Operations Committee. Community Services Department

Transcription

1 Report To: From: Operations Committee Community Services Department : 25 February 2014 File reference: Document: Meeting date: 12 March 2014 Subject: Monthly Report for February 2014 Recommendation: THAT the report be received. Purpose The Community Services Department are responsible for the delivery of Council s Community Recreation, Community Facilities and some activities of Community Growth. A monthly report on these activities will be included in each Operations Committee Agenda. Community Recreation Libraries Waihi Library Planning is on track for the transition of the old Waihi Library to the new Waihi Library/Service Centre. Key dates in the transition are, Existing Waihi Library Closure-10 March 2014 Boxing and moving of the Collection to the new Waihi Library/Service Centre March 2014 Reorganising of Collection March 2014 Tidying up of old Waihi Library march 2014 Official Opening-10 am, 21 March 2014 Business as Usual-12 noon onwards 21 March 2014 A sale of old books and unusable shelving and furniture will be held in the old Waihi Library at a suitable date. The sale tables and displays will be set up while the Library is closed and the transition is being undertaken. Paeroa Library The new Paeroa Library Working Party, (Paeroa Ward, Operations Committee Chairman and Councillor Harry Shepherd) have meet with Community Services Manager and Property Manager to look at options for the appointment of the Project Architect. Note Operations Committee Chairman was unable to attend this meeting. Page 1 of 6 Doc Community Services Monthly Report to Operations Committee 12 March 2014

2 It was decided that an information pack be sent out to approximately 10 suitable Thames Valley/Waikato architects calling for expressions of interest for the role of Project Architect, requesting experience details, concept drawing and a written report on their proposal for the new building. From these proposals the Working Party will undertake an evaluation and agree on a short list. These firms will these be requested to supply costs for their services of design, consenting and project management. Waihi Event Centre The painting of the interior of the Waihi Event Centre is completed. The Property Manager is investigating covering the side bleach wall with an Autex wall covering which has been used successfully on some of the walls in the Centre. This work will be completed within this financial year. Sport n Action Trust undertake the running of the centre and are currently looking at the time utilisation of the site to ensure the maximum amount of available time is booked for community sport and activity. Swimming Pools The District Pools public attendance figures have been running slightly behind last year but until we receive the schools and swim clubs numbers we will be unsure of the final figures. A full seasons report will be given to the next meeting. The new pool toys have been popular this summer with all age groups. Wind has meant the pool toy was not always available as advertised in the Waihi pool. The public swimming season is due to finish on, Ngatea 16 March 2014 Paeroa 16 March 2014 Waihi 23 March 2014 Sports and Recreation Fields Sports and Recreation Fields have been operating as expected. Paeroa Domain had the Highland Games and Tattoo the weekend of the 8 February, which resulted in a small amount of damage to the turf, a peg being driven through the main water line for the irrigation and a cover on the fire brigades training boxes being damaged. All have been repaired. Paeroa Domain suffered some tree damage during a storm that required the removal of a part of a tree that the majority had fallen during the night and another that had some large limbs torn away from the trunk that fell and damaged the fence. Paeroa Domain #2 field drainage lines are in need of being topped up due to shrinkage caused by the dry summer conditions. Hugh Hayward Domain drainage lines were topped up due to shrinkage following the first dry summer weather after the drainage work being completed. Start Completion Completed Project Cost Approved Funding - $000 Sports and Recreation Projects 13/14 Waihi Event Centre Interior Painting and wall coverings January Project Status: The interior painting is completed at a cost of $6,500. Part of the walls is to be covered in a product called Autex. Quotes are being sort. District Sports Coordinator Julie Stephenson will be providing an update report to the Operations Committee meeting in April. Page 2 of 6

3 Councilor Julie Bubb, Community Services Manager, Julie Stephenson and Mike Maguire (Sport Waikato General Manager) meet in Cambridge on the 4 March 2014 for the 6 monthly meeting to discuss Sport Waikato and Hauraki District Council direction for sporting activities in our area. This meeting also covers future trends and sports opportunities within the Waikato region. A site visit to the new Cambridge National Cycling Centre of Excellence was also undertaken. Sport Waikato are offering to host the Hauraki District Councillors on a day tour of sporting facilities in the Waikato, to highlight both the larger facilities and the smaller successful community based sites. This trip can be arranged at a time suitable to both parties. Community Facilities Cemeteries The number of internments, both Ashes and Burials, has increased for the first half of the financial year for all cemeteries in the District. There seems to be no particular reason for this. New bock identification signage has been ordered for the Waihi cemetery and will be installed upon arrival. Halls There are no major matters to report on the District Hall activity. Pensioner Housing All units are tenanted. Work on the Hauraki District Council Housing Strategy is starting in May 2014 with the Pensioner Flats Sub- Pensioner Flats Sub-Committee, Councilors, Julie Bubb, Max McLean, Pam Keall and Bruce Gordon assisting staff in the direction of the document before presenting back to Council for adoption. Public Toilets Work on the District Toilet Strategy has started with Councilor Bruce Gordon assisting staff in the direction of this document. The Wards will be consulted with during various stages of the document development. Due to the increase visitors to our district due to the favourable weather and Hauraki Rail Trail, we are experiencing increased demands on a number of our public toilets. The main ones to note are, Kaiaua, Gilmour Park, Karangahake Reserve, and Ohinemuri Park Completion Completed Project Cost Approved Funding - $000 Public Toilet Projects 13/14 Start Whiritoa Surf Club toilets, Replace 2 Unisex toilets. 24 February 7 th March 85 Project Status: Completed Ohinemuri Park Toilets Refurbish Mid April Mid April 10 Project Status: Work is scheduled to begin once there is less demand on the toilets March March 7 Page 3 of 6

4 Non Recreation Reserves There are no major matters to report on the Non Recreation activity. Possum control is being undertaken in the millennium forest, Paeroa Non Recreation Reserves Projects 13/14 Start Completion Completed Project Cost Approved Funding - $000 Karangahake Reserve Development Aug 2013 TBC 517 Project Status: A steering Committee for this project has met and has decided that 10k shall be invested in the preliminary design concepts. Staff are requesting a statement of proposal from 3 design consultants that will be available for the Operations Meeting team for the March Meeting and Steering committee. Whiritoa Reserves Surf Club Water Tank Renewal Aug 2013 March Project Status: moving tank to Whiritoa EM Centre Community Growth Activities Town Promotion and Visitor Information Centres There are no major matters to report on the Town Promotion and Visitor Information Centres activity. Hauraki Rail Trail A full Hauraki Rail Trail Trust update report will be presented to the Operations Committee at the April meetings. As follows are sections of information presented to the Hauraki Rail Trail Trust February meeting. 1. Trust Administration and Management Greg Thorne was officially appointed as representative Trustee for Ngati Rahiri Tumutumu (Te Aroha) Iwi, replacing Eddie Tuira at the November Board Meeting. John Tregidga is still in the process of identifying an appropriate replacement as HDC representative on the Trust Board. 2. Trail Operation Counter readings are showing an average 40% increase over Jan from the previous year, with up to 50% increase on the Te Aroha leg and a dramatic 80% increase on the Thames section compared with The Karangahake section is showing a more moderate 25% increase, although there are no comparative figures for the Waihi-Waikino section from the previous year. December figures were similar to the previous year on average, although not directly comparable due to the additional counter readers installed since Following the conclusion of the maintenance period for the Waihi-Waikino section of the HRT at the beginning of December 2013, its ongoing maintenance and management was formally passed from HDC to the HRTCT. General weed control operations were undertaken by Urban Plus Weedsprayers along this section prior to Christmas, and followed up by the targeted control of Ragwort in late January. Cattlestop approaches have been repaired (remetalled) along the Paeroa to Karangahake and Paeroa to Te Aroha sections of the Trail both prior to Christmas in response to public concerns with these approaches being too steep. Walkway Solutions have also been engaged to tighten the Page 4 of 6

5 bolts on all of the bridges due to seasonal loosening of fixings, which is likely to be an annual maintenance item. Following hours spent out on the Trail, Kerstie has been working directly with Sonia Frimmell from What s the Story on the development of the Signage Strategy. Locations for directional signage throughout the Trail have been mapped in consultation with Adrian and Eric and verified by photo in the field. Draft concepts for the various signage scenarios for the Trail have been established, with the current focus on finalising the directional signage in conjunction with KM marker posts. The intention is to make up a series of mock signs by which to test the legibility of the signs in the field, prior to the designs being finalised.the development of interpretation signs will follow on from the completion of directional signage. Kerstie and Sonia have met with the Paeroa Ward committee to discuss the option for developing a celebratory local artwork to landmark the junction of the three Trail sections at the entrance to Paeroa beside the Criterion bridge in conjunction with directional signage. This combined approach would hopefully resolve the current issues of disorientation around this junction, as well as providing an opportunity to promote Paeroa as the nucleus of the HRT to both cyclists and passing motorists. Kerstie is also meeting with Greg Hampton and Ben Day at TCDC to discuss the options for future HRT signage through Thames Township and will follow up with Mark Naude from MPDC on the continuation of HRT signage through Te Aroha. The Hikutaia toilet was opened in late January, following certification from TCDC. Service requests from the public received through HDC generally relate to signage issues and weed control prior to the Christmas break. There have been very few service requests logged over the holiday period through to January. There have been no reports of motorbikes on the Trail over this period. 3. Trail Marketing & Affiliated Service Providers Professor Chris Ryan of Waikato University has issued an interim report for their 2013/14 Economic Study of the HRT. The two key findings of the study for the October/ November period is that that cyclists are spending a greater number of days in total on the Trail (ie. multi-day trips) which tallies with shorter total hours spent on the Trail each day. This all looks good in terms of likely increases in overnight stays, along with potentially spending time (and money) on other activities in the region. User satisfaction surveys are also scoring highly, with a mean of 8.58 out of 10, which is a slight increase on the previous season. Maria Slade from Fairfax Media ran an article on the Hauraki Rail Trail which appeared in a number of regional newspapers including the Waikato Times praising her experience and the economic benefits of the HRT to the region, albeit in the context of getting lost on the Trail to Te Aroha. The latest counter figures have been provided to local freelance journalist Andrea Fox (previous business editor with the Waikato Times) along with a summary of the interim economic research. 4. Stakeholder Relationships and Communications Newsletters are planned to go out in May at the end of the season, in order to incorporate findings from the economic research. Development of the interpretative signage, which is planned to follow the directional signage will also be a good opportunity to build on stakeholder relationships throughout the Trail. Page 5 of 6

6 5. Funding Our application for funding under the Significant Project Fund was submitted to the Lotteries Board in December of last year, unfortunately we were unsuccessful in the application for funding for the Kopu to Kaiaua section of the HRT. We have been told that most of the fund has been allocated but a second round will be announced in July if there are any funds left. This will depend on who meets all their obligations and up lift their money. In the meantime, the Trust has provided a letter of support to an application to the Ministry of the Environment by HELP Waihi to undertake extensive weed control (mainly involving privet) in preparation for native plantings within the Waihi-Waikino section of the Trail. If successful, the funding applied for could amount to approximately $25, over a three year period, for which the Trust had pledged to contribute $3, per year as a project partner. Steve Fabish Community Services Manager Page 6 of 6