For many years we have had Christmas lights brightening up Bow Street over the Christmas-New Year period. Various methods have been used to pay for them. It has always been a challenge to find the funding for the lights. Raglan now owns 20 sets, donated by Meridian Energy in 2010. These are a valuable asset.
Erecting and taking down the lights is expensive. Only qualified lines people using a truck mounted bucket lift are allowed to work on the lights. They need to be installed in December and then and taken down again in January. The Community Board has negotiated strongly with WEL Networks on undertaking the required work and agreed on a price of $6000. The Raglan Operational Support Unit has agreed to provide traffic control at no cost while the lights go up and down. Board members Bob MacLeod and Barry Ashby will be leading this project.
At its last meeting the Community Board agreed to fund $2,000 of the cost from its discretionary fund, leaving a $4,000 still needed to allow the lights to go up. The Board has proposed that the Raglan community sponsors the remaining cost on the basis of $200 per set of lights/ pole. This type of sponsorship would be an appropriate way of covering the remaining costs. Combinations of folk may sponsor a set if $200 is way out of reach.
So far we have nine sets of lights sponsored:
- Residents and Ratepayers Assn.
- Raglan website www.raglan.gen.nz
- Journey’s End B&B
- ASR
- Control Systems Ltd
- Raglan Lions
- Ray White Raglan Real Estate
- Westpac Raglan
- Orca Restaurant & Bar and Wainui Foodmarket
The Board understands that local organisations and businesses are hard pressed. We believe that it is important to have Christmas lights brighten up the town for residents, businesses and visitors.
If you would like to support a set of lights please contact Barry Ashby on 825 6727. We need at least another 11 sponsors to make this happen. If we get more than 20 sponsors then more lights will go up!
Rodger Gallagher
Chairperson
Raglan Community Board