Timber! Contractors took down a dead chestnut tree overlooking Lake Te Koo Utu last week.
Timber! Contractors took down a dead chestnut tree overlooking Lake Te Koo Utu last week.
The Covid 19 restrictions have really limited how volunteers can help the Waipā District Council with parks and reserves work.
Groups like Cambridge Tree Trust, Predator Free Cambridge, Eco-FX and the Kakepuku Mountain Conservation Project are still pitching in within those limits, Community Services acting manager Brad Ward told the Strategic Planning and Policy committee this week.
But voluntary weeding days had to be cancelled back in October and November.
Between October 1 and December 31, the council removed 58 trees and pruned 733 others as part of their routine upkeep.
“With Covid-19 Alert Level changes to the traffic light system, both the Cambridge and Te Awamutu Park Operations teams have managed work in multiple bubbles to help with business continuity to reduce the risk of transmission of Covid-19 through the community,” said Ward.
Around Lake Te Koo Utu, some tracks slipped due to shifting banks in the sandy soil.
The Cambridge Tree Trust at one of their usual meetings with Waipā District Council Parks Operation team leader Matt Johnston (at rear, socially distanced). Also shown are Jane Moodie, Joan Mc Cathie, Eric Todd, Peter Fisher and John Moodie.
At Te Awamutu Memorial Park, contractors are finishing up small pathway repairs while others fix fencing at the netball courts that was damaged by storms.
This work has kept going even though there are some staff vacancies.
“The Cambridge Parks team is still finding it difficult to recruit for multiple vacancies. The work programme and staff roles have been adjusted during this time to ensure high profile site maintenance is maintained to appropriate levels of service.”
In Te Awamutu, they’re trying to hire for a parks operator position but it’s been tough too, said Ward.
