Community Recreation

Record Number of Applications Received for Tasman Community Grants 2012

Tasman District Council’s Community Grants closed on 31 August 2012 with a record 158 applications received. The 158 applications have requested a total of $408,380.15, this compares with 130 applications requesting $331,000 in 2011.

The Tasman District Council’s Grants and Community Facilities subcommittee will consider all of the applications with the applicants notified of the outcome in mid October 2012.

Tasman District Council allocates $184,000 of its general rate income for grants to support community led projects and services. Grants are made to organisations whose services and projects provide wide community benefit. The grants are in several categories with a total $20,000 set aside for community and economic development initiatives; $40,000 for arts, culture and heritage; $30,000 for festivals and events; $25,000 for youth/children programmes; $21,000 for social services; $10,000 for beautification schemes such as plantings, landscaping and artworks in public places; $15,000 for emergency services; $10,000 community development for smaller communities, $10,000 for museums and $3000 for community newsletters. Allocations average less are than $2000 per applicant.

“There is a lot of knowledge in our District’s communities that can make a positive difference,” said Mike Tasman-Jones, Community Recreation Advisor at Tasman District Council. “Alongside this there are individuals and groups with the skills, energy and time who are prepared to roll up their sleeves. With the Community Grants Council can add some investment to enable these activities to happen.” National research demonstrates the value of the community sector, it is estimated by the NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations that for every dollar a volunteer organisation receives they return $3 to $5 worth of services to the community. On top of the financial benefit getting people involved in working with and for local projects creates a stronger sense of community.

Community Grants has supported a wide variety of projects in the past including pest trapping, walkway developments, community planning, community events, renovating buildings, recording oral histories, creating public art, and providing emergency services.

Tasman’s Got Talent

The search is on for everything from the absolutely bizarre to the outright outrageous as we search the Tasman District for the next big thing.

This exciting show will give young people from all over Tasman the chance to show us what they’re good at. From singers, to dancers, to magicians, to musicians, to comedians– the search is on.  If you have a talent, Tasman wants to see it.

The competition will be split into four categories, with junior and senior solo sections, a duo section and a group section to be contested. The winners of each will be recorded and put online at the Tasman Youth Council website www.jamonline.co.nz so everyone from Tasman can vote on who they think should be crowned the winner of Tasman’s Got Talent 2012!

The overall champion will walk away with the grand prize of an Apple iPad 2, with a load of Richmond Mall Vouchers also up for grabs for heat placing contestants.

If you’re interested in performing, you can pre-register by visiting www.jamonline.co.nz/tasmangottalent

Tasman’s Got Talent Heats

• Golden Bay: Takaka Showgrounds, Saturday 27 October, 10.00 am
• Motueka: Motueka Memorial Hall, Saturday 3 November, 10.00 am
• Richmond: Richmond Town Hall, Saturday 10 November, 10.00 am

 

Pool Lifeguard Best in the Biz

If you swim at the ASB Aquatic Centre in Richmond you can be assured you are in the best of hands. Aquatics Co-ordinator Rachel Pike has just been named NZ Lifeguard of the Year.

The competition, run by the NZ Recreation Association, assesses job performance, innovation, creativity and improvements. Rachel was declared the winner at the association’s annual conference, JAWS (Just Add Water Seminar), in Auckland.

Rachel, a phys-ed teacher by training, first visited the pool as a mother taking her two children for swimming lessons. She saw a notice looking for instructors and signed up. Rachel was soon trained as a lifeguard as well, and switched from instructing after a year.

With her teaching skills, she was quickly shoulder-tapped to train other lifeguards, which she continues to do. Rachel now manages the aquatics team but still puts in the hours poolside. “It’s a key part of the job and helps you to keep in touch with the team.”

About two years ago, she was part of a group who reassessed power, water and CO2 use at the pools complex. More efficient systems were introduced, cutting power use by 20%. Eight years after the Tasman District Council-owned facility opened, it has greatly expanded with the new Learn To Swim pool and a gym, yet power use remains about the same.

The ASB Aquatic Centre clocked up its millionth visitor in June 2010. It is the Council’s biggest recreational facility.

Hummin’ in Tasman – Tasman District Summer Guide

Promote Your Summer Event in Hummin’

Would you like to promote your summer event to thousands of visitors and locals for free?

Every year, the Tasman District Council produces Hummin’ in Tasman, a guide for locals and visitors to help promote the events, attractions and businesses of the Tasman District. 20,000 copies of Hummin’ in Tasman are distributed free through i-Sites, Libraries, Council Service Centres, A&P shows, campgrounds, the Richmond Mall, Nelson Airport and other outlets across the region.

This year event details (of events running between 1 November 2012 to Easter 2013 and based within the Tasman District) will be taken from the It’s On website, the region’s free online events guide. So if you want your event included in Hummin’, make sure its listed on ‘Its On’ before Friday 5 October 2012.

View the ItsOn website

If you are unable to add details to the Its On website, please email through full event details to Mike Tasman Jones (mike.tasman-jones@tasman.govt.nz) at Tasman District Council before Friday 28 September 2012.

Biosolids a Valuable Resource - Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture

Science and technology have transformed the way we deal with sewage. Treated waste is now a valuable product in agriculture, returning nutrients to the soil.

Western Australian academic Dr Deborah Pritchard will brief locals on the latest advances in this field in the 69th Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture, entitled Biosolids and Science: Transforming an age-old activity into the 21st century.

Dr Pritchard, of Curtin University, focuses on the safe use of waste products for their nutrient value in food production, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. Field experiments throughout Australia and recently in Africa have improved the agricultural land application of various waste products, including biosolids, municipal waste and animal manure.

The Cawthron lecture is at 7.30 pm, Friday 21 September 2012, in the Nelson School of Music. The evening will begin with musical items from Mary and Juliet Ayre, and conclude with a light supper. Entry is free, ticket required, Ph. 03 548 2319 or Email lecture@cawthron.org.nz for more information.