26 September 2019
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Te Uru Rakau
Enquiry
Reporter sought comment from Cr Dave Donaldson as follows -
I have written up a story with a few updates on the Te Uru Rākau service setting up here, and the Innovation Hub coming together at Scion.
I hoped to get some comment from you for the piece if possible, as our economic portfolio lead.
My questions are:
How do projects like this affect business confidence in Rotorua, particularly for forestry businesses?
Do you think the Scion campus is the best place for the new Te Uru Rakau office here, or would you have preferred to see that in the CBD?
Response
From Cr Donaldson:
Relocation of Te Uru Rakau to Rotorua recognises that we remain at the heart of New Zealand's forestry sector and reflects that our country's third largest export earner, with an annual gross national income of about $5 billion, still has the potential to grow.
This should bring significant confidence to forestry and wood processing businesses locally and we've seen, for example, the ongoing expansion of the likes of Red Stag reflecting ongoing confidence by the sector itself. The Scion location also aligns with the need to keep innovating and signifies that Rotorua is also at the heart of wood processing innovation.
Te Uru Rakau is also expected to play a key role in delivering sustainable jobs in the regions and to play a role in forestry workforce development and training which provides further local opportunities.
While it's not a matter I nor Council had a say in, and while we all want greater occupancy in the CBD, I think the location of Te Uru Rakau at Te Papa Tipu Innovation Park [Scion] absolutely makes sense. In an era of climate change challenges and given the role of forests in the sustainability of the planet and protecting biodiversity, the new entity is co-locating with not only Scion's sustainability innovation hub, but also with over 20 diverse campus-based businesses or entities relevant to that kaupapa. Examples of that diversity include NIWA [climate], Dairy NZ, Wildlands Consultants [biodiversity], Wood Processing and Manufacturers Assn, Peak Safety Ltd [forest recreation safety patrols etc], as well as the big timber production growers of PF Olsen and Timberlands. That co-location brings formal and informal interactions that are gold in the innovation space.
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Media: Rotorua Weekender (part of Rotorua Daily Post)
Topic: Library school holiday programme
Enquiry
Reporter sought information and commentary about the library school holiday programme:
- What are some of the favourites back again for October and are there any activities new to the school library programme?
- Why do you encourage children and their families to give some of these activities a go? What are you looking forward to?
- Is there anything you would like to add?
Response
From Tori Williams, Rotorua Library Youth and Early Learning Lead (Acting):
The Lego Mystery Build programmes are always popular as well as the Mystery STEAM Bag. The STEAM bag event starts with reading a well-known fairy-tale. Then kids are giving a mystery bag of equipment and asked to solve an engineering problem from the story. New these holidays are yoga sessions for children. We are running two sessions focussed at different ages with Mel from Yogabuds.
There are so many fun things to do at the Library right throughout the holidays from crafts to coding, from yoga to Lego. It is a great chance for kids to try some new things. I am looking forward to seeing what the kids make in E-Textiles, where they sew their own soft toy that lights up!
As well as the event programme The Great Te Aka Mauri Scavenger Hunt will have children searching the building high and low to crack the code.
