Culvert installation

A new culvert is being installed by contractors at the flood-prone site between Hinds and Ashburton on State Highway 1 will impact traffic from August 18. The work, including drainage improvement, is due to be carried out each day from 6am to 6pm, through to August 22 (weather dependent). Motorists can expect delays up to 15 minutes because of only a single lane operating with stop/go traffic management. Both lanes will be operating during night-time hours.

Clock tower lights

Ashburton’s clock tower needs new lights. Replacement LED strip lights for some faltering lights, installed 10 years ago, are no longer available for the current lighting system. Council staff are obtaining quotes to replace the lights, which could utilise new technology to be remotely controlled.

Domain signs

A new replacement Ashburton Domain sign has been installed at the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Oak Grove. This new 5.9m brick wall and sign, which cost $9510, is the same as the one installed at the Walnut Avenue and West Street intersection last year. Others are planned for the corner of Grigg and Elizabeth Streets, and West and Will Streets are scheduled to occur this financial year, replacing dilapidated wooden signs.

Rakaia Salmon

The iconic Rakaia Salmon sculpture in Rakaia needs to be repaired, and the council has a contract tender for the work closing in August. A structural and maintenance assessment in 2024 showed the 12-metre-high statue needed a lot of work, which can all be done on-site. The scope of the repair work does not include restoring the water feature, which had some significant issues and has been out of action.

Stockwater closures

The total length of the stockwater network in the Ashburton District reduced by 52km (3.7% of the total network) over the last financial year. There are still 1370km of race in the district. The council is in the process of a planned exit from stockwater delivery by June 2027. The next meeting of the Stockwater Transition Working Group is scheduled for August 21.

Stadium swells

EA Networks Centre’s annual visitation hit 512,838 people in 2024/25, the largest on record and exceeding the previous year’s total by 18,511. The marked boost came despite the aquatic area being closed for a month, from January 1 to February 3.

Waste Contract

The council’s next solid waste management contract remains with WasteCo for signing due to a change in the company’s management. The contract was awarded to WasteCo at the May 21 council meeting, with WasteCo chief executive, David Peterson, resigning in late May and officially stepping down at the end of June. The $40 million, nine-year contract involves kerbside rubbish and recycling collection, running the district’s resource recovery parks in Ashburton and Rakaia, and operating school and rural recycling drop-off sites.

Rail Footbridge

The design for the renewal of the Wills Street Rail Footbridge is being worked on by WSP (formerly Opus). There have been discussions with Heritage NZ and KiwiRail about the project, including timings and use of land. The next stage is to agree on the contract conditions, specification, and schedule of prices with the intention to have the contract work out for tender and awarded by the end of 2025.

Dog Registration

The district had almost 7000 registered dogs by the end of the 2024/25 year.  Council figures show 6646 dogs were registered, which is estimated to be 97.3% of the known dogs in the district.