Bike skills park gathers momentum
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A bike skills park has plenty of backing but nowhere to go in Ashburton - yet.
The project has gathered traction and an initial meeting earlier this month showed there is plenty of support for the idea, deputy mayor Liz McMillan said.
“There is quite a lot of work to do but it’s got a lot of support already which is great."
A bike skills park is for young children to learn to ride a bike in a safe environment away from footpaths and roads.
The idea for bringing one to Ashburton was raised in the walking and cycling strategy submissions in 2020 by Safer Mid Canterbury’s Lesley Symington, McMillan said.
“It was discussed a bit but it has only just started to gain traction”.
An initial meeting this month involved councillors, council staff, Rotary and Lions club members, and Safer Mid Canterbury.
The meeting also had representatives of the Timaru Suburban Lions who provided the group with the details of how they built a $500,000 bike skills park at Caroline Bay.
It provided plenty to think about, but the biggest initial challenge is finding a suitable site.
Several were being considered, including the Ashburton Domain, EA Networks Centre, and Tinwald Domain, McMillan said.
“We’ll move forward but we just have to figure out a spot for it.”
Council democracy and engagement group manager Toni Durham said there were “a few factors we are working through in terms of an open space for it to go into”.
That included being accessible for communities, visible, and meeting crime prevention through planning and design requirements, she said.
The next meeting will be held in July, to consider options to progress the project.
Once a suitable location is found, plans can be drawn up to start working out costs, which will determined on size, Durham said.
Like Timaru, McMillan hopes to include traffic lights in the park to further help teach young riders about road safety without having them on the roads.
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
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60% Yes, supporting people is important!
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25.7% No, individuals should take responsibility
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14.3% ... It is complicated
Poll: Do you have a go-to adverse-weather checklist for your family? ☔⚠️
As reported in the Press, the same low-pressure system that lashed the North Island over the weekend is now making its way south, bringing heavy rain and strong winds with it. It’s a soggy start to the week for many of us.
With more wild weather on the cards, we’re curious: do you have a go-to adverse-weather checklist for your family? Or are you more of a “grab the torches and hope for the best” household?
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33.3% Yes - we like to be prepared
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50% Nah
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16.7% This is on my to-do list!
A Neighbourly Riddle! Don’t Overthink It… Or Do?😜
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?
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