Retirement village launched

By Mary Anne Gill

Two packed rooms for the launch of Ryman Healthcare’s new Cambridge village last week shows the Waipā retirement industry is in a boom phase.

The $200 million Cambridge Road village is one of three under construction in Waipā – two in Cambridge and one in Te Awamutu - and another, on Maungatautari Road at Henley Hotel is going through a neighbourhood consultation phase.

Ryman chief executive Cheyne Chalmers told more than 170 people who attended a launch where plans were unveiled for the new Cambridge village that the company wanted to find a new name for it.

Villages in other centres have been named after famous residents – Anthony Wilding, Bert Sutcliffe, Bob Owens, Bob Scott, Bruce McLaren and in

Letters…

Kiwifruit consents

Hamilton, Hilda Ross and Linda Jones.

Ryman has joined forces with The News to call for suggestions.

“We think it is a great way to give the village an identity rather than just a location and pay respect to pioneering locals,” she said.

“Who better to ask than the people who live here already. There’s nothing better than local knowledge.”

Retirement Village Residents Association president Peter Carr said he believed in two years there would be more retirement village residents in Cambridge per capita than in any other similar centre. Waikato has 53 retirement villages, third behind Auckland and Canterbury.

The association’s website shows eight of the Waikato ones are in Cambridge, two in Te Awamutu and one in Ōhaupō. There are also two in the Waikato district, close to the Waipā

In response to your story Getting a taste of Kiwi (The News, January 26) - if the council will just approve retrospective consents that easily it will be a farce as any developer will just choose that option. As the same company has done it twice now they should have been aware the second time - but still went ahead.

This makes home owners powerless against this practice. If a decision is made to not allow any retrospective resource consents border in Tamahere, one each in Putāruru and Morrinsville and two in Matamata.

I’m back in the hotseat after my annual leave. I was one of the lucky ones in that when I went to the Coromandel the weather was fantastic.

But while I was away it did make me think about what would happen if we did get trapped over there. That thought has turned quite topical this week with all the rain we have had in the North Island. It does make one think about our own preparedness.

Often in a Civil Emergency we will be “on our own” for a short period as authorities attempt to re-establish contacts, lines of communications and roading. This is the concept of getting through.

Chalmers told the 170 people who attended the Cambridge information sessions the new village would include 80 resthome, hospital and dementia care beds.

Plans include an indoor swimming pool and spa, library, bar, movie theatre, dining rooms, café, hair salon and beauty therapy rooms. The company designs, builds and operates its own retirement villages

• What do you think the new Ryman village should be called? Go into the draw for a Ryman bag and goodies with your name suggestion to editor@ goodlocal.nz this practice will cease. It’s the responsibility of any developer to investigate local council requirements and not assume it’s the same as the Bay of Plenty.

Slightly off topic from the kiwifruit canopies, but still regarding council consents - despite all the concern from council regarding safety on SH1 at Karāpiro, council appear to have consented expansion at Mobil Karāpiro without any consideration to entranceways and traffic flows.

It involves additional fuel pumps and a car wash, not to mention the expanding workshop at the rear.

One would think expansion would result in more traffic in and out of a site, and should therefore require entranceway/ intersection upgrades to cope with it, especially given the level of safety concern that already exists.

Tom Jones Cambridge

To that end I’ll provide some advice to get your household ready.

The key is understanding the risks and hazards in your area. If you are stuck at home due to road washouts, for example, Do you have enough supplies of food, drinking water and medication to get you through?

Make sure there is an adequate supply of the above as well as torches and batteries.

Most households have a supply of the necessary equipment already, however it is advisable to have a kit of these items in one accessible location.

An alternative cooking source is an essential item. Often homes can simply use the barbecue.

If the power goes out and is likely to stay out for a period of time, consume the food in your fridge/freezer first. Make plans to deal with no electricity. Does any person in your house need electricity for life saving medical treatment?

By taking care of your household in the first instance, you are helping take pressure off emergency services allowing us to restore services more quickly.

Next week I’ll speak about what do you do if you can’t get home

Hearing set

Independent commissioner

Alan Withy has ordered all submissions on a retrospective resource consent application for kiwifruit shelters and shelterbelts within the permitted setback regulations at 582 Parallel Road be with him by February 10 for a February 22 hearing. Withy can decide then whether the application is granted or declined. The News has received several emails from readers about the issue and will follow the story closely both online and in print.

School roll growth

Several Waipā schools are experiencing strong roll growth and numbers at all schools across the district are expected to be up when the first term begins this week, says the Education ministry. New classrooms are at Te Awamutu College, Te Awamutu Primary, Goodwood, Cambridge East and Cambridge Middle School. A new contributing primary school will open in Cambridge West early in 2025.

Tractor trek

More than a dozen tractors are leaving the farm and heading out on the roads in the Waikato for a two-week trek, starting in Cambridge next week, to support a children’s mental health programme. The trek is the brainchild of former farmer Phil Aish whose daughter Cat is a Mental Wellbeing educator. The trek will be launched at Cambridge Middle School on February 13. She will visit Te Awamutu the following day and Roto-oRangi on Thursday.

Step up…

Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan is on the hunt for people to join a national leadership programme. The Tuia Leadership programme, aimed at outstanding Māori, involves a young person working alongside their mayor. Applications close February 6.