Kiwibank goes it alone in Wanaka

The Wanaka PostShop and Kiwibank at 39 Ardmore Street will become a standalone Kiwibank branch next Thursday (October 29).

Branch opening hours are changing to 10am-3pm, Monday to Friday.

“We’re excited to bring an environment that supports specialised banking conversations to this location,” Kiwibank general manager retail distribution Geoff Waller said.

More and more customers were choosing phone calls or the Kiwibank App for basic banking needs, but the branch will continue to be available to assist people in person, especially for more complex needs, he said. 

Geoff said Kiwibank had established a programme that offers one-on-one online banking training over a cup of tea. Customers can visit the branch to book in a session.

Postal services will be available at Paper Plus Wanaka. 

Ode closes its doors

Ode owner Lucas Parkinson. PHOTO: Supplied

Local restaurant Ode Conscious Dining is closing its doors after the second Auckland lockdown proved to be one too many financial hits for the restaurant to take. 

Owner Lucas Parkinson says without investors or buyers the restaurant will shut.

Fifteen months after opening the restaurant was severely damaged by fire. After a lengthy closure it reopened, but the impact of COVID-19 restrictions hit the restaurant hard.

Ode is a fine dining restaurant serving local and organic food.  

Inaugural bike event a success

The event drew crowds of bikers and spectators. PHOTO: Ross Mackay

Bike Glendhu is celebrating the success of its inaugural Duel Slalom event, which took place on October 3.

“The event had an amazing line up of NZ pro riders right through to six-years-olds racing with and against each other on what we believe to be the longest mountain bike dual slalom in the world,” communications assistant Paul Gunn said.

The event marked the opening of Bike Glendhu’s Toogood Trails course. 

Bike Glendhu, which opened in January, features 35km of pedal-powered trails which twist and turn through 1,000 hectares of terrain on Glendhu Station.

Progress on new track

An underpass has recently been installed. PHOTO: Supplied

Good progress has been made on the new track directly linking Hāwea Flat to the Hāwea River Track. 

The Upper Clutha Tracks Trust said contractors have recently installed the “key piece” of infrastructure for the track, an underpass under the main Devon Dairies Farm road.

The track was made possible by Devon Dairies Farm owners giving the trust an easement for public access across their private land.

The track is scheduled to open in the next couple of months.

The project was funded by Central Lakes Trust, the Otago Community Trust, the Queenstown Lakes District Council, the Callis Trust, and the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust.

Tour de Fridge supports men’s mental health

The Tour de Fridge 2019. PHOTO: Supplied

Wanaka’s ‘Tour de Fridge’ has morphed from a boys’ binge-drinking event to a fundraiser for men’s mental health.

This year’s Tour de Fridge, which took place on October 10, attracted 140 men and raised $2,200 for youth and community focused support group I Am Hope.

Organiser Tom Scurr said the bicycle tour around Wanaka, in its fifth year, has “bloomed” in numbers each year.

It has been a men-only event, with mostly “drinking-based” challenges, Tom said, but this year the organisers thought about whether they “should...keep doing this as a bit of party, or make it stand for something”.

They decided to give themselves “a bit of a purpose” by raising awareness and funding for men’s mental health. 

With the support of Water Bar owner Toby May, the group organised a gig at the Water Bar three weeks before the tour and donated the door sales to I am Hope.