NEWS BRIEFS
LET THERE BE LIGHT The LUX light festival is skipping a year, as it’s changed months from August to May, but the folks behind it couldn’t wait another seven months. Glade, an indoor installation of light works, runs from 30 September to 9 October, 12pm to 8pm. Book at LUX.org.nz, meet at Waitangi Park, and you’ll be pointed to the mystery location. “It’s like a secret science lab where the experiments have gone wrong,” says curator Chris Bennewith, who has linked together light works by a dozen Massey University staff, students and alumni.
KIDS, RUN, FUN, SUN
SIX-STAR BUSH
HERITAGE PROMISES
For young families wading through a post-Olympic slump, Cigna and Wellington Sport bring you the 5th year of the children’s fun run. On October 20, hundreds of children will converge on Waitangi Park to participate in a range of races for a range of prizes. Cigna says a healthy lifestyle comes from combining family and physical activity. We think this might be a good way to test your family’s 2028 Olympic potential.
The Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture has upgraded Wellington’s Otari-Wilton Bush garden from five to six stars. This means it is now a Garden of International Significance. Otari-Wilton is the sixth six-star garden in New Zealand and the only one dedicated entirely to native plants. The Otari-Wilton Bush covers around 100ha of the Kaiwharawhara stream catchment and receives over 80,000 visits each year. Landscaping improvements made in 2010, particularly the central collections pathway, contributed significantly to its receiving this award.
Eleven heritage buildings around Wellington, including Futuna Chapel and St Gerard’s Monastery, have received grants totalling $305,513 from Wellington City Council. The money is for earthquake strengthening work such as geotechnical and seismic assessment or structural work, and repairs and maintenance to keep their heritage characteristics.
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