Debate over meeting room names in Ashburton’s new library and civic centre
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Naming meeting rooms in the new library and civic centre after primary schools better represents the district than “overused” rivers and lakes, councillor Richard Wilson says.
The Ashburton District Council was considering options for naming the 27 meeting spaces in the new library Te Pātaka o kā Tuhituhi and civic centre Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka.
The rooms will have an alpha-numeric naming system – signifying the floor level and room number – as well as a name, with both English and te reo Māori names wherever possible.
The recommendation was that the ground floor meeting rooms be named after the district’s rivers and lakes, the only meeting room on level one be named after the largest mountain, Mt Hutt/Ōpuke, and the level two meeting room theme be local flora and or fauna.
Wilson proposed an alternative option of naming rooms after local primary schools rather than the “common” usage of rivers and lakes.
“That would be a way of acknowledging all of the district.”
Assigning the names could be arranged by roll size and room size, he said, and would be “a great way to engage every school in the district” into the new library.
Mayor Neil Brown also wanted something reflecting the smaller areas of the district “which don’t get a mention anywhere” and as the schools are scattered across the district, he supported the suggestion.
There are 19 primary schools which would leave eight rooms requiring other names – with Mt Hutt/Opuke still an option for the level one room.
Councillor Lynette Lovett disagreed, believing the waterways run through district, providing the connection to all the communities.
The council moved to consider names of rivers, lakes, flora and fauna, mountains, and primary schools and will now engage with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua for a final list of names for approval- a conversation that will occur alongside approval for other internal signage in te reo.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.5% Yes
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46.5% No
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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