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Otago Daily Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Project claims national awards
Receiving two awards for Balclutha's new TPOMA hub at the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards in Auckland recently are project members, from left, Richard Kerr, Ross Pringle, Richard Johnson, Natasha Munro, Amber Buxton and Dale Anderson. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A major South Otago project has been recognised with a brace of national building awards, thanks to "innovation and community spirit". Te Pou O Mata-Au Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre (TPOMA) took top honours at the 2025 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards in Auckland recently, winning gold and being crowned the national overall winner in the civic category. The awards, which celebrate excellence in commercial construction across New Zealand, recognised the Balclutha hub for its "outstanding design, sustainability, and community impact". Judges praised the project for its thoughtful integration of public needs, architectural innovation and collaborative execution. The $25 million facility was completed in 2023 by Milton-based firm Calder Stewart, making it a whole-community project, Calder Stewart Otago regional manager Richard Johnson said. "This award is not just a win for the project team, it's a win for the entire community. "It shows what's possible when we come together with a shared purpose and a commitment to excellence." Designed as a "vibrant" gathering place for residents of all ages, the hub brought together essential services, flexible event spaces, and sustainable design features under one roof, Mr Johnson said. "Its success is a testament to the vision of the project team, including architects, engineers, contractors, and community stakeholders who worked closely to deliver a space that truly reflects the values and aspirations of the local community. "This recognition places Calder Stewart firmly on the map as a leader in community-focused development and sets a new benchmark for civic projects nationwide." The civic category award celebrates projects that demonstrate "exceptional public value". Judges said TPOMA stood out among a competitive field for its values of long-term adaptability, environmental responsibility, and inclusive design.
Boston Globe
19-05-2025
- Boston Globe
The Karen Read case has cast Canton as one long, bleary bar crawl. But is it?
But is the perception of Canton as a party town warranted? And fair or not, what happens when a town gets a global rep? Advertisement We'll get to the statistics in a moment. The drunken-driving arrest numbers. The liquor license count. The alcohol-induced ER visits. Get Love Letters: The Newsletter A weekly dispatch with all the best relationship content and commentary – plus exclusive content for fans of Love Letters, Dinner With Cupid, weddings, therapy talk, and more. Enter Email Sign Up The numbers for the town as a whole tell one story: namely, that Vegas doesn't have anything to worry about. But the vibes being broadcast around the world from the Dedham courthouse tell another. Here's Advertisement And here's a tweet from a self-described homemaker from Washington, D.C., two weeks ago: 'I tried earnestly to care about the Karen Read trial but instead of forming a concrete opinion on anyone's guilt or innocence all I've concluded is Canton Massachusetts is full of pathetic alcoholics far too old to be carrying on as they were.' Canton is getting a global reputation for being a party town. But is that really fair? Barry Chin/Globe Staff Read has been charged with backing her Lexus SUV into her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe, and leaving him for dead in January 2022. Her lawyers allege she's been framed, and are working hard to throw suspicion on others — including McCabe and Higgins haven't been charged and they are not on trial. At least not technically. And neither is Canton itself — but it sure feels like it. I figured that if anyone is well-positioned to pick up on the town's image, it's the real estate agents — the canaries in the coal mine. I thought viral sordidness would be stigmatizing. The flip side of the story is in suburban Chicago, where the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV attracted so much interest that the seller changed strategies and decided to But maybe it's like they say. All press is good. Larry Lawfer, a Milton-based agent, says calls about Canton have increased tenfold. It's become the first town many prospective buyers who are moving here from out of state ask about, he said. 'Before, it didn't have a profile,' he said. 'Now, it's got a profile.' Advertisement Outside C.F. McCarthy's at 614 Washington St. in Canton. Barry Chin/Globe Staff But wait. Isn't that the potential problem? The profile ? Apparently not. Once people check out the town, he said, they are 'delighted' with it. 'It's affordable and nice, and not everyone is [allegedly] killing their boyfriends.' How is Canton not party central? Let us count the ways: Operating Under the Influence: In 2022 – when the events of the trial took place – police in Massachusetts issued 68 citations to Canton residents for drunken driving offenses, according to state Registry of Motor Vehicles data. The citations represent less than 1 percent of all drunken driving offenses issued by police statewide that year. Liquor licenses : Two town bars — the Waterfall Bar & Grille and C.F. McCarthy's — have figured so prominently in the night that O'Keefe's family has filed a wrongful death suit against them (and also Read). One real estate agent says calls about Canton have gone up tenfold. Barry Chin/Globe Staff Canton doesn't have an unusually high number of establishments that serve or sell alcohol. According to data from the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, in early May, the town had 45 active liquor licenses — about 0.36 percent of all licenses in the state. Its population, 24,370 (based on the 2020 Census), makes up roughly 0.35 percent of the state's total. Alcohol-related ER visits : In 2024, there were 172 alcohol-related emergency room visits among Canton residents, according to the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services Dashboard. On a recent afternoon, downtown Canton appeared to be the picture of small-town charm. Barry Chin/Globe Staff That puts it below average for the state. The rate of alcohol-related ER visits for Canton residents in 2024 was 728.2 per 100,000 residents, compared with a rate of 918.1 for Norfolk County and 1,272.8 for the state as a whole. Advertisement From July 2023 to June 2024, there were 158 alcohol-related emergency room visits, according to the Perhaps the best source about the town's essence would be the town itself, but alas, the trial has everyone so terrorized that even the 'no comments' are off the record. If you can even get one of those. No one from the Select Board returned a call seeking comment. And to walk around town and ask a local about Karen Read is to stroll through Southie during Whitey's heyday and casually inquire about what kind of guy he is. On a recent afternoon, downtown Canton appeared to be the picture of small-town charm. Warbling vireos sang The threat is invisible — unless you make the mistake of mentioning it. Asked if Canton deserved the party reputation that the Karen Read trial had bestowed, a woman at a local pizza shop turned stony. 'We don't talk about it,' she said. Laura Crimaldi of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Beth Teitell can be reached at
