by Christine McCarthy
Can ugly buildings be heritage? This question responds to the idea that ugliness (“ugly,” “eyesore,” “hideous,” “concrete monolith,” “North Korean flat,” etc.) is a reason why the Gordon Wilson Flats should not be saved, while appreciating that for many the Gordon Wilson Flats is not ugly. Read more »

Press Release – Ginny Anderson
Fed up with government inaction on mental health issues, Hutt community representatives have taken matters into their own hands and created a plan of their own. Read more »

Press Release – Joint Press Release
A collaboration between quirky theatre makers and chatty hairdressers will see the return of Political Cutz, a pop-up hair salon offering cheap coffee and free professional haircuts in exchange for political discussion in the lead up to the General Election. Read more »

by Ben Schrader
It has long been a strategy among owners of heritage buildings who want them demolished to claim that they have little historic value, have minimal architectural merit, or are earthquake risks and too costly to fix – often all three. The Town Hall, VUW’s Hunter Building and the Harcourts Building were all considered write-offs before it was discovered they weren’t. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Three councillors have called a public meeting for tonight to discuss Victoria University’s plan to sell its Karori campus. The meeting will be from 7.30 until 9 pm at the Karori Normal School Hall. It aims to discuss concerns about how the community can have a greater say and influence on what happens to the campus. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Concept designs for a redesign of lower Tory Street are now on display at Courtenay Central from 7am-7pm until Sunday. Read more »

News from Greater Wellington Regional Council
Consultation opened today on a raft of public transport fare changes proposed by Greater Wellington Regional Council. Read more »

Press Release – Tracksafe Foundation
A rise in rail incidents involving pedestrians wearing headphones is being targeted in a new safety campaign that is being launched by Associate Transport Minister Tim Macindoe for Rail Safety Week at the Wellington Railway Station today. Read more »

News from TVNZ
A Q+A Colmar Brunton snap poll released today shows Labour’s candidate is leading in the Ohariu electorate. Read more »

News from NZ Labour Party
“The latest poll results are encouraging, but I’d be presumptuous to take reassurance about them this far out from Election Day,” says Ōhāriu Labour candidate Greg O’Connor, speaking about the 1 News Colmar Brunton poll released today showing him well ahead in the Ōhāriu electorate race. Read more »

News from Wellington City Council
An estimated 3000 submissions have been received on the four new design options proposed by the Wellington City Council for the Parade in Island Bay – including the cycleway. Consultation ended at 9pm tonight. Read more »

News from WCC
Following feedback from residents, 24-hour parking restrictions will be in place from Monday on Miramar South streets. Residents will be entitled to one parking exemption per housing unit. Read more »

BusinessDesk report by Pattrick Smellie
The Labour Party can only hope to change the government if its policies attract the same pick-up in support as its new Jacinda Ardern has done in last week, the leader of The Opportunities Party, Gareth Morgan, said at the party’s official election campaign launch in Wellington today. Read more »

by Neil Douglas
Greater Wellington Regional Council has been slowing the trains down since taking charge of the timetable. It now takes five minutes longer to travel into Wellington from Masterton than it did in 2004 when Tranz Rail (as part of Toll Holdings) ran the service and did the timetable. And it takes six minutes longer to travel home again. Read more »

News from Expressway Noise Action Group
Kapiti residents have been told there is little chance of respite from the expressway noise in the medium term. Read more »

News from Wellington City Council
Makara is the big winner in the latest group of grants from the Lion Foundation and Karori Brooklyn Community Charitable Trust (KBCCT). Read more »

Press Release – Wellington Regional Council
Greater Wellington Regional Council has approved the permanent chlorination of Lower Hutt’s drinking water. The Council voted in favour of a recommendation from Wellington Water, which has completed an investigation into the contamination of water supplied from the Waiwhetu Aquifer. Read more »

News from WCC
A project dedicated to creating harmony between people, pets, and wildlife in Polhill Reserve has won the Supreme Award at this evening’s Wellington City Community Awards ceremony. Read more »