Our Nelson issue 188

Vital Cable Bay slip repair work underway 
Nelson City Council has started work to restore full access to 
Cable Bay Road, fixing three major slips that were caused by the August 2022 weather event. 
These slips damaged the road, causing it to be single lane in places, and are challenging to repair with significant drop offs and unstable grounds. 
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says repairing these three major slips is expected to cost $1 million and take four months. 
“It is essential work to restore two-way access and improve resilience to future storm events. This project is another important step in Nelson’s recovery from the August 2022 storm. I acknowledge the disruption this work will cause the Cable Bay community and thank them for their ongoing support. 
“This isn’t the first time residents have faced disruption from road repairs with extensive work required after the 2011 storm. It is encouraging that all 28 sites repaired in 2011 sustained the 2022 storm. This provides confidence that Council is progressively improving the resilience of this winding road through difficult terrain,” Mayor Nick says. 
Group Infrastructure Manager Alec Louverdis says the project is one of the more complicated problems Council has solved since August 2022. 
“Two days of heavy rain washed sediment down the hillside, caking the road in mud. This was the first challenge contractors faced. Following the clean-up we carried out extensive surveying (revealing one slip was 22m in length), emergency repairs and ensuring the damaged sites were safe. 
Cyclone Gabrielle meant that geotech resources were thin on the ground, but we still managed to investigate the most cost-effective repair for each slip and complete detailed designs. 
“The repairs will require contractors to dig benches into the hillside for their teams to work on. For the first slip they’ll use concrete beams and blocks to stabilize the land. For the other two sites they’ll drive timber poles in from the road to act as a retaining wall. They will then drill ground anchors into the rock. The road will be rebuilt and laid once the hillside is stable.” 
Once a contractor was awarded the project, a community meeting was held to discuss the road closure. It was decided that the start date would be after Waitangi Day. 
“As a business we are affected by the closure,” says Cable Bay Café owner Annette Meyer. 
“It was a positive sign that we could sit down with Council and the contractor to discuss the details and dates of the road closures. We appreciate that they were willing to move the date to be outside the school holiday break to minimise impact on our business. Visitors, particularly those with campervans, have commented on the traffic lights and narrow sections caused by the slips. This road is not just a way for residents to get from A to B, but it’s our livelihood. 
“What we really want people to know is that you can come visit Cable Bay after 3pm and on the weekend.” 
Council has worked closely with the contractor and local residents/businesses to find opening times for Cable Bay Road that balance everyone's needs. It was agreed that the road would reopen every day between 12noon – 1pm and reopen in full every day at 3pm. The road would also remain open all day Saturday and Sunday. The closure would be in place till mid-June from Māori Pa Road. The work sites are further past this point, but it's the easiest section for motorists to turn around before encountering the narrow road to Cable Bay. 
Council have allowed for flexibility when and where possible, says Louverdis. 
“We heard from residents, businesses and event organisers about upcoming activities they would like the road to be open for. There’s a music festival and mountain biking event in March. To accommodate, contactors will leave the road open.” 
Cable Bay businesses are still open
Cable Bay Café
Friday 3:30pm – 9:30pm, Saturday 9:30am – 9:30pm, Sunday 9:30am – 7pm
Accommodation: Cable Bay Holiday Park 
and Airbnbs
Open as usual
Cable Bay Adventure Park
Open as usual
Whakatū Nelson turns out for Waitangi Day commemorations
About 1,000 people were welcomed onto Whakatū Marae in the event’s opening pōwhiri, a wonderful way to start off the day of festivities, which had a theme of Kotahitanga (unity).
Thank you to Ngāti Koata for hosting at the marae; the kai, arts and crafts stallholders; special guest Jordyn with a Why; all the staff and volunteers; and you, Whakatū Nelson, for such a fantastic turnout – 7,000 people took part in the day, and we hope to see you all back again for future events.
For your chance to win a $100 Warehouse voucher, complete our short survey on the Waitangi Day event. Visit Our Nelson for more information and the survey link: our.nelson.govt.nz/waitangi-day. 
Survey closes Friday 23 February.

Open Day at Waahi Taakaro Golf Course
Come help us celebrate the new bridge at Waahi Taakaro Golf Course!
What’s on:
Play 9 holes for half price
18 and under play free
Prize draw for free club membership
Free sausage sizzle
Explore network of trails
Details:
Sunday 18 February 8am to 7pm.
Waahi Taakaro Golf Course in the Maitai Valley.
Bookings are essential! To book a tee time, call 03 548 7301, email golfshop@waahitaakarogolfclub.co.nz or use the Golf NZ app.

Connecting Te Tauihu (Top of the South)
The Draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) and Draft Regional Transport Plan (RPTP) are both open for submissions.
This is your chance to help update the two key transport plans for the Nelson Tasman region. The RLTP is the primary way we discuss and agree upon regional outcomes, priorities and improvement projects in the land transport space. 
The focus of the RLTP will be on supporting economic and population growth; improving safety, travel choice and resilience and making an increased investment in maintenance. The RPTP sets out what public transport looks like for the region, and what is proposed for ongoing improvement in the wider Nelson Tasman area over the next 10 years. It focuses on delivering a public transport system that builds on the change created by the recent introduction of the eBus services. This is the most effective way to tell us how you think the service can improve. 
We will be seeking public input through to 5:00pm Sunday 25 February 2024.
For more information, visit: shape.nelson.govt.nz/connecting-nelson

Purple Poppy Day sunset service
The Nelson Returned and Services Association will be holding a sunset service to honour animal companions that have served in war.
The service will be held at Marsden Cemetery from 5pm to 6pm, Saturday 24 February 2024. 
All members of the public and pets are welcome to attend.
Speed Management
We're talking speed, but there's still plenty of time to have your say. In communities across Nelson Tasman, we've heard that there is support for more appropriate speed limits, and now there is an opportunity to bring all views together into a plan.
We know there is no ‘one size fits all’ option for urban, rural, and rural residential areas. By supplying a range of options, we will have the flexibility to tailor the outcome, taking on board the views of the entire community.
To have your say visit: shape.tasman.govt.nz/speed-review

How further submissions work for proposed Plan Change 29
Further submissions to existing submissions to proposed Plan Change 29 are now being accepted from eligible people and groups and must be lodged by 5pm on 8 March 2024. 
Council officers have carefully read and summarised each of the 880 submissions made on Plan Change 29 by the community. Original submissions, along with the summary, are available on Shape Nelson. 
If people are unsure if they qualify to make a further submission, there is a free help service available via the Friend of Submitters. The service can help with preparation and lodging of further submissions, and in the lead-up to the hearing. 
People or groups may submit on an existing submission if they represent a relevant aspect of the public interest, such as environmental groups, or possess a vested interest in the proposed plan surpassing that of the general public, which could encompass landowners, resource users affected by plan provisions, and directly impacted iwi and hapū. 
For more information or to 
submit, visit shape.nelson.govt.nz/plan-change-29

We want to hear from you in the 2023/24 residents’ survey!
It’s that time again, where Nelson City Council is asking the community for feedback about our organisation’s current services, activities, and overall direction. 
The results of these surveys give us a valuable overview of public opinion and help Council improve how it delivers the services that impact you – everything from Nelson’s transportation network to sporting and cultural events and even how we look after the natural environment.
An independent research company will survey at least 400 Nelson residents at random, across four periods between July 2023 and June 2024 to maximise opportunities for people to participate. We’ll make the survey results public once the survey is completed, but individual responses will be completely anonymous.
If you've been chosen to participate, you’ll get a letter in the mail with a QR code you can scan to complete the survey online. You’ll also be able to request a paper copy if that is easier for you. Either way, the survey should only take about 10 – 15 minutes to complete. As thanks for taking the time to respond, you’ll go in a draw to win one of four Prezzy cards valued at $100 each, so make sure you check your mailbox!
Even if you aren’t selected to complete the survey, there are always plenty of ways to share your feedback with Council. Projects open for consultation are regularly updated online at shape.nelson.govt.nz 
and you can report any problems or issues through the Antenno App or by contacting our Customer Service Centre on 03 546 0200.