December 3, 2020
The state of our water
In November, leachate once again spilled into Houghton Bay and the marine reserve. See the article by RNZ. Whilst we need to keep authorities aware of the issue, and the we’re-sick-and-tired-of-your-failure-to-address-this-issue approach shows a genuine and passionate concern, a few locals here wonder whether there is a more constructive way of getting something done. Imagine instead inviting Council staff to a meeting in a community orchard in beautiful sunshine, greeting them with a mihi and providing tea and home baking during a discussion about how to create a regenerative water management plan for the entire catchment. And discussing also how a plan to grow local fruit and vegetables could help fund the environmental project.
That’s exactly what we did last Friday (we even fluked the sunshine!), and the resulting discussion was open and frank. Despite there being no current plan to fix the leachate problem, it comes as no surprise that everybody, everywhere would like to be able to fix the problem! So really we need to focus on what is stopping the plan from happening.
We have all inherited a beast in the form of a badly constructed landfill, despite its fairly benign recreational fields face, and any form of remediation will be expensive and tricky to implement. Harassing the authorities to come up with a solution will just get them to throw inadequate amounts of money into quick fixes that don’t really work. Rather we need to put the best of our innovative and lateral thinking into how this issue can be resolved in a way that regenerates our environment, enhances our community recreation, and provides an effective way of dealing with the water events in our valley. Real regeneration takes time and the local group feels that a 100 year vision is needed. That should give us a bit of time to make the right first steps.
We welcome your thoughts about what you would like Houghton Valley to be like in 100 years. Please send them to the editor.
Seed to Feeds in Houghton Valley
Seeds to Feeds vegetables are being planted and are growing as best they can in this rather cool and stormy weather. However, there is still time for you to start a garden and grow some vegetables for the community dinner in March. We may be changing the date, as it clashes with the Newtown Fair, going to both would be too much even for the best of us!
Now is the time to plant broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, tomato and capsicum and carrot seedlings or get seeds planted for carrots, runner beans, broad beans, beetroot, zucchini , spinach and silver beet so that they will be ready in time for the beginning of March. Have a look at this planting timeline. A deep cardboard box or a big paint bucket are good containers for a simple garden for potatoes or tomatoes. Drill drainage holes in the bucket, but rather than in the bottom, drill them around the sides about 5cm from the bottom, this will give the plants a small reservoir of water for dry spells.
If you would like some garden creation help, some seedlings, or to be involved in any other way, please contact Sylvia, our team coordinator.
Koha Coffee this Saturday December 5 from 10.30 am – 12.30 pm at the Community Hall. Katy will be hosting this last one of 2020 – please feel free to bring some kai to share and come and enjoy the company of your neighbours.
Houghton Valley Progressive Association meeting
On Sunday 6 December at the community hall, our local Residents’ Association will be holding their last meeting for the year. Come along at 4 pm to find out more about what exciting (and necessary) things are going on in the valley.
Roadworks programme
WCC Traffic have postponed the work on Hungerford Road and View Road this holiday season but these other works in the neighbourhood will be happening:
- Southgate Road kerb and channel replacement and footpath repairs, 7 – 16 December with two-way stop/go traffic management;
- Hornsey Road resurfacing 26 – 29 January, detour with resident access only;
- Sutherland Road resurfacing 15 December with two-way stop/go traffic management.
(157 recipients, 95 opens)