Latest news with #TeviotValleyCommunityBoard
Otago Daily Times
02-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Local groups to be involved in rebuild
Members of the Teviot Valley Community Board are pushing for locals to have a meaningful say in the new Roxburgh Entertainment Centre project. Selected residents will be invited to join a steering group that will feed into plans for the replacement building, after the original was badly damaged by fire in February and eventually torn down. During Thursday's community board meeting, elected members agreed to recommend to council up to four external stakeholders to be voted into the group. The Roxburgh Entertainment Centre Improvement and Promotions committee, the Roxburgh Musical Society, and the Roxburgh Brass Band, alongside the community board itself, have been identified as the likely candidates for the job. In a report presented at the meeting, Central Otago District Council property and facilities officer Bex Snape said the steering group would "provide advice" and "be a helpful sounding board" throughout the project. Community board chairman Norman Dalley said the aim of the group would be to "capture and collate" the community's input. Board member Gill Booth warned council staff they ran the risk of Roxburgh residents feeling alienated from the project if it was seen to be too council-led, rather than community-led. "Then, people don't view it as theirs," she said. "People from the community, they want to be involved in the rebuild." Speaking in favour of the steering group approach — also adopted by the council in Cromwell during the planning for a replacement of the town's war memorial hall — property and facilities manager Garreth Robinson said it was not practical to have "150 people around the table" trying to make decisions. In an attempt to reassure community board members about the process moving forward, Mr Robinson said there were "some very clever people out there". He said there were those with professional experience designing and building similar facilities that the council would seek to engage with at different stages. In their report, council staff acknowledged how invested residents were in the project. "The rebuild has had a high level of community interest and has attracted a large amount of inquiry and media attention," Ms Snape said. At the end of March, locals organised their own drive-in movie fundraiser at the Roxburgh Rugby Club grounds in support of the rebuild. Mr Robinson said discussions around insurance payouts were close to being concluded, with no questions yet answered as to what started the Waitangi Day blaze. "Unfortunately, the fire was so devastating, they couldn't find any cause," Mr Robinson said. By Kim Bowden
Otago Daily Times
01-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Hundreds gather in remembrance
Despite the cold, hundreds of Central Otago residents gathered to pay their respects at the various Anzac Day services across the district on Friday, one of whom was Teviot Valley Community Board member Sally Feinerman who attended the Roxburgh service. Cr Feinerman said there about 100 people present to view the parade and service which she described as really lovely. Central Otago District Council chief executive and chief of the New Zealand Army Peter Kelly was the guest speaker at the service. Cr Feinerman was also impressed with the role Roxburgh Area School's head students had in the service. "They did great,"she said. Fog shrouded the landscape as more than 100 people gathered at the Clyde Cenotaph for the wreath-laying service. Alexandra-Clyde RSA president Kevin Harding opened the ceremony with a reminder that New Zealand, a country of only 1million in 1914, sent 100,000 men to fight in World War 1, with a fifth not returning. Cadets guarded the cenotaph as wreaths were placed. The Alexandra and Districts Pipe Band led a parade down Tarbert St before stopping at the cenotaph for the wreath-laying service. Three shots from a 25-pounder gun echoed throughout the town to open the service. Those present heard of the importance of the Anzac spirit, and the shared history with Australia from guest speaker Army Major Duncan McEwan. Maj McEwan also spoke of the United Nations, and how New Zealanders have contributed to the organisation through peacekeeping and disaster relief. Vincent Community Board chairman Jayden Cromb placed a wreath on behalf of the Vincent Community Board alongside his son Tamati. Mr Cromb described the turnout in Alexandra as one of the best since he joined the community board. "I thought it was really nice and it's always good to see the older generation, like the veterans, but also seeing that cadet squadron there and seeing the next generation still taking part in it," he said. Other ceremonies in Central Otago were well-attended, with 200 people present for the parade in Ranfurly. Maniototo Community Board member Stu Duncan attended the Ranfurly service and described the turnout as great. "There was easily 200 people there, maybe 250 max," he said. 150 people braved the fog in Lowburn to attend the service there. Central Otago District deputy mayor Neil Gillespie said the Lowburn service was really good with a relaxed community atmosphere where people caught up with a cup of tea afterwards.
