Ohakune Borough Council News

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 3, 21 June 1983, Page 1

Ohakune Borough Council News

A mini-bike activity near Ohakune Junction is to be temporarily suspended until all requirements of safety and noise have been met to the satisfaction of the Council. The Town Clerk, Colin Turner, pointed out that such an amusement facility as this came under the same regulations which apply to fairs and showgrounds and they have to be covered by •tification from the >our Department. No application had been made to the Council for permission to conduct this activity and the site was deemed unsuitable without safety fences. The operator is to be advised to cease forthwith until he has complied with all the requirements. * * * A proposed rental and retail sports shop in Clyde Street is to be allowed to trade in most items of sports equipment (canoes, packs, golf clubs, tennis raquets etc) . . but not skis. Originally sited on land

designated as Commercial A (which includes ski hire as a conditional use), Council now propose to change the Scheme Plan to remove ski hire from that zone on the grounds that traffic could cause a problem on what is one of the three main access routes into town. When Cr. Wiggins (one of the partners in the proposed business) asked how the Town Planning Committee had reached this decision, it was pointed out that the Turoa Skifield wasn't built until 1979 and "times have changed . . Council had to learn a lot of lessons very quickly." It is understood that the Council decision will be appealed. * * * Mayor Bill Taylor read a 300-word telegram he had received from Mr R.G. McGregor, NZR Property Officer about the disposal of the Railway houses in Egmont Street. Councillors pointed out that the Ohakune Borough Council originally wanted

this area to be zoned residential in the town plan but NZR appealed and won their case for the area to be zoned for Railways purposes only. "Now they want to opt out" was the comment at last week's meeting. Council now felt that these houses should be released by NZR to the Housing Commission to provide local residents in need with low cost accommodation rather than be sold or otherwise disposed of. After some debate it was decided to refer the matter back to the Town Planning Committee. * * * The Mayor expressed his 'astonishment' and concern at the proposed composition of the Wanganui Regional Community College (see his statement on p.7) and said that he would be attending the meeting in Wanganui personally to present his views. ♦ * *

The Youth Hostel Association has written to the Council to report that the local hostel had recorded a total of 4,900 occupancies in the last 12 months to the end of March 1983. The 1982 YHA census revealed that each overnight hosteller spent an average of $20 per day in the community. On this basis Ohakune will have benefitted by approximately $100,000 during the year from youth hostellers, 80% of whom were from overseas. * * ♦

Two stop work notices were issued by Council last month on premises in Clyde Street which had failed to obtain building permits and an engineers report before commencing renovations. The two premises were the former Reynolds Building on the north side of Clyde Street whicH is to become a retail sports shop and the former Sargent Motors Workshops on the corner of Clyde and Miro Streets which is to be the Grischun Restaurant. * ♦ * continued on page 15

Ohakune Borough Council continued from page 1 Council advised that Mr Ashley Watt should proceed with the sealing of the Parklands Dairy carpark in accordance with the conditions of the specified department he had obtained some time ago. Mr Watt had requested that this work be postponed until a decision was made about the alignment and level of the adjacent main road into town from the north (SH49A) . . he had seen some surveyors working in the area recently and believed that any change in level or alignment would affect his carpark. * * * The new owners of Pipers Kings Court have written to the council offering to meet with them to discuss any parking problems that might arise in that area this year. Several problems associated with parking are understood to have occurred last year. * * * Ohakune Garden ^Kle has written to the Council asking if it would be interested in sponsoring a gardening competition in the town. Councillors supported this very worthwhile cause and agreed to take the matter up with the Garden Circle. * * * Council was informed that the police now have a strong lead into the theft of all the video equipment which was stolen from Ruapehu College recently. * * * The appointment of the Ohakune Promotions Association officer, Mr Wayne Dash field, was announced. Unlike the former ^feiic Relations Officers Wm were employed by the Council, Mr Dashfield is working for the Promotion's Association though his application for work under the PEP scheme was processed by Council. He is setting up his office in the former Jenco building in Clyde Street. * * * Cr. Horne asked if there was any possibility that another Traffic Officer could be appointed during the ski season to relieve the very heavy workload of the Waimarino's only officer. Council felt that it was unlikely but would take matter up with the M.O.T. * * * Cr. Hammond assured Council that 'The Giant Carrot' was by no means abandoned and he expected to be able to present council with engineering working drawings to prove the feasibility of the project at next month's council meeting.