Playgrounds around the city will be undergoing a refresh this week as Tauranga City Council contractor City Care sets about changing the barked areas that break the fall of children playing on the equipment.

The process involves excavating the old compact bark and removing it to gardens for use as mulch, laying weedmat and filling in with cushionfall product which is made from shredded pallet timber and is certified to New Zealand playground safety standards.
This is part of a greater project which is targeting to renew over 2000m2 in the city. The work will be put on hold during school holidays.

This information provided by Tauranga City Council from its weekly bulletin for the week beginning 21 September.

City Waters

Water Supply:
* A five hour water shutdown will be in effect at Maungatapu from 9.00pm on Monday 21 September through until 2.00am Tuesday 22 September. The affected streets are: Te Hono Street, Te Wati Street, Ebbtide way, Maihi Crescent and Miriana Street. The shutdown will allow a new valve to be installed on Taipari Street next to the over bridge. This will complete the ‘fix' to recent water supply problems at Maungatapu and should remove the need for future maintenance shutdowns.
* A number of programmed water shut downs will be happening this week and next week in the following areas: The Mall, Maunganui Road ,Commons Avenue Emmett Street, Brookfield Terrace, Highmore Terrace, Cherrywood Drive, Laing Place, Maranui Street, all of Sandhurst Drive, Otumoetai Road, Seaway Terrace, Willow St, Hamilton Street and Anson street . Affected customers will be advised by letter drop.
* The annual mains flushing programme is progressing well. Over the next two weeks, flushing will be carried out in Pyes Pa, Welcome Bay, Ohauiti and Maungatapu working toward Matapihi and Bayfair. Check your local newspaper or Council's website for affected areas.
* Council contactors City Care Ltd are continuing work to install new water mains in Mansfield Street.
* Work on the Darraghs Road water main upgrade is currently on hold while work planning information is finalised.
* Work on the Ohauiti High Level water supply reservoir is progressing, with the water main installation now underway. 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.

Drainage:
* Again a number of street sump grates around the area of Pacific View Road, Range Road and Evans Road have been lifted and dumped into the sumps requiring City Care to reinstate them. This is a dangerous ongoing problem that appears to have become more frequent.
* The Pollution Prevention Team has had positive response to ongoing work with the Maleme Street company to prevent contaminant discharge to an open drain.
* Audits of auto dismantlers and metal recyclers started on Monday for their business practices in respect to containment and treatment of contaminants.
* Work continues off the edge of Papamoa Beach Road to raise buried stormwater soak holes to ground level ahead of proposed road widening works between Domain and Parton Road.
* A scruffy dome and outlet pipe on the Castlewold Drive pond has been cleared of debris.
* A short section of open drain off Macrae Street has been cleaned of silts and weed .
* Annual spraying of 'Cape Daisy' in Royal Palm Beach stormwater reserve area has been scheduled.
* Work to restore the stormwater ponds off Orion Way and Oteki Park Drive continues.
* Stormwater improvement work off Boscobel Drive has started.
* Work in Clarke Street near Laurance Street is underway on locating and repairing stormwater manholes that are not recorded in the GIS system.


* A sewer overflow this morning at Courtney Road open drain was caused by roots blocking a manhole. The blockage was cleared and health warning signs put up around the drain and Waimapu Estuary.
* There were two sewer blockage incidents that were identified as private problems.
* A small minor sewer pipe extension in Parton Road to service new building development will start next week.
* Ten yearly draining of the No2 Digester at Chapel Street Wastewater Treatment Plant has begun. Sludge will be removed by tankers and it is possible that there could be odours. The job will take a number of weeks.

Waiari Water Supply Project:
* Two 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 will meet 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 nine of the ten new meters. Six new meters are now operational and sending back information on SCADA. Completion is on track for September 2009.

Inflow Reduction Project:
* Gully Trap inspections began this week in the following streets: Bahamas Key; 52 - 92 Beachwater Drive; Florida Key; 92 - 202 Gravatt Road; Havana Key; Malibu Key; Monaco Key; Monte Carlo Key; Monterey Key; 1 - 15 Oriental Parade; 1 - 35 & 89 - 142 Palm Beach Boulevard; 462 - 504 Papamoa Beach Road; 35 - 86 Percy Road; Piha Close; St Heliers Place; 1 - 25 Santa Barbara Drive; 1 - 43 Santa Monica Drive; Santorini Key; 2 Seychelles Drive; Sorrento Key; Stella Place

City Projects
* Gordon Spratt Reserve Car park is now sealed. The marking of the car park and wheel stops will complete the project. The car park will provide an additional 122 parking stalls for the reserve including four disabled parks.
* The Tauranga BMX Club have started preparing the site at Cambridge Road to receive fill material that will be used to construct the track.
* Mauao: Work to fill and stabilise a constantly eroding void under the roots of a large Pohutukawa tree at the surf club end of the Mauao base track started this week. A pedestrian diversion has been constructed to enable the track to remain open during the work which is scheduled to last 2-3 weeks.

Parks and Leisure
* Weed control contractors will be spraying at times on Mauao. Target weeds are gorse, pampas, boneseed and bidi-bidi. Work continues on the Base track improvements (see City Projects below.)
* City Care start playground safety surface renewals this week (but will pause over the school holiday period). This involves excavating the old compacted bark and removing it to gardens for use as mulch, laying weedmat, and filling in with cushionfall product which is made from shredded pallet timber and is certified to NZ playground safety standards. The areas targeted for renewal are specific fall zones under equipment, rather than the entire safety surface area. The reason for this is to stretch the renewal budget as far as possible to make sure that as many playgrounds as possible receive the renewal treatment. The target is to renew over 2000m2 of safety surfacing. The result will be that playgrounds will have some areas that are cushionfall and other areas that remain bark.

Transportation
* 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 take about 14 weeks to complete.
* Takitimu Drive: Routine maintenance and reconstruction of the next section of Takitimu Drive between the Elizabeth Street Roundabout and the Waihi Road off ramp is underway. Lane changes are in place so that traffic can continue to use the road while the work is being done. Night works are planned and the project is likely to take about eight weeks to complete, depending on weather. A 30km speed limit will be in place so please expect delays, particularly at peak times.
* 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.
* City to Surf Half Marathon Road Closures: Dive Crescent will be closed from 6am until 8am and Maunganui Road between Pacific Avenue and Prince Avenue will be closed from 8am until 2pm on Sunday 27th September for the City to Surf Half Marathon event. Please take care if you are driving in these areas.
* Commons Avenue: Work to replace watermains is underway in Commons Ave between The Mall and Marine Parade. Some of the work will affect footpaths so pedestrians are advised to take care in the area. Traffic management is in place.


Libraries
* Tauranga Library will be hosting 40 young professionals next Wednesday at a Rocket (young Chamber of Commerce) event. Attendees will be shown the host of business resources available.
* Papamoa Library and Community Centre are planning towards a community open day on November 7.
* Greerton Library refurbishment is running to schedule.
* September's school holiday programme has an array of activities for children of all age groups.

Democracy
Strategy & Policy Committee - Tuesday, 22 September 2009

* Youth Engagement Project - The Youth Engagement Project looks at the different ways that Council might engage with youth. This project is an outcome of an issues and options paper that Council considered in August 2008. Direction is now required on Council's approach to youth engagement in the future.

* Petition Tree Removal Halesia Place - his report contains information from staff in response to a petition being presented at this meeting.

* Draft Community Gardens Policy and Proposed Trial Community
Garden - Considering the Draft Community Gardens Policy for adoption and the implementation of a trial community garden.

* Adoption of Sponsorship Signage on Reserves Policy - Considering the comments received on the amended draft Sponsorship Signage on Reserves Policy and adopting policy.

* Schedule of Policies, Strategies, Bylaws, District Plan Changes and Reserve Management Plans - September 2009 Prioritisation - Presenting the upcoming schedule of work to be considered by the Strategy and Policy Committee and seeking direction from elected members on the prioritisation and timing.

* Law Commission Report on Sale and Supply of Alcohol - The Law Commission report on the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol in New Zealand has been released for public consultation. The report includes a summary of the Commission's findings and invites consideration by Council to provide direction to staff in preparing a submission.