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Published on: 22nd December 2008 TOILETS TOOK A WEE WHILE BUT WELL WORTH THE WAIT
WALKWAY ENLARGES ESTUARY EXPERIENCE
ARTS CENTRE ANOTHER STEP CLOSER
KIWIS TURN TO CAMPSITES AS THEIR BUDGET GETAWAY
IMPROVED KAITERITERI WALKWAY REOPENS
SEAFOOD HUB SEEKS AID
PROPERTY WATCH
MAPUA HOTSPOTS REVEALED
Thought for the week
If the measure of a marina is the state of its toilets, then Nelson has improved significantly on the score chart with its new bathroom block, city councillor Mike Cotton says. The Vickerman St toilet block at Port Nelson was officially opened yesterday in front of a small but appreciative crowd of marina users and council officials. Council parks and facilities manager Paul McArthur said opening day had been delayed by a holdup in gaining the final sign-off through the issuing of a code of compliance. Mr McArthur said the work had been managed within budget, which was $320,000. The tender price accepted was $285,416. The marina operated on a self-funding basis as a community facility and did not require rates funding. (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 23 December 2008)
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Walkers and cyclists will soon be able to explore a new section of the Waimea Estuary, with a walkway along the south end of the inlet near the Richmond A and P showgrounds under way. The Tasman District Council hopes the section of the Estuary Walkway from the bottom of Sanderman Lane to Beach Rd will be opened in mid-January. (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 23 December 2008)
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Beca appointed as project manager
Auckland design and management firm Beca has secured the project management job for the proposed Nelson regional performing arts centre. The international employee-owned engineering and related consultancy services group, which the city council recently commissioned to undertake costings and concept drawings for the Trafalgar Park upgrade, will now take on the initial challenge of finalising the site purchase, Nelson City Council technical services manager Alec Louverdis said. The council announced in July it had signed an agreement with Rutherford Holdings, which is owned by the Talley’s group, to buy the site next to Nelson’s Rutherford Hotel. The parties intend to build a conference centre and performing arts centre, which has been touted as costing up to $30 million, with a portion of that provided by the city council. The council plans to pay $4.2 million for the 3662 square metre central Nelson site, but aspects of the agreement still have to be thrashed out before settlement in July 2009. (The Nelson Mail, Tuesday 23 December 2008)
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Many Kiwis are revisiting their roots this year, turning to the Nelson region’s campgrounds for cheap and cheerful holidays. However, job uncertainty as the recession starts to bite means some have cancelled and not all campgrounds are full. Mapua Leisure Park is not fully booked, with 1500 of its 2000-plus places taken. In Golden Bay, Totaranui Campground, which houses 850 campers, is mostly full until the end of January. Maitai Valley Motor Camp manager Carol Wood said she thought it was quieter than other years, and she had noticed there were not as many backpackers travelling around in campervans. Tahuna Beach Holiday Park manager Anne Cumpstone said this year was shaping up to be the busiest year ever for the ground, with the camp already stretched at the seams, despite having a capacity of almost 3500. Pohara Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, which holds 1200 campers, is full through to mid-January. This summer Kaiteriteri Motor Camp was full sooner and for longer. The Kaiteriteri reserve has 437 campsites for 1800 people, with 70 per cent of them from Canterbury. This summer it also has more from Wellington. The Motueka Top 10 Holiday Park was “flat out” and had been busier than normal earlier. The Department of Conservation said more people had booked on walks and tramps compared with last year and there had been a lot of inquiries about campsites. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 27 December 2008)
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After being closed for six months, the popular walkway between Kaiteriteri and Little Kaiteriteri has reopened with a new viewing platform over Kaiteriteri Beach. Boasting stunning views over both beaches, the track packs a lot of punch despite being only half a kilometre long. In summer it gets heavy use as day trippers who can’t find a spot at Kaiteriteri park their cars at Little Kaiteriteri and walk over the bluff. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 27 December 2008)
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Infrastructure first, says Wakatu
Developers of a $100 million aquaculture and seafood centre want the Government to kick-start its infrastructure. Wakatu Incorporation is working on a feasibility study into the proposed centre at the Glen near Nelson. It would bring together aquaculture businesses and research facilities and later include a marine education centre, hospitality and tourism facilities. It unveiled the project in September after doing an initial study into the concept using a $100,000 grant from Te Puni Kokiri, and is now doing a more detailed feasibility study into the economic, environmental, land, water and drainage issues. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 27 December 2008)
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New lease on life for cottage
One of the last untouched historic cottages in Elliot St, Nelson, has sold under the hammer at a Bayleys auction for $254,000. Bayleys auctioneer Doug McKee said the 387sq m property attracted 65 groups of people through it in five open days. Seven people bid at the auction and the price fetched was well in excess of the reserve. “The market in general has been down quite substantially but there are specific areas in the market that are still very strong.” The property’s GV is $285,000. Mr McKee said the home has belonged to an elderly man and required a substantial amount of work. The new owners were a young professional couple who were returning to Nelson and intended to renovate it, he said.
Vendor sees need to sacrifice
The Panorama Drive subdivision in Enner Glynn has more than a dozen properties for sale at the moment, some which have languished on the market for many months. An architecturally-designed three-level home at 125 Panorama Drive that has a GV of $730,000 is listed for sale with Bayleys Nelson at offers over $650,000. “The vendor accepts that sacrifices need to be made and is determined to exit the Nelson market and welcomes all offers,” the advertising material states. Another property along the road has been reduced in price by $110,000 to $625,000. Its GV is $700,000. Meanwhile a 619sq m section at 131 Panorama Drive that was the subject of a mortgagee auction through Summit on December 18 was not called at auction because there were no active bidders. It is for sale by negotiation.
Interest expressed in arcade
The CB Richard Ellis agency is working with three parties interested in buying the Nelson City Centre Arcade linking Trafalgar St with Buxton Square and encompassing the Farmers store. The property, currently owned by the Christchurch-based Munro property group, was listed for sale through private treaty which closed earlier this month. Agent Brynn Burrows said it could take several months for a sale to be concluded. The GV is $7.8 million.
Mango may be the first of many
The Mango restaurant in Queen St, Richmond, has sold as a franchise four months after it was set up by the three businessmen who started the concept in Nelson. Arko Biswas, Rai Singh and Prtap Singh sold to Aisu and Dave Travis for an undisclosed price. The restaurant, specialising in healthy alternatives to fatty fast foods and oil-rich ethnic foods, first opened in Nelson last year. My Singh said they hoped to grow the franchise into a national chain and would probably next open in Blenheim or Christchurch. (The Nelson Mail, Saturday 27 December 2008)
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Marine, housing sites still contaminated: report
Land set aside for housing at the $12 million Mapua toxic clean-up site contains several “contamination hotspots” and marine sediment around the site is still polluted with toxic substances such as DDT, DDE, Chlordane and Lindane, a monitoring report shows. The Environment Ministry released the highly-technical 162-page report on Christmas Eve, just before closing for its Christmas break. The document, commissioned by the ministry and written by consultants Sinclair Knight Merz, is an analysis of the 2500 soil tests done by the ministry during the clean-up at the former Fruitgrowers’ Chemical Company site. Work cleaning up the site, previously dubbed New Zealand’s most toxic, finished last year. Reports looking at whether the clean-up has affected the health of residents and workers are also due next year. (The Nelson Mail, Monday 29 December 2008)
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“The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame" Back to top
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