Hamilton City Council public facilities are expected to reopen from midday on Tuesday.
Hamilton City Council public facilities are expected to reopen from midday on Tuesday.
Hamilton City Council is expecting kerbside bin collections to resume on Tuesday, with some public facilities expected to reopen at midday. However, Hamilton Zoo and Hamilton Gardens will remain closed.
The council is putting plans in place for when heavy rain and strong wind warnings are expected to be lifted on Tuesday morning.
Rubbish and recycling collections will be one day later for the remainder of the week. There were no kerbside collections on Monday. If your normal collection day is Monday, put your bins out on Tuesday by 7am and so on throughout the week. Friday collections will be completed on Saturday.
The council says road and weather conditions could mean collections may be later in the day than usual and will be collected into the evening if required.
The Lincoln Street Resource Recovery Centre and Wickham Street Organic centre will remain open.
Hamilton's rubbish and recycling collections will be happening one day later than usual for the remainder of the week.
Some public facilities to reopen
With heavy weather expected to ease in the morning, some public facilities are expected to reopen from midday Tuesday. This includes Hamilton Libraries, Hamilton Pools (Waterworld and Gallagher Aquatic Centre), Waikato Museum, Animal Education and Control and the council’s reception in Garden Place.
This gives staff the chance to check the buildings are safe and complete any clean-up work once the worst of the weather has passed.
Hamilton Zoo and Hamilton Gardens will remain closed on Tuesday so staff can clean up. With wind already causing issues across the city, outdoor facilities are expected to take the worst of the damage due to fallen trees and debris. It is hoped they will be ready to re-open on Wednesday.
The council is asking the community to stay away from parks and open spaces for the next few days while staff assess damage to buildings, check the safety of trees, and clean up any debris.
Be safe, stay home
With the worst of the weather still yet to hit, the council encourages everyone to stay indoors when possible and keep travelling around the city to a minimum.
Strong winds can cause falling trees and other debris. Intense rainfall can result in blockages to roadside drains across the city, causing street flooding and overflows. Please stay out of floodwater, take care when out and about and report any issues to the council.
To report any council weather-related issues, including fallen trees and flooding, use the Antenno app in the first instance or call 07 838 669. If you have an emergency, please ring 111 and ask to be put through to the fire division.
Waikato district declares state of emergency
Waikato District Council declared a state of emergency at 3:38pm on Monday for an initial period of seven days in preparation for the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.
The declaration gives Waikato District Civil Defence professionals special powers to deal with the emergency, including the ability to evacuate residents at high risk of impact.
“The decision to declare was made with the safety of the public forefront of mind,” says Waikato District Mayor Jacqui Church.
“With the worst of the weather due to hit overnight, we want to ensure that we are ready to respond, taking whatever action necessary to keep our people safe.”
The decision was made based on modelling and a risk assessment which indicates several areas of high risk, including low-lying areas near the Waikato river at Port Waikato.
However, the council is urging residents not to wait for authorities to tell them when they need to evacuate.
“If there is surface flooding in your area and you see rising water, do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater,” says Church. “It is also important to remember to never try to walk, play, swim or drive in floodwater and, if someone’s life is in danger, call 111.”
Self-evacuated residents that are unable to seek shelter with friends and whānau should keep an eye on the council website for a list of community-led centres available across the district. Further centres are on standby and can be activated if there is a demand for their services.
