Keep up to date with current and upcoming road closures, roadworks, road reserve works, and emergency road status information in the Whakatāne District.
News
Council embraces the digital era with launch of ePlan
Navigating the details of the Whakatāne District Plan is now a simple click away, thanks to the launch of a new ePlan tool.
New challenge for Whakatāne District Council CE Steph O’Sullivan
Whakatāne District Mayor Dr Victor Luca has announced that Council Chief Executive Steph O’Sullivan will leave the organisation mid- July 2024 to take up the Chief Executive role at Waipa District Council.
“While this news has come as a surprise, I have always anticipated our CE would be moving on to further her career at some stage. It is the natural order of these things. Steph is a driven and dedicated public service professional, this move is a great opportunity for her and I wish her the very best.”
Ōpihi Spit sand fuse lowering to commence next week
Work to remove a build-up of sand on the spit adjacent to the Whakatāne River mouth will start this Wednesday, 8 May to reduce the potential for upstream flooding issues during extreme rain events.
River access improvements to begin at Wairaka Centennial Park
Improvement works on the river-edge area of Wairaka Centennial Park in Whakatāne are set to commence next week.
Council pushes pause on central shared-use pathway
A proposed shared-use pathway through the Peace Street drainage reserve has been deferred indefinitely following community feedback opposing its development.
Sticky initiative to reduce food waste
Despite growing concerns about the cost of food increasing year-on-year, Kiwi households are still throwing away more than $3.2 billion worth of food every year.
Whakatāne Aquatic & Fitness Centre closing for maintenance from Monday
Members of the public are reminded Whakatāne Aquatic and Fitness Centre will close for three weeks from this Monday (29 April) to allow contractors to carry out scheduled maintenance and improvement works.
Work begins on new wastewater pump station and pipe network
This week, work begins on the planned Ferry Road wastewater pump station and pipe network project. This marks a significant step to modernise essential infrastructure to meet community needs and address environmental challenges.
The existing pump station on Ferry Road, which has been serving the community for more than 60 years, is no longer fit-for-purpose. The new pump station being built will include safety enhancements and electrical upgrades, and allow for increased pumping capacity, ensuring optimal performance well into the future.
Infrastructure and Planning committee considers road safety interventions
A high-risk section of Thornton Road known as ‘Blueberry Curves’ will have safety improvements and a reduced speed limit implemented by 2026, following agreement by elected members at today’s (11 April) Infrastructure & Planning committee meeting.
Heavy Rain Warning + Severe Thunderstorm Watch - 12 April 2024
A Heavy Rain Warning and Severe Thunderstorm Watch are in place today (Friday, 12 April).
Whakatāne Aquatic & Fitness Centre to close for maintenance
Whakatāne Aquatic and Fitness Centre will be closed to the public for a period of three weeks to allow contractors to carry out scheduled maintenance and improvement works at the facility.
Last week to provide thoughts on Council’s draft Long Term Plan
Whakatāne District Council is reminding communities that the Mayor and Councillors are keen to hear from people before the draft Long Term Plan formal consultation process finishes this Friday, 12 April.
New mural for Kopeopeo
A huge shout-out to the students and teachers of Whakatāne High School – Te Kura ō Te Mānuka Tūtahi for a project that’s brightening up Kopeopeo.
Council approves draft Long Term Plan for consultation
Last week, Whakatāne District Council Elected Members agreed to begin consultation for the draft Long Term Plan 2024-34 and its supporting documents, with the Mayor and Councillors making it clear they’re expecting community feedback and are listening.
Whakatāne District Mayor, Dr Victor Luca, opened the Environment, Energy and Resilience Committee meeting with a summary of the process to date and highlighted the significant challenges that the current financial environment has presented.
Wharfside at Port Ōhope – a summer success story
After a thriving summer season, the Port Ōhope Wharfside activity and food hub is proving to be a drawcard for both visitors and locals, establishing itself as the place to be in Ōhope and boosting revenue for local businesses.
Council meets this week to adopt draft Long Term Plan for consultation
The Whakatāne District Council draft Long Term Plan 2024-34 has been prepared and the Mayor and Councillors will meet this week to adopt the plan for consultation at the Energy, Environment and Resilience Committee meeting on Wednesday (6 March).
Whakatāne District Mayor, Dr Victor Luca says from all accounts this has been one of the most challenging environments in which to develop a draft Long Term Plan.
Braemar Road - Permanent repair works - start date brought forward
Change to road closure dates
Due to contractor availability, we advise the start date for construction works on the permanent repair solution for the Braemar Road site has been brought forward.
Works will now commence next Wednesday, 13 March 2024 and are expected to take approximately eight weeks to complete. Therefore, we are expecting construction to be completed by approximately Friday, 26 April 2024 (weather dependant).
Council continues progressing Better Off Funding projects
The Whakatāne District is set to benefit from community projects funded by the Department of Internal Affairs Better Off Funding package throughout 2024.
Water Shutdown for parts of the Alexander Ave and King Street Neighbourhood
Date: Tuesday 27 February 2024
Time: 8.00pm – 12.00 midnight
Impacted Properties: 29 – 79 Alexander Avenue (odd numbers only), 50 Douglas Street, 149, 166 and 166A King Street, all of Tāne Lane.
Whakatāne District Council advises there will be a water shutdown overnight tomorrow, Tuesday 27 February, from 8pm through to midnight, for some homes and businesses in the Alexander Avenue and King Street neighbourhood.
Edgecumbe and Thornton to get a new shared pathway
Work will soon start on the first stage of a much anticipated shared pathway between Edgecumbe and Thornton.
The project has been a long-standing aspiration for the local Edgecumbe community and is part of the wider vision of creating walking and cycling loops across the Whakatāne District.
Whakatāne District Council secured $900,000 from the Department of Internal Affairs Better Off Funding package to complete the shared pathway, which will enhance the accessibility and enjoyment of the scenic route for people of all ages and abilities.
We publish a number of newsletters - subscribe online to keep up to date, have your say and find out what's happening in your hapori/community.