Contractors have started work to reinstate informal parking areas at specific locations around Fergusson Park. Reinforced grass cell matting will be used to rehabilitate areas where grass cover has been worn away. This will create stabilised, all-weather overflow car parking. This is also a trial for creating a larger all-weather reinforced grass overflow carpark next year. This work is part of the implementation of the active reserve management plan for Fergusson Park.

This information from Tauranga City Council weekly bulletin for the week beginning Monday, October 19 published below.

Customer Service Centre
A reminder that from next week there will be some changes when customers request their property files from Council.

• There will be a 1 – 3 day wait for property files. Customers will be phoned when their file is ready.
• Property files will arrive either in paper format as usual, or in digital format on a CD which customers can keep.

City Waters
Water Supply:

The annual mains flushing programme has been completed. Maintenance Contractor City Care will be carrying out remedial work throughout the network to rectify faults found whilst undertaking the annual mains flushing programme, this will be ongoing over the next couple of months.

• Water shut downs in Hartford Avenue and Hayley Grove are programmed for Monday 19th October and Corinna Street on Tuesday 20th, residents affected will be notified by a letter drop.
• 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 end of the October.
• Pillans Watermain Upgrade pipe laying is completed. Connecting up pipe work is happening in Maxwells Road and Ngatai Road, Harbour Drive and Kulim Avenue.
• Otumoetai Watermain Upgrade has started with 50mm pipe thrusting in Waihi Road and preparation to thrust the 100mm pipe in Otumoetai Road.
• Fire hydrant marking and servicing continues in the Otumoetai 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. Expected to be completed by January 2010.

Drainage:

• Waitaha stormwater pond has had the thick growth of rapau removed by excavator and also new barrier bollards installed to restrict unauthorised vehicle access into this reserve.
• Aviation Drain edges have been mulch mown.
• Cleaning for vegetation off a section of open drain off Oropi Road has now been completed.
• The open drain reserve from Triton Avenue to Tukorako Drive (aprox 500m) is to be sprayed for noxious weed and then mulch mown to tidy up this site.
• The open drain at the toe of the railway embankment off Ngatai Road is scheduled for cleaning and weed whacking next week.
• A very wet area in Ebbtide Way was found to be where a subsoil drain had no outlet. This has now been connected to the stormwater system.
• Work is to commence 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) on Sunday. It is anticipated to take up to Wednesday to have it completed and reinstated.
• One sewer blockages was reported this week: A blocked sewer main in Cheyne Road caused an overflow from a manhole into a wet land /swampy area below the manhole. Access to the manholes with equipment was difficult as the sewer network is outside the rear of properties adjoining large reserve area that is well vegetated. The spillage area was around a manhole and site that was cleaned up and disinfected. Water quality test results have now indicated little contamination to the nearby open drain so the all clear has been given and health warning signs removed.
• Work was completed on a new sewer connection at 101 Carmichael Road.
• Two pollution incidents were reported this week. Both were oil type discharges. One was quite significant in the Courtney Road Drain. Unfortunately the source was not able to be traced, however, the caller has been asked to notify Council if the discharge occurs again so that the source can be identified. The second event was in Devonport Road near Second Ave; the contractor found little evidence of the discharge however the pollution team will be following up with the offending company to assist them in improving their practices.

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. Seven new meters are now operational and sending back information on SCADA. Completion will occur in October 2009.

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 about to start. The first section of pipeline is programmed to commence in the middle of 2010. The Projects and Services Committee approved the Judea Link as the means of managing the emergency flows at the Memorial Pump station. This avoids the need for a large storage emergency storage while providing emergency backup for the Judea pump station and greater network management flexibility.

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

• Contractors have started work to reinstate informal parking areas at specific locations around Fergusson Park. Reinforced grass cell matting will be used to rehabilitate areas where grass cover has been worn away. This will create stabilised, all-weather overflow car parking. This is also a trial for creating a larger all-weather reinforced grass overflow carpark next year. This work is part of the implementation of the active reserve management plan for Fergusson Park.
• Work is proceeding on the watermain upgrade in Truman Lane, Te Maunga, to serve the new Indoor Sports Centre for fire fighting and general use.
• A new concrete vehicle crossing has been constructed to the entrance of the soon to be formed loop road to the carparks for Baypark and the Indoor Sports Centre. The contract for that road has been let to McPherson Contractors who will commence work on site on Monday 19 October.

Parks and Leisure
Live to Play month continues with a variety of events over the next few days including the popular

• Tree Climbing Day at Yatton Park
• Sunday Funday at Greerton Pool
• Pre-School Have a Go Sports Activity Day at QEYC
• Aqua jogging, walking in The Lakes
• Cycle Your Local Reserves
• A Taste of Dance

and many more. For more information you can pick up a calendar at your local library, TCC reception, Sport BOP, or online at www.tauranga.govt.nz.

• Mauao Track work - contractors are working on the Base Track about half way around. They are stabilizing the seaward side of the track. Please use caution while using the track as we are trying to do as much as we can with the track open. Contractors are also working on the Steep track, replacing a few steps.
• Weed Control above the Oruahine track will start either next week or the week after, please abide by the closure signs.

Library
Greerton Library Closure
The Greerton Library will be closed on Saturday 17 and Monday 19 October due to the current building refurbishment taking place. All work is on track for completion by the end of this month.

Please use the Council's other Libraries - Tauranga, Papamoa, the Mount and the Mobile Library. For more information or to renew your Library items please call 577 7177.

Transportation

• Parton Road: Work to reconstruct the road between Te Okuroa Drive and Papamoa Beach Road continues with installation of underground services. Most of this work is being done off the road so there should be minimal disruption to traffic this week. 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 is underway. There is a 30km speed restriction through the site so please expect delays, especially at peak times. The project is expected to be completed early December, weather permitting.
• Takitimu Drive: Work resumes this week on Takitimu Drive in the north bound lane past the Elizabeth Street roundabout. Lane changes and a 30km speed limit will be in place so please expect delays, particularly at peak times.
• Road Closure for Breast Cancer Walk: The Strand will be closed from Devonport Road to Harington Street on 21st October between 2.30pm and 11.00pm for the Breast Cancer Fun Walk. Police will also be implementing rolling road closures from 6:00pm on the following streets as the walk progresses: Devonport Road, 3rd Avenue, Cameron Road, Brown Street, Cliff Road, Monmouth Street, Willow Street, Spring Street, Grey Street, Elizabeth Street and Devonport Road.

• Road Closure for Tauranga Arts Festival: The Strand between Devonport Road and Harington Street will be closed on 24 October from 8.30am to 4.00pm for the Tauranga Arts Festival street theatre performances.
• Golf Road Resealing: Resealing work is due to start on Monday on Golf Road. Expect minor delays and use an alternative route if possible. The work is expected to take about four days, weather depending.
• Footpath Programme: The annual footpath construction programme has started. About 4km of new footpaths will be built between now and Christmas in various parts of the city. Works are currently underway on Oceanbeach Road.
• Strand Carpark: Reminder that the Strand Northern Reclamation Carpark is closed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights between 10:30pm and 6:00am. Make sure you remove your car before 10:30pm on these nights.

Events Tauranga
Our congratulations to Matt Brindle, Operations Manager for Events Tauranga, for making the final three finalists in the Young Read Wouberg, Young Employee of the Year Award for Tauranga on Saturday night! A great achievement, and recognition of his skills and status in the Tauranga community!

Baycourt Community and Arts Centre
13 and 14 October - Rhythms of Ireland - Baycourt Centennial Theatre - both shows sold out
14 October to 1 Nov - World Press Photo Exhibition - Baycourt Exhibition Space

Flytower Upgrade
The first site meeting of the proposed Baycourt Centennial Theatre's Fly Tower upgrade occurred recently involving Ken Richards, the architect, Dale Henderson, Manager of Events Tauranga, Rob Peters from Theatre Systems and Design and Bryan Mongston from Marra Construction.

Marra will commence construction work mid – November on work outside of the theatre such as erecting steel frames, digging foundations and preparatory work for straightening the Wharf Street wall of the stage. During the middle of December the current flying system on the stage will be demolished in preparation for the new installation.

The auditorium will be closed from mid-December to end March, but the rest of the Baycourt, including the offices, Exhibition Space and Terraces will remain open during the building operations. The auditorium will be re-opened on 1 April, in time for the Jazz Festival.

The necessity of the fly tower upgrade has become more evident during the past few years as the number of incidences of near misses from falling objects has increased. Dale Henderson, manager of Events Tauranga, says it was only a matter of time before someone was seriously harmed.
Although the primary reason for the upgrade is health and safety, it will have an added benefit of increased efficiency. For example, a show that usually took seven days to prepare could take two days less to pack-in and more clients would then be accommodated over the year.