Mayor's Message

Last month marked six months since Cyclone Gabrielle, and while there is still a long way to go in our recovery, it was an opportunity to reflect on the progress that had been made.

Ten of 16 bridges and crossings have to date have temporary replacements and many kilometres of roads have been repaired, at least to a state where people in our more remote communities have access.

In the most heavily impacted areas, there’s still a lot of truck traffic collecting silt – as of August 15, 635,000 cubic metres had been collected, positive headway on the estimated one million cubic metres in total that was deposited.

For our people whose lives, properties and livelihoods have been upended by this event, the process to bring some certainty about what their future holds continues – we are acutely aware of how stressful this is.

For the whole of our district, this has been a challenging winter. It’s very welcome that Spring is around the corner, and it’s been heartening to see some of our growers re-planting and we hope this year delivers a good season for those who are in a position to move forward.

For our community, Spring in Heretaunga Hastings means blossoms and the start of our annual events season, starting with our wonderful Blossom Festival.

Record numbers of our community came to the festival last year to enjoy three days of fun and entertainment, the highlight event being the Blossom Parade.

The parade has heralded the arrival of Spring since 1950 and it continues to bring families and our community together to enjoy the floats, bands, dancers and community groups.

With the festival now being three days – there’s so much more to enjoy with live acts and music, carnival rides, outdoor movies, and more.

There’s also ongoing events commemorating Hastings township turning 150 and other regional events on the calendar for coming months, showcasing what Heretaunga Hastings and the wider Hawke’s Bay has to offer, and that it is open for business.

Kia kaha

Sandra Hazlehurst

Mayor of Hastings

29 September 2023

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