Waikato news in brief

Cambridge's town clock dates back to 1908 and is set to receive a huge fix after a series of mechanical failures and ongoing external deterioration. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

Town Clock

Cambridge’s historic town clock is set to receive a massive $450,000 fix. The repair and restoration is set to begin around November and likely to see the clock out of action for up to three months.

Butcher Awards

At the recent National Butchery Awards, Brad Gillespie, of New World Rototuna placed second in the Pure South Master Butcher Teams Challenge with his teammates David Parsons and Hannah Miller Childs.

New bus service

The Meteor bus service, replacing the 2 Silverdale and 8 Frankton lines with a more direct route, launched this week. The Meteor runs about every 15 minutes during business hours on weekdays and travels between Rotokauri and Silverdale.

Playground upgrade

Paterson Park playground in Ngāruawāhia is due for an upgrade and the local council has shortlisted two options for the community to choose from. Options can be viewed and feedback be given via the council’s website.

Hamilton lake works

Niwa has been at Hamilton Lake (Lake Rotoroa) this week to catch perch fish for their research on the effectiveness of an acoustic fish fence to minimise the movement of pest fish.

New businesses

Several new businesses have opened their doors in Hamilton. They include vintage and collectables shop Fossick, cocktail venue Alchemist Bar and bakery Rudi’s Bakehouse.

Helmet competition

Hamilton City Council is running its annual Design a Helmet competition. Kids can enter their designs until September 15. The winning designs will be painted by a professional and put onto a bike helmet. More info via the council’s Facebook page.

Te Huia customers

A Waikato Regional Council survey revealed Te Huia passenger numbers have rebounded and customer satisfaction is at an all-time high. Since the service resumed travel into central Auckland, passenger volumes have been between 30 and 50 per cent up on the June weekly average of 1349.

Christmas trees

Expressions of interest for the annual Trees at The Meteor exhibition have opened. The community is invited to create a unique Christmas tree that will be on show at Hamilton’s The Meteor Theatre from December 13 to 21.