Kuranui celebrates outstanding year of achievement

Kuranui College celebrated its 57th Annual Senior Prize giving and Graduation farewelling 59 students from Year 13.

Principal Geoff Shepherd recognised the many successes of 2016: “When I look back over the year I can see that it has been an incredibly busy, but incredibly successful one for the college, the staff, but most importantly for our students,” he said.
“We started off the year with the long-awaited demolition of B Block, which had stood since 1959. We implemented a revised Year 11 to 13 curriculum which featured redesigned courses and the trial of half-year semesters, and after months of fundraising. We also took the delivery of a brand new twelve seat Toyota minibus,”. … Continue Reading

Let’s Celebrate!

Wow! All the township is gearing up for Christmas and we are preparing for our ‘Playcentre, Plunket, Toy Library Christmas Party’ again. We hope all the littlies in the district with their Mums and/or Dads will join us at the Playcentre on Wednesday 7 December at 10.00am to share some Christmas cheer and to enjoy meeting Santa Claus. The Bouncy Castle will be operating too!

Apart from this, we have the most wonderful news to tell you. The Venice Street Martinborough Plunket property has been sold! But wait for the best bit: It has been sold to Sophie Bidwill, a local lady who is intending to keep the building! The ‘whispers’ around town were of concern that the building would be demolished. The ‘whisperers’ may rest assured that Sophie loves the Plunket building and wants to preserve it, if at all possible. Our 1927 precious Plunket home is to stay – even though the name has changed from ‘The Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children’ as it was back then! … Continue Reading

Letters

Can somebody please explain how the work on this project has been accurately costed given that the latest press release in your publication states that the resolution for such major aspects as joinery, services, materials, and structure including the seismic joint between the new and old buildings are still in the design phase? What, if anything has been resolved and therefore costed properly?
The management of this project is flawed and places the ratepayers, residents and other stakeholders at huge risk of cost overruns in the build and on-going operating costs well in excess of any income generated.
Karen Krogh (architect)

Paul Crimp replies
The Waihinga Centre project has been managed in such a way to reduce risk as much as possible. Key aspects to this risk reduction are formal review points whereby Council reviews all aspect of the project (time, cost, revenue, functionality), and make a “stop/continue” decision at these reviews, the use of experienced independent quantity surveyors, and the “early contractor involvement “ process.
 
We have retained experienced quantity surveyors Rawlinsons to provide independent cost estimates. This process gives confidence that where there are costing uncertainties, the best industry estimates are used.
 
None of the formal and informal reviews has raised any issues in terms of significant risk.
 
We recognise that all projects of this nature have a risk element, and continually review our approach to ensure risks are eliminated or mitigated as much as possible. It is important to note that we have an experienced project manager and that the contract will be awarded on a fixed cost basis, in addition large contingency sums have been budgeted.
 
We are confident this project will achieve the cost and revenue targets forecast.
Paul Crimp
CEO
South Wairarapa District Council

Library news

It’s that time again, can’t believe it has come around so fast.  All the Christmas books are now out in the children’s area and waiting for eager young eyes to devour them.   The ECRead Summer Reading Programme has started and is almost full already, so do pop down and enrol the children if you haven’t already done so.  Remember all those yummy prizes waiting for them.  
Janet is sailing into reading and will be sitting in her rowboat in the courtyard pretending she is on an exotic island paradise.   Our Book Babies sessions have wound up for the year now.  We ended in style with Santa Paws bringing presents on a sleigh.  Santa Paws being Millie of the medium size, shaggy coat, canine variety.  She was well loved by the children as you can imagine.  … Continue Reading