Wanganui celebrated the achievements of legendary athlete Sir Peter Snell last Saturday, with the unveiling of the Snell statue at Cooks Gardens.

Sir Peter, New Zealand's Sports Champion of the 20th Century, unveiled the life-size bronze statue commemorating the mile world record he set at Cooks Gardens in 1962.

Before the unveiling, children participated in a range of activities then the community gathered to hear speeches from Cooks Gardens Trust Board, Powerco Wanganui Trust, Mayor Michael Laws and Sir Peter.

Mayor Laws hosted a celebration dinner in the Council Chamber on Saturday evening. Invited guests took part in a question and answer session with Sir Peter and Mayor Laws presented him with a glass waka, made by glass artist Greg Hall, and a Wanganui District crest.

A new stained glass window for the Council Chamber, featuring Sir Peter and world sculling champion Billy Webb, was on display at the dinner and will soon be placed permanently in the Council Chamber.

Historians, students and the community now have access to a fascinating new online resource – the Company diary of the 7th Wellington West Coast Company serving with the Wellington Infantry Battalion in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War I.

The blog is one of the first steps in a Wanganui District Library project to make more archival information available digitally and seek community responses. It also includes images from the Whanganui Regional Museum collection.

"New Zealand's sense of nationhood was born in the blood of the First World War," Mayor Michael Laws said.

"Scores of young Wanganui men lost their lives and there was scarcely a Wanganui family that was not affected by the Great War."

Many of the men serving in the 7th Wellington West Coast Company came from the Wanganui district and the diary is a detailed account of their training at Awapuni Racecourse Camp, their journey from New Zealand to Alexandria in Egypt and then to Gallipoli. It covers the period August 1914 to April 1915 and was written by Major William Henry Cunningham, a Wanganui solicitor who commanded the Company.

The original copy of the diary is part of the Lovegrove Papers in the Wanganui District Library archive collection. The handwritten diary is very delicate so it has been transcribed to an electronic format which allows for preservation of the diary as well as increased accessibility for the public.

The first entry in the diary is dated Thursday, 13 August 1914, and appeared on the Library blog on Thursday, 13 August 2009. Coincidentally, this date was also Living Heritage Day as part of Library Week 2009.

Entries from the diary will be posted on the blog on the anniversary of the date they were written and readers are encouraged to post comments and questions about the entries.

Go to www.wanganuilibrary.com/ww1 to access the World War I diary.

Join the guided Spring Walk starting 2.00pm on Sunday, August 23, and see some of the recent developments at Bason Botanic Gardens. View the blossom, the daffodils and stay on for a camellia pruning demonstration. The walk starts from the Fernhouse.

A draft Visitor Strategy, developed by the Image and Promotion Working Party, is open to the public for feedback. The Visitor Strategy aims to improve perceptions of Wanganui and position Wanganui as an attractive prospect for visitors, business development and enhanced lifestyle opportunities.

Copies of the draft strategy and submission forms are available from the Customer Services Counter, Wanganui District Council Office at 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui; Wanganui District Library, Queens Park; and on this page.

Submissions close on Friday, 11 September 2009, at 4.00pm.

Details of the following vacancy are available on this page:

Sarjeant Gallery Front of House Staff
Applications close 26 August 2009

Wot do Wgi yth hv 2 say? Wanganui District Council wants to know, and it wants to know by text.

The Council is trialling Communitxt - an innovative system pioneered by former Wanganui resident and now Fried Marketing director Adam Hutchinson - in an effort to better engage its community, particularly younger residents.

The challenge for Wanganui's young people, then, is to put their texting fingers to use and text in their perceptions of Wanganui.

Young people between the ages of 12 and 24 are encouraged to text their views on Wanganui – their likes, dislikes and ideas for improvement – to 4882 right now.

Text 'Wanganui' then leave a space, include your age and then your comment.

Standard text messaging rates will apply.

Youth Committee information

Youth Wanganui website

The income threshold for rates rebate is $21,910 and the maximum allowable rebate is $550.

However, if your income exceeds $21,910 you could still be entitled to a rebate depending on the total cost of your rates and the number of dependents.

Eligibility for a rates rebate is determined by:

• the ratepayer's income for the previous tax year (year ended 31 March 2009)
• 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 2009 (this includes income from interest)
• your Wanganui District Council rates assessment for 2009/10
• your Horizons Regional Council rates assessment for 2009/10

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.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Wanganui District Councils' Forestry Joint Committee – Thursday, August 27 (Committee Room 2)

Council meeting – Monday, August 31
- The Council will consider reports from Committee meetings held in August 2009, along with Reports Direct to Council.

Youth – Monday, September 7 (Duncan Pavilion, Castlecliff, 4.00pm)

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.