citynews
11 July 2014
For the love of trees
Nestled in a nursery at Hamilton Gardens are
around 1000 young trees which, in three years
time, will be removed from their nursery beds and
planted in Hamilton streets and parks.
Many of the native and exotic trees are nurtured
from seeds and different species are earmarked
for specific suburbs.
“We’ll look at each suburb and plan exactly where
these trees will go, and in 2017 they’ll be ready to
be planted throughout the city,” says the Project
Leader for Trees in Council’s Parks and Open
Spaces Unit, Zeke Fiske.
Council staff typically plant more than 400 trees
in Hamilton streets each year and a further 250
throughout its parks – more than double the
number removed.
Mr Fiske, who is an arborist, says trees are cut
down for a number of reasons, and making this
decision is never easy.
“We do this job because we love trees, and we
never willingly remove a healthy specimen. That’s
always a last option, but it’s a decision we have to
make when a tree is damaged. It may have been
hit by a vehicle; it might be diseased, dead from
old age or might have been affected by drought.”
Council arborists also remove trees creating
significant issues to underground services, causing
trip hazards on footpaths and are damaging the
kerb or a road.
Mr Fiske says city streets are not a natural habitat
for trees and a large number simply don’t survive.
Trees planted in city parks don’t face the same
hazards and the replacement rate is far lower.
Tree facts
• There are 65 specimen tree species in the Hamilton Gardens plant nursery.
• Hamilton City has more than 70,000 specimen trees and tens of thousands more
through natural environment areas, such as gullies.
• There are 10 qualified arborists working in City Parks and in Parks and Open Spaces.
• Hamilton City Council has 100 staff dedicated to looking after our green spaces in parks,
streetscapes and our cemeteries.
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citynews
Hamilton first city to
produce braille map
RATING REVIEW UPDATE
Council is currently preparing
a proposal which looks at our
current Land Value rating system
versus a shift to a Capital Value
People who are blind or have low vision can now use a free braille map to
help them navigate their way around the central city.
system. The proposal will be
brought to Council for approval
The map has been produced in both braille and large print, and features
raised surfaces, textures and symbols with braille labelling to differentiate
geographical features such as the Waikato River, landmarks and roads.
on 31 July and if approved, will
go out for public feedback in early
There is no charge for the map, which is available at Hamilton i-SITE,
Hamilton Transport Centre, Waikato Museum, Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton
Zoo, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton City Libraries, Claudelands and customer
services on ground floor in the Civic Building.
August. For information on the
proposal, visit
www.hamilton.govt.nz/ratingreview
The map was produced by the Blind Foundation after a request from
Hamilton City Council, which is the first council in New Zealand to make a
braille map available.
CRICKET VOLUNTEERS
SOUGHT
Blind Foundation board member and Hamilton City Council Disability
Advisor, Judy Small, says she is delighted with the collaboration between
Council and the Blind Foundation and says it is evidence of the Council’s
commitment to its Disability Policy and Action Plan.
There’s still an opportunity for
local cricket fans to get involved in
the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015,
co-hosted by New Zealand and
“These maps will give more opportunities for Hamilton residents and
visitors to better traverse the city safely and comfortably,” she says.
Judy Small using the new Hamilton braille map.
Australia. Hamilton’s Seddon Park
hosts three matches as part of
the tournament, and tournament
Roundabout
respect
organisers say there are still spots
available for people who wish
to volunteer their time. Apply
at www.cricketworldcup.com/
volunteers
A campaign is currently underway to improve road user
behaviour at the city’s roundabouts.
COUNCIL NEWS
Visit www.hamilton.govt.nz to read
our latest media releases.
Recent anecdotal evidence from the community, New Zealand
Transport Agency and the police suggests the behavior of
Hamilton drivers at roundabouts is worsening. In particular,
there are problems with speed, using the wrong lanes in order
to beat queues, and failing to give way.
• Major exhibition celebrates New
Zealand’s finest traditional Maori
weavers
• Hamilton City Council supports
The campaign includes a variety of short online videos
that outline what not to do when using a roundabout.
waters CCO business case
• Better access to Hamilton for
people who are blind or have
low vision
• Treasures from Te Papa
unpacked at Waikato Museum
• Council gifts land in support of
housing development
• National contemporary art award
finalists announced
UPCOMING COUNCIL
MEETINGS
Visit www.hamilton.govt.nz to
read all agendas and minutes.
• Tuesday 15 July
‘Roundabout Respect’ aims to showcase some of the common
bad behaviours taking place and remind motorists to follow the
road rules.
Canine
corner
Check them out at www.hamilton.govt.nz/respect
Around which Paris icon is it believed that car insurance is
automatically cancelled when you enter the roundabout and
reinstated once you are off it? Take part in our online quiz
and be into win one of four $50 petrol vouchers!
Dog exercise areas survey update
Please pick up your doggie’s doo
Thanks to the 1,147 people who participated in our survey
to get feedback on the 15 dog exercise areas in Hamilton.
We had a fantastic response and have lots of ideas on how
these areas can be improved. Your responses will help
Council develop a long-term plan for dog exercise areas in
the city that can be used by members of the public, along
with Hamilton’s estimated 10,500 dogs and their owners.
We love that many of our city’s parks and open spaces are
enjoyed by dogs and their owners. If you and your dog are
visiting one of them, please remember to be considerate of
others and pick up any doggie doo your canine may leave
behind. Thanks for helping keep our parks and open spaces
clean and tidy for everyone’s benefit.
Business and Investment
Have you registered your dog yet?
Subcommittee Meeting
Make sure you register your dog before 31 July to avoid a 50 per cent penalty. You can register your dog by:
• going to www.hamilton.govt.nz/dogsonline
• visiting the Animal Education and Control Centre, 217 Ellis Street, Hamilton
• visiting Hamilton City Council, Garden Place, Hamilton
• posting a cheque to Hamilton City Council, Private Bag 3010, Hamilton 3240.
• Wednesday 16 July
Strategy & Policy
Committee Meeting
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Decisions made on Proposed District Plan
Mayor Julie Hardaker
Hamilton’s
Urban Garden
The Hamilton City District Plan governs the way
Hamilton looks and feels, and sets the rules for
future city development. It also defines how and
where the city grows and how its natural and
physical resources are managed.
We have now completed the review of our District
Plan and decisions on our Proposed District
Plan were made on 10 July by independent
commissioners. As a result of these decisions,
A beautiful and unique feature
of Hamilton is the trees and
the many gardens and plants
on public spaces. When you
get up high to view the city, the
dominance of our urban garden
stands out and as we plan for
future growth, ensuring that
remains is important.
There are more than 70,000 trees
planted in the public spaces in
Hamilton and a lot of planning
goes into the choice of species
of trees and the sorts of plants
suitable for places such as busy
roads. The lack of rain over the
last few summers has caused
stress to certain trees and
plants and highlighted the need
to consider species that have
more resilience to our changing
climate.
Most of the trees and plants used
in public areas are grown by
the Hamilton Gardens nursery,
which gives us flexibility and
saves ratepayers a significant
sum each year. The Council
also has a big maintenance
programme
that
includes
replanting at roundabouts and
removal and replacement of
damaged or unsuitable trees.
Advice from experts is used to
help with the decisions.
Over time various trends about
plants have come and gone;
should it be natives only, or
should we focus on flowering
trees? Should we plant fruit
trees or have edible gardens
in roundabouts? There are lots
of keen gardeners in the city
who have a variety of opinions
about these issues and the
Council does receive lots of
communications about trees
and plants.
The Council will be looking
closely at its beautification
policies in the coming months
and what we plant and how we
maintain the trees and plants.
Each year we are increasing the
number of plants in public areas
and enhancing the green canopy
and the beauty of public spaces
with plants is a priority for the
Council. It builds on this unique
feature of Hamilton and it makes
our city beautiful.
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some rules around development have changed.
If you are planning any development or building
work, you can contact one of our duty planners to
find out what rules have changed and how it might
affect you. Our duty planners are available every
weekday and are happy to discuss the District Plan
and your development or building plans. Please
phone 07 838 6699 to make an appointment.
Call for WWI information
to the Waikato community
Waikato Museum has launched an
interactive website to help uncover the
untold stories of the men and women of
the Waikato during World War I.
The website www.forustheyfell.org.nz
has been developed to crowd-source
information for the exhibition, For Us
They Fell to open in April 2015.
Waikato Museum Director Cherie
Meecham says information sourced
from the community will complement
existing records to tell the Waikato story
before, during and after WWI.
“With the help of the public, Waikato
Museum intends to uncover the untold
stories of the Great War.”
During July, the museum is visiting
towns across the Waikato/Coromandel
region to meet the community,
demonstrate the website and ask
people to share stories or memorabilia
from WWI. For more information visit
www.waikatomuseum.co.nz or phone
07 838 6606.
For Us They Fell roadshow Hamilton dates and locations:
Corporal Daniel Thomas Paul O’Connor.
Courtesy of Hamilton City Libraries reference HCL_13683
Thursday 17 July – Hamilton RSA 3.30 - 5.00pm
Friday 18 July and Saturday 19 July - Waikato Museum 2.00 - 3.30pm
FIFA U20 tickets now on public sale
Tickets for the FIFA U-20 World Cup
New Zealand 2015 are now on public
sale, coinciding with the 2014 FIFA
World Cup in Brazil.
Waikato Stadium hosts eight matches
during next year’s tournament, and
venue packs are on the market. The
venue packs guarantee seats at all six
of the group matches, plus the first
knockout match played in Hamilton.
Fans purchasing early get the added
benefit of preferential access to
quarter-final and semi-final tickets,
and optional entry to the ballot for
tickets to the final of FIFA’s secondlargest tournament. Local football also
benefits, with venue pack purchases
providing a cash-back rebate to New
Zealand Football registered clubs.
“As a nation I believe we appreciate
world class talent, and that is what’s
coming here in 2015 - this will be the
best football we have ever see,” says
Dave Beeche tournament CEO.
FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand
2015 tickets are currently on sale via
Ticketek and more information can be
found at www.fifa.com/nz2015
Finding the right song
Judges in Hamilton’s 150th song
competition are looking for a song with
a strong narrative and a catchy melody
that can be performed in a variety of
musical genres.
Hamilton musicians Paul Trenwith, from
the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band
and Kevin McNeil, guitarist with The
Mods will scrutinise the entries along
with the vocal coach for New Zealand
Idol, Suzanne Lynch.
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The song competition is open to all
Hamilton schools. Students have until
18 July to submit their compositions.
The song will be performed for the first
time at the civic birthday function on 24
August.
Paul Trenwith says it’s likely the judges
will use a points criteria to assess the
songs.
“We’ll be looking for a song that is
musically acceptable to a wide variety
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of tastes, with a clear narrative. It has
to be a positive song that people can
listen to and understand exactly what it
is promoting,” he says.
July
2014
www.whatsonhamilton.co.nz
Hamilton 150 events
WWW.HAMILTON150.CO.NZ | #HAMITLON150
MODS’S REUNION CONCERT
HAMILTON CITY’S BIRTHDAY PARTY
FRIDAY 22 AUGUST
SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER
SKY CITY CONFERENCE ROOM
R18 – FREE ENTRY
CBD
This is an opportunity for everyone to join us in a
family-friendly party in the CBD. Victoria St will be
closed on the day and the city will be divided into
different precincts. The day begins with a hot rod
parade and there will be old-style games, such as
egg and spoon races, vintage markets and ethnic
food stalls. Other attractions include a cultural
workshop, which will be held in the outdoor
entrance to Waikato Museum and AA Classic Car
Show. A feature of the day will be performances by
Hamilton schools to reflect the decades since the
British settlers arrived in Hamilton 150 years ago.
Festivities will begin at 3pm and will wrap up
around 9pm.
For more information on Hamilton 150 events
visit www.hamitlon150.co.nz
ITM RUGBY CUP MATCH
SATURDAY 23 AUGUST
WAIKATO STADIUM
CIVIC FUNCTION
SUNDAY 24 AUGUST
CIVIC SQUARE
SETTLERS CRUISE AND HIGH TEA
SUNDAY 24 AUGUST
HAMILTON GARDENS
– MEMORIAL PARK
$30 ADULTS, $26 SENIORS,
$15 5-15 YRS AND UNDER 5S FREE.
YOUR MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS
Julie Hardaker
NZSO SHAKESPEARE IN MUSIC
THE SEARCHERS
THURSDAY 24 JULY
THURSDAY 31 JULY
FOUNDERS THEATRE
“The man that hath no music in himself / Nor is
not moved with concord of sweet sounds / Is fit for
treasons...” with this in mind, and marking his 450th
birthday, we celebrate musical works that have been
inspired by Shakespeare’s genius. Balancing these
iridescent works is Strauss symphonic poem Macbeth.
A declaration of his faith in modernism, the work is
unashamedly dramatic. Led by the supreme musicianship
of British conductor Alexander Shelley, this concert brings
“the Bard” to life in a “concord of sweet sounds”. To book
visit Ticketek outlets, www.ticketek.co.nz or
phone 0800 842 538.
FOUNDERS THEATRE
The Searchers are one of the most influential
“Merseybeat” groups from Liverpool, second only to
‘The Beetles’ in terms of worldwide fame and popularity.
Formed in 1959 as a ‘Skiffle’ group by guitarist John
McNally, the band tread a similar path to The Beatles
performing as part of The Merseybeat scene at Cavern
Club, heading to Hamburg for a residency at The Star Club
before they signed a deal with Pye Records to release
their first album Meet The Searchers in 1963. The album
went to No. 2, Sweets for my sweet got to No. 1 but when
the band hit it big in the U.S. with the song Needles and
Pins 50 years ago in March 1964, they became a world
famous band everywhere including New Zealand. The
band has never split up and has continued to tour ever
since.
STATE OF HEALTH
SATURDAY 26 JULY
– MONDAY 03 NOVEMBER
WAIKATO MUSEUM
Models of public health care strive to promote the
overall wellness of the community, while adapting to
new discoveries and modern medical knowledge. As a
developed country, New Zealand has a health service
ready to combat outbreaks of illness, and institutions to
address unequal health outcomes. Through a selection of
objects from the Trust Waikato collection, State of Health
reflects on health pressures in the Waikato from the late
19th century until recent times. For more information visit
www.waikatomuseum.co.nz
BOB DYLAN
SATURDAY 9 - SUNDAY 10 AUGUST
CLAUDELANDS ARENA
With more than 50 album releases, Bob Dylan has been
an influential figure in popular music and culture for six
decades. An opportunity to see Bob Dylan live in concert
is an opportunity to share an encounter with one of the
few pan-generational icons. Claudelands will be one of
two New Zealand venues to host Bob Dylan and his band
during this upcoming tour. Fans can anticipate a musical
event of depth, grace and significance, delivered by one
of the greats. To book visit Ticketek outlets,
www.ticketek.co.nz or phone 0800 842 538.
Martin Gallagher
Mayor
021 284 8618
[email protected]
Councillor: West Ward
021 241 8434
[email protected]
Gordon Chesterman
Andrew King
Deputy Mayor
021 922 927
[email protected]
Councillor: West Ward
07 838 6766
[email protected]
Margaret Forsyth
Dave Macpherson
Councillor: East Ward
021 616 562
[email protected]
Councillor: West Ward
021 477 388
[email protected]
Karina Green
Angela O’Leary
Councillor: East Ward
07 838 6766
[email protected]
Councillor: West Ward
021 343 774
[email protected]
Garry Mallett
Leo Tooman
Councillor: East Ward
07 838 6766
[email protected]
Councillor: West Ward
07 838 6766
[email protected]
Rob Pascoe
Ewan Wilson
Councillor: East Ward
07 838 6766
[email protected]
Councillor: West Ward
021 276 6644
[email protected]
Philip Yeung
Councillor: East Ward
07 838 6766
[email protected]
For more events and further information visit
www.whatsonhamilton.co.nz or scan this
QR code with your smartphone.
www.hamilton.govt.nz
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WHERE TO GET YOUR EVENT TICKETS:
HAMILTON I-SITE ON THE CORNER OF CARO AND ALEXANDRA STREETS
IS AN AGENT FOR TICKETEK AND DASH TICKETS.
OPEN FROM 9AM-5PM WEEKDAYS AND 9.30AM-3.30PM ON WEEKENDS.
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