Nelson Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
tuesday 9 May 2017
Get ready for
Midwives celebrated
Hospital ‘needs’ $150M upgrade
Speedway success
Winter
page 11
page 25
Page 18-20
Kate Russell Patient numbers at Nelson Hospital have more than doubled in the last 20 years, and are one of the reasons for a proposed $120m - $150m redevelopment of the premises. Recent figures released by the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board reveal that the hospital saw 123,086 patients through its doors last year, up from 90,644 patients in 2006 and 47,287 patients in 1996. NMDHB proposes to spend $1.2 million and two years planning the project, and building could start as early as 2020. It is not the only hospital in the region getting a makeover, with the $25 million expansion of Manuka St Hospital starting earlier this year. Peter Bramley, chief executive of the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board, says there are several reasons for the proposed redevelopment, including increasing demands on hospital services due to the region’s aging
SEE PAGE 2
Nelson linesman Ken Allen has retired after 44 years of keeping Nelson’s power pumping. Photo: Evan Barnes.
Powering Nelson for four decades Kate Russell Reporter
kate@nelsonweekly.co.nz
He’s kept our power running for the last 44 years, but Nelson linesman Ken Allen has officially decided to put down his tools. Friday night marked retirement for Ken, who has worked in the
power industry in Nelson since 1974. Ken moved here from Wellington when he was 21, and his brother showed him the job ad in the paper. “I like the outdoors, so I decided to apply,” he says. “When I started out it was called the Waimea Electric Power Board, but it was contracted to
different companies over the years – Tasman Energy, Tasman Electrical, Mainpower – and now, Delta.” For most of his career, he did on-call fault work, and has attended a whopping 450 callouts since 1981, under every circumstance imaginable. “You’re the first response,” he says.
“There were many many times I was called out in the middle of the night, during huge storms, and sometimes you’d be working all night, and the family would worry about me coming home. “Basically, my job was to get the power back on – a lot of that
SEE PAGE 2
Exclusive Stockists of Graham & Brown wallpaper
45 Vanguard St, Nelson (by the roundabout)
Phone 548 1114 accounts@gbnelson.co.nz www.guthriebowron.co.nz
New Zealand’s trusted decorating specialists Additional copies $1
100% locAlly owned And operAted
www.nelsonlive.co.nz