Headliners

Tasman’s Great Taste Trail is set to be upgraded with an $87,425 funding boost from the New Zealand Cycle Trails Fund. Trail manager for Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust, Belinda Crisp, says the money will go toward improving the environmental condition of the Lower Queen Street section of the trail that runs through the industrial area. Improvements will include the construction of screening using recycled wooden materials and more estuarine planting. Port Nelson welcomes bigger ships after upgrade

Port Nelson welcomed the first vessel over 260m in length last month after a major redevelopment to its Main South Wharf. The $20 million dollar investment to upgrade the wharf included redeveloping the wharf’s northern section, increasing the Port’s earthquake resilience, moving main wharf container operations further away from residential neighbours and future-proofing the Port to accommodate larger vessels. Before the improvements the wharf regularly received vessels up to 250m in length. Award for Victory green thumbs

Victory Primary School’s youngest green thumbs scooped up an award last month for their flourishing school garden. The school won the prize for the most established school garden at the recent Mitre10 Mega Nelson/Tasman School Garden Awards. Teacher Suzy Garlick, who runs the school’s garden club, says it has been going for just over a year and those who want to get stuck in meet every Thursday lunchtime. The students have enjoyed growing and taking home a variety of vegetables.

Nelson’s brand new park is now open to the public. Te Pā Harakeke, built on the previous site of the Modellers Pond, opened at the end of November and is now being enjoyed by the public. After initial debate about the use of the space, the development has seen the area be transformed from an algae-filled pond into a reserve featuring seating, picnic areas, trees, natural play areas, boardwalks and a sheltered lookout for birdwatching, along with the upgraded model railway. The war on weeds

Waka Kotahi came under pressure several times in 2022 due to the weed growth on Nelson’s most prominent roundabouts along State Highway 6. One driver even compared them to scenes from the post-apocalyptic thriller, ‘I am Legend,’ while mayor Nick Smith said the issue isn’t just an aesthetic one, but also damages Nelson’s reputation as a tourist centre. Regulation changes made in 2021 for the safety of workers have affected Waka Kotahi’s ability to control weeds in high-speed and high-exposure traffic environments. The Annesbrook roundabout weeds were cleared in December but a long-term solution is yet to be found. Yusuf named as local hero

Yusuf Corten knows what it’s like to go to sleep hungry and never wants anyone to feel that. From his central Nelson kebab store he offers free meals to anyone who needs them, and it is this generosity that has seen him named as a local hero medalist for the 2023 Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year. Even after a tough couple of years, Yusuf continued to offer free meals and was humbled when he recieved the award, which arrived on his birthday, “This present is much better than a million dollars, it’s a feeling present, it’s awesome,” says Yusuf.

‘Beyond the Face’, an exhibition by Age Concern is on now until 27 January at Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre. The unique exhibition features the fascinating life stories of six elderly locals, with the aim being to challenge viewers to look beyond a person’s current appearance and see them for the life they have lived, their experiences and achievements.

Pictured is 88-year-old Joan Ewers who shares her experience of life on a hop farm and raising a family of eight. Tim Cuff