The 2007 New Zealand Roller Sports Championships will be a major Wanganui attraction from January 6–13 at Kowhai Park and Jubilee Stadium.

A total of 225 competitors, in both speed and artistic disciplines, are registered to take part in the week-long competition. Among them are a number of world champions, helping to make New Zealand the third highest ranking country in the world in roller sports.

Brothers Kalon and Shane Dobbin from Palmerston North will be here. Kalon is the current world champion in both the 300 and 500 metre time trials, and he won gold in the senior men's relay in Korea. Shane was another member of that gold winning relay team.

Scott Arlidge is coming down from Auckland to compete. He too was at Korea winning the 10 kilometre points elimination gold and he was the third member of the senior men's relay team.

Nicole Begg, awarded gold in Korea in the 10 kilometre points elimination, will be competing here as well as D.J. Nation (gold in junior men's relay) and Sam Wright from the same junior men's relay team.

Competition proper starts at 1pm on Monday, January 8, and the official opening ceremony will be at Jubilee Stadium, Tuesday, January 9, at 7pm. The championships will be formally opened by the President of NZ Roller Sports, Roger Boulcott, and by the Mayor of Wanganui, Michael Laws.

Spectators are invited to all events at both Kowhai Park and Jubilee Stadium. Entry is free.

The first stained glass panel of the planned 32 episode Wanganui Story is in place in the Wanganui Council Chamber. High above the arena of discussion and decision it glows in tones of golds and browns.

Designed and constructed by the combined talents of Julie Greig and Greg Hall, this first leadlight panel features a depiction of the tooth of a megalodon, a giant shark that once roamed here when Wanganui was deep under water. The tooth was found at Pipiriki and is now shown amongst geological strata to represent our region's prehistoric beginnings.

Eventually, there will be 32 such panels, each depicting an important episode in the history of our city and the district; each a mute illustration of milestones in the Wanganui Story and a proud demonstration of the skill and talent of two of our finest artists.

"BIRDS: The Art of New Zealand Birdlife"
Sarjeant Gallery exhibition

This enchanting exhibition offers a sense of the species' fragility whilst flaunting their charm. Some of our greatest contemporary artists have engaged with the theme of bird life in Aotearoa. BIRDS comes to us from Pataka, curated by Helen Kedgley.

It is on at the Sarjeant Gallery until February 11.

Photo credits:

Don Binney Frigate Bird, 1969 (top)

Michael Parekowhai Ed Brown, 2000 (bottom)

Vacancies

Property Officer
Applications close 23 January 2007

Parks Officer
Applications close 23 January 2007

Rates rebates

Remember that you can apply for a rates rebate at any time during the 2006/07 rating year. The income threshold is $20,000. A rebate of up to $500 can be claimed.

Before we can process your application, we need to see:

• Your Community Services Card.
• Evidence of all income (before tax) for last tax year (this includes income from interest, pensions etc).
• Your Wanganui District Council rates notice for 2006/07 and your Horizons Regional Council rates notice for 2006/07.

Eligibility for a rates rebate is determined by:

• The ratepayer’s income for the tax year preceding the start of the rating year and
• The amount of rates and
• The number of dependents.

Holiday services

Municipal Office Building
Normal opening hours of 8.00am to 5.00pm resumed on Wednesday, January 3.

Information Centre Phone 349 0508, Fax 349 0509
Usual summer opening hours of 8.30am-6.00pm weekdays and 9.00am-3.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays

Davis Central City Library
Normal opening hours resume on Thursday, January 4.

Mobile Branch Library
Regular timetable resumed on Wednesday, January 3.

Alexander Heritage and Research Library, Queens Park

Cemetery Circuit Exhibition: The First 25 Years
The Cemetery Circuit Exhibition celebrates the early years of Wanganui’s annual Boxing Day Motorcycle Road Races.

Open 10.00am-6.00pm until Sunday, January 14.

Heritage Research Services
Normal opening hours resumed on Wednesday, January 3.

Sarjeant Gallery

Normal opening hours of 10.30am-4.30pm Monday to Sunday and public holidays.

Royal Wanganui Opera House Booking Office

Normal hours of Monday-Friday, 9.30am-5.30pm, resume from Tuesday, January 23.

War Memorial Hall

For all booking enquiries contact Wanganui Inc, phone (06) 349 0380, fax (06) 348 8210

Whanganui Regional Museum

Normal opening hours of 10.00am-4.30pm Monday to Sunday and public holidays.

Whanganui Regional Museum Archives hours of operation are 10.00am-1.00pm, Monday to Friday. Archives are closed on weekends and public holidays.

Recycling
The ‘SaveMart’ Wanganui Recycling Centre in Peat Street, opposite the netball courts, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your cardboard, newspapers, plastic bottles, aluminium cans, steel cans, plastic bags and textiles. Free drop-off.

After hours services are listed in the telephone directory under ‘Wanganui District Council’.

Council meetings

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Wanganui Rural Community Board – Thursday, January 18

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at 4.00pm in Committee Room 2, 1st Floor, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui.

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.