July 30 2019
ALL BIKES DARGAVILLE
• Farm & Recreational, Quads + Bikes • Quality ATV & Motorbike tyres • General Service to Full rebuild • Gst Registered • Free Pickup + Delivery
Kaipara’s Only Regional Newspaper | Kaipara owned and Operated
10,450 Copies DELIVERED FREE throughout the Kaipara
Phone Patrick Lumby: 027 201 8625
Dementia unit nears reality u by Paul Campbell
The multi-million dollar dementia unit development at Maungaturoto’s Riverview Rest Home is just $300,000 from being fully funded, and a dozen concrete trucks rolled onto the site last week for builders to lay 55 metres of unit flooring.
Small school — big effort
A project aimed at recreating the significant stands of kauri trees …
P3
Wastewater upgrade nears completion A large-scale wastewater upgrade project, which has restricted public access …
p Workmen laying the concrete floor area of the dementia unit
P5
Fia Fia a celebration of culture Members of the Dargaville High School Pasifika group …
P7
The 14-bed dementia unit is to cost $3.6 million, and while surveying issues have seen the project delayed in the past, chair of the Maungaturoto Community Charitable Trust, Craig Fergus, says he’s “thrilled to see significant progress now underway. “Yes, in total, the last few weeks has seen around $50,000 pledged to the project. We are closing in on our target every month.” Mr Fergus said $30,000 has come from The Den, the former Scout Hall in Bickerstaffe Road where community fundraiser Albie Paton and his team sell donated goods, furniture and assorted items, some from deceased estates. “The Den very kindly pledged $30,000 of the $50,000, and a further
$10,000 has been pledged by the local Op Shop. Once the total pledges are in, we will need just over $300k to complete the unit. “There were a dozen truckloads of 55 metres of concrete, which started at around 7am on Wednesday, July 24. This is a significant stage as the foundations are now complete. The next stage is the framing and closing the building in, so with a little luck, there will be some major changes in the coming months. “We would like to acknowledge all our wonderful donors to date. A special thanks to Atlas Concrete for their support while developing the foundation stage. There’s a few fundraising events planned for the near future, so watch out for these.”
Mr Fergus added that the need for the dementia unit was huge, and a benefit for the wider Kaipara area. “I saw an interesting fact in a recent article about aged care facilities. By 2050 the number of dementia sufferers would have tripled to 170,000 New Zealand wide. That is scary stuff.” Fundraising committee member, Albie Paton said Kaipara residents rose to the occasion when something needs financing. “We have always come through with the money The Maungaturoto and Paparoa halls, the Kaiwaka sports complex, facilities at Otamatea College, Matakohe and Mangawhai museums as well as many other local projects have benefitted from local support.”