Mel Courtney

Mel Courtney - Nelson City Councillor

GETTING THE JOB DONE

FOR NELSON

I love Nelson, it's a beautiful city with brilliant people. Having been your Member of Parliament and a City Councillor I have an intimate knowledge of the workings of both central and local government.

I have a strong business background having owned and operated supermarkets, alongside other business interests, creating hundreds of jobs in the Nelson region. This gives me a deep understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced by us all. Being independent assists me in bringing together a democratic, transparent and accountable council working for the benefit of everyone.

My focus is on promoting policies that make our community more sustainable, resilient and connected. This is where our future lies!

FIRST DAY OF SPRING.

Spring is the time to renew our hopes & dreams, isn’t it?

YES - BEACH MAT NOW AT TAHUNANUI BEACH

Michelle Ashby you’ll be very pleased to learn the proposal you have been suggesting for Tahunanui beach is now happening.

The beach has now become more accessible for everyone with the arrival of the Mobi-Beach Mat.

The mat, will allow wheelchairs & strollers etc to reach the sand & sea.

The mat is another community project funded by Nelson Host Lions Club with additional support from NCC.

A big thank you must also go to Toby Wild and his team at Moana Paddle Nelson who will roll the beach mat out on the sand & then bring it in & store it.

JOB DONE - STOKE SKATE PARK

JOB DONE - SHADE SAIL AT TAHUNANUI BEACH HAS BEEN REPLACED.

Sarah Jones & Ru Dawson, you will be pleased to know that T & M Covers have now replaced the missing shade that was positioned on the Tahunanui beach front (adjacent to Mr Whippy). The new shade sail will be appreciated by beach-goers, providing the much needed shade you referred to. The large sail was damaged beyond repair during last winter & wasn’t replaced due to an oversight.

GOOD NEWS - ISEL PARK BRIDGE READY FOR USE.

Myra Jenkins you & your friends will be excited to learn the bridge being constructed (on the left as you approach the main gates of Isel park) is near completion & able to be used.

The new bridge is non slip therefore safer, with no steepness, wider & accessible to everyone.

Thank you Myra for your patience with the replacement of this bridge - good things take time, don't they?

GOOD NEWS - UPDATE - Boosting green energy at Nelson Hospital.

You will be interested to know Nelson Hospital is utilising 30% of the gas from the combined NCC/TDC owned York Valley Landfill. The gas is piped to the Nelson Hospital and used as an energy source to fire the 2.0MWth boiler located at the hospital. The boiler produces over 60% of the hospital’s thermal energy demand for heating, steam and hot water.

To further improve our environment a new enclosed flare has been installed at the York Valley Landfill & is running well, having combusted 768,000 m3 of landfill gas since December last year.

The old York Valley flare has been moved to Eves Valley & been installed.

The Eves Valley flare is estimated to be combusting 175 m3 per hour of landfill gas.

Measurements of the gas removed from the Eves Valley landfill show a methane content of between 65% and 70% methane.

Based on the data available the Eves Valley flare is removing around 13,750 tonnes of CO2 equivalent from being discharged to the atmosphere - which is the equivalent to reducing car travel by 81 Million Km.

Cutting methane emissions is key to slowing global warming, isn't it?

JOB DONE - BOARDWALKS & STEPS REPAIRED.

Joss Cumming you will be pleased to know your concerns relating to the condition of the boardwalks and steps at Tahunanui Beach have been attended to by NCC contractor Nelmac.

A full condition assessment of all the boardwalks at the beach was undertaken and the offending boards have either been replaced or reattached and steps reinstated. Thank you for your patience and understanding in regard to this matter.

TAKING A WALK WITH NATURE - VISITOR NUMBERS UP 40%.

As more and more people come to appreciate the beauty and value of nature, the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary visitor numbers climb.

The Brook Sanctuary is the largest (700 hectare) fenced Sanctuary for endangered/vulnerable creatures & plants in the South Island.

The main loop track takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour to walk & is suitable for people of all ages & abilities & is fully accessible for wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

The atmosphere in the Sanctuary is one of pure serenity as you walk through lush native bush, listen to glorious birdsong and then when you are fully immerse in nature there is a sense of peace & tranquility that can only be good for one’s health/wellbeing.

JOB DONE - TRAFALGAR PLAZA IN LIGHTS.

JOB DONE - FOUNTAIN UPGRADE COMPLETE.

Don Poole you will be pleased to know the fountain in the Queens Garden pond has now been upgraded & is back working at it's best.

The upgrade will help aerate the water at the Suter Art Gallery end of the pond & improve the water quality in general.

Don, it's important you know the bottom of the pond is not sealed and it fulfills a critical storm-water retention function while adding an air of serenity to our beautiful Queens Garden.

Even the geese & their goslings are happy the fountain is working again.

JOB DONE - PATHWAY BETWEEN MAIN ROAD STOKE & NEALE AVENUE – HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

George Truman you will be pleased to know work on constructing a pathway along Poorman Valley Stream between Main Road Stoke & Neale Avenue has now been completed.

The gap you identified has been filled with a new 2.5 metre wide shared path. It runs along the true left bank of the stream from Main Road Stoke (by the Countdown carpark), past the Whareama Rest Home through to Neale Ave.

The pathway creates a connection between the recreation areas of Neale Reserve (& nearby sections of the Railway Reserve) & Isel Park & Greenmeadows Reserve.

It also provides an off-road connection, all the way from Marsden Valley & out to the Great Taste Trail on Whakatu Drive. Connecting/linking our community is important, isn't

GOOD NEWS - MAJOR UPGRADE - CHILDRENS PLAYGROUND - FOUNDERS HERITAGE PARK.

Amelia Crundwell & Lulu Armstrong I have great news for you. Council has commenced its planning for a major renewal/upgrade of the childrens playground at Founders Heritage Park. The project will be financed using some of the funds raised at the Founders Book Fair. NCC plans to refurbish the retro (more recent) items/equipment (roundabout & slide) but will be renewing the remaining play equipment. This will include accessible play equipment & consideration is also being given to other options for the surface of the playground, that should assist in alleviating the drainage issue. Council is starting work immediately on the sourcing/purchasing process & is aiming to get the project underway as soon as possible.

You will be interested to know that FHP playground is one of the most popular children playgrounds (among the 66) owned by NCC & is maintained with funds derived from Founders Heritage Park.

Playgrounds are so important for our children, aren't they?

NEWS - IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER.

You will be interested to know since the introduction into the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary last year of over 100 rare orange fronted parakeets (native kakariki karaka), the sanctuary now has one of the biggest populations in NZ.

Also 30 of the most threatened giant Powelliphanta hochstetteri snails have been released into the sanctuary.

These unique snails are among the largest in the world & this particular powelliphanta (snail) is endemic to Nelson & Marlborough regions.

The backbone of the Sanctuary are the volunteers who collectively put in over 20,000 hours of caring last year - don’t you love our volunteers?