Click here to read Dub.Dee.See Connect-Hononga 2022 and then have your say. Submissions should be received no later than 16 April 2012.

Amongst these prohibited activities is the use of motorcycles, other than on dedicated roadways through parks and reserves, such as the driveway around Bason Botanic Gardens or the roadway to parking spaces at Wembley Park.

The use of motorcycles in grassed areas, and in particular over sports fields, can cause considerable damage to the surface, as well as noise which can be a nuisance to other users.

Council is keen to ensure that we deliver services for the whole community. We would like to hear your suggestions and ideas about areas where the use of motorcycles in an off-road setting could be considered.

 There are some big issues coming up as part of this 10-Year Plan.  We have grouped the issues into three main themes: Growth, Resilience and Sustainability.  Over the past few weeks we have asked you for feedback about ”Growth” and “Resilience” issues.  This week we would like to hear your comments about “Sustainability” issues.  Please let us know if there is anything you would like us to take into consideration with regard to any of these issues.

Sustainability

• Local Government Reform – Council is looking at ways to work smarter in the services it offers the community like sharing services with other territorial authorities in the region to ensure long term sustainability of local government
• Financial sustainabiltiy – we need to ensure budgets are sustainable and community affordability is a key aspect of our financial strategy
• Green Technology – this is about working smarter, increasing the use of renewable energy forms, encouraging a variety of transport modes and allowing clever building design to enable more ecologically sound choices
• Working with our Iwi partners and supporting Treaty settlement opportunities
• Reviewing the District Plan to ensure it is an effective tool for managing future development and opportunities
• Managing the costs and other effects of forestry harvest on rural roads
• Managing our assets sustainably e.g. Cooks Gardens – what level of service should be delivered and should the velodrome be covered?
• Continuing to support Pasifika/overseas relationships as well as sister city commitments to encourage cultural diversity
• Development of a stormwater strategy to ensure flood risks are mitigated and stormwater catchments are managed in an integrated way    
• Implementing the Wanganui Urban Transport Strategy in a smart way = being sustainable and doing it with style

As Council develops its 10 year plan (2012 – 2022) we will let you know our thinking along the way and give you opportunities to tell us what you think in return. 

 There are some big issues coming up as part of this 10-Year Plan.  We have grouped the issues into three main themes: Growth, Resilience and Sustainability.  Last week we posted our “Growth” issues.  This week we would like to hear your comments about “Resilience” issues.  Please let us know if there is anything you would like us to take into consideration with regard to any of these issues.

       Resilience

• Earthquake Prone Buildings
• Emergency preparedness and business continuity needs       
• Our roading network
• The effect of macro economic factors on our community
• Central government policy and/or funding changes
• The possibility of local government reform
• Safer Wanganui
• Managing the coastal environment and hazards
• Land stability
• Flood management
• Retaining quality education
• Empowering and enabling the community     

As Council develops its 10 year plan (2012 – 2022) we will let you know our thinking along the way and give you opportunities to tell us what you think in return. 

 There are some big issues coming up as part of this 10-Year Plan.  We have grouped the issues into three main themes: Growth, Resilience and Sustainability.  Over the next three weeks we will be asking for your comments on each of these themes, starting with “Growth”.

 Growth                                                                   

 “Growth” issues include the physical growth of the urban environment, economic growth, and being able to offer more services and facilities. 

 We want to know what is most important to you as Council thinks about the following topics related to “Growth”:

• Urban-rural settlement growth 
• Economic development
• Enhancing Wanganui’s image  
• Ultra fast broadband
• Urban transportation 
• Heads Road roundabout         
• Port redevelopment                    
• Coastal redevelopment 
•  Queens Park re-development 
• Cooks Gardens/Velodrome options
• Working with Iwi post treaty settlement             
• Developing partnerships with Government and community organisations to better meet our community’s needs – the ‘Wanganui and Partners’ concept

We would love to get your feedback on the vision for Wanganui.  Please tell us what you think.

Introduction

Wanganui’s Family-Friendly Strategy serves as a guide for shaping our future.  The strategy needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to keep the community vision on track and to reflect the current environment.  To this end the Council undertook a visioning exercise and review of our Family-Friendly Wanganui strategy in July 2011.  Prior to the Council workshop a community visioning day ‘Creating our Future’ was facilitated by the Community Foundation.  The ideas generated through both those processes have been incorporated into this review. 

 Community Values

The things the community values about Wanganui …

• Sense of community, friendliness and pace of life
• Size and scale make it easy to travel around
• Our environment, the river, the sea, parks and reserves
• Quality services including schools and the hospital
• Character of our built environment, our heritage and the look of the central city.

 The community wants more employment opportunities and Wanganui is on the cusp of making this a reality.  Ultra-fast broadband and other initiatives are the catalyst for things to happen.  Wanganui is entering a time of rejuvenation, we are going ahead and we want you to be part of this change to make Wanganui the place of choice to live and build a sustainable business. 

 What does Family Friendly mean?

A Family Friendly district is one that caters for the needs of people of all ages.  Strong families create strong communities.  Our interpretation of family is a modern and inclusive one.  One of the aims of the strategy is to halt our population decline and therefore we are aiming to attract families to Wanganui rather than targeting individuals.  The strategy shows how the Council will contribute to making Wanganui family friendly. 

 Vision

In the year 2022 Wanganui will be realising its potential and the community will be flourishing both economically and socially.  Entrepreneurs and innovators will have been attracted, initially by our connectivity and innovative business sector, and sustained through a business friendly environment.  These businesses are contributing to a green, hi tech, high wage economy and have grown our population and created greater cultural diversity.  Our young people are fulfilling their potential through quality schools and training institutions. We are perceived as a progressive place by the nation and locals are proud to call Wanganui home.    We have a thriving arts and cultural sector which nurtures a vibrant central city and riverfront.  The city embraces our river and our community is strong and resilient. 

Vision Statement

Family Friendly Wanganui: the best place to live in New Zealand

• Enjoyed for its lifestyle and sense of community
• Celebrated for its livability, culture and heritage
• Shaped by our river and environment
• On the path of sustainability and prosperity
• Loved by those who live here

Principle

The guiding principle is one of working in partnership with the community.

Mission

To partner with the community to create a flourishing and family friendly environment.

We have also developed a survey to gauge how happy you are with the current level of service for individual activities. We want to know if we are doing the right things as well as doing things right. For each activity we would like to know if we should provide the same level of service, a lower level of service or a higher level of service. This will tell us if we are on the right track and focusing on the right things.

Take Our Survey!