Here’s a summary of Council services over the Christmas and New Year public holidays 2024-25 – there are a few temporary changes to operating hours at some facilities.

The customer services counter at Te Whare Whakatere, Baring Square East, will only be closed on the public holidays this year. The service desk will be open on Friday 27 December, Monday 30 December, Tuesday 31 December and Friday 3 January.

You can still get in touch with us by phone at any time over the holiday period if you have a problem or urgently need to contact us, as the afterhours service will be operating 24 hours-a-day - please phone 03 307 7700.

Looking for something to do with the kids? Check out our summer activity guide here.

Rubbish and recycling

There is no kerbside rubbish and recycling collection on Christmas Day so Council will be collecting everyone’s wheelie bins one day later than normal that week. Wednesday’s collection moves to Thursday, and Thursday’s collection to Friday, and Friday’s collection will take place on Saturday.

Kerbside collection services are as normal for the week beginning Monday 30 December and bins will be emptied on Wednesday 1 January, even though it is New Year’s Day.

Keep your recycling sorted correctly: Paper, gift wrapping and flattened cardboard can be put in the yellow recycling bin, but metallic, plastic or foil wrapping, bows and ribbons aren’t recyclable and need to go into the rubbish.

Try the tear test - if you can’t easily rip it, it’s likely to have a plastic coating so chuck it in the red bin, along with plastic toy and gift packaging. Still not sure, check it out on binitright.nz.

Remember to have your wheelie bins out by 7.30am on collection days and use your windstrap, whether it's windy or not.

Resource Recovery Parks

The Ashburton Resource Recovery Park will close at 12pm on Tuesday 24 December, and be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It will be open and operating usual hours from Friday 27 January to Tuesday 31 December.

The resource recovery park will also be closed on New Year’s Day, Wednesday 1 January. The facility will be open on Thursday 2 January and resume normal hours thereafter.

The Methven green waste dropoff will be closed on Wednesday 25 December, and on Wednesday 1 January.
The Rakaia Resource Recovery Park will be closed on Wednesday 25 December and on Wednesday 1 January.

EA Networks Centre

The centre will close at 3pm on Tuesday 24 December and be closed on 25 and 26 December. It will open from 10am-5pm on Friday 27 December, Saturday 28, Sunday 29 and Monday 30. It will close at 3pm on New Year’s eve.

The centre will be closed on 1 and 2 January.

Normal hours resume for the gym and stadium from 3 January, but the aquatic area is closed for scheduled maintenance from 3 January until 2 February. The Hampstead Pool will be open, with lifeguards on duty.

Keep an eye on the centre’s Facebook page for other holiday activities, and Hampstead pool opening times.

Mt Hutt Memorial Hall

The Mt Hutt Memorial Hall at Methven will be closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January. Operating hours on other days are 10am-2pm.

Ashburton Library

The Ashburton Library will close at 1pm on Tuesday 24 December, and be closed all day on 25 and 26 December, and on 1 and 2 January. The library will be open 9am-5pm on weekdays and from 10am-4pm on weekends during the holiday break.

Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum

The Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum will be open 10am-4pm every day except Wednesday 25 December and Thursday 26 December.

There’s always a host of activities, including the great Santa Hunt when visitors try to find all the sneaky Santas in their hiding spots.

Watch out for details on Facebook for the facility’s daily activities during the holidays.

Customer Services

Council’s customer services counter at Baring Square East will be closed 25 and 26 December, and 1 and 2 January. It will be open on Friday 27 December, Monday 30 December, Tuesday 31 December and Friday 3 January, from 9am-5pm for administration inquiries.

If you have a problem or urgently need to contact us, then the afterhours/24 hours-a-day telephone service will be operating - please phone 03 307 7700.

Public toilets around the district will be open daily as usual, and Open Spaces staff will be on deck to keep our parks and reserves looking ship shape.

All services will return to normal by Monday 6 January.