Focus on school road safety ahead of speed zone review
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Police are urging the parents of school children to talk to their kids about the dangers of going to and from school.
Ashburton Senior Sergeant Janine Bowden says locals can expect an increased focus on road safety as school reopen this week.
“It is often a good idea for parents to walk the route to and from school with their children and ensure they know safe places to cross the road and hazards to look out for.
“If parents are taking their children to school, please be mindful of the school drop off and pick up points and adhere to the road rules and signage.”
While parents and caregivers are being encouraged to pass on the road safety tips to students, road safety around schools is a two-way street and motorists also need to be aware, Bowden said.
“Our advice for motorists is to be alert, as children can sometimes be hard to see in and around cars and be mindful that new entrants and younger children can be unpredictable in and around our roads.”
In Mid Canterbury there are 30kph speed limits outside all schools during pick up and drop off times.
At most rural schools it is enforced by an electronic variable sign but around the urban schools, and two rural schools, there are permanent 30kph zones.
“Keep to the 30kph speed limit when passing schools, and 20kph speed limit when passing a stationary school bus,” Bowden said.
“Where appropriate, police will take enforcement action in the form of infringement notices.”
There has been plenty of community discussion around the introduction of the 30kph urban school speed zones.
Councillors raised concerns that the felt they were not being adhered to outside of school hours.
The 30kph limits, introduced in July last year, are set to be reviewed by the council in February after Ashburton mayor Neil Brown said he believed they were not working after just two months.
The council had wanted time-specific school speed zones but the legislation required a permanent speed or electronic variable signs – that cost an estimated $10,000 per sign.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced in December the Government is amending the speed limit rules, including allowing variable speed limits on roads approaching schools during pick-up and drop-off times, rather than permanent reductions.
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Under 1% of speeding tickets issued in the Ashburton District in between July and December were for drivers breaching the 30kph urban school speed zones. Only 13 (0.7%) of the 1744 speeding infringement notices were for drivers exceeding the school speed limits, and all 13 were issued on Walnut Ave.
Poll: Would you want an unconventional funeral?
Funerals can cost as much as $22,000 and the planning can be stressful especially at a time when loved ones are grieving. Some New Zealanders are re-imagining funerals by making their own coffin or having a relaxed ceremony at home. Would you want a less traditional funeral? Share your thoughts below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
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83.6% Yes
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14.2% No
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2.3% Other - I'll share below!
Ashburton’s old library sold
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The old Ashburton Public Library building has sold, but what that means for ratepayers remains under wraps.
How much it sold for, who the new owners are, and what their plans are for the site remain sealed for now.
The building, on the corner of State Highway 1 and Havelock St, was home to the Ashburton library for nearly 60 years.
Ashburton District Council chief executive Hamish Riach said there were three offers on the property and the settlement date is May 10.
“The purchase price remains confidential at this stage.
“The new owner has asked for anonymity until they are ready to announce their plans for the site, and we will respect that.”
The funds from the sale of the old library are planned to be put towards paying off the construction of Te Whare Whakatere, the new library and civic centre, offsetting the impact on ratepayers.
The council also planned to sell the old administration building site but a decision has not yet been made, Riach said.
“The council is looking to conclude the long-term plan process before making that decision.”
The final build cost of Te Whare Whakatere is yet to be confirmed.
“Once that is confirmed we will advise publicly,” Riach said.
Riach previously stated the final cost would be known after the “resolution of all matters between the council and construction and design contractors”.
Initially budgeted at $56.7m, before its completion the council signalled an overrun in the region of 10%.
The project also received $20m from the government’s shovel-ready infrastructure fund.
While the plans for the old library site remain unknown, the fountain on the corner of the site will move to the Tinwald Domain.
Business support group manager Leanne Macdonald said the fountain is on the same title of land as the library and the council has been talking with the family that donated it about its future once the library was sold.
“The council is currently working with a local contractor to build a drinking fountain beside the playground at the Tinwald Domain and some parts of the library fountain, including the fish, will now form part of the new fountain.
“We think this is a great way to preserve a slice of its special history.”
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