Waka takes flight at Nelson Airport
Nelson Airport and the eight iwi of Te Tauihu marked a significant milestone on 19 March with a dawn blessing for the installation of Aorere Ararau, a 22 metre airborne waka suspended above the arrivals and departures hall. Affixed to the angled ridgepole of the terminal ceiling, the 1.3 tonne waka took more than 1,000 hours to design, manufacture and install. Its form recalls some of the earliest waka in the region and has been created to complement the place‑inspired architecture of the redeveloped terminal. Aorere Ararau functions as a tomokanga, a gateway into the region that places all who pass beneath it within the stories and identity of Te Tauihu. The project spanned 14 months and was a collaboration between the eight iwi of Te Tauihu, Nelson Airport, cultural design specialists, artists, structural engineers and fabricators.
Road resealing update
Over the 2025/26 summer period, Tasman District Council had a goal of resurfacing 382,000 square metres of road, which represents almost 5.5 per cent of the district’s total sealed road network. The sealing season began on 6 October and 48 per cent of the programme was completed by the end of January 2026, despite the weather making resurfacing challenging and storm recovery pressures. An additional 105,000 square metres of maintenance sealing was scheduled for areas where there has been cracking. Downer Group’s main South Island sealing group was brought in to help, and it is hoped that the work will be completed by the end of March. Over in Nelson, Nelson City Council’s summer reseal programme is wrapping up for the season, with just a few sites left to complete. The council aims to reseal about 20km of road each year, which is roughly eight per cent of the city’s network. The work helps protect road foundations and reduce the likelihood of potholes. Waimea Rd, along with Tresillian Ave and Marybank Rd, is scheduled for completion in mid-April.
Dimmed streetlights hoped to save money
Tasman District Council is running a trial along Richmond’s Bateup Rd by dimming the streetlight by half at night. Sensors return the lights to full strength when pedestrians or vehicles are detected. Dimming the lights is hoped to reduce energy costs, while the sensors also provide data usage on traffic and pedestrian flows as well as providing real-time feedback on light outages. The trial will continue for a year and become permanent if successful, before possibly being extended across the street light network. Previous trials around the country have demonstrated savings on higher-traffic routes that have more streetlights present.
Bike Hub shifts to weekly opening
The Bike Hub is reducing its public sessions to one a week as demand for refurbished bikes continues to outstrip supply. Volunteers say the showroom has been emptied at every session since the start of the year, making it difficult to meet demand. From 25 March, the hub will open only on Wednesdays from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Donations of surplus bikes are still coming in, which volunteer mechanics repair and service before putting them into the showroom, but the group says it can only offer what it receives.
Sanctuary hosts open weekend
The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary will open its gates for a full weekend of free activities on 28 and 29 March. Running from 10am to 4pm each day, the event is being promoted as Nelson’s Big Green Day Out and offers families a chance to explore up to 15km of walking tracks, browse community stalls and enjoy a range of workshops, arts and crafts, and children’s activities. Visitors can also hear from conservation experts at stationed talks, try a virtual reality kiwi experience and take part in a silent auction supporting the sanctuary’s work. Street food, coffee and real fruit ice cream will be available.
New brewer-led experience at Marchfest
Craft beer lovers are set for the most expansive Marchfest yet, with a bold new format bringing more than 20 breweries and more than 100 beers to Founders Heritage Park this Saturday. Now in its 19th year, the event is shifting to a brewer‑led model, giving each independent brewery its own stand and full lineup of beers. Festival director Shelley Haring says the change is designed to give attendees more choice and a deeper connection to the makers behind their favourite drops. Local names such as The Mussel Inn, Sprig + Fern, Aliment, Golden Bear and Acoustic Brewing will join national brews including Behemoth, Emerson’s, Boneface and Parrotdog. Tickets are available from www.marchfest.com
Playspace Whakatū build gathers pace
Construction of Playspace Whakatū has reached a major milestone, with concrete poured for the first tentacle forms at Rutherford Park. The iwi led project, delivered with Nelson City Council as part of Kōpū, is inspired by the cultural narrative of Te Wheke a Muturangi. Designed by Isthmus and built by local firm Kūmānu, the playspace will reflect the movement of the wheke along the Mahitahi river. Set to open in summer 2026/2027, the space will include a fully fenced core play area, a high ropes tower and slide, integrated shade and seating, a double hulled waka, sculptural hue, an all inclusive carousel, a harness swing, a pendulum swing and maara hūpara inspired adventure zones.
Bridge Street timber set for creative reuse
Nelson City Council and Isaac Construction met with three local woodworking groups last week to discuss how the recently felled Bridge St trees could be repurposed. Representatives from the Nelson Guild of Woodworkers, the Nelson District Woodturning Club and the Centre for Fine Woodworking gathered to look at how the timber might begin its next chapter. The meeting sparked a range of ideas about turning the wood into crafted pieces and the council says it will keep the community updated as the ideas progress.
