Your monthly update from Hamilton City Council HAMILTON citynews May 2018 Record Response Wonderful Unprecedented public feedback into the development of Hamilton’s 10-Year wetlands Plan has seen record numbers, both The theme for this year’s Arbor Day is wetlands, such as for written submissions and for people Hamilton’s own Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park. who want to speak to the Council Full story page 7. during Hearings this month. Additional Hearing dates have been allocated to cater for the demand, with sessions now planned for Early history unearthed at Ring Rd site 11,14,15,16 and 17 May. Evidence of a pre-European Maaori garden site The Council’s Chief Executive Richard and a small 19th century cottage have been Briggs says the quantity and quality unearthed during archaeological investigations of the submissions so far shows for the Wairere Dr/Cobham Dr extension project. Hamiltonians understand the key issues and opportunities for the city in Around 400m of trenches were dug by project the years ahead. archaeologist Warren Gumbley and his team to learn more about and document both sites, “Nothing is set in stone. Our Council has some big decisions to make ahead of site preparation work which started in around the future of the city and February 2018. Under the Heritage NZ Pouhere the feedback we have received will Taonga Act archaeological assessments are ensure the community’s views are well required on all sites in New Zealand with represented when the next stage of the pre-1900 human activity. process starts,” Mr Briggs says. Two borrow pits, or quarries, were found, Through the consultation period there where Maaori gardening alongside the were more than 30 community sessions Waikato River would have quarried sand around the city to encourage people and gravel to make planting structures for A DIFFERENT TIME: Artefacts found at the cottage site include this body of a typical mantelpiece clock. to make submissions. A summary of crops like kumara and taro. Radiocarbon the draft Plan and supporting data was dating will determine the age of the site. jars and other domestic items found indicate Site preparation work is progressing well on available online and from Hamilton City Thousands of similar borrow pits line the the small cottage was likely lived in from the the final stage of the Ring Road project which Libraries. All ratepayers were sent a Waikato River, evidence of an extensive pre- 1880s to the 1930s. will improve transport connections and safety, personalised letter detailing the effect European horticultural system which saw soils as well as future-proofing the city’s transport of the draft Plan's proposals on their adapted to be more suitable for growing. The body of a clock which would have sat on network to the south of the city. property’s rates. a mantelpiece was also found in one of the By early June the Council will make An iwi working group representing local hapu cottage post holes. Sitting outside of the project When complete in 2020 Cobham Dr will be its final deliberations on the draft are closely involved with the Ring Road, site at the top of the hill overlooking theWaikato raised to allow the four-laned Wairere Dr to pass Plan, before it is finalised, audited and assisting with historic and cultural matters River is the small fortified Kirikiriroa Redoubt beneath it, accompanied by extended shared adopted. The Plan will take effect from through the life of the project. Artefacts and site. Little is seen of the remains of it, which on and off-road walking and cycling paths. 1 July 2018. post holes from a small cottage built in the late was built in 1864 to protect the river supply 19th century were also revealed. Bottles and route between Hamilton and Cambridge. ■ hamilton.govt.nz/ringroad PAGE 3 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 DIRTY DOG: Megan and her dog Judy preparing for TALKING TUATARA: Keeper talks will be offered in sign SEVENS: Pre-sales for the next HSBC NZ Sevens are Dirty Dog with a play in a muddy field. language at Hamilton Zoo, as part of a new trial initiative. open this month. 1 hamilton.govt.nz /hamiltoncitycouncil @CouncilHamilton citynews Meet the Mayor Are there any city issues you would like to discuss with Mayor Andrew King? Please phone 838 6976 to book a 10-minute appointment between 7.45am and 9.00am on: Thursday, 10 May Thursday, 17 May Thursday, 7 June Thursday, 14 June Appointments must be booked in advance. Keep your mind on the driving Please report to Reception on the ground floor of the task – make it a habit Hamilton City Council Road Safety Week 2018 (7 to 13 May) will have a key 35% slower reaction times and poor lane control says Caroline Municipal Building. focus on driver distraction and the Council is supporting the Perry, from road safety advocacy group Brake. initiative and encouraging Hamiltonians to remember the importance behind the message. “Another large-scale study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in America found those same people were 23 UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS Mihi Bennett-Smith the Council’s Road Safety Coordinator times more likely to crash than an attentive driver,” she says. says many of us take driving for granted, but we forget it is one Meetings are open to the public and are livestreamed on our of the most complicated and risky activities we can do daily. A few tips drivers can do to avoid driver distraction and keep website, hamilton.govt.nz/livestream their mind on the driving task are: Elected Member Briefings are for the purposes of providing “Our crash data shows there were 5776 crashes in Hamilton in the last five years, and 550 (9.5%) listed some form of updates on various topics to Elected Members. The public • Switch off mobile phones or turn them on to 'do not are welcome to observe the briefings. attention diversion as a cause. In 2017, 131 crashes were caused by distraction, or diverted attention.” disturb’ mode. Extraordinary Council Finance Committee • Adjust all controls (including radio and fans) before Meeting Meeting “Driving requires full concentration to drive safely. you start driving. 9.30am, Thursday, 10 May, 9.30am, Tuesday, 22 May, Passengers, animals, the radio, phones, advertising signs, • Check the map before starting your journey if you are Committee Room 1 Committee Room 1 other traffic, etc are all huge distractions and a small lapse unfamiliar with where you are going. Council 10-Year Plan Council Meeting in concentration because of one of these can greatly increase Hearings 9.30am, Thursday, 24 May, your chances of being involved in a crash,” Bennett-Smith • Ask passengers to be quiet if you’re struggling to 11.00am, Monday, 14 May, Committee Room 1 says. “The message is clear, keep your mind on the driving concentrate. Committee Room 1 task and make it a habit.” Growth and Infrastructure • Take regular breaks rather than eating and drinking Council 10-Year Plan Meeting A study by UK based Transport Research Laboratory states while driving. Hearings 9.30am, Tuesday, 29 May, drivers who are also messaging on their smartphones have 11.00am, Tuesday, 15 May, Committee Room 1 Committee Room 1 Council 10 Year Plan Council 10-Year Plan Deliberation Hearings Reserve Day 9.30am, Thursday, 31 May, 11.00am, Wednesday, Committee Room 1 16 May, Committee Room 1 Mayor’s matinees return Council 10-Year Plan The popular Mayor’s Music Matinees have returned for 2018, These free 50-minute performances are happening at 1pm Hearings Reserve Day giving Hamiltonians a great opportunity to experience local on the second Friday of the month. Conceived by local arts 11.00am, Thursday, and visiting classical music talent. identity Russell Armitage in 2015, they are organised by the 18 May, Committee Room 1 Conservatorium and the Council. Agendas and minutes of all Council and Committee meetings The next one is an Opera Showcase, at 1pm on Friday 11 are available on the Council’s website, hamilton.govt.nz May at Creative Waikato at 131 Alexandra Street. It will There was a full house last month for the first recital of the feature vocal students from The University of Waikato year, featuring cellist Matthias Balzat and pianist Vivian Check the website to confirm meeting times and dates this month as some meetings are scheduled reserve days for Conservatorium of Music, accompanied by Francis Cowan Balzat, so don’t miss out. Details of each event will be 10-Year Plan discussions and cannot be confirmed. and directed by Stephanie Acraman. The program includes posted monthly at the link below. excerpts from Puccini's ‘Madame Butterfly’, Verdi's * Not livestreamed ‘Rigoletto’ and Donizetti's ‘L'Elisir D'Amore’. ■ hamilton.govt.nz/musicmatinee YOUR MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS Andrew King Mark Bunting Paula Southgate Angela O’Leary Mayor Councillor: East Ward Councillor: East Ward Councillor: West Ward 07 838 6976 027 808 5164 021 589 957 021 343 774 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] James R Casson Ryan Hamilton Geoff Taylor Councillor: East Ward Councillor: East Ward Councillor: West Ward 027 808 5173 07 974 0517 027 808 5170 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Martin Gallagher Garry Mallett Siggi Henry Leo Tooman Deputy Mayor Councillor: East Ward Councillor: West Ward Councillor: West Ward 07 838 6766 021 741 021 027 808 5155 021 512 098 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Rob Pascoe Dave Macpherson Councillor: East Ward Councillor: West Ward 021 988 742 021 477 388 [email protected] [email protected] 2 hamilton.govt.nz /hamiltoncitycouncil @CouncilHamilton citynews Save money by registering your dog early It’s dog registration time again.