Latest news with #KaroriEventsCentre
RNZ News
25-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Begonia House reprieve celebrated by Friends of the Wellington Botanic Gardens
Mazz Scannell at a protest outside The Begonia House. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The woman behind a successful bid to save Wellington's Begonia House from demolition says she's "absolutely thrilled" after Wellington City Councillors voted to save it . The popular 1960s greenhouse for exotic plants will now be upgraded, following Thursday's meeting that saw a reprieve for it and two other beloved community assets, the Karori events centre and Khandallah Pool. Friends of the Wellington Botanic Gardens president Mazz Scannell said she was overjoyed. "It's great result not only for people living in Wellington, but the people who visit Wellington and people who love Wellington. Good on the council for getting in behind it." Mazz Scannell, at a protest earlier this year. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone "I'm absolutely thrilled. It's a big compliment to everybody who helped - and there were many. Some people pounded the pavements and got signatures to those who hosted hoardings to donating so that we could afford to pay for the hoardings. "It was a real community effort and a big community - we got donations from all around the world. It's not just a Wellington thing with Begonia House, it's touched people far and wide. She said there were "two layers" within the army of volunteers who comprised the campaign. "There's probably about 50 people [who] really put themselves out there to make sure that people signed the petition and made submissions. But then there are thousands who talked about it with everybody that they met. I had feedback, especially from counsellors, going 'Oh my God, if I go to one more meeting where all they do is talk to me about the Begonia house'. I said, just vote for it, it's easy." "There were so many people who really were captured by the idea of saving it. because it's such an important thing to so many people, on so many levels." The Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden is fundraising to buy suitable equipment for the interior of the tropical greenhouse. Photo: Wellington City Council A petition to save the greenhouse got 8730 valid signatures. The council had saved the greenhouse but the upgrade budget was minimal, Scannell said. "It's a do-minimum decision. So I'm working with local construction companies who say we're all part of this Wellington community and I've already had enormous support from them, which I'm very grateful for. So I'm hoping that we will have a better than do-minimum building for a do-minimum price." The Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden was also now fundraising to buy suitable equipment for the interior of the tropical greenhouse. "We're now raising money so the inside can be the best it possibly can, as well," Scannell said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Wellington councillors vote to save beloved community assets
The community came out in support in February when the council talked about demolishing Begonia House. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Wellington City Councillors have saved beloved community assets including the Begonia House from the chopping block while shaving back tens of millions for council projects. In October last year the council voted not to sell its 34 percent stake in the Wellington International Airport as part of its 10-year budget - the long term plan. The sale meant the plan needed to be amended. The changes saw then Local Government Minister Simeon Brown install Lindsay McKenzie on the council as a crown observer. Due to the lack of the airport share sale the council has had to look at setting up a small investment fund via ground leases for hazard risks and cutting back funding for projects and assets. The council has agreed to save Begonia House and Khandallah Pool from demolition. However, it did not give the same certainty to the Karori Events Centre. It has agreed to offer the facility back to its trust to fix the building and give them $1.9 million to do that. The trust will then have to work with the council to come up with a plan to finish the site. If that was not done in three months the council would then sell the building. In terms of cuts councillors have decided to slash its Paneke Pōneke cycleway budget from $115.2m to $66.9m, rescale and rephase its low cost, low risk transport projects which saved $67.8m and push back some Wellington Zoo upgrades to name a few. It will also introduce paid parking for motorcyclists and motor scooters at a cost of $1 per hour at a maximum of $6 per day to park in the 68 motorcycle parking bays across the CBD. Councillor Geordie Rogers said that the other success that council has made today was the set up of its small investment fund for natural hazards. "Today we have done a fantastic job ensuring we do have money set aside." Ben McNulty said that the council did too many projects and policies without also asking for reports and what the impact of them would be. "I do think that style has somewhat permeated the long term plan amendment process." Rebecca Matthews asked councillors to be optimistic about the city following today's vote and to give each other grace. Councillors have also agreed to establish a new water organisation jointly owned with councils in the Hutt Valley, Porirua and the regional council. They have noted that they expected the new entity to be established with Wellington residents at the forefront of decision making. It would also look at the establishment of a consumer advocacy group which would scrutinise the entity and support people with changes to a user charges model for water.
Scoop
16-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
3715 Submissions Received Ahead Of 22 May City Council Votes
Press Release – Wellington City Council Along with the submissions, close to 175 people, groups and organisations spoke at an oral hearing. The Council also surveyed a representative sample of 500 residents reflecting the demographic characteristics of Wellington. More than 3000 submissions regarding water, insurance, investment, project spending, rates, fees and other charges were received by Wellington City Council during consultations last month. The Council consulted on an amendment to the 2024-34 Long-term Plan, the Annual Plan and necessary water reform under Local Water Done Well legislation between 20 March and 21 April. In total, 3002 submissions were received on the amendment and the Annual Plan, while 713 came in about Local Water Done Well reform. Along with the submissions, close to 175 people, groups and organisations spoke at an oral hearing. The Council also surveyed a representative sample of 500 residents reflecting the demographic characteristics of Wellington. When it came to water reform, 72 percent of submissions and 82 percent of survey participants supported the Council's preferred options of a multi-council-owned water organisation. The most important factors cited for the delivery model were value for money and legal compliance. Regarding the Long-term Plan amendment, over a third of respondents to both the consultation and the survey supported the preferred option of creating large debt headroom by making changes to capital spending valued at $385 million and establishing a small $68m investment fund using proceeds from the sale of nine ground leases. Close to a quarter of respondents backed an alternative option of balancing borrowing and investing by reducing capital spending by $200 million and creating a medium-sized investment fund of up to $314 million. Most of these responses indicated their preference for establishing the fund was a partial sale of the Council's airports shares plus the sale of nine ground leases. There was a high level of interest in the proposed changes to capital projects aimed at reducing spending. Sixty one percent of consultation submissions supported the preferred Council option of increasing the Begonia House project budget by $2.9 million to do the minimum amount of work for it to continue operation. Half of the survey respondents indicated the same. Nineteen percent of submissions supported the Council's preferred option of selling the Karori Events Centre in its current state, while 41 percent said repairs should be done to achieve compliance. Forty-six percent of survey respondents said the site should be sold as is, while 24 percent backed the option to do repairs for compliance, which would increase the related budget by $1.3 million. A quarter of submissions supported the Council's preferred option to rephase the Paneke Pōneke bike network over 20 years rather than 10, while 34 percent said only projects that are approved or under construction should be finished. Thirty-six percent of survey respondents backed a rephasing of the network while 32 percent supported finishing what was started, approved or under construction. For the Annual Plan, 60 percent of submissions supported the Council partnering with Taranaki Whānui to manage the Matai Moana reserve, with 27 opposing joint management. Sixty-four percent of survey respondents supported the partnership arrangement around Matai Moana while 22 percent did not. (Four to 5 percent in both platforms didn't like either option). A large majority of submitters and respondents supported Council proposals to change the current policy around short-term accommodation providers. Sixty-six percent of submissions backed clearer guidelines around charging commercial rates to such providers with 20 percent against the move. Seventy-one percent of survey respondents also supported the move, with 13 percent against. Support for the overall budget, which would result in an average rates increase of 12 percent in 2025/26 (including the 1.4 percent sludge levy), was mixed. Thirty-eight percent of submissions supported the budget, and the same percentage of people opposed it; while 40 percent of survey respondents supported the budget and 30 percent opposed it. Deliberations on the Long-term Plan Amendment, Annual Plan and Local Water Done Well water reform will take place at the Long-term Plan, Finance and Performance Committee meeting on Thursday 22 May. The final amendment and Annual Plan are scheduled to be adopted by Council on Thursday 26 June.
Scoop
16-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
3715 Submissions Received Ahead Of 22 May City Council Votes
More than 3000 submissions regarding water, insurance, investment, project spending, rates, fees and other charges were received by Wellington City Council during consultations last month. The Council consulted on an amendment to the 2024-34 Long-term Plan, the Annual Plan and necessary water reform under Local Water Done Well legislation between 20 March and 21 April. In total, 3002 submissions were received on the amendment and the Annual Plan, while 713 came in about Local Water Done Well reform. Along with the submissions, close to 175 people, groups and organisations spoke at an oral hearing. The Council also surveyed a representative sample of 500 residents reflecting the demographic characteristics of Wellington. When it came to water reform, 72 percent of submissions and 82 percent of survey participants supported the Council's preferred options of a multi-council-owned water organisation. The most important factors cited for the delivery model were value for money and legal compliance. Regarding the Long-term Plan amendment, over a third of respondents to both the consultation and the survey supported the preferred option of creating large debt headroom by making changes to capital spending valued at $385 million and establishing a small $68m investment fund using proceeds from the sale of nine ground leases. Close to a quarter of respondents backed an alternative option of balancing borrowing and investing by reducing capital spending by $200 million and creating a medium-sized investment fund of up to $314 million. Most of these responses indicated their preference for establishing the fund was a partial sale of the Council's airports shares plus the sale of nine ground leases. There was a high level of interest in the proposed changes to capital projects aimed at reducing spending. Sixty one percent of consultation submissions supported the preferred Council option of increasing the Begonia House project budget by $2.9 million to do the minimum amount of work for it to continue operation. Half of the survey respondents indicated the same. Nineteen percent of submissions supported the Council's preferred option of selling the Karori Events Centre in its current state, while 41 percent said repairs should be done to achieve compliance. Forty-six percent of survey respondents said the site should be sold as is, while 24 percent backed the option to do repairs for compliance, which would increase the related budget by $1.3 million. A quarter of submissions supported the Council's preferred option to rephase the Paneke Pōneke bike network over 20 years rather than 10, while 34 percent said only projects that are approved or under construction should be finished. Thirty-six percent of survey respondents backed a rephasing of the network while 32 percent supported finishing what was started, approved or under construction. For the Annual Plan, 60 percent of submissions supported the Council partnering with Taranaki Whānui to manage the Matai Moana reserve, with 27 opposing joint management. Sixty-four percent of survey respondents supported the partnership arrangement around Matai Moana while 22 percent did not. (Four to 5 percent in both platforms didn't like either option). A large majority of submitters and respondents supported Council proposals to change the current policy around short-term accommodation providers. Sixty-six percent of submissions backed clearer guidelines around charging commercial rates to such providers with 20 percent against the move. Seventy-one percent of survey respondents also supported the move, with 13 percent against. Support for the overall budget, which would result in an average rates increase of 12 percent in 2025/26 (including the 1.4 percent sludge levy), was mixed. Thirty-eight percent of submissions supported the budget, and the same percentage of people opposed it; while 40 percent of survey respondents supported the budget and 30 percent opposed it. Deliberations on the Long-term Plan Amendment, Annual Plan and Local Water Done Well water reform will take place at the Long-term Plan, Finance and Performance Committee meeting on Thursday 22 May. The final amendment and Annual Plan are scheduled to be adopted by Council on Thursday 26 June.
