Wanganui District Council is moving ahead with the project to create a new Visitor Information Centre adjacent to the riverfront walkway.

Almost 60% of respondents in Referendum '09 voted to relocate the Visitor Information Centre and the decision was approved by Council at its 10-Year Plan deliberations on June 8.

The centre (pictured) is currently located next to the Council Building in Guyton Street. It has limited space, is poorly sited for visitors to find and is no longer suitable for its purpose, with Mayor Michael Laws describing the "location and design drawn from the Ice Age".

Mayor Laws sees the process of selecting the new Visitor Information Centre as "a contest of concept and design between three outstanding options".

"Council set three basic criteria for the new centre –

1. That the new visitor centre be on council-owned land adjacent to the riverfront walkway;
2. That the total cost not exceed $1.1 million;
3. That the design be enduring, startling and special.

"Three architects stepped up to that challenge and their designs will whet the public appetite. They are all excellent and they are all different. It is going to be some competition!"

The various designs will be publicly released on Tuesday, June 23, at a special council meeting in the Council Chamber and the public are invited to attend. Three architects will present their designs during the meeting.

A static presentation will also be set up in the lobby of the War Memorial Hall from July 1 and the public will have until July 31 to give feedback on the designs. Council will deliberate and make a decision on the Visitor Information Centre at its meeting on August 31.

Mayor Laws said that the new Visitor Information Centre and a soon to be released draft Visitor Strategy "will relaunch Wanganui on the national stage. We are looking for new visitors, new residents and new opportunities to promote our city".

Visitor Information Centre design presentations

Members of the public are invited to attend the design presentations to Council for the new Visitor Information Centre.

When: Tuesday, June 23, from 2.00pm to 5.00pm
Where: Council Chamber, Municipal Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui

Programme:
Dalgleish Architects 2.00pm - 3.00pm
DLA Architects 3.00pm - 4.00pm
Mark Southcombe 4.00pm - 5.00pm

Cellophonics at the Sarjeant
Thursday, June 25, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm

In collaboration with the Sarjeant Gallery, Chamber Music Wanganui presents Cellophonics, a unique and exciting group, making their second tour of New Zealand.

The performers are students of James Tennant at the University of Waikato and are among the best cello students in the country, with six members being chosen to perform with the National Youth Orchestra. The programme will include works by Boccherini, de Falla, Prokofiev and Bizet.

The Gallery will be open from 4.30pm, offering audience members an opportunity to relax after work with a glass of wine and light refreshments and view the new exhibitions on display.

Tickets are available from the Sarjeant Gallery priced $20, Sarjeant Gallery Members/Chamber Music Wanganui subscribers $15, students $5.

Shakespeare at the Sarjeant: An entertainment devised by and featuring David Charteris
Sunday, June 28, from 5pm to 5.30pm. Gallery opens 4.30pm

For the last three years David has been the guest performer at the Palmerston North Shakespeare Festival writing a new show about Shakespeare or his words each time. This year's performance is also being shown in Wanganui at the Sarjeant Gallery and is based on Cole Porter's lyrics from Kiss Me Kate, the musical version of the Taming of the Shrew.

Door sales on the night are $10 and enjoy a glass of wine with the show.

A stunning new sculpture, by local sculptor Steuart Welch, completes the Friends of the Bason's most recent project, the Millennium Hill Lookout and Gopperth Steps.

The work is part of the ongoing developments at the Bason Botanic Gardens, a registered NZGT Garden of Significance. The gardens are maintained and developed by Wanganui District Council and Bason Botanic Gardens Trust. The trust is keen to welcome new volunteers or 'Friends' to support and develop the gardens further.

For more information about Bason Botanic Gardens and how you can get involved visit www.basonbotanicgardens.org.nz or contact Bason Botanic Gardens Trust Chairman Beverley Sinclair, phone (06) 345 1774.

Wanganui Festival of Glass is encouraging community arts, crafts, music, drama and performing arts groups to organise an event to align with this year's festival, which is being held from September 19 - October 5.

Chris Finlayson, Minister for the Arts, Culture and Heritage, will officiate at a joint opening for both the Wanganui Festival of Glass and the Literary Festival on September 18. The opening event will be held at Wanganui UCOL Atrium and proceed to Chronicle Glass Studio in Rutland Street for a glass blowing demonstration.

The Wanganui glass art community appreciates the support it has received from local businesses and people and is looking forward to providing an expanded programme to excite and entertain everyone again at the 2009 festival. The festival's success in attracting over 3000 visitors to the region in both 2007 and 2008 has seen a number of cultural events align their dates with the Festival of Glass, allowing marketing synergies and increasing visitor experience.

So if your community arts, crafts, music, drama or performing arts group would like to organise an event during the Festival, talk to your committee and potential participants and then contact Raewyn Roberts on 027 233 4807, (06) 349 0543 ext 8134 or email Raewyn Roberts.

Time is running out to apply for a rates rebate for the 2008/09 year. Applications close at the end of June.

The income threshold for rates rebate is $21,180 and the maximum allowable rebate is $530.

Eligibility for a rates rebate is determined by:

• the ratepayer's income for the previous tax year (year ended 31 March 2008)
• the amount of rates (both Wanganui District Council & Horizons Regional Council)
• the number of dependents

To assist you with your application, please bring in the following:

• evidence of all gross income for the tax year ended 31 March 2008 (this includes income from interest)
• your Wanganui District Council rates assessment for 2008/09
• your Horizons Regional Council rates assessment for 2008/09

Ratepayers need to apply to the Wanganui District Council for a rates rebate. Those who are eligible will then either have their rates reduced by the amount of the rebate, or receive a refund if the rates have been paid in full for the year. The Department of Internal Affairs reimburses the Council from Crown funds.

The NZ Geographic Board's formal consultation period for the proposed change of spelling from Wanganui to Whanganui is from 14 May 2009 to 17 August 2009.

Members of the public have three months to make submissions supporting or objecting to the proposed name change. If a person objects to the proposal, they can suggest an alternative proposal or support the existing name.

Written submissions can be made by email, fax or post and sent to:
Secretary for the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa
c/- Land Information New Zealand
160 Lambton Quay
Private Box 5501
Wellington 6145
New Zealand
Fax: (04) 460 0112
Email: nzgbsubmissions@linz.govt.nz

Further information about the submissions process can be found on the NZ Geographic Board website at www.linz.govt.nz.

Details of the following vacancies are available on this page:

Deputy Infrastructure Manager
Applications close 21 June 2009

Executive Assistant to Infrastructure Manager
Applications close 28 June 2009

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Hearings Committee – Thursday, June 18 (3.00pm, Committee Rooom 2)
- Earthquake Prone Buildings Policy – Consideration of Submissions

Wanganui Rural Community Board – Wednesday, June 24 (4.00pm, Committee Room 2)

Council – Tuesday, June 30 (2.00pm)
- Adoption of 10-Year Plan 2009-2019

Community Development – Tuesday, June 30

Finance and Infrastructure – Tuesday, July 7

Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at 3.00pm 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.