TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 PAGE 3 CONVERSION PRACTICES KAYAK PORTSIDE BILL A STEP CLOSER QUEEN MOBIL LEADS NZ STATION MEDAL CHARGE ROBBED PAGES 5 & 6 PAGES 24, 28 REPRIEVE: In re-worked plans for sports hubs, the Gisborne Park Golf Club remains an 18-hole course with alternative, smaller hubs proposed at Victoria Domain and Waikirikiri Reserve. File picture ‘DO IT ONCE, DO IT RIGHT’ Concerns re-worked sports hub plans ‘second-best’ by Alice Angeloni also raised concerns about losing the has seen generations of underinvestment. developing, had been “diluted”. uber hub. The business case being prepared by “I still feel we should be looking at SOME Gisborne leaders are But staff developing the proposal said the council, Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti Park golf course because that is identified disappointed that a proposal for an “uber” it had evolved during consultation and and Trust Tairawhiti is expected to go in the report as being something we’ll sports hub on a Gisborne golf course has feedback suggested the region needed to central government in September and probably have to look at in 20 years time been ditched and replaced with a plan more than the four hubs originally will request an investment of $90m over anyway. for two smaller hubs at proposed. ten years to renew sports and recreation “Do it once, do it right,” he said. different locations. An outdoor and field sports hub is facilities in the region. The efficiencies of hubbing — shared Gisborne district now proposed across two locations, at They will look for $20m funding from lighting, parking, toilets, fencing, access, councillors endorsed Harry Barker Reserve and Nelson Park, within the region. management, pavilions, changing sheds a re-worked sports rather than Gisborne Park Golf Club as It is significantly down from the — would be lost by splitting to two business case at an originally suggested. draft business case put to councillors in locations, he said. operations committee But a staff report said Gisborne Park December that said they would be asking “I’m kind of disappointed that it went meeting yesterday, with could still be an option in 20-plus years if central government for $150m. that way. some first expressing demand required. The proposal said that every dollar “So then do we turn around in 20 years concern that they were The council table was supportive of the invested into facilities would deliver and say ‘we put millions and millions into accepting “second-best”. other major change to the business case $1.91 in social return. these two areas, but we kind of need a The governance board of partnering which proposed a $35m indoor sports hub Cr Andy Cranston said the original hub hub’?” organisation Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti at Waikirikiri Park in Kaiti, an area that concept, which he had been involved in CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 41280-01 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Television ...........17 Classifieds ... 21-22 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Racing .......... 18-19 Sport ............ 23-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World............ 13-14 Literature............20 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Friday, August 6, 2021 by Akula Sharma SUPERGRANS Tairawhiti is asking the community to donate personal hygiene and cleaning products for families living in hardship. Hardship help People can drop off items like soap, shampoo, washing liquid and laundry powder to the trust or donate a “house Supergrans asking for personal hygiene and cleaning bundle” through SuperGrans DonorBox. SuperGrans Tairawhiti office manager cleaning product donations Tiffany Zyp says the trust receives referrals for kai parcels from over 54 organisations. “Referrers will often make special requests for personal hygiene items and cleaning products which we don’t normally stock unless we receive ‘rescued’ items from supermarkets. “Those are random cleaning products that have been damaged instore so they become unsaleable and they are donated to us. “But as we can’t rely on these being received regularly we need to keep a stock of essentials on hand in our food bank, which is why we put out the call on our Facebook page” Tiffany says the trust works closely with families living in hardship. It assists them with sustainable living and a part of that work includes home maintenance. “Feeding families comes first and when that is a struggle, non-essential items that are important but not urgent are the compromise families are making. “Cleaning and personal hygiene items are not accessible to everyone for that reason. Families are left to choose between being able to heat their homes, pay their rent, put petrol in their vehicles, buying food or buying cleaning products. “We can see what is at the bottom of the priority list.” SuperGrans Tairawhiti Trust general manager Linda Coulston says the trust is indebted to the local community who always respond to their call-outs for support. “We are always surprised and incredibly humbled at the readiness of the community to help out,” she said. To donate go to SuperGrans’ Pitt Street base during opening hours or DONATIONS WELCOME: SuperGrans Tairawhiti has put out the call for donations of personal hygiene and cleaning products such as go online at supergranstairawhiti.nz/ those displayed by foodbank and volunteer manager Jess Jacobs (left) and office manager Tiffany Zyp. They say items like these are support-us often at the bottom of the priority list of families in need. Picture by Liam Clayton 1000-year bridge build likely to start in October by Wynsley Wrigley Replying to a question from Councillor Reserve with Titirangi maunga, across Ngati Oneone designs laser-cut into the Larry Foster, Mr Wilson said the bridge Rakaiatane Road. steel. THE 1000-Year Bridge is on its way. would be built for $1.75 million. It will provide pedestrians with a safe Cr Foster said many people were Gisborne district councillors, sitting as Other funders may have to be link across the Rakaiatane Road which intimidated by logging trucks while the finance and performance committee approached for additional things that is often busy with logging trucks. trying to cross the road. on Wednesday, heard construction is Ngati Oneone might want. Mr Wilson said the council had He had seen some people give up likely to start in the second quarter of In his report, Mr Wilson said further worked with the Department of trying to cross. the 2021-2022 year (October-December). funding might be needed for artwork Conservation and Ngati Oneone on the The bridge would be “a great sight at Contractor Currie Construction will and a lighting scheme. project. night”. confirm the start date in September. Council had incurred costs of The 1000-year bridge would be simple Replying to a question from Cr Tony David Wilson, the council’s director $756,000 associated with the purchase to make with a lot of manufacturing Robinson, Mr Wilson said there would of lifelines said in his report to the and storage of steel, and with design, off-site by those contracted to work for be no additional car parks. committee that $1.75 million in funding engineering, project management and Currie Construction. Concept/preliminary drawings were had been obtained from the Lotteries resource consents. Externally, the bridge would be made presented at the meeting, but a council Significant Project Fund to fund the The bridge will connect Puhi Kai Iti/ of corten steel while the inside, which spokeswoman said they were not ready descoped and more affordable bridge Cook Landing Site National Historic would be visible from below, would have for public release. than was originally planned. LOOKING AHEAD FOCUS ON THE LAND Your local garage door supplier • Prices and comment from today’s weekly sheep sale at Matawhero — about 1000 Garage doors 42 YEARS head on offer and some bobby calves. Roller doors • The AWDT personal development Sectional doors SERVING programme “It’s all about you” comes to CONSERVATION Gisborne next week. Automatic openers B+LNZ has released research material Repairs showing clearly the impact of farmland Free Quotes TOMORROW being taken for trees. 41112-01 TOMORROW 390 Gladstone Road, Gisborne The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Ph 06 867 2410 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Friday, August 6, 2021 NEWS 3 Robbers manhandled gas station assistant by Murray Robertson THE forecourt of the Mobil Portside service station in Wainui Road was cordoned off with police tape this morning in the wake of an aggravated robbery at the station late last night. The alarm was raised with police at around 11.45pm. “Two men armed with a knife entered the premises demanding cash and cigarettes,” said Detective Sergeant John Love. “They man-handled the female shop assistant, who was alone in the service station at the time. “They left on foot and fled the scene in a vehicle parked nearby in Hirini Street. “This was a traumatising incident for the woman working at the time. Fortunately she was uninjured.” St John ambulance were called to the scene to assist. The woman is being supported by Victim Support. “The two men were wearing dark clothing, one is described as being of a slim build and the other a larger frame,” Det Sgt Love said. “We would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed anything untoward in the area at the time last night.” Police have been viewing CCTV footage from the service station as they ROBBED: The Mobil Portside service station in Wainui Road was robbed last night by two men, one of whom was armed with a work to identify the offenders.