Mayor Michael Laws recently celebrated the official opening of two new improvements for the Wanganui community.

On Thursday, December 10, Mayor Laws was joined by Councillors, council staff, children from St Anne's School and Wanganui Intermediate School and members of the public at the official opening of the Somme Parade Pathway. After a brief speech the assembled group ran, jogged, walked and cycled along the 1.1km pathway. Everyone who attended was rewarded with free ice-creams.

On Friday, December 11, Mayor Laws and local resident Noelene Lane undertook the official duties in declaring a new pedestrian crossing at Abbot Street in Gonville open. Concerned over safety issues of crossing the busy road, between Gonville Shopping Centre and the new Gonville Centre, Noelene presented a petition of over 400 signatures in support of a crossing to Council.

Mayor Laws was delighted to attend the two events.

"These are both good news stories for Wanganui and show positive improvements that Council is making with, and for, our community."

On Tuesday, December 15, Mayor Laws hosted a special reception for 18 students from Opunake Primary School. The school raised $1557 which they donated to the Wanganui Samoan Tsunami Appeal.

The students spent the morning at the Splash Centre before meeting Mayor Laws for a lunchtime reception in the Council Chamber. Mayor Laws presented students with a plaque before bestowing 'honorary' citizenship on them.

Mayor Laws told the students about the building work the reconstruction team had undertaken in Satitoa and that they had been able to give toys and gifts to the villagers.

The Mayor praised the students for their efforts and thanked them for their fundraising and generosity.

Wanganui District Council is supporting Christian Social Services by providing drop-off points for donations of gifts and food items for Christmas.

Christian Social Services are appealing for new gifts for children to be donated as well as items of food.

Members of the public can put presents and food items under the Christmas tree in the foyer of the council building in Guyton Street or drop them off at the Davis Library.

Donated items will be distributed at the Christian Social Services community Christmas Day lunch, held in the Pioneer Room, Wanganui Memorial Hall.

If you are donating a gift, please include a label which indicates the gender and age of the child the present is suitable for.

Donations must be dropped off by December 23.

Going to the Big Day Out 2010? If you're aged between 16 and 20, the WDC Youth Committee can help you get to Auckland and back safely with the "Cheapskates $20 Bus to the Big Day Out".

The $20 ticket is for the bus ride to Auckland and back only – it doesn't include a ticket to the BDO (available online), accommodation, food or other transport.

The BDO is on Friday, January 15. The bus departs from i-SITE Visitor Centre at 10.00am on Thursday, January 14, and arrives in Auckland at approximately 6.00pm. The bus departs central Auckland at 10.00am on Saturday, January 16, and arrives in Wanganui about 6.00pm. Trained youth workers Ben Mashiter and Stacey Foskett will for the third year accompany the festival-goers, and are available if required during the entire trip.

Bus tickets are only for Wanganui youth aged 16-20 years who are attending the BDO. Everyone needs to sign a form at purchase and those under 18 must have parental permission. Tickets are available from MyMusic and Cheapskates (both in Victoria Avenue).

The Youth Committee thanks major sponsor Cheapskates and supporting sponsors First Mobile, Tranzit Coachlines and Double S Motordrome.

For more info about the BDO, go to www.bigdayout.com.

Nominations are being sought for the Wanganui Sports Hall of Fame. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognise sporting achievements by athletes and coaches who have made a significant impact on Wanganui's sporting heritage.

The current inductees into the Wanganui Sports Hall of Fame are:

Gary Anderson (cycling), Philippa Baker-Hogan (rowing), Ernest (Moke) Belliss (rugby), Peter Belliss (lawn bowls), Harry Cave (cricket), Ron Cheatley (cycling coach), Trevor Coker (rowing), Coleman Family - Percy, Rod and Bob (motorcycling), Arthur Holder (athletics), Alan McIntyre (hockey), Bill Osborne (rugby), Arthur Porritt (athletics), Billy Webb (rowing), Les Wilson (hockey).

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, nominees must be from the Wanganui District, by birth or adoption, have been retired at least five years from top competition, represented New Zealand at 'senior' level and/or contributed positively to, and brought credit to, sport in the District.

Nomination forms are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui and on this page.

Nominations close on 8 January 2010.

Wanganui District Council's Municipal Building in Guyton Street and Infrastructure offices in St Hill Street will be closed from 3pm on Thursday, December 24, until 8am on Tuesday, 5 January 2010.

For urgent matters, you can still contact us at any time by phoning 349 0001 during this period.

Payments to the Council can be made at the i-SITE Visitor Centre in Guyton Street while the main office is closed.

A full list of opening hours for Council and Queens Park services over the holiday period is available here (PDF, 11KB).