From the Mayor

Happy New Year, the Christmas New Year break feels as though it was months ago, the New Year has certainly started with a bang and we have already had a council meeting.
The Waihinga Centre project has begun. The project has been in the planning and fundraising stage for several years. On 18 January 2017 Council resolved to go ahead with the project based on the final costings which were received at the very end of last year.

The final price for the project came over the $5.1 million that had been approved in February 2016. At the Council meeting in January the decision was made to accept an increase in the price for the earthquake strengthening of $172,000 and add in $200,000.00 as a contingency. The building and strengthening will take one year to complete. Riggs Zschokke are the main contractors and the project will be overseen by David Borman.

The Waihinga Centre is a multi-use facility that enables the Town Hall to be upgraded and used for a variety of performances and exhibitions. The library, Isite, Plunket and the Toy Library will be housed in this one community facility. It is an exciting project.
Even though the weather has not been the hottest, calmest or driest summer many people have visited the South Wairarapa. Our coastal areas have been busy, our main streets, cafes, shops and events have seen visitors from overseas, nationally and locally.

I attended two music events in early January, the Wairarapa Country Music Festival, at Tauherenikau. and the UB40 concert at Luna Estate vineyard in Martinborough. These events have a huge spin off for all our towns, many visitors also took the chance to visit other attractions in the district.