Luggate Hall revealed

Detailed drawings of Luggate’s new proposed town hall on Hopkins Street were revealed to Luggate locals and councillors last week.

Luggate Community Association (LCA) chair Graeme Perkins said the ‘Passive House’ design of the building with its timber panel construction set the project apart from other community buildings around the country.

"This is potentially a first for New Zealand and certainly something about which the people of Luggate can feel very proud. 

The project to build a permanent replacement for the Luggate Memorial Hall, which had been considered earth-quake prone and was condemned, reached a significant milestone last month with confirmation of funding grants totalling more than $1 million. Central Lakes Trust approved a grant of $750,000 while Otago Community Trust granted an additional $400,000.

Wheels at Wanaka forges ahead

Tractors of all shapes and sizes participated in the tractor parade at the 2019 Wheels at Wanaka event. PHOTO: Wanaka App

Alert levels permitting, the Wheels at Wanaka event organisers are determined to forge ahead with planning for next year’s Easter show.

Event manager Colleen Nisbet said they have continued to receive support from corporate partners, trades and retailers are still registering for the 2021 event, and “we’re hearing stories from up and down the country of gear being primed and polished to bring to the show”.

Colleen said Heart Kids NZ has been selected as the national charity which will benefit from profits made at the event.

As part of their Wheels at Wanaka commitment, there will be a Heart Kids Tractor Trek fundraising effort involving nine Chamberlain tractors trekking to Wanaka; three from Taranaki joining with six from Canterbury. These Heartland Trekkers will be accompanied by a restored 1956 Ford F250 pickup truck, two motorhomes, one Heart Kids NZ van and a fully restored Mack Superliner. 

Angelo’s new kitchen

‘Angels Kitchen’ is coming. PHOTO: Supplied

Celebrity chef Angelo Georgalli is back, with a Greek/Italian cuisine food trailer to be based at the new Wanaka Food Truck Park in Brownston Street Wanaka. 

‘Angels Kitchen’ will be a family run affair, with Angelo’s three children being involved on a part-time basis and Angelo doing all the cooking. It is the first time Angelo has cooked for the public since 2010 and he is excited to get started.

Angelo will be serving up a mix of traditional Greek and Italian dishes that will change with the seasons, such as souvlaki cooked on a charcoal fired BBQ, koftas, Dolmades, Italian meatballs, gnocchi, ravioli and Greek and Italian stews, as well as desserts such as baklava, tiramisu and Greek doughnuts. 

Angelo’s inspiration to be a chef stemmed from his Greek father, who was a chef, and his Italian mother, who instilled in him a love of cooking. He owned restaurants and cafes in Auckland, before moving to Wanaka in 2014 where he became well-known through his television show “The Game Chef” and book of the same name. 

Arts Trust competition

This sculpture is looking for a new name. PHOTO: Supplied

A competition to name a sculpture in the Queenstown Gardens is being run to mark the 20th anniversary of the Queenstown District Arts Trust.

The competition, which will be run during the September school holidays, asks people to find a new name for Richard Wells’ dog sculpture.

The sculpture is an oversized bronze dog which sits above the water in the Queenstown Gardens Pond, embodying the thrill-seeking exuberance found within the local community.

When the Queenstown Lakes District Council established the Arts Trust it committed a generous annual grant to help bring art to the lakes district for the public to enjoy. The Arts Trust has commissioned a number of artworks around the district, including Rebecca Roses’ “Droplets" in Wanaka. Find the full collection of sculptures acquired by the trust here, or pick up an Art Map from the local Visitors Centre.

The competition winner will be announced on Central Lakes Arts & Cultural Trust social media on the last day of the school holidays, September 25.

New waterway regulations in force

Wishbone Falls. PHOTO: Wanaka App

The Action for Healthy Waterways regulatory reform package is now in force and has been welcomed by Otago Regional Council chair Andrew Noone.

“This package from the government has been a long time in the works, and there is a lot of great intent around restoring and protecting the health of New Zealand waterways, he said.

The waterways package includes a new national policy statement for freshwater management, new national environmental standards for freshwater, new stock exclusion regulations, and an amendment to the Resource Management Regulations 2010.

Read more: Wanaka farmers prepared for ‘daunting’ new regulations (4min read)

The new regulations have effect from September 3. Some parts need to be addressed immediately, and others have a period of time built in for people to comply.

“The challenge for ORC and the community now will be in how we implement the new requirements, to ensure they have the desired environmental benefits. We’re looking closely at what’s required of us and our region’s farmers, and prioritising the most urgent work,” Andrew said.