A delegation of Kiwis is in town to further a relationship with Orange that extends for 31 years.
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Timaru council mayor Damon Odey, councillor Steve Wills and sister city chairman Barrie Suter are in Orange this week to talk business, food festivals and the potential for cultural exchanges.
And, there is the sport.
Cr Wills recalled a trip by a team from James Sheahan High School to the Timaru district this year in which the Orange boys “whooped our boys” at rugby union.
And with a netball team from Orange planning a visit the Kiwis are getting concerned.
Cr Wills said with the two cities being a similar size and having a similar role servicing a rural area Orange and Timaru had a lot in common.
He said the two councils were looking at sharing business information, Timaru was seeking advice from Orange to set up a food festival and there was room for potential staff exchanges.
Timaru mayor Cr Odey said the sister city links were important.
“A lot of people see that going on a sister city visit was a junket but there is real value in the sister city relationship.”
He said links already developed by Orange school and sporting groups visiting Timaru were important for young people.
Cr Odey said it was hoped Timaru schools could also travel to Orange.
Timaru, a port city of 44,000 people, between Christchurch and Dunedin on the south island, is one of four sister cities to Orange City Council.
The relationship was set up in 1986.
Cr Odey said it had developed out of both cities having a common sister city link with the United States city of Orange in California.
Orange has been a sister city with its American namesake since 1963.
That Orange has a population of about 140,000 people and is located near Los Angeles.
Orange also has a sister city relationship with Ushiku in Japan.
It was set up in 1990.
Ushiku is aobut 50km north of Tokyo.
Orange also has a sister city relationship with Papua New Guinea’s third largest city, Mount Hagen.
Set up in the 1990s, the relationship has seen Orange City Council do a lot of work assisting the city with waste management, sanitation, traffic, pedestrian plans and in business governance.
And just like Orange it has an extinct volcano near the city.
Mount Canobolas is 1390 metres high while Mount Hagen is 3778 metres.