Our Nelson Issue 172 – 21 June 23

Elma Turner Library to reopen new section in July, full reopening delayed
New structural damage found in the roof trusses of Elma Turner Library during the process of earthquake strengthening has delayed its full reopening.
A partial reopening, including the main entrance and another large section of library floorspace, will take place on 26 July. This will mean that 70% of the total public area of the library will be returned to public use and represents a doubling of the area currently available to the public.  
But the full reopening has been delayed after Nelson City Council contractors found damage to four trusses in the oldest public section of the library – the south side next to Halifax Street. The further strengthening work that is now necessary will take an estimated seven months to complete with the full library to reopen in February 2024.  
A request for a further $940,000 to repair the additional damage will be made to Council on 6 July. If approved, this will bring the total cost of the Elma Turner Library earthquake strengthening project to $2.7 million. 
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith, who leads the Library Reopening Taskforce, says the discovery of the damaged roof trusses at the southern end of the library is disappointing as it has set back the full reopening by seven months and added $940,000 to the cost when the project was previously on schedule and on budget. 
“These scope increases are not uncommon when trying to patch up an older building. I am pleased the problem has been found as these are structural safety issues that need to be addressed immediately. The origin of this problem dates back to when the loading on the trusses was doubled with the addition of heated ceiling tiles and skylights in 1989, resulting in them being overloaded. The new work involves installing 17 steel columns, with concrete foundations and steel beams between them, in this oldest public section of the library to underpin and address the under-capacity of the trusses. Finding this flaw with the trusses has also resolved the question of the cause of roof leaks that now enables a more comprehensive fix of that issue.”
New section of Elma Turner Library to reopen in July 
Library staff are focusing on reopening another large section of floor space, the library’s main entrance, and research room and main public toilets to the public on Wednesday 26 July.   
The library will close for just over a week following the school holidays (17-25 July) to allow a considerable amount of the collection to be moved back to the public area – a further 25,000 books, five times the amount currently on the library floor. Stoke Library and Nightingale Library Memorial will open additional hours over the time Elma Turner Library is closed.  
To restore access to the main bathroom block, situated at the edge of the closed area, a purpose-built, enclosed corridor will be constructed.  
Nelson City Council Chief Executive Nigel Philpott says this will be the fourth change to the library space in just over a year for staff, who are looking forward to a library that more closely resembles the original area. 
“We’ve gone from complete closure to a small, successful pop up, to a larger space and now we are getting back most of the library space and amenities that we know our community has been missing.
“I would like to thank the library staff and the community for their patience and understanding throughout this process. Library staff have gone above and beyond, working in disrupted conditions for about a year now and continue to do a fantastic job providing top-level service. We know the library is a valuable resource for many and I can assure you we are working diligently to ensure that it is fully operational as soon as possible.” 
The newly reopened space will see the return of the study area, the lounges, the charging docks, access to the Research and Heritage Room, more public computers and additional seating. 
Mayor Nick says once the full repairs are complete, the library will meet earthquake standard requirements of 67% New Building Standard (NBS) for the ceilings, and 34% NBS for the structure.
"Spending $2.7 million fixing the problems with the tiles, structural connections and now the trusses will give us a safe library at an affordable cost while we explore plans for a long-term replacement."

Library FAQ
What new damage was found in the library and where is it? 
Nelson City Council contractors found a split in one of the trusses supporting the roof in the oldest public section of the building, on the south side next to Halifax Street, on 30 April 2023 when the ceiling tiles and insulation were removed in preparation for strengthening. See area in blue on the map below.  
All work was immediately stopped, and props were installed to support the trusses as a precaution. Further investigations revealed buckling and splits in four trusses. The damaged trusses have affected the roofline resulting in sagging of the roof, preventing rain from running off efficiently and water pooling in some areas.
The library is made up of several areas of connected structures, built at different times over the years. The damage found is in the oldest part of the public area and is limited to the part of the building constructed in the 1985 extension while the building was used as a car sales yard. 
All other public areas of the library have since been re-checked for structural damage as a precaution. Nothing further was found.
Do you know what caused the damage and how long it has been there?  
We believe the damage was caused by a combination of structural changes to the building, for example the addition of skylights in the roof and the change in ceiling tiles, and what are called ‘loading events’ where extra load is placed on the roof from earthquakes, high winds, and heavy rain. 
While it is impossible to know with certainty when the damage occurred, the lack of dust or discoloration on the truss splits point towards the damage being more recent. However, we do note that insulation surrounded these trusses, so they have been in a protected environment.  
In 1995, six split and buckled trusses were found and repaired. The newly discovered damage affects four trusses, including some of those already carrying damage from 1995. Repairs were carried out, and it was thought at the time the cause of the problem had been addressed. 
While these events date back over 30 years, we believe it’s important to understand what occurred. We have commissioned Beca to review the initial conversion of the space and the repairs made in 1995 so any building, management and regulation lessons can be learnt. 
How much will the additional repairs cost? 
The total cost for the additional repairs is $1.12 million. An additional $940,835.76 is required and will be put before elected members for a decision in a full Council meeting on 6 July 2023. 
Broken down, this money will be spent on roof repairs ($234,000), and truss damage repairs, including the July section opening ($886,000). 
The balance of these costs will be taken from the library’s seismic strengthening fund, which is currently under budget.  
What is the proposed fix?  
To repair and strengthen the damaged area, new structural beams will be added to the split trusses, along with a series of steel posts within the library space to reduce the span of the trusses. The posts throughout the library space will enable the sagging trusses to be lifted back into a position close to originally designed, allowing water to flow from the roof properly once again. A stormwater piping system will be installed in the roof cavity to divert rainwater away from the roof eliminating any ponding, and the roof in this area will be reclad. 
Is the library building safe to be in? 
It is important to remember that the Elma Turner Library was not historically considered an earthquake prone building, receiving an NBS (New Building Standards) rating of 42% in 2013. Nelson City Council made a decision to conduct a new Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) of the building in 2022 following the discovery of heavy ceiling tiles. The National Standards for a DSA changed in 2016 and under the new standards the building is deemed to be earthquake prone. 
MBIE issued new guidance on seismically vulnerable buildings in July 2022 advising that most seismically vulnerable buildings are not imminently dangerous and can remain occupied while seismic remediation work is planned, funded and undertaken. The building could have been occupied in its current state; however, we opted to take a conservative approach by keeping Elma Turner Library closed while this work takes place. This also ensures work can be completed in business hours and done quickly.  
All areas that have been remediated and reopened to the public are above the NBS rating minimum ratings and are no longer considered earthquake prone.  
Is this issue likely to happen again? 
The repair and strengthening work to the roof trusses will mean they comply with the current NZ Building Code. This will greatly reduce the likelihood of future issues with the library roof. However, the library is an ageing building made up of multiple different sections and will still require ongoing maintenance until a decision is made on its future. A building of this age will face increasing maintenance costs to keep it operational.  
Why not move the library into another Council-owned building and close the library building? 
When fully reopened, the library will occupy a space of 2,403m2. Finding another space of this size in central Nelson is challenging, as is the cost of fitting this building with the required facilities such as toilets and heating that are necessary for a public building.  
Why wasn’t this damage discovered during the Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA)?
Broadly speaking, a DSA is a detailed, desktop assessment of the likely seismic performance of a building during an earthquake, including physical inspections to confirm historic building plans, targeted at key structural aspects from a seismic performance perspective.  
When doing a DSA, engineers assess the vulnerability of all critical elements in the building (such as columns, floors, parapets, and heavy exterior cladding) that could present a significant life safety hazard during an earthquake if their capacity was exceeded.  
The newly discovered damage was not apparent from the limited DSA inspections and was found by our contractor when seismic strengthening work in the ceiling got underway.   
Stoke to get bigger and better New World following land swap
A land swap between Nelson City Council and Foodstuffs South Island has paved the way for a new 3,229m2 New World supermarket in Stoke, while ensuring no parking is lost in Strawbridge Square. 
The new supermarket will stretch across the western side of Strawbridge Square, crossing the Neale Avenue entrance and also covering the area currently occupied by the old Video Ezy building.
Council will use the land vacated by New World in the corner of the square to replace car parking lost due to the new development. Current plans show no loss of parking in the square. 
The brand-new New World will be the latest generation store design, which when it opens, will have a larger food hall and a big focus on freshness and quality, as-well-as ensuring there’s a wide range of everyday essentials and ready-to-eat products, all tailored towards the needs of the Stoke community.   
One thing that won’t be changing is the local owner operator of the store, Brendon Rae, who, together with his team at New World Stoke, will continue to serve the community from the existing store until the new store opens. Once the new bigger store is open, the old New World will be demolished. 
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says an upgraded supermarket will be a great benefit to Stoke residents and local businesses. 
“The New World supermarket is vital to Strawbridge Square’s shopping centre. The team at Stoke New World provide a great service but the current building is outdated and too small for the growing population. This land swap will enable an investment of in excess of $20 million to build a larger, world-class supermarket and an upgrade of the Strawbridge Square carpark, entrances and stormwater system. 
“The land is necessary as Foodstuffs South Island needs to be able to build on the existing Neale Avenue entrance to Strawbridge Square that bisects the land of the current supermarket and the old Video Ezy building. Council has agreed to release this approx 846m2 in exchange for 1172m2 at the Songer Street end. The Songer Street end of the existing supermarket will become parking and a new, much wider and safer entrance into Strawbridge Square.” 
Foodstuffs South Island Head of Property Strategy Rebecca Parish says the collaboration between Foodstuffs South Island, New World Stoke and Nelson City Council will bring a range of benefits to the growing community of Stoke. 
“We’re delighted to be part of providing this creative solution that will ultimately enable Brendon and his team to provide locals with a bigger, better offering from their New World supermarket, so we’re really excited” she says.  
Access to Strawbridge Square will change once the development has finished. The current two-way Neale Avenue entrance will be covered by the new store, and the one-way entry from Neale Avenue (closer to the library) will change to exit only, which will reduce the impact of traffic on the Songer Street entry/exit.  
Construction will start once the exchange has taken place and resource consent has been granted. During the construction period there may be a temporary reduction of car park spaces.  
Historically, the corner of Strawbridge Square currently occupied by New World, swapped with Council, experienced flooding. When Council takes over the corner site of the square and turns it into a car park, it will take the opportunity to upgrade stormwater infrastructure. 
“We have set aside $600,000 to invest in an upgrade of pipes that will fix this longstanding problem,” says Mayor Nick. 
“I want to acknowledge the Nelson Council property and infrastructure team and the Foodstuffs South Island team who have worked hard to secure this development agreement. I also want to thank the full Council team who have been so supportive of this deal and getting this investment in Strawbridge Square improvements. Council unanimously approved the development agreement in confidential business on 13 April and this has subsequently been agreed with Foodstuffs South Island. 
“This major development for Stoke could not come at a better time with the approaching dark clouds of economic recession. It will provide a new supermarket and an upgrade of Strawbridge Square with new landscaping, improved stormwater and a safer access on to Songer Street. Stoke is a great place and this is going to make it even better.”
New buses reach Nelson after road trip
Two of Nelson’s new buses have arrived and the remaining 15 will soon be on their way from Auckland.
The buses are traveling down the North Island in groups of two, charging at various points on the 882km journey.
Before the new buses join the fleet they need to be certified for New Zealand roads and have their livery added.
The entire fleet won’t set off until August 1, but if you are lucky you may get an early ride on an electric bus as we test them out on our network.

Mayor’s Message
The redevelopment of Nelson Hospital is the most important infrastructure project for our region this decade. Nelson Council at its June meeting resolved to seek a full briefing from Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) on progress, out of concern over delays.
The need for the upgrade is unquestionable and urgent. The Government’s 2020 review of clinical facilities found the George Manson Building the worst in the country. This tower block and the adjacent Percy Brunette Building have been determined by engineers under the updated 2016 Building Act to be earthquake prone. These buildings are less than 34% of the strength required and are likely to be so damaged in a significant earthquake as to be unusable. The risk of Nelson not having a functional hospital after a major quake is a nightmare scenario that we must all work hard to avoid.
Nelson City Council in 2020 issued Earthquake Prone Building Notices for these two buildings that require they be strengthened or replaced by November 2028. I was encouraged by the commitment from Health Minister Little in 2021 and repeated in 2022 that construction would begin this year. There has been no public update but documents released to TVNZ last month show major delays. Indications are that construction now won’t begin until 2026.
This slippage gives me concern that the statutory timetable Council has a duty to enforce will not be met. It’s a massive project with an estimated budget of $800 million and a peak workforce of 1000 workers. We know from the experience of hospital builds in Christchurch and Greymouth that they take many years. Dunedin’s construction began last year but completion is not scheduled until 2029.
Council has two important roles on this project – a regulatory role to ensure the seismic strengthening timetable is met and managing the many resource and building consents. We could recruit specific dedicated staff to facilitate faster processing if we better knew the timetable. 
We also have an important advocacy role on behalf of the Nelson community. Nelson had a community voice since 1885 through the Hospital and then Health Boards, but it was abolished last year.
We wish to know from Te Whatu Ora the programme to meet the statutory fix date of November 2028 and its plans to consult with the local neighbourhood. Will the new hospital continue to have an early childhood centre, how can we integrate our improvements in public transport and cycleways with the development, what parking provisions are there in the new design and does the number of hospital beds adequately cater for the growth and ageing of the region’s population?
We are committed to working collaboratively with Te Whatu Ora and whomever is Government to get the best possible outcome for Nelson. Our goal is a safe, well-designed hospital facility that will meet the health needs of the region for the next half century.
’Safety first’: Removing vegetation at Waimea / Beatson Road roundabout
Nelson City Council’s contractors are removing vegetation from a part of Waimea Road leading up to the Beatson Road roundabout to reduce the amount of maintenance required to avoid overgrowth and ensure the safety of our contractors.
Work began Monday 19 June to remove a small section of flax bushes and Rengarenga that are currently maintained every six weeks to prevent the shrubs from encroaching on the roadway.
Traditional mowers aren’t effective for maintaining the shrubs, which means contractors must maintain the garden by hand—a dangerous task at one of the city’s busiest roundabouts.
Contractors have advised Council that working in the area is unsafe with at least one report of a vehicle nearly hitting a contractor. Group Manager Community Services Andrew White says any decision to remove greenery from our city is not taken lightly and comes down to balancing safety with beautification. 
“This is unfortunately an area that’s difficult to access and disruptive to maintain, requiring full lane closures whenever maintenance work takes place to provide a buffer for contractors. 
“Concreting this area and removing it from the regular maintenance schedule will ensure contractor safety and minimise the disruption this maintenance work causes for commuters.
After the vegetation is removed, healthy shrubs will be relocated to other more suitable locations, and while this roadside may be losing some greenery, 37 trees have recently been planted at other roadsides and reserves nearby.  
While this work is underway, crews will also be concreting two Council-owned traffic islands at the southeast end of the roundabout that currently do not have any vegetation. Other roadside areas at this roundabout are owned by Waka Kotahi NZTA and are not a part of the work.
Speed restrictions, traffic management and some lane closures will be in place throughout the project, and delays are likely. Please allow extra time for travelling.  
We appreciate your patience while we carry out this work. 
Details
Work will take place Monday to Friday from Monday 19 June through to Friday 30 June (weather permitting). 
Closures
Waimea Rd entrance
The entrance to Waimea Rd (heading towards Stoke) from the Beatson Rd roundabout will be closed Wednesday 21 June to Wednesday 28 June (not including weekends). 
Traffic will be detoured via Whakatu Dr and then onto Annesbrook Dr. 
Two Route 1 bus stops on Waimea Rd heading towards Stoke (on Waimea Rd just past the Beatson Rd roundabout and on Waimea Rd just past Quarantine Rd) will be closed during this time. 
The nearest alternative bus stops can be found at Waimea Rd/Tuckett Place and Main Rd Stoke near Louisson Ave.

King’s Coronation Planting
Nelson Mayor Hon Dr Nick Smith was joined by councillors, kaumātua, Nelson City Council staff, Nelson MP Rachel Boyack, and British Deputy High Commissioner Sam Pass at a ceremonial tree planting to mark the coronation of His Majesty Charles III. 
A special guest was former Nelson City Councillor Derek Shaw who was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the environment, local government and athletics as part of the Kings Birthday Honours. 
Pupils from Tāhunanui School helped with the planting while Nelson College for Girls students Briana Williams and Bronte Morton lead lovely renditions of E Ihowā Atua – NZ National Anthem and God Save the King. 

Sawdust at Tāhunanui beach
Nelson City Council is urgently investigating the extent of contaminated material found after routine testing of sawdust at the Tāhunanui Back Beach area. 
In the 1960s, sawdust material from a local timber mill was used in this area as fill for the raised carpark. Over time, erosion has left this material exposed. 
Group Manager Community Services Andrew White says last July, a decision was made not to remove the material.
“We understood it was not considered a pollutant to the beach and inlet and would break down over time. We were also concerned that removing the sawdust would hasten the erosion occurring in the area. However, we took the prudent approach to continue to monitor the erosion of the material and regularly test for contaminants. 
“Our monitoring of the material recently discovered that there were offcuts of sawn timber in the mix of eroded material. We tested the sawdust, and this testing has confirmed that some of the sawdust had originated from pieces of timber that had been chemically treated with a preservative to prevent them from rotting.” 
The contaminant concentrations are on average below the applicable human health protection standards for recreation land use, meaning it is considered unlikely that the exposed material will pose a risk to human health. However, the concentrations of arsenic, chromium and copper exceed the ANZECC sediment quality guidelines that assess potential risk caused by the erosion of the material into the marine environment. This means the material may represent a risk to the environment. 
“We are now going to excavate pits across the area to determine how widespread the chemically treated offcuts are throughout the filled area, and this will determine our next steps. Depending on the results of this investigation, it is quite possible that we will need to remove some or all of the filled area,” says White.  
Excavations took place Wednesday 14 June to Friday 16 June. We are now waiting to receive the test results from this investigation. 
The front face of the carpark is taped off because of the risk of collapse due to erosion, but please keep away from the area. We know the Back Beach is a popular dog walking area and we ask that you please keep your dog away from the area as well.
All change for Stoke On-Demand
Bus passengers in Stoke will benefit from the new On-Demand service from August 1.
Replacing the current loop service, the On-Demand allows people to order a bus via a dedicated app or by phoning Council. The bus will turn up to the passenger’s closest ‘virtual stop’, many of which are dotted throughout Stoke, with passengers able to keep track of the Bus's estimated arrival time via the app.  
“That means much less waiting in the rain,” says Group Manager Infrastructure Alec Louverdis. 
“The new service also covers a much wider area than the Stoke loop service, with the On-Demand buses going as far afield as Monaco and Marsden Valley Road. Successful on-demand services have launched in similarly sized towns such as Timaru and have been popular with residents.”
Council staff will be visiting retirement homes and community groups in Stoke to show people how the new app works before August 1. Information will also be available at Stoke Library, Whanake Youth and local schools.
The app will be available to download in July.

New detour for St Vincent Steet upgrade
Pedestrians and cyclists can take a new route round the St Vincent Street upgrade as work extends onto the footpath.
In place until approximately late June, the detour sends pedestrians and cyclists who want to get from either side of the work site around Vanguard Street. Pedestrians can then cut through the Warehouse/Countdown carpark and cyclists are advised to travel further down Vanguard Street and turn down Gloucester Street.
All businesses close to the work site are open. Spotlight can be accessed via Hastings Street.
The stormwater upgrade on St Vincent Street will bring improve the area’s resilience to heavy rainfall and increase capacity for housing development.

Bus batteries – next stop sustainability 
If you were to open the engine bay of one of Nelson Tasman’s new electric buses next to the engine bay of a Nissan Leaf you’d notice at least one key difference. A different battery. 
The Foton 12m Electric City Bus, 17 of which will have arrived in Nelson ahead of the August 1 launch date, uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery as opposed to the Nickel Magnesium Cobalt (NMC) batteries used in many electric vehicles.  
Nelson City Council Group Manager Infrastructure Alec Louverdis says that LFP batteries are safer and more sustainable than NMC batteries. 
“LFP batteries are more in tune with the needs of our new bus network in almost every way when compared to an NMC. The LFP battery has a longer life cycle, is better value, and as it doesn’t use nickel, magnesium or cobalt is more environmentally sustainable. 
“It’s also less likely to catch fire. LFP batteries are less prone to this issue than NMC batteries due to their more stable chemical structure.” 
The LFP batteries that will come with our buses are expected to last for more than 10 years, but once they reach that point it won’t be the end of their journey. 
“The buses could be used on a shorter run or alternatively the old batteries can be reused at the Richmond bus depot to store energy from renewable sources to charge buses or supply power to the depot,” says Louverdis.  
“Giving the batteries a second life goes further to reducing the impact our buses have on the environment. We’re really excited to get the new buses on the road, so Nelsonians can see just how good their new service will be.” 
 For more information about Nelson Tasman’s new bus service visit: shape.nelson.govt.nz/ebus
Use of flail mowers restricted due to safety risk 
Nelson City Council is limiting the areas where flail (or reach arm) mowers can be used to reduce the potential safety risk to the public.  
When operating, the flail mower creates a risk that the cutting head comes into contact with a person, or a person is struck by debris thrown out by the cutting head. Either of these could result in serious injuries or death.  
The decision has been made following a near miss where a person came within the projectile range for debris from a flail mower while it was trimming roadside vegetation. The person was unharmed and there was no operator error or machinery fault found, but the investigation highlighted the difficulty of managing safe distance between the machinery and members of the public going about their day-to-day activities.  
The highest risk activity has been identified as when the flail mower is operating while elevated off ground level, and where there is no embankment behind the target vegetation. This represents around 40-50% of the work the mower has been required to do. 
Use of the flail mower has been put on hold in high-risk areas, and alternative options for vegetation management are being investigated.  
This poses a challenge for roadside vegetation control in urban areas; however, it is less of a problem in rural areas where the risk can be more easily managed. 
“While we work out an alternative, it won’t be possible for our contractor to fully maintain high-risk areas,” says Group Manager Community Services Andrew White. “We are asking for patience while our teams work out a safe alternative.” 
Next steps include a project to establish the full extent of high-risk areas around Nelson.

Making re-use fun – party style
Parties are lots of fun, but between single-use plates, cups and decorations, they can also produce a lot of waste.
The team at Stoke Toy Library have come up with a creative solution – reusable children’s party packs that bring all the fun, but only a fraction of the waste, to the party table. 
Six themed packs were created with the help of $3,000 from Nelson City Council’s Rethink Waste Whakaarohia Waste Minimisation grants. Each pack contains reusable plates, cups, jugs, serving platters, decorations and some costume pieces matched to the theme of the pack. 
The packs are themed for a range of favourite party go-tos, including dinosaurs and princesses, and have been increasing in popularity with parents – the party packs have been hired more than 20 times in the past six months, and demand is increasing.
Stoke Toy Library librarian Katy Towns says anyone in the community can contact the toy library to hire a pack.  As one parent said; “huge shout-out to the toy library for their commitment and motivation to create these high-quality zero-waste party packs… A gift for a busy parent!”
Katy says they estimate at least one large rubbish bag of waste is avoided each time the pack is used.  As a bonus, the packs are standing up well to repeated use, and are expected to party-on for quite some time. 
“We get a lot of feedback about how much the children enjoy the packs, and how much stress it relieves from party planning, as well as making the whole drama of cleaning up afterwards so much easier.”
People wanting to book a pack can email stoketoylib@gmail.com , and if you want to know more about Council’s waste minimisation grants programme, go to nelson.govt.nz/services/rethink-waste/waste-minimisation-grants
Councillor’s Comment
Entering the realm of community governance, I always accepted there would be moments of conflict and compromise interlaced in the privilege of responsibility. Finding the balance between the needs and wants of our community was always going to be an interesting and rewarding challenge. 
In the infancy of my term in 2022, our Council was approached by the Tasman Rugby Union (TRU) and Nelson’s City Club with a collaborative proposal of a lease variation that would allow the City Club to take occupancy of the TRU headquarters on Trafalgar Park Lane, and the TRU to solely occupy the premises at Kinzett Terrace. This arrangement was initiated independently by both organisations to resolve the TRU’s need to consolidate their future programmes at one location and the period expiry of the City Club’s lease and shared occupancy at Kinzett Terrace. 
Council deliberated over the details of this arrangement and over the next few months undertook the due diligence required for an equitable outcome. It was then agreed in our recent June meeting of Council to approve progressing this arrangement. Although not finalised this step allows these organisations to finalise their negotiations with Council and each other to make it happen.  This is a win-win scenario for our community and the TRU will be able to progress their plans for an advanced rugby/sport academy, further promoting our region and providing a robust platform for excellence. This initiative was led by the community and Council had the will and responsiveness to facilitate part of this promising outcome.
At the same time last year, the Stoke Rugby Club also had issues with their lease agreement at Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre in Stoke. The previous arrangement had cornered them due to their own constitutional requirements that provided little opportunity to contribute to the capital improvements to the venue. Operations Manager Chris Little petitioned myself and fellow Stoke/Tahunanui Ward Councillors Matthew Benge and Campbell Rollo to help navigate their way through this difficult situation. Subsequently a proposal was presented to Council earlier in the year and work was done behind the scenes to allow for a lease amendment to reassess their charge rate and provide for Stoke Rugby Club to make a significant financial investment in the Greenmeadow grounds with the installation of an improved lighting system for public use. The lights will allow the kids and adults extra time during the weeknights for practice once it gets dark and opens opportunities for night games and other sporting pursuits in this public space. Another great win for our community!
It's moments like these that makes my decision to stand for Council all worth it and is encouraging to think that when we have opportunities like these, we can see our community move forward positively and collectively. Well done all.

Lane closed, businesses open on Elms Street 
Elms Street may only be operating with one lane, but all businesses are operating as usual. 
Whether you need supplements, coffee or a new motorbike, all businesses in the area will be open. 
This week work will begin on Elms Street to upgrade the wastewater pipeline. This is a multistage project that is expected to take 6 months.  
No detours will be in place but there will be some traffic flow restrictions.  
As the project moves through the different stages through Elms Street, stop/go traffic control will be in place with a temporary 30km/hr speed limit in place.  
Stoke bus interchange decision made at Hearings Panel 
The location of the new bus interchange in Stoke will be outside the Turf Hotel on Main Road Stoke, just one of the changes to bus stop locations that have occurred as a result of community feedback heard by the Hearing Panel at Nelson City Council.
Council received more than 200 pieces of feedback on the 111 new bus stops that will be part of the new eBus network launching on August 1.  
Most changes proposed through public feedback were accepted, and as a result Council has decided to adjust, remove or provide an alternative location for 24% of the originally proposed stops. 
Deputy Mayor Rohan O’Neill-Stevens says today’s decisions show that Council is listening to the public as it rolls out one of the biggest changes to public transport for Nelson in a generation. 
“The new service is a considerable upgrade for Nelson with many more buses, on new routes, leaving every 30 minutes. The process we have gone through over the past month, culminating in today’s decisions, is a good example of the democratic process. I believe we now have a solid compromise between effective bus stops and routes for the new service and the needs of local residents and businesses.” 
The decision to locate the interchange outside the Turf Hotel was made after a series of public and one-on-one meetings with Stoke businesses.  
“Stoke businesses proposed the location outside the Turf Hotel and while there are pros and cons to any location, this was a workable alternative to the original location,” says O’Neill-Stevens.  
“The new interchange needs to be centrally located to provide people with a quick change from Route 1 to Route 2, or to transfer from the Stoke OnDemand service. The Turf location isn’t quite as close to Strawbridge Square as the location outside Blind Low Vision, so bus passengers will have a little further to walk to reach shops and services, but we feel this is a reasonable compromise.” 
With the interchange placed outside the Turf Hotel, Route 2 will now carry on past the Songer Street intersection and turn left at Putaitai Street before heading on to Nayland Road (via Neale Avenue/Songer Street), bringing a half-hourly bus service to the large residential catchment of Stoke West.  
“This new route will allow thousands of people in Stoke West to take the bus to Tahunanui, Nelson City Centre, Richmond and Stoke Central, and they can do that every 30 minutes, between 7am and 7pm, 7 days a week.” 
The other major changes were for adjustments on Route 3 on Emano Street, Murphy Street, and Jenner Road where residents expressed concerns about loss of parking and that Jenner Road was too narrow to run a bus down safely. 
The bus will still run along this route, but the bus stops on Jenner Road will be removed. 
Further improvement to bus stops will take place throughout the next few years taking into account demand and usage.  
For a full list of all the changes to bus stop locations visit: https://tinyurl.com/bvhxkzsa and search for the ‘Parking and Vehicle Control Bylaw (2011), No 207 Amendments to Schedule’. 
The changes: 
As part of the new bus service there are number of network changes that are required, these include: 
95 New bus stop signs 
26 New concrete pads 
97 New bus stop markings 
Network changes by route: 
Route 1 
Existing bus route noting the new ring road route into Bridge Street.  
Route 2 
Neale Ave and Putaitai Street Intersection – Adjust south-west kerb to ease exit for buses. 
Songer Street and Nayland Road Roundabout - Infill part of the central island so buses can track without going over footpath. 
Putaitai Street - Create longer ramps on the crossing outside countdown. 
Putaitai Street and Main Road Stoke Intersection 
Move right turn limit west on Putaitai Street and remove splitter island on Main Road Stoke. 
Rephase intersection to accommodate left/straight lanes on MRS being combined.  
Route 3 
Emano Street and Murphy Street Intersection – Remove/Shorten concrete splitter island. 
Jenner Road – new No Stopping along western side extending north from Murphy Street to allow sufficient road width for larger vehicles.  
Trafalgar Street and Halifax Street Intersection – Move right turn limit line further down Trafalgar Street. 
Marybank Road - Remove splitter island at roundabout. 
Route 4 
Nile Street/Tasman Street Roundabouts – Adjust edge of apron to make a smoother edge for comfort. 
Brook Street Camp - Smooth entry speed humps to Brook Campground. 
Waikare Street - Adjust speed hump so buses don’t scrape. 
Golf Road and Parkers Road Intersection - Remove existing concrete splitter island. 
Nelson Airport - changes to exiting ramps + installation of a bus stop and shelter.  
*Excludes Tasman District Council works & proposed bus stops (Refer to shape.nelson.govt.nz)
Maitai Walkway resilience improved
Work has started to reinstate a section of the Maitai Shared Walkway that has been closed since the severe weather event last August.
The site was established on 16 June with trucks and rocks arriving at Clouston Terrace at the end of the walkway, with work beginning on Monday 19 June. To complete the work as quickly as possible the contractor will be working Monday – Sunday until the end of June.
 Once completed, the pathway will be more resilient to future heavy rainfall events with a retaining wall built on the hillside above the track to prevent further slips.
 This section of track has been closed to the public since August 2022, but has still been used by many people. When the work takes place the closure will be a strict one as this will be an active work site.
 Thanks for your patience while we carry out this vital work.

Warmer Kiwi Homes programme expanded and extended 
Extra funding has become available that will see the Warmer Kiwi Homes project continue until 30 June 2027 with a raft of additions, which will help more individuals and whānau with the cost of living through lower energy bills. 
The aim is to assist homeowners and community members most in need to improve the insulation, heating effectiveness, and overall energy efficiency of their homes, while also improving health and reducing emissions through lower electricity consumption.
The current programme is expanding with the addition of the following: 
Grants for low-cost energy efficiency measures, such as LEDs and low-flow showerheads. 
A community-focused outreach approach to target hard-to-reach qualifying households. 
Basic home repairs to bring homes up to a standard to be able to accept Warmer Kiwi Homes interventions. 
Hot water efficiency improvements (including hot water heat pumps), targeted to large owner occupier households to maximise benefits and cost of living support. 
A mass market subsidy to reduce the upfront cost of purchasing LED light bulbs. 
Planning for how Warmer Kiwi Homes will deliver these new elements is now underway, and EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) will announce it once it is ready to roll out. 
EECA expects weathertightness repairs to be introduced in the 2024/25 year, but funding for LED lightbulbs and hot water heat pumps will likely be available by the end of 2023.
The Warmer Kiwi Homes programme plays a role in New Zealand’s broader climate change response by targeting residential energy efficiency, reducing emissions, enhancing climate resilience, improving public health, and promoting sustainable behaviours. Nelson City Council has contributed more than $600,000 to the programme since it began in 2014.
Benefits
By retrofitting insulation into existing homes, we improve the overall standard of the regions’ properties and residents’ health. The positive effects of improved insulation in homes are:
Reductions in energy, decreasing our overall household carbon footprint.
Reduced incidence of respiratory illness (such as colds, flu, asthma)
Fewer hospitalisations and doctors’ visits
Fewer days off work and out of school
What the grants cover
80% of the total cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation. 
Up to 80% of the cost of an approved heater. This could be a heat pump or an efficient wood/pellet burner for the main living area. 
In the Whakatū Nelson region Warmer Healthier Homes Te Tauihu Charitable Trust contributes towards the balance, so the cost might be covered up to 90%-100%.
How many houses in Nelson have used this funding?
In the last year, 157 Nelson homeowners received grants that covered between 80-90% of the cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation for their residential houses, or towards approved heaters. 1449 Nelson households have taken advantage of this funding since the project began.
There are still many eligible homeowners in Nelson
Data indicates there is around three years’ work ahead to insulate all eligible homes under the current criteria. You will qualify if you (the owner) have a Community Services Card or live in an area identified as lower income. Check to see if you qualify by entering your address online at eeca.govt.nz/warmer-kiwi-homes-programme/check-eligibility

Work on Waimea Road from Market Road to Motueka Street 
Nelson City Council and Fulton Hogan are undertaking extensive maintenance work along Waimea Road between Market Road and Motueka Street.  
The first stage will require the closure of the entrance to Market Road and Boundary Road from Waimea Road. During this closure, Caltex will still be accessible.  
The next stage will require a closure on the corners of Tukuka Street and Waimea Road.  
To ensure Waimea Road can remain open through the project, there will be a temporary speed limit of 30km/hr in place.  
To do this work in a timely manner and to minimize disruption, we ask if residents can please ensure their cars are not parked on the road. We also ask that cars down driveways are parked in a way that means you can exit without reversing onto the road.

Meetings
The following meetings of the 
Nelson City Council have been scheduled. 
Council
9am	22 Jun
Council - to hear submissions to Traffic and Parking Bylaw (if required)
1pm	23 Jun
Council
9am	6 Jul
Chief Executive Employment Committee - Mayor's Office, Floor 2B, Civic House, 110 Trafalgar Street, Nelson
9am	20 Jul
Regional Pest Management Joint Committee - Tasman District Council Chamber, 189 Queen Street, Richmond
1pm	20 Jul
Hearing Panel
9am	21 Jul
Civil Defence Emergency Management Group - Emergency Operations Centre, 28 Oxford Street, Richmond
1:30pm	25 Jul

Conewatch: Ongoing

Project name	Likely end date	Location	Benefit	
Saxton Creek Upgrade Stage 4 	Nov/Dec 2023 	Main Road Stoke 	Flood mitigation 	
Awatea Place Wastewater Pump Station 	Aug 2023 	Awatea Place & Parkers Road 	Improve wastewater network capacity and protect environment from overflows 	
Wastney Terrace Stormwater Upgrade 	Jun 2023 	Atawhai Crescent (Corder Pond) via private property to Wastney Terrace and up to Sunnybank Rise 	Improve stormwater network capacity and reduce flooding risk 	
Collingwood Street Sewer Renewal 	July 2023 	The Wood, Manuka Street – Bronte Street 	Improving the sewer network  	
Cawthron Crescent Stormwater Improvements 	July 2023 	Cawthron Crescent and Stafford Ave, Stoke 	Improve stormwater network and reduce flooding risk  	
Saxton Pathways  	30 Jun 2023 	Saxton Field	Connecting to existing pathways and shared paths 	
Devenish Place Recovery Project 	July 2023 	Devenish Place 	Reconstruction of road and underground services following Aug 2022 Weather event 	
Riverside Swallow Main  	Jun 2023 	Riverside - by Riverside Pool 	Realignment of Swallow main following August 2022 weather event 	
St Vincent Street Stormwater 	Nov 2023 	Intersection of St Vincent
Street & Hastings Street	Improve stormwater network and reduce flooding risk	
Wolfe Street Sewer Renewal  	Aug 2023 	Montcalm Street and Wolfe Street 	Wastewater pipe upgrade 	
Airlie Street Stormwater Upgrade 	July 2023 	Airlie Street 	Stormwater pipe and flood repairs 	
Wastney Terrace Cul de Sac 	July 2023 	Wastney Terrace (south end) 	Improve the roading network  	
Bridge Street Bus Interchange  	July 2023	City Centre – Bridge Street Bus Stop 	Upgraded Bus Stop for new e-buses	
Songer St / Railway Reserve Crossing 	May 2023 	Songer Street & Railway Reserve 	Improved pedestrian & cyclist safety 	

It’s On… at a Council venue near you
Saxton Stadium
Table Tennis Nelson Junior Coaching – Mondays and Fridays during term time, 3:30pm – 5pm
Trafalgar Centre
Cancer Society Charity Ball – Saturday 24 June, 6pm – 11:45pm
Nelson Giants vs Manawatu Jets – Saturday 1 July, 5pm
Nelson Giants vs Otago Nuggets – Friday 7 July, 7pm
Matariki Festival, Te Huihui-o-Matariki – Friday 14 July, 9am - 9pm
Secondary School Kapa Haka Competition – Friday 14 July, 9am – 3pm
Nelson Giants vs Southland Sharks – Sunday 16 July, 4pm
Rutherford Park
Matariki Festival, Te Huihui-o-Matariki – Friday 14 July, 9am - 9pm
Founders Heritage Park
Hours: 10am – 4:30pm Daily
Horror Story Fright Nights - Xmas Edition – Thursday 22 June - Sunday 25 June, 7pm – 10pm
Baby and Kids Market – Saturday 8 July, 10am – 3pm
South Island Secondary Schools Orienteering Champs – Saturday 8 July – Sunday 9 July
Trafalgar Street
Te Ramaroa – Friday 30 June – Monday 4 July, 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Isel House and Park
Hours: Now closed for the season. Opens again in October.
Brunch in the Park – every Saturday until 23 September, 9am – 1pm
Nelson Public Libraries:
Elma Turner Library – Open as the Pop-up Library 
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:30am – 6pm
Wednesday: 10am – 6pm
Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Sunday: 1pm – 4pm
Library Knitters – every Thursday, 10am – 12pm
Live Music Series - flute and clarinet duo – Sunday 25 June, 2pm
Small Times – Wednesday 28 June, 10:30am
Community Corner with Employable – Thursday 29 June, 10am – 12pm
Community Corner: Telehealth – Friday 30 June, 10am – 12pm
The Wonderful World of Virus Research – Sunday 2 July, 2pm – 3:30pm
Sunday Craft Club - Upcycling with Cricut / Fabric Paints – Sunday 9 July, 1pm
Community Law and You ‘Trusts and Wills’ – Monday 10 July, 12:30pm
Pop-up Pukapuka – Wednesday 12 July, 5:45pm – 6:30pm
Nightingale Library Memorial 
Hours: Monday – Friday: 12pm – 4pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 1pm – 4pm
Stoke Library
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:30am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 10:00am – 5:30pm
Saturday: 10am – 1pm
Sunday: Closed
Small Times – every Friday until Friday 30 June, 10:30am
Museums and Galleries:
Broadgreen House and Samuels Rose Gardens
Winter hours: 12pm – 3pm Daily
Langbein Time –  10.30am – 4:30pm Daily 
Bags of Fun at Broadgreen House – Saturday 1 July – Sunday 16 July, 12pm – 3pm
The Suter Art Gallery & Theatre
Hours: 9:30am – 4:30pm Daily
Exhibition: Night Life – Saturday 22 April – Sunday 8 October, 9:30am – 4:30pm
Nelson Decorative & Fine Arts Society - Dido Elizabeth Lindsay Belle: British Painting and the Beginnings of Abolition – Wednesday 21 June, 6:30pm
Refinery ArtSpace 
Hours: Monday – Friday from 10am – 5pm, Saturday from 10am – 2pm
Exhibition: Cultural Conversations presents ‘Beyond Borders’ – Monday 12 June – Tuesday 27 June, During opening hours
Nelson Provincial Museum 
Hours: Weekdays from 10am – 5pm, Weekends & Public Holidays from 10am – 4:30pm