A good crowd gathered at the Ashburton RSA to commemorate Armistice Day on Tuesday.

This is a day that reminds us of the importance of peace, compassion and unity, and it was an honour to be a part of it.

The past two weeks have been a busy time and I’ve attended quite a few events, as well as tending to the usual council business.

It has been great getting out and about in the community, from primary school book weeks to cultural events and centenaries. This is something that the councillors and I value and we enjoy being invited along to community events.

One event I was really pleased to be a part of was the planting day at Mini Mid Canterbury, the new mini golf course at EA Networks Centre. Some enthusiastic senior students from Longbeach School helped make light work of planting the native grasses and it was obvious they are looking forward to having a round or two once it opens.

I like the fact that mini golf is an activity for people of all ages and abilities, and is designed to be fun. The course has been built with funds that have accumulated in Council’s Reserve Contributions Account over the years, and that is money collected from developers earmarked specifically for playgrounds and the like.

Last week we had the first of our reserve boards and memorial hall triennial meetings. These sub-committees of Council help with the running of the different reserves and halls and rely on volunteers. Keep an eye out for information on the meetings and come along if you would like to be involved.

Enjoy the long weekend. I plan to spend some time in my garden and get out on a walk or two. If you are travelling, be stay safe on the roads.