New Project Aqua Office And Information Centre Open For Business
The open sign is up at the new Project Aqua Office and Information Centre in Kurow.
The new facility opened its doors for the first time this morning (Tuesday 16 December 2003) – in time for the Christmas
influx of visitors and tourists to the Waitaki Valley.
The new building houses a wide selection of resources and material on Meridian Energy and Project Aqua. The Information
Centre is also home to three new Information Officers with a wide range of skills, who have been trained to assist
people to access the information they want about Project Aqua and Meridian Energy.
Project Aqua is a proposed hydro-electric scheme that would run along the south side of the lower Waitaki Valley. It
would generate enough low-cost, renewable electricity to power the equivalent of about 375,000 households in an average
year and about 250,000 households in a very dry year. A very dry year is a 1-in-20 year event.
“Some people want an overview of the project while others require detailed technical information. The new facility
allows us to meet the needs of both groups. It also means there is more space for one-on-one meetings or briefings with
groups as required,” says Meridian Energy spokesperson Alan Seay.
A new scroll (an aerial photograph showing the proposed canal alignment and key elements of the proposed scheme) is on
display, newsletters, fact sheets and other background material is available along with updated information panels and a
new high-tech digital simulation of the project.”
The digital drive-by simulation is the latest of Meridian Energy’s information resources. It shows how the Project Aqua
scheme would look about 15 to 20 years after construction, and how it would integrate with the landscape and river in
the lower Waitaki Valley.
“We can now deliver a better service to the public. The new information officers are dedicated to informing the general
public about the scheme. That leaves Project Aqua Community Relationships Manager Pip Nicolson and Office Administrator
Anna Greenslade more time to concentrate on consulting with the community,” says Alan Seay.
The three additional staff also mean the Information Centre is now open to the public seven days a week until Easter.
Project Aqua Office and Information Centre 12 Bledisloe Street, Kurow
Project Aqua Office Open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm (not open public holidays)
Project Aqua Information Centre Summer hours (from Labour Weekend to the end of Easter): 9am – 4pm, seven days a week
Winter hours (end of Easter to start of Labour Weekend): 9am – 4pm, six days a week The Information Centre is open on
all public holidays except for Christmas Day and Good Friday.