Latest news with #Langford
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
How outgoing Whanganui council boss David Langford reflects on his tenure
'In the words of Leslie Knope from (NBC sitcom) Parks and Recreation, when they shout at me, it's just them caring really loudly.' Langford said the past five years for local government had been intense, mostly due to the amount of change imposed on the sector, such as Three Waters and Local Water Done Well reforms and the Government's plans to replace the Resource Management Act and Building Control Authority. 'Councils that come out the other side are going to look very different, and they are going to have to figure out their purpose and role in supporting the community,' he said. 'As New Zealand, we are one of the most centralised systems of government in the whole of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). 'Our Government spends 93% of all taxes, and I think the average across most high income countries is more like a 70 (central) 30 (local) split.' He said Government conversations around rates capping and focusing on the basics sounded good, but 'what does that mean?'. 'Almost all our rates' money is spent on core services already, and the bits that aren't are the bits people really care about and fought to keep. 'We fund the Christmas Parade, and give $100,000 a year to surf lifesaving to help them patrol the beaches and keep our kids safe. That's not core services. 'If we put caps on rates, these are the things that will get hit.' The council achieved an average 2.2% rates rise for 2025/26, the lowest in the country. David Langford (left) with Sarjeant Gallery director Andrew Clifford. That was the culmination of the past 3.5 years of work, he said. 'The foundations we've laid here are going to serve the community well. 'Whoever comes in to replace me will like some things I've done and change some of them as well, but, hopefully, they'll keep the momentum going.' Langford said he would be disappointed if the district did not have the lowest rates increase next year as well, while still increasing investment in core infrastructure. There was an 11% increase in the council's infrastructure spend for 2025/26. A major part of the council's role was 'building things', whether it be fixing potholes or putting pipes in the ground, he said. 'There are a lot of armchair engineers out there, but it comes with the territory. 'Anybody who's watched an episode of Bob The Builder thinks they know how to do my job better than I do. 'Like I said before, if you're not up for the criticism, and you're not prepared to rise above it, this job is not for you.' Langford said challenges still lay ahead, such as the future of the NZ International Commercial Pilot Academy. The facility is under investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority, although four planes have returned to service. 'It delivers around $10 million of GDP into our economy, but the goal was also to get a business paying landing fees at the airport, so the ratepayer doesn't have to subsidise it as much. 'The intention was always to get it set up as an investment, and once it's running, sell it. 'Now's the time to hand it over to the private sector, but make sure we keep those benefits.' He said his proudest achievements was forming a citizens' assembly - 'a bold move' - to tackle the future of outdoor swimming in the district, including the Whanganui East pool. The assembly presented two recommendations at a council meeting this month, although the issue was left on the table until August 12. 'There's a heap of lessons we've learned and when council does the next one, it'll be a bit slicker and even better,' Langford said. 'For me, it was seeing the community step up and make the most of the opportunity, and really get engaged with an issue they care about.' Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Construction trades launch peer-support program to help workers facing mental health challenges
When Shawn Underhill worked as an ironworker, it was his job to check the fit-for-duty box for the crew, a standard part of the daily safety paperwork. "It was a lie," said Underhill, explaining that he and other members of his crew weren't always sober. For decades, Underhill struggled with mental health and addiction, the result of cascading personal tragedies, worksite injuries and painkiller prescriptions. "If I only had someone early on [to] just sit and talk with me … it would have changed things for me," said Underhill, who's now settled in Mission, B.C. That's exactly what he wants to do now for other men and women struggling in the same way he did. Underhill is one of 12 current and former tradespeople across the province, training to be a peer-support worker for a mental-health initiative, led by the Construction Foundation of B.C. (CFBC), called The Forge. It's aimed at the skilled trades, an industry which sees higher-than-average rates of health concerns. On July 31, the CFBC breaks ground on the future headquarters for The Forge in Langford, B.C., just west of Victoria. More than 80 per cent of construction workers report experiencing mental health struggles. Substance abuse rates in the trades are nearly double the national average, according to the CFBC. "If people show up for work who are not OK, it can have catastrophic effects on the job site," said Katherine Davies, VP of operations at Aryze Developments. "You can see mistakes that then lead to safety events, that then lead to massive financial implications for the company." Long shifts, demanding work So why do people in the trades, and particularly tradesmen, struggle more with mental health and addictions? John Oliffe, the Canada Research Chair in men's health promotion at UBC, said long shifts and physically demanding work may contribute to recreational drug use and self-medicating with substances. In an industry where reaching out for help may be seen as a weakness, he said, peer support can be an effective way to normalize conversations about mental health. Trevor Botkin, who is heading up The Forge with CFBC, remembers the culture of toughing it out alone. The former journey carpenter and superintendent said he thought mental-health counselling was "for the birds." Then, his career came into crisis in 2019, when his addiction got out of hand and he narrowly escaped a suicide attempt. Standard mental-health supports are just not resonating with the culture of the construction industry, said Botkin. "We've got all these services… standing outside the construction fence waving in saying, 'Hey, we have help here!'" said Botkin. Peer support, on the other hand, gets past that fence to "put guys with lived experience down there in the dirt … pulling on the rebar and who are actually qualified to have those conversations in a meaningful way." Botkin hopes to launch The Forge by December, by which time peer-support workers will have completed their 40-hour training module, focused on how to listen actively without judging or giving advice. "It's about asking good questions," he said. "We want to keep guys in the driver's seat as much as possible. Those are the decisions that stick."
CBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Construction trades launch peer-support program to help workers facing mental health challenges
When Shawn Underhill worked as an ironworker, it was his job to check the fit-for-duty box for the crew, a standard part of the daily safety paperwork. "It was a lie," said Underhill, explaining that he and other members of his crew weren't always sober. For decades, Underhill struggled with mental health and addiction, the result of cascading personal tragedies, worksite injuries and painkiller prescriptions. "If I only had someone early on [to] just sit and talk with me … it would have changed things for me," said Underhill, who's now settled in Mission, B.C. That's exactly what he wants to do now for other men and women struggling in the same way he did. Underhill is one of 12 current and former tradespeople across the province, training to be a peer-support worker for a mental-health initiative, led by the Construction Foundation of B.C. (CFBC), called The Forge. It's aimed at the skilled trades, an industry which sees higher-than-average rates of health concerns. On July 31, the CFBC breaks ground on the future headquarters for The Forge in Langford, B.C., just west of Victoria. More than 80 per cent of construction workers report experiencing mental health struggles. Substance abuse rates in the trades are nearly double the national average, according to the CFBC. "If people show up for work who are not OK, it can have catastrophic effects on the job site," said Katherine Davies, VP of operations at Aryze Developments. "You can see mistakes that then lead to safety events, that then lead to massive financial implications for the company." Long shifts, demanding work So why do people in the trades, and particularly tradesmen, struggle more with mental health and addictions? John Oliffe, the Canada Research Chair in men's health promotion at UBC, said long shifts and physically demanding work may contribute to recreational drug use and self-medicating with substances. In an industry where reaching out for help may be seen as a weakness, he said, peer support can be an effective way to normalize conversations about mental health. Trevor Botkin, who is heading up The Forge with CFBC, remembers the culture of toughing it out alone. The former journey carpenter and superintendent said he thought mental-health counselling was "for the birds." Then, his career came into crisis in 2019, when his addiction got out of hand and he narrowly escaped a suicide attempt. Standard mental-health supports are just not resonating with the culture of the construction industry, said Botkin. "We've got all these services… standing outside the construction fence waving in saying, 'Hey, we have help here!'" said Botkin. Peer support, on the other hand, gets past that fence to "put guys with lived experience down there in the dirt … pulling on the rebar and who are actually qualified to have those conversations in a meaningful way." Botkin hopes to launch The Forge by December, by which time peer-support workers will have completed their 40-hour training module, focused on how to listen actively without judging or giving advice. "It's about asking good questions," he said. "We want to keep guys in the driver's seat as much as possible. Those are the decisions that stick."
CTV News
5 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
B.C. biker clubhouse to become centre for addiction, mental health recovery
A former clubhouse for biker gangs on Vancouver Island is being transformed into a wellness centre. A building in Langford, B.C., once occupied by biker gangs is being transformed into a wellness centre for people recovering from addiction and mental illness. The building was previously used by the Savages Motorcycle Club, and before that, the Devil's Army — both of which police say are tied to the Hells Angels. The clubhouse went on the market last year, after it was raided by police during a drug trafficking and organized crime investigation. About two weeks ago, the Construction Federation of BC (CFBC) bought the property for $1.1 million. '(We're) basically taking the building from notorious to glorious,' said CFBC executive director Abigail Fulton. CFBC is a charity dedicated to supporting people in the construction industry. It plans on turning the space into a wellness hub for tradespeople, called The Forge. 'The building becomes a refuge, a place of hope and wellness for the community,' Fulton said. CFBC needs to fundraise $500,000 to refurbish the building and expand its footprint, she said. It's anticipated renovations will be completed by next summer. 'It's been a couple of decades where the neighbors have been pretty disappointed about the things that were happening at this facility, and now we get to change that script,' said CFBC philanthropy director Mike Manhas. Once the centre opens, the plan is to offer peer support, clinical counsellors, recovery coaching, and a social club. The Forge's services will not include treatment beds or harm reduction services. 'People get sent to treatment, get released, go back into the community and large numbers relapse,' Manhas said. 'When you've gone through the harm reduction piece — (and) there are lots of people providing those services — our job is to provide that recovery piece that no one's providing.' Manhas will help run the centre's programs, alongside carpenter and CFBC industry relations manager Trevor Bodkin. Both men are in recovery. 'The idea being that we take workers like myself with lived experience not only on the tools … but we train them in actually how to use their lived experience of mental health and substance use challenges and recovery to support other workers,' Bodkin said. The Forge team is hosting a ground breaking ceremony next Thursday.
CTV News
24-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Stampeders wide receiver Damien Alford on a touchdown tear in CFL rookie season
Calgary Stampeders' Damien Alford, left, reaches for the ball as B.C. Lions' Travian Blaylock defends during the second half of a pre-season CFL football game, in Langford, B.C., on Monday, May 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
