Fletcher Tabuteau made a surprise government funding announcement at the Sarjeant Gallery's 100th birthday celebration.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Fletcher Tabuteau made a surprise government funding announcement at the Sarjeant Gallery's 100th birthday celebration.
Photo / Bevan Conley
September 6
The Sarjeant Gallery marked its 100th birthday with a celebration on the very steps where Prime Minister William Massey first declared the gallery open on September 6, 1919.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau made a surprise announcement to the gathering.
The Sarjeant would receive a$12 million grant from the Government's Provincial Growth Fund to get the redevelopment over the line.
"While significant contributions have been secured from the Whanganui District Council, Ministry of Culture and Heritage, and Department of Internal Affairs, as well as from passionate members of the community, this PGF investment is the final major contribution that the project requires to proceed on time," Tabuteau said.
"The redevelopment will turn this nationally significant gallery into a world-class attraction," he said.
September 7
Air Chathams took flight on its first scheduled international service.
The independently-owned airline, which services the Whanganui-Auckland route, started weekly direct flights between Auckland and Norfolk Island.
Air Chathams owner and CEO Craig Emeny, and his son Duane Emeny, the company's general manager, were the captain and first officer on the inaugural flight on a Convair 580.
The flight was a milestone for Air Chathams which began in 1985 with one five-seat Cessna aircraft.
"Whilst we have operated internationally in the South Pacific regularly over the past decade, this is the first time our family airline has marketed and operated a scheduled international service under the Air Chathams banner," Duane Emeny said.
"Reconnecting Norfolk Island with Auckland fits appropriately with our core values to ensure isolated communities are provided safe, reliable air services to promote growth and connectivity."
The township of Taihape celebrated 125 years in September.
Photo / Supplied
September 14
The Taihape community celebrated 125 years of the town known as the "gumboot capital of New Zealand".
Jan Byford, who has lived in Taihape for the past 25 years and is on the Taihape Community Development Trust, said when she first arrived she felt Taihape had so much to offer due to its location three hours from the capital city.
"It was a tired little town ready to burst into life and gave opportunities that council and community groups could take to make a difference and that's what's happened," she said.
Byford said the gumboot theme gave Taihape some foundation and it has gone from strength to strength.
"The main street just had a makeover with the gardens, plants that are locally grown, kept this uniqueness about it and while we've lost a few businesses, we're about to gain a few - like any small town they wax and wane."
She said while the activities and stopovers for passing traffic are growing, there was also a very big rural influence in the town.
Rangitikei mayor Andy Watson said alongside farming, Taihape had a history of supporting the railways and forestry.
Watson said the Rangitikei District Council had invested a lot of money to keep the local swimming pools up and running and was building a new civic centre at Memorial Park. He said many projects in Taihape that had succeeded relied on volunteers.
Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall addresses supporters gathered at a vigil for Jasmine Wilson in Majestic Square.
Photo / Bevan Conley
September 14
Whanganui turned out in force in support of murdered woman Jasmine Wilson and her family at two events in Whanganui.
Break The Silence #Justice4Jazz in Majestic Square at 11am and a Vigil for Jasmine which began in the same location at 4pm.
A homicide investigation into how Jasmine turned up at Whanganui Hospital in a critical condition on July 31 and later died on August 2 was ongoing.
Hundreds attended the events to show their support for Jasmine, her friends and her whanau.
