Hamilton City Council is to build a new rugby training ground at Beetham Park, near Waikato Stadium. The facility will include a full-sized field, goalposts, lighting, changing sheds, and toilets. Tenders are currently being invited for construction, with the intention of a contractor beginning work on 1 November, 2009. The new Waikato Stadium Training Ground, costing $1,813,000, will be read... more...

Hamilton City Council has adopted a variation to the District Plan zoning rules to better manage future retail, business and industrial activities. The variation recognises the central city as the primary centre for business activity, retailing and entertainment and influences what can happen elsewhere in Hamilton. These changes are intended to make it more attractive to set up and carry out bus... more...

There was a full house at Founders Theatre last night [24 September] for the 2009 Recognyz Youth Awards. These annual awards celebrate the positive contributions that Hamilton youth make to the city. This year's Supreme Award winner was 18-year-old Melville High School student Melandi Slabbert, who stood out for her efforts in demonstrating youth leadership both in her school and community – mos... more...

Hamilton City Libraries will be marking 125 years of service next month – with celebrations set to kick off in truly dramatic style this Saturday [26 September]. On Saturday from 10am a battle re-enactment of the Zulu war in 1879 will be held at Lake Domain below the water tower, where children aged between 5-14 years old will take to the battlefield alongside Alf's Imperial Army, armed with self... more...

The Happy Feet, pilot programme has received a ‘highly commended’ award at the recent National Golden Foot Awards, hosted by Living Streets Aotearoa. Councillor Daphne Bell, who is a keen supporter of the programme represented it and the key partners at the awards says the pilot programme has been an outstanding success. “The pilot was developed when Kids Club 2 kindergarten wanted to start a Wa... more...

New security measures have been put in place and activated today at the city’s seven water reservoir sites. The new measures enhance public safety and reinforce the integrity of security at the facilities. City waters manager Tim Harty says the new measures have been put in place following a review of security at these strategically important city facilities. “Our security has been good, however... more...

Hamilton's young talent will be showcased tomorrow night [24 September] at Founders Theatre for the Recognyz Youth Awards '09. Over 90 young people will take the stage as part of the awards, which promise to be a night of entertainment, inspiration and awe-inspiring stories. The local talent will be complemented by a performance by well-known New Zealand band Nesian Mystik, which will close the a... more...

Local residents have been given the opportunity to exhibit their art publicly – many for the first time – thanks to a community art project coordinated by Waikato Museum. To celebrate the Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Awards, the project 'Art to the People' saw members of the community encouraged to 'unleash their inner artist' over recent weeks in order to create pieces of art – with a... more...

The 'Christmas at Clarence St' theatre programme is back for 2009 – with an extended season and great line-up of entertainment in time for the festive season. Christmas at Clarence St began in 2007, after it was initiated by Hamilton City Theatres in partnership with local and national organisations. What began as a two-week programme grew to three weeks in 2008, and will this year run as a four-... more...

Work to repair slip damage to a section of the Waikato River pathway in Hamilton, is set to begin in early Summer. The path, between Bryce St and London St (Kirikiriroa Reserve) was badly damaged in heavy rain, last winter. The steep terrain meant the redesign work was complicated and it will cost $720,000 to fix. General Manager Works and Services Chris Allen said the repair cost has been ass... more...

Hamilton City Council contractors are to remove a private deck encroaching on public land at 1156 Victoria St, Hamilton. The property owners have been advised of the removal, which will take place the week beginning 21 September. Parks and Gardens Manager Bill Featherstone said the deck was built on public reserve without Council’s approval. “There hasn’t been the opportunity to put it throug... more...

Dressing up their shop in 'all black' has seen Hamilton's Lone Star win a signed All Blacks jersey and an encounter with a New Zealand rugby legend in the build-up to tomorrow's big test match between the All Blacks and Springboks. Lone Star was one of many central city businesses who took up the challenge of 'blacking out' their premises as part of a competition run by Hamilton City Council and ... more...

Entries are now open for one of Hamilton's highest honours – the Hamilton Civic Awards. Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock said year after year thousands of people help to make Hamilton a great city through their personal commitment and generosity. "Recognising these exceptional people in our midst is what the Hamilton Civic Awards are all about," he said. "I encourage residents to put forward those who... more...

Prime Minister John Key today launched Future Proof, a new strategy to manage growth in the Future Proof area, which includes Hamilton City, and Waikato and Waipa districts. Kiingi Tuheitia was also in attendance at the launch in Hamilton as a supporter of the strategy which has involved tangata whenua as a key partner. With the sub-region's population set to almost double in the next 5... more...

One person's rubbish is another person's art – an artwork resembling the contents of an upturned wastepaper bin has been announced as the winner of the Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Award 2009. Currently in its ninth year, the award is renowned for the challenging and often controversial entries it attracts. This year's winning entry 'Collateral' by Auckland artist Dane Mitchell was se... more...