Overheated ute
Two fire trucks responded to a blaze on Featherston’s Colonel Pl shortly before midday yesterday, after an older-style ute caught fire. Fire and Emergency [Fenz] said the fire was put out quickly, but the ute was “totally destroyed”. Emergency services said the ute’s owner had just arrived home from the beach in their vehicle, then “next minute, it was on fire”. Fenz could not confirm the cause of the fire but said the owner had been having electrical problems with the radio.
MDC platform plans shelved
Masterton District Council has shelved plans to develop a Matariki-focused viewing platform and toilet in the Lansdowne Recreational Trail area. In June last year, the council announced it had received funding of about $238k from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund for the project as part of government grants to mark the first Matariki public holiday. At the time, the council said the viewing platform would offer a sheltered space for stargazing, as well as acting as a hide for viewing birds. The council was set to provide 30 per cent of the funding [about $100k] for the project, which would have come from the Reserves Contributions. In a report to council, which met on Wednesday, it was revealed that the plans had been shelved because further investigation revealed the location was not suitable for visibility of the Matariki constellation and would not deliver on the intended outcome.
Water feedback
Wellington Water is seeking public feedback on its Greytown treatment plant upgrade. The bore and treatment plant at Soldiers Memorial Park supplies all of Greytown’s drinking water but is ageing and needs replacement.
The proposed new bore, installed at a greater depth than the existing one, will provide greater resilience against decreased groundwater levels during summer. The treatment plant is currently not compliant with the latest water safety standards due to insufficient treatment. It has ultraviolet treatment but needs another barrier [filtration] to get up to scratch. Members of the public can submit on the proposal at https://bit.ly/Soldiers-Memorial
