Text Version Issue 216, 12 March (Our Nelson)

New community garden to celebrate Chin culture

Nelson’s Chin community will soon have a community garden to celebrate their culture and heritage.

Creating a garden for the community has been in the pipeline for some time and will now become a reality thanks to $40,000 of development funding from the Reserve Development Programme.

Nelson City Council confirmed a location for the garden close to the Miyazu Japanese Garden after leaders from the Chin Community spoke at the public forum of the February 2025 meeting.

Pacific and Ethnic Communities Liaison Councillor Matty Anderson says he is pleased that a location has been secured and work on the garden can now begin.

“It’s great to see the democratic process in action. It’s not always perfect, but it’s satisfying that we are able to work in collaboration with Chin community in this manner after they came and spoke with us at Civic House,” he says.

Nelson is home to around 750 Chin residents, including former refugees escaping the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, their children, and others who have arrived through the Family Reunification Scheme.Nelson Chin Community Secretary Cung Uk says this garden will deepen the relationship between our community and Nelson. “On behalf of the Chin Community in Nelson, we want to express our heartfelt thanks for considering and supporting the creation of a garden for our people. When we first arrived in Nelson, we felt we had little to offer. We were refugees, displaced by war and yearning for a place where we could feel safe and at home.

This garden will not only be a place of peace and comfort for our community but will also be open for everyone to enjoy. We hope it will attract visitors and tourists, fostering connections with our culture and heritage.”

The idea for a Chin community garden was first discussed with Council in 2011. In the following years, staff worked closely with the community to explore potential locations, but at the time, no suitable site was found.

The project faced further delays due to Covid and the August 2022 weather event. Following further discussion with staff, an ideal site was identified in 2024, in Queen Elizabeth II Reserve between Miyazu Japanese Gardens and State Highway 6, paving the way for the project to move forward.

Up to a hectare in size, the garden will showcase Chin culture with flowers and plants native to Myanmar, sculptures and information about the Chin people and their history.

The development of this garden is a partnership, with Nelson City Council providing the space and base funding of $40,000 to get the project started. The Chin community will take the lead in creating the space over the coming years. The horticultural elements of the garden will be maintained by the Chin community.

Tuku 25 programme released: six weeks of events celebrating Nelson's heritage and diversity

Running 23 March to 4 May 2025, Tuku 25 Whakatū has something for everyone from heritage tours and hands-on workshops to cultural performances and historical exhibitions.

There are more than 70 individual events and 70% of the festival’s events are run by community groups or inspired individuals, which makes Tuku 25 a truly collaborative celebration. From family-friendly activities to in-depth historical talks and creative workshops, the festival caters to all ages and interests.

Tuku 25 begins with the popular Multicultural Festival on 23 March at Founders Heritage Park. Taste a wide array of international cuisine and enjoy vibrant performances and cultural activities.

For those interested in creative workshops there is everything from a Waiata Workshop with Te Mana Hā on Saturday 29 March, Indian Block Printing on Saturday 19 April, to Creative Flora Toi where participants will be guided through the creation of Toi Māori floral bouquets and tributes on Wednesday 23 April.Or how about a guided tuatara night walk at the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary? Tuatara were released into the Sanctuary in November, and this is a great chance to see them settled in their new home.

Check out the full programme to see all 70 events! It is available now at tukuwhakatu.nz. Many events are free or koha-based, and bookings are required for some activities.

New walking tracks open up the Brook side of the Grampians

Scaling the Grampians summit from the Brook is now easier and more enjoyable thanks to new walking tracks from Hinau Street and Sowman Street.

These trails, highlighted as high priorities in Council’s On Tracks Strategy 2022, are now open for locals and visitors to explore.

New and recently opened tracks:

• • Ponga Track – A 2km track, linking the top of Sowman St to the Ridgeline Walkway opposite the top of Ronaki Track. Walking time: 45 minutes one way
• • Kawakawa Track – A shorter 400m track, connecting Grampians Rd to Ponga Track. Walking time: 10 minutes to Ponga Track, 40 minutes via Ponga to the Ridgeline Walkway
• • Hinau Track – A 1 km track, connecting Hinau St to the Ridgeline Walkway at the Collingwood Street trig. Walking time: 25 minutes one way
• • Linking Tracks – Two connecting tracks between Ponga and Hinau Tracks provide multiple route options for walkers.

Read the full story at ournelson.govt.nz

Bridge Street East watermain works

Work is continuing on Bridge St East to upgrade the watermain. Work has started at the Collingwood Street end and will move down Bridge Street in approx. 100m sections to minimise disruption to business. The upgrade of this watermain will provide a direct benefit to the CBD and wider network by supplying larger volumes of water than is currently possible. The watermain is responsible for water that we drink, clean with and bathe in. As with the larger Bridge to Better project, the upgrade of this watermain will allow for future growth in the inner city and surrounding areas. As each section of work is underway, there will be a temporary loss of parking to allow traffic to continue to flow in each direction. All businesses in the area will remain open.

Project info

• • 3 March – late April
• • Traffic will continue to flow in both directions
• • Work will be done in 100m sections
• • There will be a temporary loss of parking in the section being worked on.

Go to shape.nelson.govt.nz/bridge-better/bridge-st-east-watermain-starts

Marina promenade blessing

Work has started on the construction of a five metre-wide Marina Promenade – the first stage of the Nelson Marina Masterplan – forging better links between the city and the sea in Nelson.

On Monday, 3 March, Māori ward Councillor Kahu Paki Paki and Council Kaumātua Luke Katu led a blessing of the site attended by iwi, Council staff and elected members.

For more information on the Marina Promenade, read our full story on ournelson.govt.nz

Consultation on proposed changes to Council's schedule of fees and charges 2025/26

Council is seeking your views on proposed changes to its schedule of fees and charges 2025/26.

The consultation period is open from 11 March 2025 until 14 April 2025.

The proposed changes relate to fees and charges for the Trafalgar Centre, burials and cremation activities, aquatic facilities, water, maritime-related activities, and fees and charges under the Resource Management Act and Food Act.

For more information about the proposed changes and details about making a submission, please visit shape.nelson.govt.nz. Copies of the consultation material are also available at Nelson libraries and Council’s customer service centre.

Proposed road and parking changes

For more information and to provide feedback, visit: shape.nelson.govt.nz and select road and parking changes. Feedback closes 5pm Wednesday 26 March.

A full list of meetings for 2025 are available on the Council’s website: nelson.govt.nz/council/council-structure/council-meetings