Connect 2018 is an opportunity to welcome new university students into the Riccarton neighbourhood, meet residents and build fresh friendships.

Returning for the third year, Connect 2018 will have entertainment, performances, fun activities and resource information sharing, with free food and loads of prizes to be won. Connecting students with their community provides positive participation and enables a strong foundation for engagement and partnership now and in the future.

This year Connect will be partnering with the event Our Amazing Place, and will be held rain or shine at Harrington Park, Peverel Street, from 3pm to 6pm, on 3 March.

Visit Connect 2018 on Facebook for more information.

A major transformation has restored the Mona Vale Gatehouse to full former glory and its now occupied by 3 animators who have a studio in Ferrymead and will be doing community outreach.

New playground equipment is about to be added to the Picton Reserve playground.

Our Amazing Place Community Treasure Hunts are free community events that seek to connect people to their local communities – and one is coming to Riccarton on March 3. While racing around the community in a fun treasure hunt, teams will discover people, places, businesses and services that are present in our neighbourhood.

The treasure hunt trail features a number of stations which each have a challenge, activity or task that must be completed by teams to gain a stamp for their "passport". These stations are hosted by local organisations at their own venue and give organisations a chance to showcase some of what they provide as a kind of open day. The day finishes with a celebratory event, BBQ and prize giving at Harrington Park!

Will the City Council heed pleas from Riccarton businesses and pull back on roadworks along Riccarton Road for several months?

Families from the Riccarton community and Riccarton Baptist Church had a great weekend together when the Oak Development Trust's annual summer camp was held at Waipara on the weekend of 12-14 January 2018.

Have you ever wanted to organise a Neighbourhood gathering? Do you want to get to know the people who live close to you? Perhaps you've always wanted to put on a potluck for the whole street...  Here's your chance to get some City Council funding to help you do it.

The Bush Inn Centre will replace its Countdown supermarket for a permanent farmers' market, expected to open in early 2019.

The Stuff website reports* that The Provedore will be a range of grocery shops organised into different sections – European, Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Organic, Halal and health foods – as well as traditional supermarket basics. Briscoes would move into the complex.