Tributes left at the Waverley crash site where seven people died.
Tributes left at the Waverley crash site where seven people died.
May 6, 2019
Rangiora St in Castlecliff Whanganui just keeps getting busier and brighter and now a new self-service library hub has joined the mix.
Opened by deputy mayor Jenny Duncan on Saturday, the library project has been driven by James Barron, of Castlecliff NZ, who has formed a partnershipbetween Whanganui District Library in association with Progress Castlecliff.
The new Castlecliff Library has been painted with murals by Whanganui artist Dan Mills.
One of the drivers involved in a horror two-car crash that killed seven people at Waverley had repeatedly consumed synthetic cannabis that day, an inquest has heard.
And the sole survivor - who lost her partner and two daughters - says she cannot remember the crash because she was "synnied out".
The devastated family of the innocent people killed in the other car have made an impassioned plea for police to test for drugged drivers.
The coroner's hearing into one of New Zealand's deadliest car crashes was held today in Whanganui - almost a year on from the crash that killed seven people.
Tributes left at the Waverley crash site where seven people died.
The Aramoho Rail Bridge underpass, which has been closed for four years, will not be reopened, as the Whanganui District Council says repairs will cost too much.
The underpass, which had provided an alternative route for vehicles to and from Aramoho if the stretch of Somme Pde over the rail line could not be used, has been closed since the 2015 flood.
Ross Fallen, who used to live in Aramoho, said he was concerned the council had not told residents about its intention to permanently close the underpass.
"I think it's somewhat contradictory and flies in face of future bridge painting and footbridge replacement around 2021," Fallen said.
"You pretty up one aspect but close off another re cost?"
The plight of two people who have been sleeping on Whanganui's streets shows "the cold brunt" of Whanganui's housing shortage.
Tiffany Haddon and Matthew Tonihi were sitting in a Victoria Ave doorway with their suitcases on Wednesday when two women walked by and asked if they could help.
About the same time - just one block away - the Whanganui District Council was meeting to discuss its proposed housing strategy.
Since taking the pair under their wings on Tuesday, Lee Williams and another woman have been helping them find them temporary accommodation. But they've had no luck so far.
Tiffany Haddon and Matthew Tonihi are both homeless in Whanganui.
Probably the most visible effect is on Whanganui's roads where some motorists, who have been used to taking only a few minutes to drive around town, are finding themselves in queues of traffic and frustrated by roading changes and traffic lights.
While it's nothing compared with the traffic challenges bigger cities are facing, it's bad enough for the Whanganui District Council to be receiving a constant stream of complaints, particularly about traffic signals.
The latest gaming machine proceeds data from the Department of Internal Affairs shows Whanganui spent an extra $187,000 on pokies over the past year, compared to the same period in 2018.
The year to March 2019, total spend was slightly under $10.5 million.
The first three months of the year saw $2.4 million go into the district's pokies, which was down $46,000 compared to the first three months of 2018.
Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall said the amount being spent was shocking.
"It's absolutely staggering. I can't help but be quite shocked and concerned about that.
"It's shocking considering only one third of the money goes back into the community. It's a lot of money out of Whanganui."
Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall said the amount being spent on pokies was a shocking figure.
Whanganui ratepayers are facing an average rates increase of 3.7 per cent for 2019/20.
The Whanganui District Council decided on its 2019-20 Annual Plan on May 22 after considering public submissions. The plan will be formally adopted on June 27.
