December 13, 2019
Rongotai College Volunteer Day
Houghton Valley community was again a beneficiary of the annual Rongotai College Volunteer Day on November 29. About 20 students and staff formed teams with local residents to perform a range of tasks, including washing our community hall and clearing back vegetation around it, helping reconstruct the Houghton Valley Community Garden with our new WCC funded planks and clearing a weed infested area in our community forest. Fine weather and enthusiastic crews made for a very rewarding day.
Thanksgiving Dinner at the Hall
The community hall came alive at the end of November with a local celebration of Thanksgiving. Locals and their friends and children, as well as deputy Mayor Sarah Free, brought along a feast to share, and a great time was had by all.
Seeds to Feeds and Local Food Week
Houghton Valley is setting up a team to organise a Seeds to Feeds programme: growing food in our community garden and private gardens and culminating in a shared local-food-only dinner at the community hall on Sunday March 22.
Anyone interested in helping growing food in their own gardens, looking after crops in the community gardens, planning the event and setting up the hall, helping with preparing dishes (we have a chef on board already), preserving, fermenting, foraging or whatever … please contact. We will have a meeting sometime soon to start the ball rolling.
The Tracks in Houghton Valley
Dave McArthur reports on the tracks in Houghton Valley:
There are now many tracks weaving through the regenerating forests of our valley. Most residents are aware that these are on WCC community lands, but it may be a surprise to some to learn that a number of our popular tracks were originally designed and constructed by locals and are often maintained by locals. Volunteers, both residents and visitors from overseas, have donated many thousands of hours this century to the creation of these wonderful community connections.
This volunteer work has involved considerable community discussion and with the WCC officials. There are many pros and cons, such as the consideration of the risks and benefits in managing reforestation, fires, soil erosion, noxious weeds, wind damage, vandalism etc. While WCC officials are often very helpful, some substandard storm water discharge poses considerable challenges because they can destroy paths overnight.
Photos: Ed, Kate, Georgia and their turbo-charged, drain-digger dog Charlie, are the latest team of volunteers to repair the Fantail Guide Track and upgrade the High-Hill Track near our Community Hall.
Naming the tracks: A project in the pipeline is that of naming the tracks in the Buckley Road Reserve. Some have unofficial names, but we would like to do a poll next year to see what ideas and preferences you have. Meanwhile, over the summer, get out and explore our tracks and brainstorm ideas for track names.
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