March is a busy month for the arts in Wanganui, with a number of events and opportunities for artists and organisations.

Sculpture Wanganui 2011
Entries for this year's Sculpture Wanganui event close at 5.00pm on March 11. The event aspires to promote and provide excellence in sited public sculpture through an annual competition. From the entries received up to four finalists will be invited to construct maquettes of their proposed works which will then be exhibited at the Quay Gallery, Wanganui.

The winner will receive $50,000 to construct and install their winning sculpture at a location pre-determined by Wanganui District Council.

This year's Sculpture Wanganui event will also be accompanied by a symposium entitled 'The place of Public Sculpture in Suburbia - the Decentralisation of Public Art'. The symposium takes place on May 9-10.

For details about Sculpture Wanganui 2011 click here.

Creative Communities funding
Applications are being called for from arts and cultural groups, organisations and individuals, based in the Wanganui District Council area, to apply for Creative Communities funding.

If you've got a creative arts based project and you'd like to find out more about available funding you can attend one of our free Creative Communities funding workshops held at the Gonville Café Library Community Room, 44 Abbot Street, Gonville. Workshops take place on Thursday, 17 March 2011, from 3.30pm to 5.00pm and Wednesday, 30 March 2011, from 10.00am to 12 noon.

For more information about Creative Communities funding contact Don Hunter, Arts Co-ordinator, phone 349 0001 ext 8415 or email.

Applications close at 12 noon on Wednesday, April 6.

Whanganui Artists Open Studios
During the last two weekends in March local artists will once again open their studios and invite the public to share their work. With more than 50 venues to visit and a range of workshops and associated events, the open studios event is a must-do attraction in the Wanganui arts calendar.

The Open Studios event has received funding from the council's Impact Fund. For more details about the Whanganui Open Studios click here.

The Bushy Park Festival is taking place on Sunday from 10.00am to 5.00pm.

The event was originally due to take place in January but was postponed due to torrential rain.

There will be around 50 stalls with food, crafts, jewellery, jams and sauces, clothing, garden art and more, plus a great line-up of entertainment.

Visitors will be entertained by The Riverfolk, Jazz Connection, The Conrays and the Brass Wanganui Auxiliary Band as well as tumbling displays by the Wanganui Boys and Girls Gym Club.

There are special activities for the children as well, with Lasersport, a bouncy castle, candle making, magician and Myrtus Star and Strawberry the Clowns attempting the most amazing balloon sculpture!

Tickets cost $10 for adults, with children under 15 free. All ticket holders go in the draw for a return flight for two to Australia, kindly supplied by Air New Zealand, plus a range of spot prizes drawn throughout the day.

The Bushy Park Festival has received funding from Wanganui District Council’s Impact Fund. The Impact Fund supports projects which will generate significant economic benefits to the Wanganui city and district.

Wanganui Rural Community Board and Scion invite you to attend a presentation by Scion in the Council Chambers, 101 Guyton Street, 7.00pm to 9.00pm on Tuesday, 15 March 2011.

Scion is a Crown Research Institute dedicated to improving the international competitiveness of the New Zealand forest industry and building a stronger bio-based economy.

Presenting will be Dr Trevor Stuthridge, Group Manager, Sustainable Design; Graham West, Scientist and Project Leader, Intensive Forest Systems; and Dr Tim Payn, Principal Scientist, Theme Leader, Forest Productivity.

The presentation will cover some new developments at Scion including:

• The role of forests in the environment – clean water, fresh air
• New products from forests: Carbon – what’s the opportunity; Biofuels – self sufficiency in transport fuels; Bioplastics – replacing oil based plastics.
• Land use decision making programme – integrated land use

If you wish to attend please contact Diana Doyle, phone 349 0543 ext 3006, or email.

For further information email Marianne Archibald.

Waste Minimisation Fund 2010/2011

Applications are invited from community groups, organisations and businesses for the Waste Minimisation Fund for the 2010/2011 financial year (July 1-June 30).
 
The purpose of the Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) is to provide financial assistance, by way of grant, seeding finance or loan, to applicants for waste minimisation initiatives that further Wanganu's waste minimisation goal.

The WMF has been set up to boost Wanganui’s performance in waste minimisation by increasing resource reuse, recovery, recycling and decrease waste to landfill.

Only projects that promote or achieve waste minimisation are eligible for funding.

The WMF is made available by the Wanganui District Council from landfill levy money it receives from the New Zealand Waste Authority.

Organisations interested in WMF funding can obtain an application form, explanation notes, guidelines and criteria from Wanganui District Council, Customer Services Counter, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, and the Davis Central City Library, Queens Park.

Click here for Waste Minimisation Fund Policy 2010 (PDF 35kb)
Click here for Waste Minimisation Fund Contract application form (PDF 31KB)
Click here for Waste Minimisation Fund Contract Guidelines and Criteria (PDF 22KB)
Click here for Waste Minimisation Fund Contract Explanatory Notes (PDF 19KB)

Applications close at 5.00pm on Monday, 11 April 2011.

Thinking of applying and not sure whether you meet the criteria?  Please contact Stuart Hylton or Robyn Butler, Wanganui District Council, phone 349 0001 for further information.

Dublin Street Bridge will be closed to normal vehicular traffic on Sunday, 13 March 2011, and Sunday, 20 March 2011, between 7.00am and 5.00pm. The road closure does not affect the cycleway/walkway which will remain open.

The road closure is to enable necessary repairs to the bridge deck and the application of a new chip seal surface.

Sunday, 27 March 2011, will be used in the event that poor weather prevents completion of the programmed works.

Road users are requested to follow the signposted detours whilst the closure is in operation. The bridge will be able to be re-opened for emergency services.

Shakespeare Road will be closed between house numbers 16 to 32 to normal vehicular traffic from 9.00am to 3.00pm on Monday, 21 March 2011, or if wet on Wednesday,  23 March 2011.  This is to enable the removal of nine poles. 

Access to properties will be provided to each side of the work area. The road will be able to be re-opened for emergency services.  Road users are requested to follow the signage whilst the closure is in operation.

Click map to enlarge image.

The Castlecliff water main between Cameron Road East and the end of Manuka Street will be shut off on Wednesday, March 16, to enable the connection of a new water main in Westmere Road.

As a result consumers in Castlecliff may experience low water pressure between 2.00pm and 8.00pm on Wednesday, March 16.

Toilet upgrade

Williams Domain
The concrete toilet block in Williams Domain, Wanganui East, has been demolished. It is being replaced by a new unisex disabled toilet. The new toilet is expected to be completed by the end of next week.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings.

Hearings and Regulatory – Thursday, March 10 (2.00pm, Committee Room 2)

• Section 357 – Objection to Subdivision Condition – D Rogers, 89 Springvale Road.

Council Extraordinary – Monday, March 14 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

• The purpose of the meeting is to receive legal advice on the Schubert v Wanganui District Council High Court decision judicial review of the Wanganui District Council (Gang Insignia Prohibition) Bylaw 2009

Wanganui Rural Community Board – Tuesday, March 15 (4.00pm, Council Chamber)

• Scion Crown Research Institute Visit; Wireless Trial Update; Draft Forestry Impact on Local Roads Strategy; Dog Control Fees 2011/12

Hearing by Independent Commissioner – Thursday, March 17 (11.30am, Committee Room 2)

• Proposal to construct and establish a commercial activity in the Residential Zone.

Youth – Monday, March 21 (4.00pm, Council Chamber)

Discover Wanganui – Tuesday, March 22 (10.00am, Committee Room 2)

Infrastructure and Property – Tuesday March 29 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

Agendas are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui and the Wanganui District Library two working days prior to the meeting.