Greytown’s mid-year Festival of Christmas returns

After 50,000 people visited last year’s event, and winning the region’s business Supreme Award, it’s hardly surprising that Greytown’s Festival of Christmas is to reconvene for a month from June 29. 

Claimed by organisers as “Wairarapa’s biggest annual event” after just three years, they say sponsors, grant funders, local business and individual donators have all helped “confirm it’s back for 2024.”

It announced the 2024 theme will be Fire and Ice, giving inspiration to some fun new events and activities, as well as “the return of some firm favourites” like “spectacular lighting” which creates a real wow factor, Snowfall on Main Street, Cocktails and Comedy, European-style Night Markets, the pop-up Gin and Spice Bar, with fireworks, live performers and entertainers throughout Main Street, said Country Village Heaven Trustee Nick Rogers.

The 2024 festival kicks off with Greytown Trustlands Big Switch lights-on Saturday 29 June, and ends with the Surprise and Delight Finale Saturday 27 July.

The programme, with tickets on sale, was due to be released on 3 May.

A grey spot at a grey church?

Is Martinborough harbouring a road traffic accident “grey” spot – just beside a church already closed for worship by its owners as an earthquake risk?

 The “Stop” signed Princess St/Kitchener St (State Highway 53) intersection is reportedly the worst accident location currently in the Wairarapa Valley area, according to statistics from Waka Kotahi/New Zealand Transport Agency released “exclusively” to the Times Age newspaper under the Official Information Act.

A total 10 crashes have been recorded at the intersection in the past 12 years, eight of them since 2019. One caused serious injury and a helicopter trip to hospital for one of the three people  involved.

Four other crashes caused minor injuries, while five were non-injury accidents.

As there have been no fatal accidents so far, Waka Kotahi does not designate the intersection as an accident “black spot.” 

SWDC is likely reviewing the scene, signage and speed limits involved.

Hinekura Road reopening highlight of April

By Councillor Aidan Ellims

It has been a busy month so far with the highlight being the re-opening of the Hinekura Road. On Thursday, 18 April, Hinekura residents, Brownell Contractors, council staff and elected members all celebrated this event out at the hall. 

Residents acknowledged the work and hours the contractors had put into getting the road  reopened which occurred under budget and within the timeframe set in the tender. We also learnt that the NZ Transport Agency funded 71 percent of the rebuild, which is a great result for ratepayers.

Councillors acknowledged the huge impact the closure had had on the residents of Hinekura which resulted in families renting houses in Martinborough for 3 months so that children could continue attending school, alongside the impact and extra costs on businesses; ie farming, fishing and tourism, as well as the welfare/wellbeing issues bought on by the extended isolation from their Martinborough community. We are all hoping that this solution and the work that has been completed lasts for a long time now.

Over the last month, council has been consulting on the Enhanced Annual Plan and I hope as many folks as possible have provided a submission on the three questions we have asked in the consultation document. If this copy of The Martinborough Star is published before 5 May and you haven’t submitted, please do so. This is your opportunity to have an imput into council decisions for the coming year. … Continue Reading

Speed change rules in government limbo

Planned reductions in road speed limits across both South Wairarapa and Carterton districts are in limbo after central government halted the process, suggesting most of the planned changes won’t go ahead, particularly on state highways.

Work on the plans by council staff, public submissions _ most favouring lower open road and urban speeds _ and cash spending stopped when South Wairarapa’s Strategy Committee hit the brakes last month.

Among the speed level changes proposed by the plans: 30 kmh outside schools, 40 kmh on most urban streets, 80 kmh on many rural roads and state highways in the district. All unsealed roads in the south also would have an 80 kmh maximum speed.

Committee members expressed concern that practical safety measures, particularly in urban areas, may be scrapped because of a change of government.

But the council made no decision on proposals put forward by members to write to Transport Minister (and Local Government Minister), Auckland MP Simeon Brown, reminding government of the impact road speeds have on people and lives. 

Instead, SWDC ceo Janice Smith and operations manager Stephan Corbett would “work off-line” on the issues caused by the government handbrake. 

“It wouldn’t be prudent for council to continue to spend money on something that could be replaced  by something else,” she told the committee. 

ends