Waikato news in brief

Waipā transportation manager Bryan Hudson at Hall St in Cambridge. Hudson says the street is a key link to local schools and the Hamilton Rd cycleway, so the safety improvements are important. Photo / Supplied

Cambridge street upgrade

Cambridge’s historic Hall St is booked in for a facelift. Work is set to start in October and includes the replacement of sections of broken footpaths, new road surface, safety improvements and a new pedestrian island.

Raglan walkway

Waikato District Council has begun construction on the new walkway on the western side of Raglan Wharf. Work on this, alongside new seating areas, a kayak ramp, tidal stairs, and cultural artworks, is expected to take about six months.

Rail trail work

Hauraki District Council is building a concrete extension to the Hauraki Rail Trail from Waihī's Gilmour Lake Reserve to Clarke St. Once completed, parking for reserve visitors will be in only Gilmour and George Sts, not in Clarke St.

Town clocks

While Te Kuiti’s town clock has been repaired and is fully operational again, Cambridge’s town clock is not. Waipa District Council is hoping to get a specialist repairer this week.

Waitomo road repair

Repair work on Waitomo District’s Mangatoa Rd between Marokopa and Kiritehere Beach has started. The $2.5 million project is in response to the damage caused by Cyclone Dovi. Work is due to be completed in early 2024.

Beautiful Awards

Nominations for the national Beautiful Awards are open until August 21. The annual awards are New Zealand’s longest-running sustainability awards and recognise individuals, schools, community groups and towns that Keep New Zealand Beautiful. Nominations via knzb.org.nz.

Health warning

Te Whatu Ora Waikato has issued a health warning for Lake Hakanoa in Huntly due to a significant rise in cyanobacteria levels. People are asked to avoid contact with the lake water. This also applies to dogs because they are particularly sensitive to the bacteria.

Playground upgrade

Warihi Park in Raglan’s Wallis St is out of action for a few weeks as contractors replace a piece of play equipment. Work is weather dependent, but the council hopes that kids can test the new stuff out by mid-September.

Garden closed

The Indian Char Bagh Garden at Hamilton Gardens is temporarily closed to allow the team to change the flowerbeds. The garden is expected to reopen on Saturday, August 19.