The Memorial Park fountain has been upgraded with a new, more efficient lighting system. The old system, which was installed with the fountain in the 1960s, was facing a $7000 bill for repairs and maintenance, and was also costing $5000 per year to run. The new system cost $15,000 to install, but will only cost about $250 per year to run. It will be a better display and will make a great photo at night too.

The old Memorial Park fountain.

This information from Tauranga City Council weekly bulletin for the week beginning Monday, November 2, published below.

City Waters
Water Supply:

• Pillans Watermain Upgrade (TC47/08) - Contract has Practical Completion. Clean up and tidy up under way.
• Otumoetai Watermain Upgrade TC31/09. Waihi Road/Lebanon Street have been connected up. The 100mm pipe in Otumoetai Road and Linley Street is installed ready for testing. Pipe being thrust in Pillans Road from Pine Avenue to Maxwells Road.
• Maintenance on water main and bellows on the Taipari Street overbridge has commenced now that the Hammond/Hinerua link is commissioned and the new valve has been installed on Taipari Street. This will be complete by the first week of November.
• Fire hydrant marking and servicing continues in the Judea area and throughout the city over the coming year..
• Work on the Ohauiti High Level water supply reservoir is progressing. The construction of this new reservoir includes installation of over 1.1 km of new water main and will service the Ohauiti area. It's expected to be completed by January 2010.
• Plans are currently being drawn up for water main replacement in Apollo Street and a section of Cameron between Elizabeth Street and Spring Street.

Drainage:

• Vale Street open drain along side the Golf Course has been cleaned .
• Annandale pond drain outlet is scheduled for clearing to remove the vegetation
• Evans Road/Arabian drain swale drain edges is scheduled to be mulched mown.
• A tomo is being investigated off Welcome Bay Road shopping centre. Appears to be a damaged pipe as the cause. CCTV is being done to inspect the stormwater and sewer pipes.
• Work continues for replacement of approximately 60m of pipeline that was damaged by recent thrusting on a sewer main in Elizabeth Street (between Cameron and Durham Street) It is anticipated to be completed by this week.
• One sewer blockage was reported this week: A line had blocked due to a build up of fat causing a gully trap to overflow.

Waiari Water Supply Project:

• Three appeals have been received against the resource consents for the construction and operation of a new water intake and treatment plant to serve the Papamoa urban growth area. Tauranga City Council is in discussions with the appellants to determine whether agreement could be reached without the need for an Environment Court hearing.

Bulk Water Meter Installation:

• Downer EDI Works has installed all of the ten new meters. All new meters are now operational and sending back information on SCADA.

Southern Pipeline:

• Work is continuing on the new 1,300m3 wastewater storage tank and pump station site at Maleme Street with excavation of the tank occurring.
• The first section of pipeline being between Maleme and Memorial is programmed to start in the middle of 2010.
• Work is starting on detailed investigation for the Judea Link emergency management option.

Inflow Reduction Project:

• Royal Palms customers who received advice of non complying gully traps on their property and have now fixed them are reminded to let us know so we can update your property records.
• Inspections in the Bethlehem triangle area between Cambridge Road, Moffat Road and SH2 are planned to begin from November 2009. Affected customers will receive a letter advising this before inspections begin.

City Projects

• Kulim Park - The first of the two Kulim Park barbeques was finished on Friday in time for Labour weekend, the second will be installed this week followed by the shelters.
• The development of the old Cambridge Road Tip site, where the Tauranga BMX Club is building its new track, moves another step forward this week with the construction of an access road to the proposed new car park. A new public toilet to service the reserve users is also planned.

Monitoring
Strand Night Time Management Plan

• As part of the Strand Night Time Management Plan, Council has agreed to re-locate the walkway on the Strand as a trial for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 4pm - 3am. The relocation means that the walkway will now run along the outside of the licensed areas (rather than through the middle).
• The reason for this is to avoid congestion and friction between patrons of the licenced premises and other members of the public walking along the walkway at night. This is one of a number of actions which flow out of the Strand Night Time Management Plan to make the Strand safer at night.

Property
Public Toilets Closed for Maintenance

• The public toilets located at the base of the Elizabeth Street Carpark Building will be closed between Monday 2nd November and Saturday 7 November for maintenance work.
• The planned work involves re-surfacing the floor in the men's, women's & disabled toilets along with some painting. Portaloos will be available for the public to use while the work is being done.

Parks and Leisure

• We're into the final week of Live to Play month - events taking place this week include Aquababes lessons, equestrian ribbon day and gala, Kaituna Wetland family fun day, Memorial Park Activity Day and the final event on Friday 6 November which is the Passport Challenge! For more information you can pick up a calendar at your local library, TCC reception, Sport BOP, or online at www.tauranga.govt.nz.
• Memorial Park Family Activity Day is Sunday 1 Nov 10am - 2pm - Memorial Park Family Activity Day including give it a go basketball, table tennis, volleyball and golf; memorial swimming pool fun races, relays and giveaways; YMCA treasure hunt; Tauranga Samba drumming and percussion workshop.
• Mauao - Oruahine track will be closed at times for spraying work to be completed on the bluffs below the summit.
• Work on the Base track will be stopping soon for the summer period.
• Next week the Boiler House and outbuildings at Robbins Park will be painted, the colour of choice is "Juniper Blue" which will blend well with the surrounding trees, lawn and vista of the harbour in all weathers / changes of season.

Some news from Sport BOP

• Sport BOP are currently working through the consultation plan to determine how KiwiSport will operate in Bay of Plenty. Several focus groups have been held, and an e-survey has been distributed. This information will be used to draft an initial plan for KiwiSport - this will be available on Tuesday 3rd November on the Sport BOP website. Regional forums will then be held to offer the wider public their chance to have their say. The Western Bay Forum will be held on Tuesday 10 November at Tauranga Intermediate School. If you would like to attend the Regional Forum please RSVP to admin@sportbop.co.nz
• Grant Utteridge has been appointed as the new Chairperson of Sport Bay of Plenty.
• Megan Cleverley has been appointed to fulfil the Sport Development Team Leader role for Sport BOP on a fixed term basis (6 months). Megan's previous role was CEO of Surf Life Saving BOP and through this brings a vast knowledge of sport at a regional and local level.

Transportation

• Parton Road: Work to reconstruct the road between Te Okuroa Drive and Papamoa Beach Road is continuing at the Papamoa Beach Road end. The work is now being done on the road but disruption to traffic should be minimal. The project is expected to be completed by mid-March 2010, depending on weather.
• Cameron Road: Routine maintenance and reconstruction work on Cameron Road between Pooles Road and Maleme Street continues. There is a 30km speed restriction through the site so please expect delays, especially at peak times.
• Takitimu Drive: Work on Takitimu Drive continues on the north bound lanes between the Waihi Road overbridge and Chapel Street. Lane changes and a 30km speed limit are in place so please expect delays, particularly at peak times.
• Local Road Resealing: Resealing work will be done at the following sites this week: Waihi Road/Cambridge Road roundabout; the 11th Avenue/Devonport Road roundabout and on Otumoetai Road between Waihi Road and Brookfield. The work on the roundabouts will be done at night to limit disruption to traffic. All resealing work is dependant on fine weather.
• Turret Road: Resealing work on Turret Road from 15th Avenue to the Hairini Bridge is due to start on Sunday 1 November. The work will be done at night to minimise disruption to traffic and is expected to be completed about 6 November, weather permitting.
• Footpath Programme: The annual footpath construction programme is continuing. Work is now underway on Commons Avenue. About 4km of new footpaths will be built between now and Christmas in various parts of the city.