Love your library?

Stay up to date with what’s happening at your local library by joining the Waikato District Libraries group on Facebook.

From news, events, projects and competitions to chat and advice on good reads and more – this wonderful online community is the place to be!

Pay and be in to win!

You should have received your dog registration renewal notice. If you haven’t please let us know. If you requested to receive this by email, please check your junk folder.

Pay on or before 20 July to go in the draw to win a free dog registration for the year. The lucky winner will be notified and have their dog registration fee refunded (applies to one dog only). Pay now!

Council adopts Annual Plan 2022/23

Waikato District Council has kept its general rate increase to a figure that was planned for in last year’s 10-Year Long Term Plan.

The general rate increase (based on capital value) for this financial year will stay at 3.5% after Council adopted its Annual Plan 2022/23 last week. Read more..

High-pedestrian areas identified

Some streets in Ngaruawahia, Huntly and Te Kauwhata have been formally classified as high pedestrian areas, for the purpose of identifying potentially earthquake-prone priority buildings.

Councils throughout New Zealand are required to identify earthquake prone buildings (EPB) as part of the Building Amendment Act 2016. Each Council must also identify high pedestrian areas where an earthquake could cause people to be injured from falling masonry, or where important roads or routes could be blocked. Read more.

Apply now for funding

Did you know we have funding available for art activities that celebrate the uniqueness of the Waikato district, its cultural traditions and diversity.

Interested? For more information and to apply, visit our website.

Livestock Movement Bylaw adopted

Councillors have adopted our Livestock Movement Bylaw 2022. The purpose of the bylaw is to ensure safety of road users and people moving livestock no the roads in our district. It is also in place to protect the structure and surface of our roads.

The bylaw explains instances when a permit (which is free) is required, or not required, to move livestock across our roads. This would depend on the type of road being crossed. Read more.

Coming soon: Town2Surf cycleway!

A safe path from Raglan’s town centre to the beach is a step closer a successful funding application to the Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF).

The completed shared path will also provide a walking/cycling connection between both the Wainui Reserve and town centre for Poihākena Marae and the planned Papakāinga development. Read more.

Biocontrol success at Waingaro Reserve

Biocontrol is more cost effective than spraying, it is safer for the environment and handlers, it is a long term solution and is very target specific.

Waikato District Council Ecological Planner Ben Wolf reports on the successes following the introduction of a biocontrol measure at the Waingaro Reserve from 2015. Read more.

More trees for Pukemokemoke

The good folk at Friends of Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve have finished planting 1000 native trees during June. The plants were paid for through Council's Conservation Fund. The $15,000 grant also covers planting for 2023 and 2024.

Our thanks go to all volunteers at the David Johnstone Pukemokemoke Bush Trust for their continued efforts to restore one of our district's finest native bush areas.

Huntly swimming pool

We're making the switch from gas to electricity to heat swimming pools at Huntly Aquatic Centre, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the process.

The change to electricity will reduce our corporate emissions by approximately 14% each year, or 153 tonnes of CO2-e emissions annually, taking effect in 2024. Read more.

Teamwork makes the dream work

We recently helped Horotiu School with their fifth annual tree planting. 

The team planted 1,500 trees, along with the support of Cushman & Wakefield, Citycare Property, OCS Limited (NZ). There was also a sausage sizzle put on by local Waikato Police officers.

Trees will continue to be planted annually over the next five years.

Create Huntly needs your help

Our friends at Creative Huntly are seeking your help to develop a community-wide arts strategy that truly reflects the aspirations and needs of Huntly | Raahui Pookeka.

Check out the video from the team below and click this link to complete the survey, or collect a survey in-person from the Friendship House!

Parks and reserves 🌱

Our partners at Citycare Property have been doing a brilliant job over the last month or so batting the elements to complete several jobs throughout the district.

This includes Munro Stream, Pōkeno which now has 15,428 plants in the ground! As this reserve is developed, the planting will protect and enhance the ecology of the stream.