspicion that vinyl to The Sprig & Fern, Jackson St, CONTENTS the switch in funding for the for a spin by Davo and Mr T, noon- Conversations .......................................... 12-13 SuperGold card from July 1 from 1 7pm. What’s On .................................................. 22-23 individual fares to bulk funding, Arts .................................................................24-25 with a $28m cap, is about putting a 3. TEA & MUSIC Your Money.................................................... 46 lid on the costs of the scheme. Traditional tea ceremony followed Cooking.............................................................. 47 Winston Peters (pg 3) is right by music from Chintz, a trio of Dr Libby.............................................................. 48 when he says the discounts, on Chinese and Kiwi instrumentalists Crosswords ..................................................... 48 bus and train fares in particular, mingling classics with cross-cultural Sport............................................................. 54-56 have made a real difference in the riffs. Dowse, Sunday, 2pm, free. lives of tens of thousands of seniors. to do list 4. NO PETROL This newspaper is It’s everyone’s tax dollars 2 3 A display of electric cars, including subject to NZ Press being talked about but should we three Tesla Model S vehicles, Council procedures. fret too much about the free rides Saturday April 16, 11am-2pm outside A complaint must first 9am-3pm for our elders? Those the Dowse. Test rides available on a be directed in writing, within one month of train and bus services would run limited basis. publication, to the editor’s email address. anyway, albeit with fewer If not satisfied with the response, the passengers, and if operators don’t 5. RAIL TALES complaint may be referred to the get the SuperGold subsidy they The Improvisers will add humour Press Council. PO Box 10-879, would probably just argue for and rail stories to Sunday’s steam The Terrace, Wellington 6143. higher transport fund/rates train rides at Silver Stream Rail, off Or use the online complaint form at www.presscouncil.org.nz Please subsidies. 4 5 Eastern Hutt Rd. More details, pg 36. include copies of the article and all But the reverse also applies. correspondence with the publication. Surely as SuperGold use – and thus revenue to operators – increases as our population ages, Contact us EDITOR: Simon Edwards, [email protected], Ph 589-7622 lower council and NZ Transport BUSINESS MANAGER: Grant Davidson, [email protected], Ph 5897617 Agency funding should be needed. EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: 570-2040, 22 Raroa Rd, P O Box 300-29, Lower Hutt. Classifieds, 570-2040, – Simon Edwards [email protected]. DELIVERY each Tuesday to 43,561 homes and buinesses in Lower Hutt (including Wainuiomata, Petone, Stokes Valley and Eastbourne). www.facebook.com/huttnews LIFE THROWN YOU A CURVE BALL? At ARL Lawyers we understand that things in life don’t always go to plan. That’s where our team David Guerin of specialist family (piano) lawyers can help. For sensible advice and cost-effective performs: solutions from J S Bach Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) people who care, The Goldberg Variations is one of the great monuments in keyboard literature. contact Sarah Glenn Gould “Carpet and Vinyl Specialists” Morrison, Family Law In the foyer following the concert, Diedre Irons, Patron of the Little Theatre Piano Trust, and Mayor Ray Wallace will unveil the record of donors for the Little Theatre’s new Steinway piano. Team Leader on 5666 777 today. Little Theatre, Civic Centre, Lower Hutt 442 Cuba Street, Alicetown, th Lower Hutt 3.30 pm, Sunday 17 April P: 04 589 3024 Tickets: available at the venue or via the website - info@marsonfl ooring.co.nz Adults - $30 : CMHV members - $20 : Students - $10 : Schoolchildren accompanying an adult - free ARL Lawyers ARL Lawyers House | 19 Cornwall Street www.marsonfl ooring.co.nz Lower Hutt | New Zealand | P: 04 5666777 | F: 04 5693354 Enquiries: please phone 938 1728 or 566 3368. Website: www.cmhv.org.nz offi [email protected] | www.arl-lawyers.co.nz Concert presented by Chamber Music Hutt Valley. 7197089AA 7187191AA SHOP IN-STORE AT LIVING & GIVING WESTFIELD QUEENSGATE﹐ LOWER HUTT SHOP ONLINE livingandgiving.co.nz 0800 LIVING [0800 548 464] LG4307_HN *Discounts are off the normal retail price. Offer available until Monday 2 May 2016 only. stuff.co.nz APRIL 12, 2016, HUTT NEWS 3 ‘Free’ travel costs Winston fights SuperGold derailment $6.4m locally BLAKE CRAYTON-BROWN The cost of providing the ‘‘free’’ SuperGold card travel has Watch out pensioners! Your gold increased from $17.9 million card travel entitlements are when the scheme started in under attack! October 2008 to $28m this year, Or are they? Associate Transport Minister NZ First leader Winston Peters Craig Foss says. says they are. Associate transport During 2014/15, payments to Minister Craig Foss says they bus, train and ferry operators in aren’t. the Wellington region was $6.4m. Assurances from Foss did not The Greater Wellington deter a group of Hutt Valley pen- Regional Council estimates sioners from voicing their con- demand for the scheme will cerns last Wednesday. increase 40 per cent by 2020. A dozen or so Grey Power Councillor Paul Swain said it members joined NZ First leader was inevitable the scheme would Winston Peters for an off-peak continue to get more expensive. train ride from Petone to Welling- ‘‘You don’t have to be a rocket ton to make a point about the scientist to work out that costs are value they derived from their going to rise.’’ ‘‘free’’ travel. The government’s $28m in From July, the funding struc- funding controversially caps ture for their off-peak trips will Supergold Card travel on Waiheke shift from a per-trip to a bulk Island ferries at $1.9m, and funding arrangement. $733,000 a year for pensioner use That funding will be capped at of the Airport Flyer in this region.