The politicians and the people agree - a traditional ceremony yesterday to mark the start of construction of two new concrete bridges worth $18.5 million across the Waitaki River was historic, significant, momentous and eagerly anticipated.
Two sections of the historic 132-year-old Kurow twin bridges will be preserved for public display once the bridges are replaced with modern structures later this year.
A large crowd turned out to enjoy a flutter, a drop of Waitaki Valley wine and lashings of strawberries and cream under bright sunshine at the annual Kurow races yesterday. Organisers acknowledged they were fortunate with the weather.
A decision about when a project to replace the 132-year-old twin bridges between Kurow and Hakataramea will get funding will not be made until September, according to the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).
Kurow's replica Rugby World Cup trophy is back atop the hay bales on the town's main street after it was vandalised during the weekend.
A row has broken out between the Waimate District Council and Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean over whether funding will be available to start building twin bridges across the Waitaki River at Kurow next financial year.
The twin bridges over the Waitaki River between Kurow and Hakataramea on State Highway 82 were closed last night for safety reasons after scouring was found around a pile.
The closing of the twin bridges across the Waitaki River between Kurow and Hakataramea at night has been extended.
Funding has been approved to replace the 131-year-old twin bridges between Hakataramea and Kurow and work on two-lane bridges will start next year, Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said yesterday.
"No Bridge No Vote" is a message delivered to all 121 of Parliament's MPs by Waimate Mayor John Coles on behalf of the Waitaki Bridges Lobby Group, which is pushing for urgent replacement of the twin bridges across the Waitaki River between Kurow and Hakataramea.
Kurow and Hakataramea communities fear if either of the twin bridges across the Waitaki River between their communities is knocked out by flooding, it could take two to three years to restore the link with a new bridge.
A large hay bale stack bearing the image of one of Kurow's favourite sons has been erected in the township ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
A pressure group has been set up to push for two new bridges across the Waitaki River between Kurow and Hakataramea, amid fears they could drop down the priority list partly because of reconstruction needed in Christchurch after the earthquakes.
After spending five years turning a former Kurow fruit orchard into a vineyard and winery, Murray Turner has moved on to fresh fields.
The twin bridges on State Highway 82 between Kurow and Hakataramea will close for two days next week, the third closure this year.
People living in Kurow and its surrounding area are invited to have their say on the future of the town, at a public meeting on Saturday.
All Grace Astle wanted for her sixth birthday was fish and chips for tea. But takeaways were off the menu on February 22 - the day of the Christchurch earthquake - as what started off as a normal day for the Astle family turned into anything but.
Debris wrapped around some of the 20 piers supporting the 129-year-old twin bridges between Kurow and Hakataramea is proving hard to remove.
Smartening up Kurow is the aim of a group of three local people who plan to organise a public meeting next month to involve the community in planning for its future development.
The twin bridges over the Waitaki River between Kurow and Hakataramea will be temporarily closed today to allow vegetation to be removed from around the piers.
