Daniel Hutchinson From The Hutch

I love a good renovation project. There's two main ‘reno' types – ‘the buy it, fix it, flip it' kind and the other one, where you spruce up, and extend out with the intention of living in it afterwards.

It's the second one that Tauranga City Council ratepayers will be helping to fund. A grand re-imagining of the CBD includes towering buildings, dripping with plants like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, housing a new library, the long-overdue museum and a 'civic whare”.

The museum has been a sticking point for local politicians for years and it's notable that it has taken a lack of political accountability to get it across the line.

Personally, I believe a museum is one of the first things you should build in any town or city. If you don't understand your history, it's hard to understand the present, or make decisions about the future.

The $303.4 million Civic Precinct Masterplan – Te Manawataki o te Papa – was given the green light this week, alongside a smaller project to spruce up the waterfront.

It's a lot of money – about half will be funded by rates – so it's important to do it once and do it right. Given recent experiences with council building projects in the CBD, it's also important it goes ahead without any major setbacks.

The existing CBD doesn't reflect the vibrancy of the region, nor does it highlight its most spectacular asset – the harbour. The cost per household is about the same as a family subscription to Netflix.

Love it or hate it – it is happening and it's going to have a profound effect at the heart of the Bay of Plenty's largest city.

The week's news

Probably the most pressing issue of the week is news that Coca-Cola is replacing its two most popular sugar-free products with one flavour. Coke Zero and Coke No Sugar are being replaced by Coke Zero Sugar, with a taste close as possible to the original.

Chilling out

In other news, the Antarctic Heritage Trust is looking for young Kiwis and Norwegians that it can send to the South Pole. The coolest of cool trips is to mark the 150th birthday of explorer Roal Amundsen.

Trust executive director, Nigel Watson admits the 1000km, 40-day trek – through 'extreme weather and terrain” won't be for everyone.

Presumably young people take longer to freeze than older people because the Inspiring Explorers Expedition is looking for explorers, aged between 18 and 35 to take part. Hopefuls have until June 13 to apply.
'We want to create a team of Kiwis and Norwegians who embody the spirit of explorers like Amundsen,” says Nigel.

Staying clean

While the rest of us were lapping up Lindauer and staring soulfully at the stars on New Year's Eve, some residents of Waikeria Prison were taking their resolutions to clean up their acts, a little bit too far.

It was reported this week that a group of prisoners were getting tipsy on hand sanitiser. Staff confiscated the drinks and 10 men have been charged with misconduct. Drinking hand sanitiser is not recommended and can cause serious health side-effects.

PM hits the road

New Zealand Prime Ministers tend to spend a lot of their time on overseas trips, touting for business and selling the country as a tourist destination.

Dressed in a pink pant suit and with her trademark grin, Jacinda had her fourth appearance on ‘The Late Show' with Stephen Colbert, in the United States.