Summer swim spot competitions closed

Horizons Regional Council has wrapped up its summer monitoring programme and swim spot campaign for another year.

Horizons chair Bruce Gordon is pleased with the success of this summer’s monitoring programme.
 
“Our science team have done a fantastic job by getting out to over 80 swim spots across the region each week, with the help of Ngāti Rangi in the Ruapehu District.
 
“While the sites haven’t been ‘green’ 100 per cent of the time, we’ve been able to provide information to help our communities make informed decisions on when it’s safe to swim at their favourite spot.”
 
For the third year, Horizons ran a #swiminourregion photo competition, asking the public to share photos of themselves enjoying the region’s waterways. By tagging the location and using the hashtag they were in to win a water-related experience within the region.
 
“This year we had 177 entries, which was an exceptional number and the quality was really high. Horizons Chief Executive Michael McCartney, Manawatū Standard photographer David Unwin, and I were pleased to be the judges once again,” says Mr Gordon.
 
“This time, we’ve chosen three winners. One in first place, and two second equal. Congratulations goes to Robyn Wilson whose photo was of her partner and dog enjoying the Mangawhero River in Ohakune.
 
“Julie MacLean had several entries which were all fantastic, but ultimately a shot of her children feeding an eel in the Kahuterawa Stream won her the second equal prize, with Tui Bolger’s shot of her daughter at Vinegar Hill. All three have won a water-related prize within our region, with Robyn’s worth up to $1000, and the other’s worth $250.”
 
Throughout the summer campaign Horizons also held seven community events, one in each district, where the community was invited to come along and help spruce up their swim spot through rubbish collection. Volunteers were then treated to a free sausage sizzle and/or ‘Nice block’ thanks to More FM.
 
Horizons’ monthly state of the environment water quality monitoring programme which tests a much wider set of parameters at over 100 sites across the region will continue throughout the year.
 
Horizons will be kicking off their winter campaign #plantinourregion in June. This campaign aims to educate the regional community about planting underway in the region, the benefits planting brings and how people can get involved. This will also include a photo competition, so stay tuned to Horizons’ social accounts and website for more information.