From Napier’s holiday events, to HDC land sales, to progress on Havelock N streams, to Napier Christmas Appeal, to championship splashes, here are some announcements of note you might have missed.

Napier’s Xmas & Summer events

Napier City Council is promoting a heap of event for your entertainment through Christmas, New Year’s and into the summer.

Kevin Murphy Napier City Council Events Manager says, “There’s a really great flow-on effect from events for the hospitality, retail and accommodation sectors. There’s about $16 million brought into the region because of events. There’s also massive impact on community in terms of connection, employment, social wellbeing, as well as having things to do in a whole range of genres. Whatever you’re into there’s something on for you this summer in Napier!”

The events programme ahead includes stunt riders Freestyle Kings, Hurricanes, White Ferns and World Triathlon Cup, as well as free events like the New Year’s Eve extravaganza and Botanic Beats. There will also be five Night Fiestas over the summer, as well as the ever-popular Art Deco Festival.

Some dates to note:

·         Friday 6 Dec, 10 Jan, 24 Jan, 7 Feb and 21 Feb – Napier Night Fiesta

·         Saturday 7 Dec – Napier Christmas Parade and Free Concert

·         31 December – New Year’s Eve Extravaganza

·         9 February – Freestyle Kings 

·         13 February – Art Deco Festival

·         22 February – Hurricanes vs Fijian Drua 

·         23 February – World Triathlon Cup

HDC sells cyclone buyout land

With almost all voluntary buyout offers complete and building demolitions underway where appropriate, Council is advancing the disposal of the Category 3 land that people can no longer live on.

Two main objectives underpin the disposal process: maximising productive use of the land (for example offering it to neighbouring landholders so it can be incorporated into larger productive blocks) and reducing the overall cost of the programme to ratepayers through property sale proceeds.

Says Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, “Our long term objective is to reduce the burden on the ratepayers.”

Of 22 properties eligible for sale, 11 have been sold or are under contract and the remaining 11 have either been offered to adjoining property owners or prepared for open market sale.

Demolition of properties not suitable for relocation is expected to be 80% complete by the end of this year. During this work, a high rate of diversion of materials for recycling or repurposing (around 73% on average and up to 92% in some cases) has been achieved, helping to reduce the impact on the environment.  

Progress on Havelock North dams and streams

The programme of work to better manage HN waterways seems to be advancing, as reported in HDC’s latest monthly report to the community.

Accomplished in November:

• Herehere mowing/ scrub barring of stream 
• new fence installed around Mangarau Dam 
• mowing of all dams
• cleaned the water storage area at the bottom of Keirunga Gardens that holds water andflows through into the Mangarau stream, allowing greater capacity to be stored
• inspected the pipe under Tanner Street bridge from the storage area
• cleaned true left banks of lower Herehere 
• sprayed Herehere Stream
• cleared debris from the Te Kahika Stream

Work planned for near term:

• continue bank or asset remediations on Council land, and support landowners on privateland with design and construction
• complete our tools to support stream bank management: stream bank management guide and planting guidance
  begin replacing a wastewater crossing in the Tainui Reserve (subject to consent)
• commence physical work within the 2C area
• prioritise recommendations from 2024 dam safety inspections and begin some of themaintenance and higher priority works identified
• progress emergency planning with Councils’ risk team as interim steps, as the damemergency action plan and impact classifications are completed 
• begin a review of the lower St Hill Lane area, the piped section of the stream bypass andthe overland flow of water that happens in the area
• begin a review of erosion (actual and forecast) along the streams, updating 2014 workmodelling, considering the Cyclone Gabrielle event, updated modelling, plannedmaintenance, and more recent information
• install trial stream monitoring devices.

You can read the full November monthly report here. Heaps more detail

Napier Christmas Appeal underway

The Napier Christmas Cheer Appeal is open now for people who want to contribute. All money donated goes towards purchasing groceries for the Christmas Cheer hampers, which are gifted to older people living alone and to families.

“Thank you to everybody who has given so generously before, and to those of you who will do so this year,” Mayor Wise says.

Donations can be made online until 20 December here:

https://www.napier.govt.nz/napier/grants/christmas-cheer

Or in person at the Council Customer Service Centre, or the Napier Libraries.

Gifts and non-perishable food items will also be accepted at the following locations:

·         Council Customer Service Centre, 215 Hastings Street

·         Napier Library, 1 Tennyson Street

·         Taradale Library, 24 White Street

·         Mitre 10 MEGA Napier, 180 Prebensen Drive.

Hastings to host Z Manu World Champs Qualifier

Can you make a BIG splash … with style?

Heretaunga, Hastings will hold an official qualifier for the second Z Manu World Championships. Last year’s inaugural event saw more than 2000 Manu athletes compete from around the country. 

Hastings has a fine tradition in the art of the manu (aka dive bomb) and is said to have its own flavour which is lots of air then into a nice-shaped tuck! Hastings first World Champs qualifier will be held at  Havelock North Village Pool on Saturday, 14 December.

Entries close Friday December 13. Pool opens at 10 on Saturday, with competition beginning at 11.

More details on the Havelock North competition here.

Event organiser Scott Rice says, “Last year, we were literally testing the waters. We saw the widespread love for Manu across the country, and we proved that even those who’ve never popped a Manu can enjoy the atmosphere while witnessing the incredible skill of ‘Manu athletes’ from around the nation. These are techniques perfected at wharves, pools, and secret spots throughout the country.”

Regional qualifiers from across New Zealand will compete in the Z Manu World Champs Grand Final at Auckland’s Viaduct on 1 March 2025.