While many look forward to a four-day weekend, Easter also brings about some confusion over whether shops are open or closed.

In 2016 the Government changed legislation and gave councils the authority to develop local Easter Sunday trading policies, effectively deciding what shops can and cannot open.

The following year, the Waimakariri District Council consulted the community about Easter Sunday trading and received 560 submissions, which were almost evenly split between for and against limited trading hours.

Nationally, there are three and a half days a year when almost all shops are required to be closed: Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Anzac Day before 1pm.

Council decided to stick with the status quo and not develop an Easter Sunday trading policy, which means most shops in the District will be closed for Easter Sunday as well as Good Friday. Exceptions still apply to shops that sell necessities, such as dairies, pharmacies and service stations.

There are a few exceptions, some shops can open provided they meet certain conditions, and area exemptions apply in a limited number of geographical locations, usually tourist areas such as Taupo and Queenstown.

Some territorial authorities, such as Hurunui and Kaikoura, have adopted local Easter Sunday shop trading policies and shops in those districts are able to open on Easter Sunday.

Council’s Hours over the Easter Break & ANZAC Day

Council Service Centres and Libraries

Council Service Centres will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday and will re-open on Tuesday 23 April.

The centres will also be closed on ANZAC Day, Thursday 25 April. Urgent issues may be reported to the after hours service on 0800 965 468.

All libraries will be open on Saturday 20 April, and closed on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and ANZAC Day.

Rubbish and Recycling Collection

Rubbish and recycling normally collected from residential properties on Friday 19 April (Good Friday) will be collected on Saturday 20 April. Kaiapoi CBD South of the Kaiapoi River will be collected on Thursday 18 April. Collections on Monday 22 April (Easter Monday) will occur as usual. Collections due on ANZAC Day will be carried out on Friday 26 April, and Friday’s collections will be carried out on Saturday 27 April, excepting the Kaiapoi CBD North of the Kaiapoi River which will be collected on Friday as usual.

Southbrook Resource Recovery Park and Oxford Transfer Station

Closed on Good Friday – operating under normal hours for the rest of the Easter weekend, although the ReSale Store (our second hand shop at Southbrook RRP) will be closed on Easter Sunday.

Aquatic Facilities

The Dudley Park Aquatic Centre is closed for maintenance and will reopen on Thursday 25 April 10am until 7pm (ANZAC Day).

The Kaiapoi Aquatic Centre will have reduced hours over the Easter period as outlined below. The programmes all take a break over the long weekend, so no Aquarobics or Learn to Swim lessons. This makes more room for inflatables (1-3pm) and recreational and lane swimming. The facility will be observing Easter Trading Laws and restricting the sale of goggles, togs and similar products until after 1pm on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.