Waihi Ward REFLECTIONS This advertisement is authorised by the Hauraki District Council Thursday, August New farm in the wind Kaimai Wind Farm Limited has lodged resource consent applications with Hauraki District Council Hotspots hit the spot and Waikato Regional Council for a proposed wind farm at the northern end of the Kaimai Ranges at Tirohia, near Paeroa. Council funds WiFi hotspots and better rural broadband The applications, which will be processed jointly The recent fl urry of fi bre-related “The Trust’s business by the two Councils, cover hectares bordering activity on Waihi residential streets is a model is to put profi ts from Rotokohu Road, Paeroa and SH Tirohia. particularly welcome sight for Councillor its service subscriptions Austin Rattray. A member of former The resource consent applications to the Hauraki community group Connect IT Hauraki, back into the community District Council are for the proposed construction of he’s been on a mission to get ultrafast to support education large scale wind turbines. Seven of the proposed broadband into Hauraki communities and digital development turbines would be metres high (to blade tip since ͮͬͭͱ. projects identifi ed by the standing upright) and of them would be Back then the government asked councils community” metres high. Other proposed structures include a substation, two lattice transmission towers, to put together a business case for their Austin Rattray communities to receive fi bre, along with a two overhead power lines, and .km of on-site plan for how better connectivity might be Recently the Council agreed roading. Two on-site quarries to supply material for used to create economic and educational to contribute ͈ͯͬ,ͬͬͬ of the the roads are also proposed. opportunities and improve social well- funds earmarked for its Digital The resource consent applications to the Waikato being in the area. Enablement Plan to the Trust. Regional Council are to authorise specifi c aspects “We set up a district wide community group (Connect “This money will be used by the Trust to implement of land use; removal of vegetation, earthworks, IT) to work on our application and create a Digital projects in the plan, including the installation of to permit the discharge of surplus soil and surface Enablement Plan. The plan included a number of wireless hotspots to provide free WiFi in the town water associated with the construction phase of the exciting projects and the council at that time put centres of Waihi, Paeroa and Ngatea. It will also be project and culvert upgrades. used to pay for repeater units to speed the delivery ͈ͰͰ,ͬͬͬ into the budget to kick start it,” Councillor The company has requested that the resource Rattray said. of wireless broadband to areas of the District with limited internet connectivity, which was also consent applications are publicly notifi ed, which Over the next few years fi bre will be rolled out district- identifi ed as a priority in our plan,” he said. means there will be an opportunity for community wide and last year Council’s Economic Development feedback via written submissions. Committee started working with the Community Economic Development Committee Chair Ross Harris Council staff are currently checking the documents Wireless Trust, the fi rst registered charitable digital says the Digital Enablement Plan is about so much to ensure they include all necessary information. development Trust in the country. Having trialled more than digital connectivity. Once this is complete, further information may be a project to provide fi bre broadband via wireless “It’s about sharing knowledge, providing access to connectivity to the Waimate community, the Trust education, and ensuring rural communities like ours requested from the applicant and the documents was keen to do something similar in Hauraki. stay connected and globally competitive,” he said. will be made available on the Council websites. Hard copies will also be available in the offi ces An agreement has since been formed with Waihi “We all know we live in a complex, fast changing and libraries of HDC in Waihi and Paeroa once the College to use the school’s fi bre connection to provide world. The one certainty is that technology will application is notifi ed. Those considered directly high speed wireless internet in Waihi. The Trust is also continue to advance exponentially so we’d better get aff ected will be notifi ed of the applications by post. working with the Maratoto Valley community to set on board.” up a similar connection via Hikutaia School and hopes Mayor John Tregidga says it’s still very early days to expand into Paeroa and Ngatea in the near future. and the council needs to ensure the information received from the company is complete and Fibre installation well underway Those wondering when they are technically robust before notifying the community Chorus Stakeholder and Communications Manager likely to be able to order fi bre and asking for feedback. Steve Pettigrew says the build is expected to be from their broadband provider, “We understand there is a high level of interest in complete in May ͮͬͭ͵. can use the broadband checker this project and we’ll make sure people have every “Residents will be able to connect to fi bre about six to on Chorus’ website opportunity to give us feedback on this proposal eight weeks after the build completes in their area,” he when the time comes. Details of how and when you said. www.chorus.co.nz can do this will be advertised in the newspapers, on our Facebook page, and also posted on our website” he said. “We’ll also provide regular updates on the applications’ progress and details in relation to the hearing as they come to hand.” It is likely independent commissioners will be appointed to decide on whether or not the application is approved. How many councillors should represent you? There’s still time After looking at all the feedback, the Council will make a fi nal decision on how it thinks councillor numbers and wards should look for the next two elections. to tell us what you We’ll let you know how that goes. think but don’t dilly There will then be a one-month appeal/objection period inviting further dally. feedback from the community. Submissions close However, the fi nal decision is likely to rest with the Local Government pm Friday August Commission. Find out more at www.hauraki-dc.govt.nz/representation-review Hauraki District Council | William Street, PO Box ͭͳ, Paeroa ͯͲͰͬ | Phone ͬͳ ʹͲͮ ʹͲͬ͵ | www.hauraki-dc.govt.nz.