Raglan News Bulletin Wednesday 9 October 2024

 

Cornerstone Roots is returning to the stage this November for the Raglan Community Radio 30th anniversary celebration. With Heavy Lounge Suite and TeamSquad on board the event will be hosted by Red Robin at the Yard on Friday 8th November. 

 

Raglan Community Radio started its life at Raglan Area School in a room off the side of the gym before coming down to Bow St and has spent the last 20 years in the front room of the town hall.  The station has been a huge supporter of local music over the last 30 years and is stoked to have some of Raglan’s most iconic bands on hand to celebrate their 30th year on air. Tickets available at this link.

 

Tireless volunteers were honoured last week as Mayor Jacqui Church handed out the 2024 Mayoral Community Awards around the district.

 

Volunteers from Raglan who received awards were Sarah Johnson, a local writer and mother of four boys who has been managing the senior RAS boys soccer team for a decade and presumably isn’t finished yet as she still has two sons still at school. Sarah has also been a key part of the Feed The Kids program up at the School.

 

The entire fire brigade also received a Mayoral Award.  With our community totally dependent on volunteers the crew is a key part of our local infrastructure and Chief Frank Turner was on hand to receive the award on their behalf.

 

The District council is suggesting we’re going to have to start paying more for halls in our community. Currently ratepayers in the Raglan catchment pay a targeted rate of $20 per year, but it’s being suggested that some of the more dilapidated halls at Eureka and Ruawaro near Huntly are going to have their rate lifted to $60 a year. 

 

With 33 halls in the district, the Ruawaro hall is in the worst state with Seismic issues, and there is a community meeting due shortly to decide whether to demolish it or not.

 

The Raglan Town Hall is in better shape and from what we understand has been raised to current seismic standards but council hasn’t said if its rate will be raised. It is worth noting however that the town hall committee used to have a good surplus of cash for upkeep but that we understand that council staff have since diverted it into a future building replacement / maintenance fund.

 

The Te Uku Hall however might be exempt from the rate rise as they receive income from renting out a parcel of farmland that was donated for that purpose some decades ago by a forward thinking community member.