News in brief

Toyworld busy in first week

Nelson’s new Toyworld store opened last Thursday at Nelson Junction and was the busiest Toyworld in the country over the weekend, beating out 29 other stores. “We were very pleased with the response to our opening,” says store owner Mike Lee. “We had numerous comments about how great it is to have Toyworld back in town and size of our range. We had a lot of interest in our Hot Wheels, War Hammer range and our puzzles. One lady bought 13 puzzles off us.” Toyworld was one of three shops that opened at Nelson Junction in the last week, along with Chemist Warehouse and JB Hi-Fi.

Supermarket planned for Berryfields Crossing

A supermarket and a commercial centre are next on the list for Berryfields Crossing, with construction commencing next year. So far, the complex on the edge of Berryfields has an early-childcare centre, Silky Otter movie theatre, and three restaurants, and Gibbons chief executive officer, Scott Gibbons, says Stage 2 is now underway. The new stage will have a variety of spaces to be leased, from 80 square metres for retail through to 1,000 square metres for commercial operations. In addition, he says Gibbons is collaborating with a popular grocery brand for a supermarket at Berryfields Crossing, although it cannot yet reveal the name. The growing population in Richmond West and the surrounding area makes it timely for growth at the complex, he says.

Erosion at Tāhunanui Beach

Recent weather has eroded a 200m-long sand bank at Tāhunanui Beach which is unstable and at risk of collapse. The bank is over two meters high in places. Nelson City Council is warning people to stay away from the bank.

Helicopter spraying in the Roding/Maitai Reserve

From Monday 2 September until Friday 20 September, contractors will be conducting aerial heli spraying of wilding conifer trees in the Roding and Maitai Reserves / Conservation areas (weather dependent). There will be no spraying near any of the tracks in this area and the type of spray used does not drift, therefore there is no risk to the public using nearby trails. There is clear signage near the trails indicating the area of spraying. This work will be conducted in fair weather and light/no wind conditions only.

Top of the South gets $479m transport investment

Transport minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Top of the South will get $479 million for transport investment through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP). The investment will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Simeon says. “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is spent wisely on the projects and services that are needed in the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough regions. These regions need roads built and maintained to a high standard, and that is exactly what we are delivering.” The Government is progressing the Hope Bypass as a Road of National Significance to reduce travel times and increase productivity. “Over the next three years, planning will start on the Hope Bypass to get the project ready for construction in 2029. This will reduce congestion for motorists travelling through Richmond’s lower Queen St and Gladstone Rd areas. The Hope Bypass will support population growth in Nelson and unlock more land for housing development. It will also provide reliable freight connectivity and reduce travel times for people and freight across the region.”

Thunderbolts and lightning, very very brightening

Thunderstorms lashed the Top of the South over the weekend, with a lightshow of lightning bolts illuminating the sky throughout Saturday evening. MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker reports that across the country around 93,400 lightning strikes were recorded from midnight on Friday to 6am on Monday, with around a quarter of those occurring over land.

From Stromboli to D’Urville Island

‘Red Heavens’ portrays the true story of Angelina Moleta, an Italian pioneering immigrant on D’Urville Island, whose fate is intertwined with the forces of nature and her deep connection with a high-born Māori woman. Growing up on the active volcanic island of Stromboli, Angelina, played by Golden Bay actress Martine Baanvinger, is betrothed to her cousin at an early age who, in 1906, brings her as a 16-year-old to the even more remote D’Urville Island, in the Marlborough Sounds. Through hardship and an unlikely friendship, she grows into womanhood and motherhood. This bitter and beautiful tale is inspired by the bestselling book ‘Angelina’ by New Zealand author Gerard Hindmarsh, who wrote this book about his grandmother. Martine attended the Theatre Academy in Amsterdam in the Netherlands in the 1990s, where she co-founded the BARR-theatre collective in Rotterdam. Red Heavens will show on Friday, 6 September, 1pm at Ernest Rutherford Retirement Village (tickets 03 538 0880) and on Saturday, 7 September, 7pm at the Theatre Royal, Nelson - tickets available here.

Tasman welcomes 16 eBus shelters

In the year since the eBus launch, there have been various additions and adjustments. Thanks to funding from NZTA Waka Kotahi, both Councils have installed shelters, lighting and wayfinding signage.In Tasman, 16 seats at bus stops have been installed with new shelters in Wakefield and Motueka. Wayfinding signage has also been installed across the whole Nelson Tasman network. These signs were added to each bus stop to indicate to passengers which routes frequent the stop.

Launch of ‘Little Jitterbugs’

The Richmond Plunket Rooms were filled with joy and anticipation last week as 45 parents, caregivers, and grandparents with babies or toddlers came together for the very first ‘Little Jitterbugs’ music and movement session. Families joined in for a session of rhythmic activities and interactive play led by Colette Jansen, a NZ-registered Music Therapist. The sessions are aimed at early childhood development through music and movement, with engaging activities designed to stimulate sensory awareness and motor skills in young children. Due to the popularity of this session, another ‘Little Jitterbugs’ will be held on Thursday, 5 September, at Richmond Plunket Rooms, 56 Oxford St, 10-11 am, $3 per family.