New look links history, nature, community
The new logos, (one for the WDC as an organisation and one as a district brand) are part of the new branding and strategy developed in-house by the council's communications and engagement team, with input from elected members and staff, and shaped by community feedback gathered through consultations, surveys and the Waitaki Story project.
"One of our transformation ambitions is to communicate with and engage our community better in the work we do on their behalf. This is a strategy for all of us — council staff, elected members and our community," chief executive Alex Parmley said.
"This is about more than a logo or a plan. It's about how we show up as a council delivering the best for our community — more open, more accessible and more connected to the people we serve.
"Now is the right time for this shift. Our district is growing and changing, and so must the way we engage and communicate as a council.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he was proud of the "thoughtful and collaborative" approach taken to develop the strategy and logo.
"The previous council brand has carried us through many significant chapters in our district's story. As Waitaki continues to grow and evolve, it's now time for a refreshed look that better reflects who we are today and where we're heading."
The new WDC brand is a stylised version of the previous one, incorporating themes of Whitestone architecture, koru, the region's agricultural links and the deferent threads that "bind our community together", WDC statements say.
The district logo is a stylised W.
Last year, a proposed brand logo for the Waitaki district was dropped after its similarity to the logo of wool company Woolchemy was noticed.
This week, the Oamaru Mail noticed the newly-adopted stylised W logo, had a striking similarity to another river-based entity, London Weekend Television, in particular its 1972 stylised logo (pictured).
However, there is little chance of anyone from the UK objecting, LWT dissolved in 2002.
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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
New look links history, nature, community
Waitaki has a new logo, and so does the Waitaki District Council, after the council approved both for use on Tuesday. The new logos, (one for the WDC as an organisation and one as a district brand) are part of the new branding and strategy developed in-house by the council's communications and engagement team, with input from elected members and staff, and shaped by community feedback gathered through consultations, surveys and the Waitaki Story project. "One of our transformation ambitions is to communicate with and engage our community better in the work we do on their behalf. This is a strategy for all of us — council staff, elected members and our community," chief executive Alex Parmley said. "This is about more than a logo or a plan. It's about how we show up as a council delivering the best for our community — more open, more accessible and more connected to the people we serve. "Now is the right time for this shift. Our district is growing and changing, and so must the way we engage and communicate as a council. Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he was proud of the "thoughtful and collaborative" approach taken to develop the strategy and logo. "The previous council brand has carried us through many significant chapters in our district's story. As Waitaki continues to grow and evolve, it's now time for a refreshed look that better reflects who we are today and where we're heading." The new WDC brand is a stylised version of the previous one, incorporating themes of Whitestone architecture, koru, the region's agricultural links and the deferent threads that "bind our community together", WDC statements say. The district logo is a stylised W. Last year, a proposed brand logo for the Waitaki district was dropped after its similarity to the logo of wool company Woolchemy was noticed. This week, the Oamaru Mail noticed the newly-adopted stylised W logo, had a striking similarity to another river-based entity, London Weekend Television, in particular its 1972 stylised logo (pictured). However, there is little chance of anyone from the UK objecting, LWT dissolved in 2002.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
What a drag: annual racing event left in limbo by resealing plans
A popular event at the Oamaru Airport has been postponed by the Waitaki District Council without formal explanation, leaving the organisers "disappointed and confused". Waitaki District Council allows hot rod club Whitestone Rodders to use the airport runway twice a year for the Oamaru Drags, where spectators enjoy V8s, imports and motorbikes taking turns speeding down the airport runway during four rounds of quarter-mile action. Now in its 13th year, it attracted up to 150 competitors and 1500 spectators each year and also kept "boy racers" off the street, Whitestone Rodders president Geoff Omnett said. Mr Omnett said it was "unusual the club had not been given any real justification in the decision to halt the big community event". "It's odd, and Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he and the councillors weren't aware of any such decision being made." Mr Omnett said the council had previously advised them that tarmac resealing, organised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), was to be done and for that reason they were not permitted to run the drags this year. Funds from the event — held in March and November — go towards the club, but also help other organisations that assist the club in running the event, including Air Training Corps and Hato Hone St John, he said. The club was also told the CAA required the council to carry out an aeronautical study to inform decisions about the future of the airport and the use of the runways. Club member and race organiser Kevin Boler said last year the previous council property manager Tania Goldingham informed him there would be no more drag racing at the Oamaru Airport for the "foreseeable future", although he believed the "door was still open". Mr Kircher said he was unaware of any discussion between the hot rod club and the council regarding the tarmac. "There was talk around the impact that drag racing has on the runway, but it hasn't been a decision by the governance team to cease that event," Mr Kircher said. The council's plans to reseal the airport tarmac had been "put off" as they considered "cheaper options", including the possibility of using a new SteelGuard surface similar to the recent resurfacing of Alexandra Airport's runway, which came in at $470,000 — about half the cost of earlier estimates. Club committee member Murray Mackenzie said an email from the council property manager last month that asked the club to remove their event signs at the airport and all of their belongings in a storage shed had been upsetting. "We are disappointed — we spent $1500 of the club's money to repair all the rotten weatherboards at the council's request, and then six weeks later they tell us we can't race here any more. We're like 'what's going on?'," Mr Mackenzie said. Mr Omnett said they were aware the airport was busier with New Zealand Airline Academy flights "but their planes don't land on the tarmac, they land on the grass". Mr Kircher said if the impact of the drags on the tarmac was an issue, they could look to other solutions such as "moving the race start area to a different part of the runway". Waitaki District Council director of strategy, performance and design Joanne O'Neill said a meeting was set for August 11 with club members, council property managers and new airport manager Matt Sisson. "We look forward to having a constructive conversation about the future of drag racing in Waitaki, given the increasing use of the Oamaru Airport," she said. Originally organised by the North Otago Car Club in the early 1970s as a single-car timed run down the flattest section of Seven Mile Rd, drag-racing in the area had a long history and had evolved over time, Mr Boler said.
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Major rates increase forecast for district
It was a case of more bad news for Waitaki ratepayers this week, with suggestions big rates rises could be coming sooner and more often than first thought, as the district tries to fund a financially sustainable in-house water services unit. There was also bad news for those who might be elected to Waitaki District Council in the October elections. As part of the government's Local Water Done Well reforms, councils throughout New Zealand must submit a Water Services Delivery Plan (WSDP) to the Department of Internal Affairs by September 3. The Waitaki District Council last month voted that would be done through an in-house business unit, rejecting three other options including a joint council-controlled organisation (CCO) with the Central Otago, Clutha and Gore district councils. On Tuesday, it held a second weekly workshop to refine a draft plan to be put to Internal Affairs for initial feedback this week. Following the first workshop, councillors heard a rates rise of 25.61% in the 2028 LTP year would be needed to fund the in-house plan (it might also rise to about 30% if depreciation of water assets was included in the WSDP). This week, the council's chief financial officer Amanda Nicholls told the meeting if depreciation was included the 2028 rates rise would need to be 42.55%, with another "significant" increase needed in 2035. However, Mayor Gary Kircher suggested including the depreciation earlier than 2028. Doing so would ease the needed rates rise but bring it forward, Ms Nicholls said. Mr Kircher said he did not think there was a choice. It would mean a 25% rates increase for next year, followed by a 30% hike the following year. He recognised that also meant leaving it to the new council (following the local body elections in October) to redo the long-term plan and try to reduce the rates rise by cutting capital projects. "There's a lot of stuff that council has to do between now and agreeing on that annual plan to cut costs elsewhere," Mr Kircher said. The existing long-term plan was put together under the understanding that the council would adopt a joint CCO water services model, as it had previously said that was its preferred choice of model.
