Our Recovery Plan, funding opportunities and Hauraki Gulf protections

Published on 11 August 2023

Image: Geoff Furkert, Mayor Len Salt, Thames Museum Chairwoman Carolyn McKenzie.

The latest from Mayor Len

I was reminded of the true nature of service, commitment and sacrifice when I visited Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga yesterday to gift them a painting of Sir Keith Park. The painting was originally the gift of Paul Fahey (yes, the racing car driver) to Council several years ago and hung first in the Mayor’s office and then the Council Chambers. It was painted by J.A. Chrisp in 1996. 

Sir Keith was born in Thames, and lived here for part of his childhood while his father was director of the School of Mines. The young Park was among the first volunteers for military service in World War One and landed on Gallipoli on 25 April 2015. He later transferred to Britain’s Royal Flying Corps and remained there through its transition to the Royal Air Corps and the outbreak of World War Two. He had risen in the ranks by then and commanded the main force of fighter aircraft squadrons defending London during the Battle of Britain in 1940. The 83rd anniversary of what is considered the peak day of the air battle over London is being remembered on Sunday 10 September 11am at Thames Airfield, which is named in honour of Sir Keith Park. At the airfield is a replica of the Hurricane fighter plane that Sir Keith flew during the Battle of Britain. Sir Keith went on to achieve other great things in the air defence of Malta, a vital island base in the Mediterranean to keep Allied forces supplied during the North African campaign.  

Geoff Furkert is president of Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield Inc – an airfield users’ group which mounted the Hurricane at the airfield. The group is raising funds to erect a 2.3m high bronze statue of Sir Keith under his plane to complete their memorial to the man. It was Geoff’s suggestion that the painting of Sir Keith would be better in the museum, where more people could see it and learn of him, than in Council Chambers. Geoff reminded me that it was what Sir Keith did upon his return to New Zealand after the war that is every bit as remarkable as his military record. 

Sir Keith moved to Auckland and worked in the civil aviation industry. He persuaded the government to buy land in Mangere to establish Auckland International Airport at its current site and he served as an Auckland city councillor for three terms. Not bad for a Thames boy. 

It’s important that we tell each other stories of inspiring people we know or have heard about. I was chatting to some students at the statue of Sir Keith outside the Thames War Memorial Civic Centre and asked if they knew who the statue was of. When I told them, they couldn’t believe an ordinary boy from their town had done such extraordinary things.  

The Coromandel’s Recovery Plan

The plan to guide our district’s recovery from the successive extreme weather events of January and February 2023 was endorsed by Council at its meeting this week. The primary goals of the Recovery Plan are to restore, repair, build back, enhance resilience, and take care of our communities and their wellbeing.

“This Recovery Plan sets the scene for the recovery process to date and establishes pathways for navigating towards future plans and projects, in partnership with our communities, iwi, regional and central government and other stakeholders,” says our Mayor Len Salt.

“Our Council’s Recovery Team, supported by our Chief Executive and Leadership Team, has emerged as a truly collaborative organisation that has brought together a wide range of central and local government agencies, community organisations and volunteers. We acknowledge and are grateful for their support.”

There are four interrelated work streams that we began on soon after Cyclone Gabrielle:

• Thriving businesses (sustainable)
• Fit for purpose infrastructure (resilient)
• Rural and communities support (connected)
• Our natural environment (enhanced)

The actions to achieve these work streams are set out in the Recovery Plan. This Recovery Plan is a living document and will be adapted in response to the changing needs of our communities and future events.

You can read the plan at tcdc.govt.nz/recovery.

• Also at this week’s Council meeting, our Emergency and Crisis Manager presented a report on our response to and recovery from the January/February storms.

• Civil Defence have also renewed the Designation under the Building Act for TCDC to maintain authority over placarded properties. You can read the renewal notice here.

Applications for Social Recovery Fund closing Monday

A reminder that applications for the the Mayoral Relief Social Recovery Fund close on Monday 14 August.

Our Council developed the fund to address the needs of community organisations who are supporting those affected by the adverse weather events of 2023.

The Social Recovery Fund supports the following:

1. Community events and activities that enliven affected communities.
2. Initiatives that enhance community connections and builds community resilience.
3. Funding community groups to address costs related to an increase in demand for welfare needs related to the adverse weather events this year. 

Click here to find out more and apply.

Further funding opportunities

• Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund 
• Innovation Programme for Tourism Recovery Stream Two
• NIWE Primary Producer Finance Scheme
• Cyclone Gabrielle Welfare Support Grant
• Age Friendly Fund

Hauraki Gulf proposed legislation and fisheries plan

This week the Government announced its proposed marine and seafloor protection legislation for the Hauraki Gulf, alongside the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan.  

Among other things, the marine protection bill would extend the Whanganui A Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve. 

Click here to read the full announcement.

Click here to view a map of the new protection areas.

Creative Communities Fund set to open

The latest round of Creative Communities funding is set to open, including a one-off festival fund to support local events. 

The scheme, backed by Creative New Zealand, aims to increase participation in the arts, broaden the range and diversity of the arts available to communities and enhance and strengthen the local arts sector. 

Successful applications have included local theatre productions, bringing leading musicians to perform locally, and the creation of school murals. Suggested activities include:

• Exhibitions, productions, concerts, festivals, workshops and presentations that offer opportunities for community involvement in the arts.
• Activities that support traditional and cultural art forms
• Youth arts events
• Artist-led projects involving local communities
• Materials for arts activities or programmes
• Personnel costs for one-off, short-term projects
• Promotion and publicity of arts activities
• School-based projects  outside of the school’s normal activities that provide opportunities for community participation are also eligible.

Click here to read more and apply.

About the Creative Communities Festival Fund

The CCS Festival Fund is a one-off funding boost from Government, to support established festivals that celebrate the life experiences, stories, cultures, and regional identities of New Zealanders, that continue to be impacted by the effects of COVID-19 in 2023. 

These funds are intended to help the sector adapt and thrive, while further improving access, equity, and arts participation for all.

Click here to read more about this fund.

The next funding round is open from Monday 14 August to Friday 8 September 2023.

Send completed applications and questions to governance.services@tcdc.govt.nz.

Coromandel Careers Roadshow

Our Council is supporting a careers road show for local communities, to give young people access to jobs and careers information.

It will be held from 10am–2pm on the following dates, and will be open to the public from 12pm–1pm.

• Monday 28 August
  Whangamatā Area School

• Wednesday 30 August
  Mercury Bay Area School

• Thursday 31 August
  Coromandel Area School

• Friday 1 September
  Thames High School

To register your interest in a stand, please contact sheryll.fitzpatrick@tcdc.govt.nz.

Expanded rubbish and recycling service starting in September

Get ready for the new rubbish and recycling service at the beginning of September.  

Get informed. Find out about what rubbish or recycling goes in which bin. Watch our handy short videos: 

Or go online to find out about your collection day, when your new bins are being delivered, what goes in each bin and more. www.tcdc.govt.nz/newkerbside. 

In addition, all seven our our Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations will be open every day for longer hours, including on most public holidays. See the opening hours at www.tcdc.govt.nz/newRTS.  

All our yellow-lidded recycling wheelie bins are being fitted with a tag that associates the bin to the property it belongs to. The system records if there has been a lift by the truck at the property address associated with that tag. This data can then inform our Council about presentation data, which may be used in future decision-making. It can also help identify any bins at the wrong location.

So that these tags can be fitted, please leave your recycling wheelie bin at the kerbside on your collection day for the full day so the contractor can get to it. 

If you have any questions, try our Frequently Asked Questions: www.tcdc.govt.nz/solid-waste-FAQs or contact our helpful Customer Services Team.

Updates from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

First piles in the ground for new SH25A bridge

Settled weather over most of the past week has meant Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's contractors have been able to install the seismic casings at the eastern abutment of the new 124-metre bridge. These large steel pipes surround the three piles near the surface and provide space for them to move in an earthquake.

Next steps have been to install the deep pile casings and reinforcing cages before pouring the concrete piles, which begins this week.

Construction of high strength tracks to take heavy equipment to build the bridge piers and lift the beams is well underway. 

The drier conditions have also allowed for good progress on stabilising and draining the slip-face. Specialist crews and equipment are now on site and have started installing the 250 soil nails that will be driven into the slip face to stabilise it.

Stay up to date with the SH25A project on Waka Kotahi's website.

SH25 updates 

Repair work at several sites on State Highway 25 around the peninsula is also benefitting from the more settled weather.

The new rock-filled embankment at the Pumpkin Hill cracking site is now close to completion and pavement works should be completed shortly after that.

Weather permitting, new sea walls at Tararu and Wilsons Bay will be completed by the end of August and end of September respectively.

Drier weather has meant most stockpiles of slip material from SH25 have now been moved to clean-fill sites. Now this work on SH25 has been completed, Waka Kotahi's contractors have begun clearing and stabilising slips along the eastern side of SH25A. In the first week of August more than 200 loads of material were moved from there.

Visit nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh25-sh25a-thames-coromandel

Whangamatā Community Dune Planting

A huge thank you to everyone who came to our most recent community planting day. It went incredibly well thanks to having such a strong turnout.

Our next planting day will be on Saturday August 26 at 10am, meeting at beach access 15.

Ahead of this, we're starting earthworks on Stage 2, from Monday August 14, with Davies Contracting.

We’ll be planting from Hinemoa Street to 110B Tangaroa Road. Bring along a spade, sunhat, water bottle and covered footwear.

To give the new plants a chance to grow and protect the dunes, please make sure yo keep off the dunes. Stick to your access ways and make sure your dogs do too.

The seedlings take about a year to establish, depending on the amount of rain and sun we get. We need them all planted before September, especially if it's going to be a dry year. Remember: if you see any rabbits, stoats, rats or mice on the dunes, please report this to our Council. 

You can find out more about our collaborative dune restoration work at tcdc.govt.nz/dunes.

You can also join the Facebook group for volunteers: Save the Dunes Whangamatā.

Kōpū Marine and Business Precinct update

The recreational boat ramp is nearing completion. Last week, Land + Sea Civil installed geotextile cloth either side of the boat ramp and along the toe. Rock was then placed along the sides, the lower section and the toe.  

Once the rocks were all in place, workers swept the boat ramp and blew out all the saw cuts with a compressor before applying sealant. The area was tidied up and all the excess materials was taken away from the ramp ready for handing over to Heron to install the pontoon piles.  

Heron Construction have been busy installing the headstocks and concrete decking panels to the first 16 piles of the commercial wharf. All the land-based piling is now complete. The remaining piles will be installed by barge which is due on site at the end of August.  

Follow the project's progress at www.tcdc.govt.nz/kopu.