Building work has been progressing on the soft water treatment plant close to the reservoirs at Westmere.

When operational the soft water plant will soften a portion of the water from Kai Iwi and mix it with the remaining hard water. The mixed water is then fed into the city reservoirs. This process, combined with the water from the soft water bores, will soften the city supply. The plant will treat up to 2.6 million litres of water a day.

The water is softened by replacing calcium and magnesium ions in the water with sodium ions. The reduction of calcium and magnesium ions minimises the build-up of scale in appliances when heated (e.g. in kettles and hot water cylinders.)

The Kai Iwi water will be pumped through five large "pods" containing a resin (each about 1.6metres in diameter, and 2.6metres tall) which has been primed with a brine solution. The ion exchange process will take place inside these pods. This simulates the simple process that is used in most home soft water systems, but on a larger scale.

A gantry crane has recently been installed which will enable one tonne bags of salt to be lifted from delivery trucks and used at the plant. The plant will use around 10-14 tonnes of salt per week depending on the demand.

The next phase of the building work will involve erecting the roof and the mechanical and electrical systems, after which the processing "pods" can be installed and connected up to the Kai Iwi supply and the city’s reservoirs.  The commissioning phase of the project is expected to start at the end of next month.

On Friday, May 20, Wanganui's Computer Clubhouse will be celebrating its first birthday.

The celebrations run from 4.00pm to 5.00pm with Mayor Annette Main starting the proceedings. She will be joined by councillors, partner organisations, clubhouse mentors, members and their families and friends.

Guests will have the chance to see the range of activities that have taken place at the clubhouse over the past year with a short film of images, video and animations. Members will also be providing musical entertainment and to finish off the celebrations there will be a giant birthday cake.

Since opening the Computer clubhouse has attracted over 300 members aged between 10 and 18 years old. It offers a free, safe place for Wanganui’s young people to access a huge variety of high-tech state of the art technology, including 15 Macs and a recording studio.  It’s a great opportunity for youth to explore, create and innovate!

The clubhouse is one of only five in New Zealand and is part of a network of 120 computer clubhouses in 20 countries worldwide.

The Computer Clubhouse is at 7 Park Place, on the ground floor of the Youth Services Trust building. It’s open Monday to Friday, from 3.00pm to 7.00pm and membership is free. For more information email Masina Kenworthy.
                       
Fast filmmaking at the Clubhouse

Computer Clubhouse members are going to take on the challenge of the V 48HOURS filmmaking competition, New Zealand’s largest filmmaking competition, this coming weekend.

The Filmmakers don't know what genre (thriller/romance etc) they will be shooting until the start of the competition. All creativity (writing, shooting, editing and adding a musical soundtrack), must occur within the 48 hour window beginning Friday evening at 7.00pm and ending Sunday at 7.00pm.

In previous years, the filmmakers have been given dialogue and props that must be included in the film. The Clubhouse will be used as the base for the members and they will be out and about in Wanganui filming.

Members who are interested in being part of the filmmaking team have been working hard over the past few weeks learning new skills which will help them make the film. There will be clubhouse mentors helping over the weekend who have participated in the competition before and some volunteers from Amdram Theatre helping out.

Cr Jack Bullock, Chair of the Youth Committee, was joined by Deputy Co-Chair Youth Cr Steven Schwamm and Youth Cr Dan Steer to hand over a cheque for $370.00 to Dot Greenfield, General Manager of the Yes 2 Youth Trust.

The Youth Committee raised the money by organising the Castlecliff Skate Competition event held on Saturday 30 April 2011. Approximately 500 people attended the event, many from as early as 10.30am, when registrations started, to the end of the event at 2.30pm.

The skate competition was open to all young people with categories to suit all levels and styles including skate, scooter and BMX.  There were a number of smaller children mixing with older youth and the event was attended by many families who had a great day out.

The skate competition was the first major event of this year’s Youth Committee and came about as a result of young people asking for a skate competition to be held in Castlecliff, after the successful Kowhai Park competition held in 2010.
Youth Councillors took the opportunity to use the Castlecliff event to assist Yes 2 Youth to raise the profile of the Ake Ake Centre, at 16 Rangiora Street.  Once fully established the Ake Ake Centre will be a safe place for local youth to hang out, have fun and be connected to wellbeing services, training and employment programmes. 

The Youth Committee has already supported the Centre by providing a pool table and other equipment for young people to use.  The money raised will go to providing additional items needed to equip the Centre.

Sarjeant Gallery events and exhibitions

Song of the Woods
Curator's floor talk in conversation with  Andrea du Chatenier, Andrea Gardner and Johanna Pegler
Greg Donson will give a tour of the exhibition Song of the Woods, which looks at the subject matter of trees in art and is brought together from the Sarjeant’s rich permanent collection and supplemented with loaned works. Wanganui based artists Andrea du Chatenier, Andrea Gardner and Johanna Pegler will be present to discuss their works that are featured in the exhibition.
The talk takes place on Saturday, May 21 at 11.00am

Long Live The Modern
New Zealand’s New Architecture 1904-1984
Long Live the Modern: New Zealand’s New Architecture, 1904–1984 is an exhibition curated by Bill McKay and Julia Gatley that explores New Zealand’s extant modern buildings and brings together original drawings and period books, journals and photographs, as well as new architectural models and recent photographs. The exhibition was developed by the University of Auckland School of Architecture and Planning and toured by the Gus Fisher Gallery. It is accompanied by a book published by Auckland University Press.
The exhibition runs to May 22

Tesla Studios
The Mark Lampe Years
A selection of stunning black and white photographs taken by Tesla Studios, which was opened by Mark Lampe in Wanganui in 1908. The images capture Wanganui’s social and architectural history from the 1930s to 1950s. This exhibition was curated by Libby Sharpe of the Whanganui Regional Museum and had its debut in 1999. The current exhibition offers viewers a chance to see these engaging images once more.
The exhibition runs to July 17

Durie Hill elevator closure

The Durie Hill Elevator will be closed on Wednesday, 25 May 2011, from 1.30pm to 3.00pm to enable the annual survey to be carried out.

Customer Service Advocate vacancy

Click here for details about this vacancy.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings.

<Council – Thursday, May 19 (10.00am) and reconvening Monday, May 23 (3.00pm, Council Chamber)

• To hear submissions to Council’s Draft Annual Plan 2011/12.

Hearings and Regulatory – Wednesday, May 25 (1.30pm, Committee Room 2)

• Section 375: Objection to Subdivision Conditions – L and S Sandland, 9 Selwyn Crescent, Wanganui

Council – Thursday, May 26 (1.00pm, Council Chamber)

• To deliberate on all submissions to Council’s Draft Annual Plan 2011/12.

Council – Monday, May 30 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

• The Council will consider the reports from Committee meetings held in April and May 2011 along with reports direct to Council.

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.