“We are going to have the best entrance to any city anywhere in New Zealand!” said Mayor Michael Laws after Council signed off on the Southern Entranceway plans at a recent full Council meeting.

Mayor Laws visited Transport Minister Steven Joyce last month “to ensure that we have design trumping NZ Transport Agency rules – and that appears to be the new reality - a happy marriage between exciting design and road safety”.

The plans incorporate a “welcome sculpture” - an architectural exclamation mark welcoming visitors off the Marybank straight at the Putiki corner and the intersections of Wikitoria Road and State Highway 4.

Three options for the sculpture were presented by Praxis architect Mark Southcombe and Infrastructure Manager Julian Reweti. Council will decide which of these options will feature at the new entranceway.

The options (view images on this page) to be considered by Council are:

‘Mountains to the Sea’: an abstract sculpture of the mountains and Whanganui River, the three river hapu – Hinengakau, Tama Upoko and Tupoho – are represented.

‘River Dolphins’: representing the old wharf piles that remain in several parts of the Whanganui River, these “river dolphins” as they are known, trace the river’s maritime history.

‘Encounter’: An abstract representation of the encounter and greeting that occurs when people meet. Welcome to our place if you are a visitor, or if you are returning, welcome home.

Nigel Latta, clinical psychologist and presenter of television’s ‘The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show’, will host a seminar in Wanganui on Monday, October 5.

‘Parenting - the First Decade’ is described as “a hugely entertaining, informative and utterly non-PC evening on how to get kids through the first 10 years and stay sane.”

“It is possible but you need to know the tricks” says Nigel Latta.

The seminar will be held at the Central Baptist Community Centre in Wicksteed Street from 7.00pm until 9.00pm on Monday, October 5. This is a free event so you will need to get to the venue early. Supper will be provided.

The seminar is coordinated by SKIP Whanganui and supported by Child, Youth and Family and other organisations working alongside parents in Wanganui.

For more information contact SKIP on 027 626 1404 or email skipwanganui@xtra.co.nz.

From this weekend, the Council’s animal pound in Ridgway Street will be open to the public every Saturday between midday and 1.00pm.

This will provide a better service for people who are unable to visit the pound during weekday opening hours and improve awareness of the Council’s Animal Control service.

The Animal Control Team is encouraging families to visit the pound to learn more about the services provided – and of course there is the opportunity for approved owners to re-home animals.

From October 3, the pound opening hours will be:

Weekdays: 12.00pm - 1.00pm and 3.30pm – 4.30pm, or by appointment.
Saturdays: 12.00pm – 1.00pm.

Details of the following vacancy are available on this page:

Maori Information Librarian
Applications close 12 October 2009

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Council – Monday, October 5
- Visitor Information Centre.

Council - Monday, October 19
- The Council will consider the reports from Committee meetings held in September along with reports direct to Council.

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.