Local Happenings

March 2, 2018

The picture above shows dolphins sporting in Houghton Bay a couple of weeks ago. We are so lucky to have both bush and sea right at our doorstep! Photo by Jan Vorster.

Predator Free Houghton Valley

Houghton Valley is joining the crusade to rid the country of rats, stoats, possums and their fellow destructive predators by 2050.

DOC estimates that 25 million birds are killed each year by rats, stoats, possums, ferrets, weasels and feral cats, and it costs the country more than $70 million to manage these predators. Predator Free New Zealand, an independent trust, is leading a campaign for trapping in urban environments.

Predator Free Houghton Valley is supplying free traps to residents to help with catching small predators. All they ask in return is that you keep your traps regularly baited and report any catches that you make. This will provide them with the information required to gauge the effectiveness of the campaign and their progress to being predator free.

One in five households is a minimum to provide coverage to the area. So far there are 30 traps in Houghton Valley, about one half to one third of what is ultimately needed.

If you’re interested in joining the campaign, PFHV will gladly supply you with the following equipment and instructions to start trapping in your backyard:

• Victor Trap – passed international standards for humaneness of kill traps for killing stoats and rats.
• Wooden Tunnel – the tunnel is provided to orientate the animal relative to the trap inside and to protect pets, children and non-target species from the trap.

For more information visit the PFHV Facebook Page page (link not current), or visit Predator Free Wellington.

What is that weed?

Over the last couple of years a weed has invaded Houghton Valley and the rest of Wellington, going by the name of asthma weed, due to its asthmatic effect on people. It has been known to cause skin rashes.

It goes by the latin name of Parietaria judaica L, and is also known as Pellitory-of-the-wall. It comes from Northern Africa and Southern Europe. It grows everywhere, liking sun, shade, dry and damp. However it seems to prefer less cultivated areas such as coastal cliffs, roadsides and waste areas. It grows well in cracks in concrete and rocks. So maybe we need to increase the nutrient value of our gardens to discourage it!

Wellington Regional Land Transportation Plan

The Regional Transport Committee  is currently undertaking a mid-term review of the Wellington Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP).

The RLTP sets out the direction for the region’s land transport network over the next 10 – 30 years, and a programme of transport activities proposed for funding from 2015 – 21.

The purpose of the mid-term review is to make sure that the RLTP still meets our region’s needs for the next three years (2018 – 21). The main focus of the review is on the regional programme of activities.

As part of the mid-term review they are carrying out public consultation. They would like to know which of the significant transport projects in the draft plan you feel should be our top priorities. These are projects with a total cost of more than $5 million that are regionally and/or inter-regionally significant. Your feedback will help the Regional Transport Committee to finalise the priority order of these activities.

You can find more information about the project, the scope of the consultation and how to make a submission on the Greater Wellington website. http://www.gw.govt.nz/rltplan/ (link not current)

Consultation closes at 5 pm on Monday 12 March 2018.

The Development at No. 215 Houghton Bay Road

The Council has received a change of condition application for the development; for changes to wording of conditions of the subdivision consent to allow for the intended staging of the development. The Council’s reference number for this application is SR No. 404646. If you are a concerned neighbour and would like to know more about this application, contact a Planning Technician on 801-3590. Maybe you might like to report back what the changes are.

(183 recipients, 92 opens)

February 9, 2018

I wasn’t intending to do another newsletter quite so soon, but there are some events hosted by the Wellington Southern Bay Historical Society as part of the Island Bay Festival next week that you may be interested in. Learning about the history of where you live is a good way of feeling that you belong.

A Day in the Bay – Sunday February 11

The Historical Society will have specially illuminated historical displays, maps and photographs of Wellington’s Southern Bays available to view in the Island Bay Surf Club Hall from 10 am to 4 pm, as part of the Day in the Bay gathering at Shorland Park. From there you can also view the Blessing of the Boats, or enjoy a seat and ice cold drinking water.

Southern Bays Historical Society Open Day – Friday February 16

The Wellington Southern Bays Historical Society is holding an Open Day at the Island Bay Community Centre, 137 The Parade, from 10 am – 2 pm. They have a large collection of historical displays, photographs and folders, including Houghton Bay.

Our Island Bay, Our History – Saturday February 17

Colin Feslier will give a talk on the history of Island Bay with displays and photographs, with some reference to Houghton Bay as well. It will be at the Island Bay Community Centre from 3 – 4 pm.

For more details and the Society’s full Festival programme, contact Marion Findlay.

Houghton Valley’s History 

If you are interested in Houghton Valley’s history, check out the photos, stories, maps and more on the Houghton Valley website history page: http://www.houghtonvalley.org.nz/remembering/HV_remembering.html

(186 recipients, 89 opens)

February 3, 2018

Looks like the Wellington weather we know and love is back from a long holiday! Items for the newsletter have also had an extended break, but now there is sufficient editorial. I hope the newsletter will be a little more frequent from now on, but I have decided it will be by demand only, so please send me any news you would like to share with the community.

Houghton Valley Progressive Association Meeting

The first meeting for the year is at the hall on Sunday 11 February at 4 pm. Everyone is welcome at our meetings. Or you can just get on the mailing list for agenda and minutes by contacting Ken. Family membership is only $10 a year, and includes a FREE membership gift of hall banner cards … not available at any other outlet!

As part of the build up to Local Food Week (see below) if you have any garden or harvest surplus, maybe you would like to bring it along to the meeting to share with others.

Neighbours’ Day March 25 – 26, 2018

Anyone out there interested in fronting an event? There is a website with resources  at http://neighboursdayaotearoa.org/ (link not current) and a workshop for interested organisers on Thursday 8 February 3 – 5 pm, Thistle Hall, Corner Cuba and Arthur Streets. This is an interactive workshop facilitated by Cissy and Sam your NDA Coordinators. For more info or to register please email them.

Local Food Week March 19 – 25, 2018

This is a week celebrating all that is happening around community food projects: local food, food waste, food distribution, good food business, school programmes, community gardens and more. The week also coincides with Neighbours’ Day, so it could be an opportunity to combine the two.

“It would be great to have you and your organisation as part of the week celebrating all the great things that are happening in our food community. I am sending the dates out now to give you a heads up, it would be great if you could put it in your calendar and start planning if you want to be involved as the beginning of the year generally races by and we will need a confirmed event early February.” Donna Wilson WCC

Any ideas as to what could be done? I will feature local food in the next few newsletters, to whet your appetite as it were.

Development at Lyall Bay

The Kilbirnie-Rongotai-Lyall Bay Residents’ Association have been in consultation with the Council over carparking developments in the bay. The result of consultation on the re-development of Surfers’ Corner has found:

• 75% of all respondents preferred the new carpark with 26 spaces as proposed. The Council will progress with this option;
• 10% of respondents preferred a smaller carpark with 14 spaces;
• 15% of respondents did not want a new carpark.

The closer respondents lived to Lyall Bay the more they wanted additional parking. The only groups that did not prefer Option 1 lived outside of Wellington.

Among those who responded, the main reason for visiting Lyall Bay was surfing, followed by walking the dog and going for a walk. A smaller number of people who responded were visiting to get something to eat and drink or go for a swim. Option 1 was preferred amongst all of these user groups.

(187 recipients, 99 opens)

December 23, 2017

Your community newsletter is back! Many people have missed our regular community updates, so I have offered to take over sending out newsletters every two three weeks, depending on events in the Valley.

For this quick pre-Christmas newsletter, we have imported into MailChimp the old newsletter list that you originally signed up for. So if you have moved on and don’t want these newsletters, you can now just click on the unsubscribe button below.

However, if you do want to stay on the list, I hope you will enjoy once again finding out what is going on in and around your community. Please feel free to contribute news items to this newsletter, contact me at the email address below. It can be upcoming events, reports of events past, or anything of local interest. If you would like to send a photo for the title banner, it would be good to change it each time.

Jenny

Ice cream Stall

The ice cream stall back again!

• Where: 27 View Rd;
• When: 6.30 – 8 pm, Tuesday December 19 to Saturday December 23;
• Cost: $1 (not for profit, community run).

Christmas on the Commons

Join neighbours and friends at Te Kawakawa Commons (near 46 Hornsey Road above the bus stop) for a get together on Christmas Day between 11am and 1pm. Bring some food to share and take home some vegies!

Koha Coffee at the Hall 

People are keen to start up the coffee mornings again at the hall on Saturday mornings from 9.30 am – 12.00 midday throughout the warmer months. So far we have three people prepared to be the coffee makers for a regular monthly roster, and one casual helper. We need one more person to keep a weekly session going. Any offers? We have some new, smaller and more user friendly coffee machines to get the beans doing their stuff!

(188 recipients, 102 opens)

Published as Issue No. 152 – and the last?

June 6, 2016

One way and another Grant from Hungerford Rd and Norman from View Rd have been involved with this newsletter for quite a while; Grant was the catalyst for it being established and Norman has served an extended stint as ‘editor.’ They agree it may have run its course but have different ideas about ‘what’s next’’, here are their respective perspectives.

Grant writes: There is a season turn, turn, turn: a time to gain, a time to lose; the time has come for our beloved email newsletter to enter into its winter hibernation. It may awaken in the spring, if that’s what the community decrees – but in a different form.

Maybe we do not need the newsletter, because Facebook does it all, or perhaps someone will awaken it and run it in a completely new way, or maybe it is activated only when needed.

Anyway, the newsletter needs to go byebyes now, so … stay warm, and if you would like to kiss this toad and transform it into a prince, then pucker-up to Norman to awaken the newsletter from its slumber.

Norman writes: The end of the line. One hundred and fifty one issues at an average of 25 a year add up to something like six years of Houghton Valley Community Newsletters, which currently goes out to around 200 households in the neighbourhood.

Alongside the website page it sought to be all things to all people but, as the person who has coordinated its compilation since 2013 (always with support from Grant from Hungerford Rd) it seems like it’s time to stop.

Now we have the increasingly used Facebook page which provides both immediate communications and a record of activities; then there is the fantastic website, and Neighbourly, not to mention the school newsletter and other local e-networks such as those created by the local Playcentre and action groups Friends of Houghton Valley and Guardians of the Bays.

The photographs [link not current] show one railway track ending but others going on – perhaps as good a metaphor as any for the closure of the newsletter while the journey of creating a healthy and connected community can continue using other means, should people wish.

I’d urge everyone join up the local Facebook page and also take a look at Neighbourly, and think about getting involved with all the other community activities such as the south coast time bank, and … the plan is to put out one more issue where people can comment on, well anything. Deadline, one week for contributions.

Ma whero ma pango ka oti ai te mahi – With red and black the work will be complete This refers to co-operation where if everyone does their part, the work will be complete. The colours refer to the traditional kowhaiwhai patterns on the inside of the meeting houses.

Ka kite ano, Norman and Grant

Published as Issue No. 151

May 17, 2016

New possibilities: Caroline has been talking with people about new community initiatives to coincide Global Sharing Week, [link not current] June 4 – 11. These include improving the connections between the Wellington TimeBank and the Houghton Valley Progressive Association with more people trading time with each other in Houghton Valley. She is proposing a meeting attended by a TimeBank member to discusses whether the Association becomes a member (e.g. like Kaibosh or hold events at the hall involving members with specific skills).

Fruit Tree Guardians: Jenny of Houghton Bay Rd reports that on Sunday seven people met to clear weeds to create a space to plant semi-wild community fruit trees. The site for the Houghton Valley Fruit Tree Guardian Project is alongside the track behind the school leading up to Sinclair Park, just before the horse paddock gate.Blackberry and honey suckle were cleared and used to make a low wind barrier. The bush around the other three sides will give good protection. A bit more work is still required to clear the last of the weeds.

We will be applying for some trees under the Council’s Guardian tree programme by 22 May, and planting will be around late June early July. If you are interested in helping (we will be creating more sites as well).

Something from Coral: http://i.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/79657967/Wellington-residents-group-to-pay-costs-for-Houghton-Bay-subdivision-case

Norman and contributors

Published as Issue No. 150

May 3, 2016

Civil Defence: Houghton Bay residents have been invited to attend meetings this month organised by the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office. The Island Bay community is coming together to discuss how a significant earthquake will impact them, where they will be lead through a process to start to develop a community emergency response plan and consider other opportunities to build further resilience along the south coast. These meetings will be on Thursday evenings 5 and 19 May and 2 June at the Island Bay Bowling Club on the Parade, 7.30 – 9.30 pm. A similar programme is being discussed for the wider Kilbirnie / Lyall Bay area later in the year, which could also include Houghton Bay.

City Council: There is an opportunity to comment on the Eastern Bays cycleway, with sessions on this as well. [Link not current] The aim is to get more cyclists on the road and the more interested you are in cycles for commuting or recreation, the more important it is to have a say.

Banners to Cards: Jan and Grant of Hungerford Rd have created a set of cards showing the banners created by local people and now hanging in the hall. See attached. These will shortly be for sale as a fundraiser for the Hall. There are four images with envelopes at $8, but that’s not all … you can have a set free by joining the Houghton Valley Progressive Association for the 2016 – 17 year!  Find out more at Koha Coffee in the hall on Saturday.

Runway Extension: Guardians of the Bays, a residents’ group opposing the Wellington airport runway extension have produced a leaflet explaining the economic, environmental and social grounds on which they oppose the extension. [No attachment]

Co-chair Sea Rotmann from Moa Point says the group is organising an information evening for all groups interested in the effects of the extension (from increased noise to traffic disruptions to surf and recreational fisheries or marine ecological impacts, to environmental groups concerned about climate change or groups opposing ratepayer handouts to corporate entities). http://guardiansofthebays.org.nz/media-release-local-residents-launch-myth-busters-on-proposed-wellington-runway-extension/

Norman and contributors

Published as Issue No. 149

April 19, 2016

Spoiled for Choice?: If you aren’t already joined up, it’s worth considering linking to our local Facebook Page Houghton Valley and Hornsey Road Community Project. Items complement the Newsletter and the Website. There are also recent posting from people with ideas for local initiatives including linking with Neighbourly and the Localising Food Project and responses to these ideas, exploring if and how they can build on (or replace?) current initiatives.

Report on Neighbours’ Day: The weather was great and, particularly, Hornsey Rd residents including Ken, Michael, Miranda and Maia made Neighbours’ Day April 10 a great success. About 40 neighbours visited the garden, helped build the bee and lizard hotels, searched for treasure and generally got to know each other better. Thanks to Wellington City Council who funded the event. See Facebook for more photos.

Clearing, clearing: Siobhan (daughter is at Houghton Valley School) has been clearing blackberry and weeds from the rainforest near the school and comments … “I love doing it and seeing the change; there is plenty more to be done both to retain the trees that have been previously planted, and clear new areas. I was wondering if others would be interested in helping out. I am in contact with caretaker Dave so he is aware of it. Look forward to hearing from you.”

Norman and contributors

Published as Issue No. 148

April 5, 2016

Indian summer gathering: The local Neighbours’ Day at Te Kawakawa Commons is finally happening this Sunday, April 10 (now the reservoir has been drained). Te Kawakawa Commons, up the hill behind the bus stop near 46 Hornsey Road, is a community vegetable garden and native planting project with a micro climate and views out over Lyall Bay.

Activities, including demos on how to build a bee hotel and creative ideas for using pallets, will start at 11 am and wind down about 2 pm. There will be entertainment for the kids and yummy food, plus of course the chance to catch up with neighbours and meet any new arrivals in the community. If the weather is bad we will relocate to the Community Hall.

Local Economy: Following communications on the community Facebook page Caroline Stone made contact and commented “I’m a member of the Wellington South TimeBank and wondering if the TimeBank might be able to help with a buy/sell exchange. I’d be happy to talk about TimeBank if there was interest in an event at the hall sometime. Let me know what you think?” What do YOU think?

More Coffee? Grant from Hungerford Rd reports two final year design students from the WelTec Creative Technologies course are designing a mobile coffee shop that would be suitable for our conditions. Their project will take until mid-year to develop a workable design; we will keep you posted and include designs in future newsletters.

Testing the waters: Local people have expressed interest in an evening Yoga class, with Wednesdays at 7.30 pm the only time the hall is available. Please contact Julie so she can determine of there are sufficient numbers.

On at the Hall: Attached is a snapshot of the kind of activities running at the hall. The biggest offer is Dance but there are also Yoga classes and Martial Arts. Koha coffee and table tennis runs every Saturday morning and that’s a good time to drop in with any ideas for more activities. [No attachment]

Norman, Ken and other contributors

Published as Issue No. 147

March 22, 2016

Appeal lost: Friends of Houghton Valley (FOHV) have lost their appeal against the 13-house development at 215 Houghton Bay Rd. Some information about this was outlined in an article in the Dominion-Post last week. FOHV are holding their AGM at 7.00pm tonight at the school.

Nearly there: Jo from the Houghton Valley Playcentre reports good progress on the new playground with Seymour Construction hoping to be finished next week. She commented “We have been finalising all the items to complete the project and are hoping to get a bit of help from the community along the way to help push us to the finishing line and finally after so many years have a new playground for our tamariki.”

Local Economy: See our Facebook Group for an offer of cocoa husks for mulch.

Norman and contributors