News in Brief

---

NEWS IN BRIEF

19 Dec, 2022

 

NRC Christmas, New Year office hours

All Northland Regional Council offices in Whangarei and service centres around the region will close at 2pm Friday, December 23 for the Christmas-New Year break. Council’s offices will reopen on Monday, January 09, 2023. Environmental or maritime incidents can still be reported to the 24/7 Environmental Hotline 0800 504 639 over the break. Councillors, management and staff wish Northlanders and visitors a safe summer and enjoyable break.

 

2023 Art&Tartan entries open

Entries are now open for the 2023 Art&Tartan contest and show scheduled for September 2023. Designers from all corners of Aotearoa are welcome to submit their entries. The emphasis in 2023 will be on all the diverse cultures of our land although tartan, as always, will be at the forefront of the contest but not compulsory. It is hoped that artists will explore their roots and symbolise these in their entries.

Entry forms can be downloaded from the Scottish Migration Museum website waipumuseum.com, or picked up from the front desk of the Waipu building. Early Bird fee until the end of January is only $30. Entries will close end of April.

 

Climb aboard the free summer bus

The popular free Mangawhai bus service is back for summer. Starting on December 27, the bus loops from the Domain in the village to the surf beach between 10am and 5.30pm. Daily services run until January 15, then on weekends until February 06 with an extra weekend added on for Easter (April 7-10). The bus stops at 12 locations along the way, including the Mangawhai Artist Gallery, Mangawhai Central, the Museum, MAZ and the Wood Street shops. Leave the car at home and make the most of the free Mangawhai summer bus, brought to you by Kaipara District Council.

 

Making Te Tai Tokerau accessible

Accessibility is when everyone can access places, services, and information with ease and dignity. This includes people with disabilities, people with chronic health conditions, older adults, whanau with young children, and people with language difficulties. It’s about making it accessible for everyone.

The four councils in the region – Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council (KDC), Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council – are working together on a plan to make our communities more accessible to live, work, play and visit. KDC is asking for public feedback on how councils can improve the lives of people with access needs in Northland/Te Tai Tokerau.

Provide feedback through their online portal, or download a printed feedback booklet in English or te reo Maori. The feedback booklet is also available in large print, easy read and in New Zealand Sign Language on the Seeflow website. Visit kaipara.govt.nz/access for more information and to download the feedback booklets, or pop into your local council service centre for a printed copy. Feedback closes on February 26.

 

MAZ to refresh park equipment

Recent damage inflicted on parts of the MAZ playground has highlighted the fragile state of some of the equipment after providing years of enjoyment. The MAZ committee and Kaipara District Council are working together to make the equipment safe, ensuring optimum use is possible over the coming holidays. Where this is not possible the area will be sectioned off.

The committee sees this as a great opportunity to refresh and upgrade the entire playground area and are looking to introduce new equipment that will provide challenges, excitement, learning and fun for a growing generation of park users. Future elements are being explored, with plans and community funding support initiatives to be announced in the new year.

---