From Napier Street Soup returning, to Havelock North homes moving to Category 1, to HN reserves improvements, to new Matapiro Bridge opening, to Unison digital programme for kids, to Go Bus community grants, to latest news from Sustainable HB, Ahuriri Estuary Protection Society and HB Knowledge Bank, here are some notable items you might have missed.
Street Soup returns
Street Soup is returning to Napier and will run throughout July and August after a hugely popular debut last winter.
It began as a simple idea: serve a $10 cup of hot soup + carb combo to bring people into the streets on chilly winter days. It ended up selling out most weeks, and ever since, locals have been asking when it would be back.
This year, Street Soup will run every Wednesday from 12–2pm on Emerson Street, offering two fresh soup flavours each week – some returning favourites, some new surprises – all made and served by local chefs and hospitality teams.
Havelock North homes to Category 1
Forty-two former category 2c properties in Havelock North in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle have been recategorised to 1 – the lowest flood risk category. These are homes mainly affected by Mangarau Stream flooding behind Joll Road.
Affected property owners were advised of the recategorisation this week by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), after HBRC approved Hastings District Council’s flood mitigation plans for Havelock North.
The Havelock North community would see 2c-specific construction work in action over the coming months. In the first phase an access ramp was being built at the end of Plassey Street allowing work to begin on retaining walls, bridge upgrades, further access ramps, stream widening, pipe upgrades and reconstructing a weir along and in the Mangarau Stream. This work is expected to begin in July and take approximately 12 months to complete.
Havelock North parks & reserves improvements
Quite a bit of cyclone recovery work is underway, as reported in this HDC newsletter.
Work includes Palmbrook Reserve, Tauroa Reserve and Tainui Reserve, with winter planting planned for Keith Sands Grove.
New Matapiro Bridge opens … under budget
The new Matapiro Bridge officially opened on Saturday, June 28.
During Cyclone Gabrielle, this bridge – a three-span concrete bridge, built in about 1955 – was completely washed away, and the roading approaches were badly damaged. A temporary culverted crossing was installed soon after the event, and work on the new bridge began at the end of 2024.
This is the third large rebuild to now be completed post-cyclone – following the replacement of the bridge over Kererū Gorge and the Chrystal Culvert. Initially awarded National Infrastructure Funding and Financing funding of $9 million, the project was brought in under budget at $5.5 million, and is part of an overall $800 million recovery programme being undertaken over seven to 10 years.
The under-spend on this project will be reallocated to other recovery projects. The next new bridge to be opened will be the Puketapu Bridge, construction of which is expected to be complete in August this year.
Unison kids programme goes digital
Unison is raising the bar for electrical safety education by launching its Digital Safe Sparks Programme to families across Hawke’s Bay, Taupō and Rotorua.
For over 20 years, Unison’s Safe Sparks Programme has been delivered in schools through a two-part, indoor and outdoor session. While these visits will continue across Unison’s electricity network regions, the company recognises it can only reach a limited number of classrooms each year. The new online version removes that barrier, offering any child, anywhere, anytime the chance to take part.
Designed for children aged 5 to 11, the interactive online experience features short, animated videos, real-life safety tips, and activities that help children understand how electricity works and how to stay safe, especially near Unison’s equipment like power poles, lines and boxes.
Start the challenge today at: www.unison.co.nz/safe-sparks-digital
Go Bus/Kinetic offering community grants
Local bus operator Go Bus, a subsidiary of Kinetic, has opened applications for the first round of its Moving Communities Fund in New Zealand, offering grants of up to $10,000 plus in-kind support to not-for-profits, sporting clubs, and organisations responding to real needs and making a difference in Hawke’s Bay communities.
The fund supports organisations that:
- Champion youth and disadvantaged groups
- Promote equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Address pressing local needs through non-political, community-based solutions
- Align with Kinetic’s commitment to social and environmental sustainability
“Our drivers and depot teams are out in Hawke’s Bay every day, so they get to see up close the incredible efforts of local community groups.” said Ben Barlow, Chief Operating Officer, Go Bus.
Applications are now open at www.wearekinetic.com/community and close July 31. Successful recipients will be announced in September.
Latest newsletters of note
Ahuriri Estuary Protection Society
