Te Awamutu Te Awamutu Your Vodafone Courier Local Dealer Published Tuesday & Thursday THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011 158 Alexandra St, Te Awamutu Ph: 07 870 6031 Fax: 07 870 6032 CELEBRATING 100 YEARS AS YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Email: teawamutu@fi rstmobile.co.nz 8071002AA CIRCULATED FREE TO ALL HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT TE AWAMUTU AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS. EXTRA COPIES 40c. BRIEFLY Lifting lid on grandstand plan Festive fun at Xmas parade Training facility, indoor sports included The Gisler Architects Te Awamutu Christmas Float Parade kicks off at 1pm on Saturday. Around 40 floats will do a circuit of Alexandra Street. Prizes will be awarded in three categories (business, club, school). Those attending can get some Christmas shopping done as well - shops will be open until 2pm. Alexandra Street will be closed from 7am on Saturday in preparation for the parade. Organisers encourage motorists to use the public carparks and walk into town. Santa will be in his grotto at 59 Bank Street tonight (6pm -7.30pm) as well as on parade day (10am-12.30pm). Church charm St Saviours Church at Pirongia began its Christmas Festival on Monday. The Church is decorated for the festive season and a Christmas craft shop has a variety of handmade gifts and decorations for sale. Guests can also enjoy morning or afternoon tea and take in the special ambience of TC081211CA01 the church (10am - 4pm daily). GRANDSTAND Community Trust members (from left) Keith Parsons, Steve Gibson, Russell Easton and Joe Sprangers with the model of the More details, photos in refurbished Albert Park grandstand and the existing grandstand behind them. Tuesday’s special Christmas edition. BY CATHY ASPLIN upgraded toilet and changing facilities and agencies. extending the building to include an indoor sports ‘‘To apply for funding we must provide Arnel call up People who have been dismayed at the state of arena. Security requirements have also been extensive plans, consents and a feasibility study Northern Districts paceman the Albert Park grandstand will be delighted to included.’’ to show that this centre will be a valuable Brent Arnel has flown across see the impressive plans for its development by The indoor sports component has been addition to the town. the Grandstand Community Trust. planned to provide a variety of uses - from team ‘‘We certainly don’t want to be competing with the ditch in time for the second Trust chairperson Steve Gibson says the training sessions and an afterschool programme what is already in place - our point of difference is cricket test starting in Hobart project was initiated four years ago, but has to a commercial indoor sports operation. the types of sports that can be played in the centre tomorrow. required a large number of reports and consents ‘‘Many people will remember the indoor sports and the ability to use it for a variety of training Whether he gets to play is to get to the current stage. centre on Rickit Road that operated indoor netball purposes. debatable after the Kiwis ‘‘In 2006 Waipa District Council looked at and indoor cricket competitions. ‘‘We also intend to have afterschool and dismal batting in both innings at maintenance needed for the grandstand and ‘‘We wanted to resurrect that type of operation. holiday programmes operating, with an emphasis the Gabba, where the facilities, but the costs were considered prohibi- This will be similar, with a slightly broader range on keeping children active.’’ Australians won by nine tive at the time, so the work never proceeded . of sports, such as soccer and touch. FUNDING PHASE wickets. ‘‘Around four years ago Te Awamutu Sports ‘‘Having a commercial component will not The next step is to raise the necessary funds to Arnel, born in Te Awamutu reviewed the state of the grandstand and felt only provide funds for the ongoing running of the turn the plan into reality. and had a stint teaching at the improvements were essential. facility, but it will provide employment and a A total of $2.4million is required. College, is at the height of his ‘‘So a group of members decided to drive a focus for the youth of our town. Waipa District Council has committed to career, according to ND coach community project to refurbish the facility.’’ ‘‘The centre will also be a ‘top notch’ training $700,000, while applications are being made to a Grant Bradburn. Initially that was Mr Gibson, club manager facility which can cater for teams from young number of trusts and the Lottery Grants Board. He has just brought up a Keith Parsons and building consultant Russell grassroots players to senior sportspeople.’’ ‘‘This will probably leave around $200,000 to personal milestone, claiming Easton. A model of the project was created by raise. We hope this will come from sponsorships his 50th one day wicket for the They were later joined in the planning phase Livingstone Building and has been presented at and the wider community.’’ province to go with well in by former club president Joe Sprangers and several meetings and sports events to gather Anyone interested in seeing the model of the building company director David Livingstone. support and feedback. grandstand and facilities can view it at Te excess of 100 first class scalps. ‘‘As well as improving the seating and A feasibility study is also being undertaken, Awamutu Sports Club. Further information is birdproofing the grandstand, the plans include which is a requirement of several funding available from Mr Gibson (ph 871 3430). 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I personally think that the for having 70 per cent of the electorate Parlane probably won’t see me at the local referendum appears (although the final vote from those who voted, before the Alan Price gas station passing through, unless he is results are not yet known), that clearly special votes are counted. e: [email protected] like me and travels and spends time people are not happy with MMP, that is to The support that I receive around the regularly in the 17 towns in the electorate say they may not want a complete change, electorate and on election night was starting from Hamilton airport finishing but they do want a review. appreciated and truly humbling and I can EDITOR at Stratford. One of the things I am keen to see is a assure Mr Parlane that there are many Dean Taylor I don’t have one local gas station, I fairer representation in rural seats. This constituents that have been satisfied with e: [email protected] have hundreds! could happen if the population threshold the service received. It is always puzzling to me that often is lowered which would make the geo- I do not take that support for granted, supporters of MMP, harp back to the good graphical size of the electorate smaller as and I work hard for the electorate. REPORTERS old days when my electorate had five was originally recommended by the The first requirement of a democracy Cathy Asplin MPs. Royal Commission when MMP was first is the understanding that not everyone e: [email protected] Guess what Mr Parlane, that was promoted. will vote for you and I understand it is under First Past the Post. Unfortunately Reducing the number of List MPs disappointing to those who voted for Colin Thorsen the List MPs created by MMP generally would also help. someone else — but that’s democracy. e: [email protected] come from the cities, so rural areas miss I am not sure when Mr Parlane was SHANE ARDERN out. last talking to the Prime Minister, but MP Taranaki-King Country ADVERTISING Dorinda Courtney Support for e: [email protected] Pool protest familiar Julie Jackson Dance Club A fortnight ago a large number of young finally council capitulated: the pool will stay e: [email protected] children, complete with placards and their and be repaired at a cost of over $2 million. parents, descended on the Hutt City Council The scenario is all too familiar here Bookings Te Awamutu Good Companions Dance pleading the case to keep their outdoor pool. except of course that Waipa District Council [email protected] Club would like to thank Pak’n Save for ‘‘We love our pool and we don’t want it has never listened to the community that the discount they granted us for our ripped out’’ was the message. It was pointed wants to keep its pool. CLASSIFIEDS Christmas treats for our Christmas Dance out that it leaked only because it had long But isn’t it heartening to know that and also The Warehouse and Countdown been the victim of assiduous neglect by somewhere in New Zealand democracy still Tania Cortesi-Western, Rhonda Bird for the use of their sites for raffling a council.