The Victorian Athletic League features:

• Exciting, close handicapped races
• Watch the New Zealanders take on the Australians and Nigerians
• Spot prizes for the spectators
• Meet and greet New Zealand's past Olympic stars - Dick Quax, Rod Dixon, Barry Magee and Marise Chamberlain

Come to Cooks Gardens at 5pm on Saturday, February 2, and see New Zealand's first professional athletic meeting, supported by the Wanganui District Council.

This is a significant event for both Australia and New Zealand. It will see the introduction of professional athletics in New Zealand; professional athletics has been present in Australia since the 1860s.

The inaugural Wanganui VAL Meet will see Australians travel to New Zealand as competitors and spectators.

Events:
The Grand Hotel 70m Open Handicap
110m Wanganui Gift
110m Women's Gift
The Stoneman Financial Services 300m Veterans
400m Open Handicap
400m Women's Handicap
800m Open Handicap
The Classic Hits Peter Snell Mile
The RetireInvest 1600m Veterans
1600m Women's Handicap

Start time: 5.00pm
Venue: Cooks Gardens
Cost: Adult $8.00; school students $2.00; under 5 free

All participants are given handicaps or "marks". This is the starting point on the track, related to each athlete's ability. Similar to the weights handicaps in horse racing, the athletes are handicapped according to ability, resulting in close exciting races.

Don't miss your chance to see this exciting sport in a first for Wanganui and New Zealand.

Head down to the riverfront this weekend to experience the thrill of 50 of Australasia's fastest boats competing in the Grand Prix Hydroplane Championships.

Drivers will be pushing their craft to the limits to become the 2008 Downtown Wanganui flying lap champion and are expected to reach speeds of more than 160 miles per hour.

Racing will start from 9.30am on Saturday and Sunday, finishing by 4.30pm each day. Entry is free.

On Saturday the Wanganui Motor Boat Club will host the River City 3000, North Island Procom, King of the River and Matt Morrison Memorial Downtown Wanganui in conjunction with the NZGP champs.

Other entertainment will include an air display, Coastguard display, NZ Army demonstration, a birdman competition, music, static displays, motorbike show and shine, hotrods, bouncy castle and much more.

The Grand Prix boats will be on display behind the Chronicle building on Taupo Quay from midday on Friday, February 1.

The City Bridge will be closed from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Sunday, February 3, to allow spectators to view the action.

The Council has imposed an immediate sprinkler ban as a result of water demand exceeding supply, due to the sustained spell of dry and hot weather that the district is experiencing.

The Council has been monitoring the situation closely in recent weeks and an alternate day sprinkler plan had been in place. However, the city is now using more water than the pumping system capacity and the storage buffer is dropping. Current levels of water use are not sustainable.

The ban will remain in place until further notice.

Under 15-year-olds will get free admission to the More FM Winery Tour concert in Wanganui on February 12.

The concert will feature Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa and Goldenhorse. The promoter, More FM, has generously decided to make admission to the event free to those under the age of 15 years.

The gates open at 5pm with Anika Moa playing from 7pm, Goldenhorse from 8pm and Brooke Fraser from 9pm. Tickets for those over 15 years are available locally from the Royal Wanganui Opera House or through Ticketek and Ticket Direct. A discounted ticket for students is available.

"The concert will be pure entertainment at its best with a picnic style atmosphere," the Council's Economic Development Manager John Quigley said.

"All the artists playing have international reputations and are the pinnacle of New Zealand's home grown musicians."

Collection in Focus is an exhibition of work from the Sarjeant's permanent collection, supplemented by recent examples of work from each of the artists.

It features works by Gretchen Albrecht, Wayne Barrar, Jeffrey Harris, Mervyn Williams and Peter Peryer.

The exhibition is on at the Sarjeant until March 9.

Gretchen Albrecht's Nocturne (the spiral unwinds) 1991 is pictured.

Weekend payments of parking fines

i-SITE Visitor Centre (in Guyton Street next to the Council building) is now able to accept payment of parking infringement fees at weekends on behalf of the Council. This applies on Saturdays and Sundays during i-SITE's normal business hours.

During the week, pay your infringement fee at the main Council building as usual.

Members of the public are encouraged to report graffiti via the Council's graffiti hotline, phone 349 0500. This number is for reporting graffiti only.

On 17 December 2007, the Wanganui District Council approved the Draft Graffiti Management Strategy and Policy for public consultation.

The Council invites the public to provide feedback on the Draft Strategy and Policy. The Council is particularly interested in the community's view on whether education, as a preventative method, should form part of the Strategy and/or Council policy. Education methods may include talking to offenders, working in schools, art/mural programmes, working with youth networks etc.

The objective of the Draft Strategy is to remove graffiti from public and private property, particularly in highly visible areas.

The Draft Strategy is based on a three tier approach:

1. Eradication – to ensure graffiti is removed as quickly as possible
2. Enforcement – to increase penalties, reporting and notifications
3. Prevention – to prevent the likelihood of graffiti occurring

Consultation
Copies of the Draft Graffiti Management Strategy and Policy and submission forms are available for public inspection, during normal working hours, at the Customer Service Desk at the Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, and at the District Library, Queens Park, Wanganui. The consultation period will be from 23 January 2008 to 25 February 2008.

Submissions are welcomed and should be addressed to:

Draft Graffiti Management Strategy
Wanganui District Council
PO Box 637
Wanganui 4540

or delivered to our Customer Services Desk at 101 Guyton Street, faxed to (06) 349 0000, or emailed to us.

Submissions close at 5.00pm on Monday, 25 February 2008.

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact Marie Gorinski at the District Council, telephone (06) 349 0001 extension 8066 or email Marie Gorinski.

To comply with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002, the Council will establish a Maori Committee. This committee will not replace the Tupoho and TamaUpoko Link working parties. The establishment of the Maori Committee provides a forum for all Maori residing within the Wanganui District Council's district.

The Council seeks wide representation from persons in the Maori community or people who reside within the Council's district who can represent Maori community groups. It is important for Council that the views of all Maori on issues affecting them are fully represented to Council.

Tangata whenua will be represented on the committee; however, the Council wants wide Maori community representation so that all views are considered.

For further information about serving on the Maori Committee contact Councillor Rangi Wills, phone (06) 348 8338.

Please register your interest by letter together with your CV, including two nominated referees, to:

Governance Services Manager
Wanganui District Council
PO Box 637
Wanganui

Expressions of Interest close Friday, 8 February 2008.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Infrastructure – Monday, February 4
- New Subdivision Road Name – Sussex Road; Demolition Consent Fees – Damage to Council Footpaths and Roading Assets; Development of Transit NZ's 2008/09 10 Year State Highway Plan and Forecast; Infrastructure Projects – Update.

Youth – Monday, February 11 (Council Chamber)

Strategy – Thursday, February 14 (Council Chamber)

Strategy – Monday, February 18 (Council Chamber)
- Consideration of Proposed Draft 2008/09 Annual Plan.

Hearings – Tuesday, February 19 (1pm)
- Dog Classifications.

Unless otherwise noted, these meetings are held at 4.00pm in the Council Chamber, 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.

Meeting cancellations
As there is no business to transact, the following meetings have been cancelled:
Heritage Committee – scheduled for Tuesday, February 5.
Sport and Recreation Committee – scheduled for Thursday, February 7.