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Thanks a million Wellington’s cycleway projects will be accelerated by increased funding promised by the Government. $100 million will go to urban cycleway development around the country over the next four years, the Government announced. Projects in the pipeline include Island Bay to City, the Great Harbour Way, and Middleton Road. “This shows that most parties now realise the importance of improving cycling infrastructure,” says Mayor Celia Wade-Brown.
History repeated Maintenance work has begun on Thorndon to preserve and enhance the architecture, culture, and history of the suburb. Tinakori Road village and surrounding area will receive footpath improvements; new kerb sections and road resealing, two new seats, and signs with local historic information, over the next few months. Katherine Mansfield will of course be featured, with pavers bearing quotes from the writer, and from local artist Rita Angus, and composer Douglas Lilburn, as a reminder of some famous artists associated with the suburb.
trade chocolate
T h e y h av e spoke-n Blueprints for an Island Bay to city cycleway are being prepared by the Wellington City Council, after assessing routes proposed by a panel of Wellingtonians. The public will see the results this summer. “The citizens’ panel did sterling work, which has helped move from 20–25 route ideas to something that we can take forward,” says WCC’s Isabella Cawthorn. The panel’s preferred options took in Adelaide Road (from Dee Street), Luxford Street, Rintoul Street, Waripori Street, Russell Terrace, and Riddiford Street to the John Street intersection, or Adelaide Road (from Dee Street), Stoke Street and Hanson Street to the John Street intersection. The panel believes these routes would minimise parking loss. They also recommend a two-way cycle path on flat sections, dual cycle lanes on both sides of the road on hills, and speed limit reduction in some areas. The panel thinks such measures will encourage people who don’t bike but would like to, with opportunities to build skills and confidence.
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One hundred percent fair trade organic chocolate arrives in Wellington food stores early September, from Trade Aid’s new Christchurch chocolate factory. Cocoa bean growers usually draw the financial short straw in the chocolate-making process. Trade Aid buys its beans directly from CONACADO, a cocoa co-operative in the Dominican Republic and sugar from Cooperativa Manduvirá, a farmer-owned co-operative in southern Paraguay. Because CONACADO grow, harvest, dry and process their beans themselves, their profits are not lost to Western chocolate manufacturers. “This gives cocoa and sugar farmers a 30% growth in the value of their exports,” says Trade Aid manager Geoff White. “We want people to think more about where their food comes from.”