Newsletter No. 92

Published as Issue No. 77

July 31, 2013

HVPA AGM: News from Houghton Valley Progressive Association AGM on Sunday.

  • The hall continues to be well used by a range of organisations, revenue matching operating costs;
  • $2,500 budgeted for exterior re-painting this summer, preparation work is largely completed. A working bee will be necessary to get the work done;
  • The Association re-elected Christine Fowler as Chair; John Hodgson as Secretary; Hugh Leith as Treasurer;
  • Judy Pore, Peibe Kooistra, Lesley McElwain, Grant Corbishley, Dave McArthur, Norman Smith and Ken Munro are the committee;
  • Trish Leith has decided this will be her last year as Hall Manager. A tribute was paid for her enormous contribution to the hall and the community over the 15+ years she has been the Hall Manager and Hugh for his long standing contribution as Treasurer;
  • Annual subscription remains at $10;
  • It was agreed to pay the $100 (approx) cost for registering the Houghton Valley website being developed by local people.

Freedom Camping: Wellington City Council will shortly seek comments on possible changes at Freedom Camping sites around the city, one of which is Te Raekaihau Point. Proposals include leaving toilets open overnight.

Meet the candidates? Local body elections will be held on 12 October 2013 for the city and regional councils and DHBs. Larger suburbs (Island Bay is one) hold Meet the Candidates meetings to discuss local issues and put candidates under the microscope. Some Houghton Valley people have expressed a willingness to organise a local meeting if there is sufficient interest. If you might attend, for a couple of hours one weekday evening in September, just hit the return button on this newsletter. (It’s numbers they need, not names.)

Working Bee: The next TRiG working bee is this Saturday starting at the Alice Krebs Lodge at 2 p.m.

Norman and Grant

Newsletter No. 91

Published as Issue No. 76

July 15, 2013

Compost 1: Free to good home. Sarah of Houghton Bay Rd advises her household is producing more Bokashi compost than they can currently use in their garden. They are looking for a couple of people who can collect the compost buckets and put them in a warm place for 4-6 weeks (probably longer in this cold weather) until the compost is ready and then return the empty buckets. The idea would be that she would contact you when there was a bucket to collect – about one a week.

Compost 2: Calling all composters! Miranda from Hornsey Rd advises two short films on composting will feature in the next film night Wednesday 24 July 7.30 pm at Houghton Valley School. One of them, a master class with world famous composter Peter Proctor, is a must see. We hope to have speakers on composting toilets and domestic water tanks soon, so watch this space.

HV Progressive Association: The next quarterly meeting will also be the AGM. It will be held in the community hall at 4 p.m. on Sunday July 28. Membership costs $10 per year.

Celebration on the hill: TRiG tree planters and people interested to take a look inside Alice Krebs Lodge braved the elements on Saturday to head up the hill to the View Rd Park Reserve. On the occasion of Founder’s Day they learned from Brenda of View Rd something about the life of Kae Miller, whose work included the building of the lodge operated by the Trust that bears her name.

Donations of lemons needed: For making lemonade cordial and/or preserved lemons for selling at the next Houghton Valley School fair (funds being raised to repair and upgrade the very popular adventure playground) – contact Sarah.

Grant and Norman

Newsletter No. 90

Published as Issue No. 75

3 July, 2013

Kae Miller Founder’s Day: Saturday July 13 from 1 p.m. Sounds very formal but it’s an open invitation to spend part of the afternoon getting to know about everything that’s going on at the View Rd Reserve. There’s heaps, hope to see you there. [No attachment].

TRiG working bee: 2pm this Saturday near the Alice Krebs Lodge.

Has life returned to normal after the storm? The answer for many local people is a firm “Not yet.” Although in Houghton Valley the event was as big (or maybe bigger) than the Wahine storm, there have been no reports of people badly hurt. Bruised and knocked around possibly and traumatized likely, with weeks/months of home re-building, recovery and resettling. At least seven houses lost their roofs; others lost fences, garden sheds, garage doors and windows. Holes in walls appeared, power and phones/Internet loss was widespread. Many trees, especially Pines and Ngaio were knocked over. A car was damaged when a roof landed on it. Many stories of support have emerged, some heroic as people went searching (on their hands and knees) for their neighbours hiding in roofless homes unable to find safety.

It seems many people adopted the civil defence advice – stay indoors and care first for family and then offer help to those nearby – shelter, food and support. Since the Christchurch earthquake there have been two well attended local meetings to consider if and how a Houghton Valley support network could be created for such events, but it’s hard to envisage how any network beyond helping those next door could have worked two weeks ago.

Will another big southerly come through this year? Does anyone have suggestions about how as a community we might organise and prepare for whatever is next? What might you do differently? Your suggestions may help others. Email us or put them on the Facebook page.

Photo documentation of the storm has also been started on the Facebook page, so use your phone and send the photos there.

Accommodation wanted: My 38 year old son is moving back to Wellington and would like to live in the area. Do you have a studio, bed-sit, flat or shared house to rent? He would also be interested in house sitting. Miranda.

Norman and Grant

Newsletter No. 89

Published as Issue No. 74 (extra issue)

22 June, 2013

Are you OK?: Local people have been helping each other get through the battering of the last two days – providing beds away from the threat of unstable trees etc. Let us know if you need anything and we’ll send out the details. If you have any storm stories, send them to us, and we will include in the next issue.

Thanks to Estelle of Buckley Rd for her posting on the Facebook page warning about the tree and fallen power lines etc in the vicinity of the Chinese events centre on Mt Albert.

Accommodation wanted: Bedsit or studio. House sitting also considered. Please ring Miranda.

Norman and Grant

Newsletter No. 88

Published as Issue No. 73

19 June, 2013

TRiG planting and working bee: this Saturday on the View Rd South / Te Raekaihau Headland Park. Starting at 2pm, the TRiG group and locals will hopefully be joined by the Places for Penguins Group from Tarragona Bay. Bring spades, gloves, and a cuppa.

From Miranda of Hornsey Rd: Oil Free Wellington will talk about the threat of deep sea oil drilling off Wellington’s south coast, an area called the Pegasus basin. All welcome next Wednesday 26 June at 7.30 at Houghton Valley School, with time for discussion and coffee afterwards. The talk replaces our usual film this month.

A bit of it about: In response to Derek’s report on damage to his cars others have observed and reported on similar activity. Katy and Aaron of View Road had plants pulled up and thrown all over a neighbour’s car and another house on had their mailbox kicked over. As well, the community garden had a large tamarillo plant broken a few weeks ago; can everyone keep an eye out?

It’s a small world: Reporting on the last issue Oliver says “Cool to see people from University of Minnesota here. My late uncle was a well known language professor there. The world is small.”

Tommy come home: Black cat Tommy is missing from View Road. He has no tail and a blue flea collar. Please ring Rodney  with any sightings.

Reminder: School Quiz Night – 27 June at The Pines starts 7:30 pm – contact Caz to register.

Grant and Norman

Newsletter No. 87

Published as Issue No. 72

5 June, 2013

Derek from View Rd had cars parked on the street damaged recently, others suffered the same fate at the same time. He reports: “I’ve not seen any signs of car vandalism before in View Road, and almost no graffiti. I didn’t expect them to catch the vandals but wanted the Police to know about this as part of their information gathering. Constable Patty Little at the Kilbirnie Community Policing Centre has since done a mail drop in View Road offering to help set up a Neighbourhood Support Group. I’m up for that. If anyone else is interested they can contact Constable Little.

TRiG planting and working bee: On Friday Council Ranger Brian Thomas delivered a ute and trailer full of nearly 500 plants from the Council nursery at Berhampore for the Te Raekaihau Park (View Road south headland reserve). Along with 300 plants from the Forest and Bird Nursery already waiting at the road end four members of TRiG and Brian ferried them up the hill to the beacon, where they were stashed ready for planting in the next few weeks. TRiG will begin planting on the 8th of June, 2pm near the Alice Kreb Lodge. If you would like to know more about this please contact Jenny.

Te Kawakawa Commons Working Bee: this Saturday, 9am until afternoon.

US students help out: On Saturday 25 May Houghton Valley School hosted 20 students and their tutors from the University of Minnesota, USA, studying Leadership and Cultural Ecology of New Zealand. As part of their programme they volunteered five hours working on the HVS-Council coastal forest regeneration project. They cleared blackberry for the next stage of the school tree planting programme and upgrading the Haunted Hut track with drains, new bridges and mulch, continuing a tradition of US student volunteers in the valley that now goes back several years.

Grounds improved: On Sunday 26 May about two dozen parents took part in a working bee at the school. As a result there are new fences, repaired playground equipment, additional paths and storage, new landscaping and no pampas grass (a noxious plant). Non parent volunteer are always welcome, contact the school anytime.

Kae Miller Founder’s Day Celebration: On the afternoon of Saturday July 13 the Kae Miller Trust will be hosting a public afternoon, with a headland walk and history tour, tree planting and afternoon tea. More details closer to the time.

Norman and Grant

Missing attachments:

Preview attachment TRiG team and Council unloading plants.jpg

Preview attachment Students at work.jpg

Newsletter No. 86

Published as Issue No. 71

22 May, 2013

Working bees coming up:

  • TRiG: has a busy programme from now until the end of July including this Saturday from 2 p.m.
  • School: This Sunday 10 – 3 pm. Just turn up and you will be given a job from the list.
  • Te Kawakawa Commons: Friday May 31 to move Council donated trees up to garden. Call James.

Movie night: A NZ film Our Green Roadie is the film night on Wednesday 29 May at Houghton Valley School at 7.30 pm Emma and Connor Heke travelled the country in a tiny van talking to 50+ New Zealanders committed to a sustainable lifestyle. A real slice of “kiwi can do”. All welcome to join us for film plus coffee and conversation afterwards. More information ring Miranda.

HV School News: Quiz Night. June 27 at The Pines. Fun night, all welcome! Houghton Valley School is holding a quiz night on 27 June 2013 at The Pines to raise money to upgrade/repair the school’s adventure playground. Get a team of 5 together and buy a table for $75. Contact Sarah FQ for tickets  If you want to come but aren’t in a team she will connect you up with others. No door sales.

Can you help? Donations sought for the quiz night raffle and/or winning team’s prize, eg bottles of wine, a box of chocolates, vouchers. If you have a business or know of one that could make a donation, please contact Caroline McGlinchy.

Surplus Lemons, Feijoas, Apples etc? If you have too much home grown fruit in your life Sarah FQ will gladly take them off your hands to make chutneys and other preserves (eg: salt-preserved lemons) to sell at the annual HVS Fair. You get a jar of chutney/preserve to say thanks for your donation(s). Contact Sarah

Radio Found: A black radio mp3 player on forest path by the school. Phone Dave.

Crosscut saw wanted: Under its agreement with the Council the TRiG restoration group is not permitted to use chain saws on this land, which makes removing unwanted karo etc quite a task. If anyone has a two-person crosscut saw they could make available please contact Grant.

Marketplace: Andrea of View Rd reports the newsletter item helped bring local people to the informal opening of her new gallery on Sunday. We’re happy to run buy/sell/swap items for individuals – by locals for locals.

Norman and Grant

Newsletter No. 85

Published as Issue No. 70

15 May, 2013

It’s not often there is a local art exhibition, so it seemed to warrant a special edition of the newsletter, for an event this Sunday. You are invited to attend an informal exhibition of recent artworks by local artist, Andrea Selwood. This event is to be held on Sunday 19th May from 2 – 5 pm at 40 View Road, Houghton Bay and is open to the Houghton Valley neighbourhood and community. It celebrates local arts and culture as well as the artist’s completion of a new home studio where the exhibition is held. Whilst this is intended to be a non-profit event, interested buyers can approach the artist to purchase any artworks.

Photo: Light refraction photogram by Andrea Selwood

Newsletter No. 84

Published as Issue No. 69

8 May, 2013

Welcome to new newsletter recipient households, 184 and 185.

Proposed community dance: After getting positive feedback for the idea of a community dance Miranda from Hornsey Road would like to go ahead and help organise one in the community hall, around the mid-winter solstice. Preference seems to be for a family affair where there is plenty of quiet time to talk and a great band to dance to. Everyone would bring a plate and non alcoholic drink. Miranda is keen to get a few more people on board so that it can go ahead, ring her  if interested.

On the Buses: On April 30 Christine (Buckley Rd) and Linda (View Rd) attended a follow up meeting about the Wellington City Bus Review held by the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC). Draft timetables were presented for the revised service that will probably be implemented in 2014, at the earliest. See http://www.gw.govt.nz/draft-timetables. [link not current] Provision of the new bus service will be put out for tender later this year and it is possible the successful tenderer may negotiate changes to these proposed timetables therefore they remain draft documents.

The new bus service will provide an increase in service, i.e. more frequent buses, in many suburbs, including Houghton Bay, Melrose and Southgate. [Thanks to the efforts of Christine, Linda and others – Ed.]

An important point to note is that the new service will not be introduced until the ticketing system has been changed to allow for just one fare to be charged for each journey into or out of the city, regardless of whether or not you have to change buses along the way.

GWRC have asked Linda and Christine to coordinate any feedback from the Houghton Bay and Southgate areas so if anyone has any significant issues with the proposed new timetables for the Houghton Bay (Route 23) or Southgate (new Route 29) routes please email those concerns to Christine with ‘Bus Review Feedback’ in the subject line before Friday 14 June 2013.

From the Community Garden: Now is the perfect time to plant broccoli. There are lots of seedlings so if you come on Sunday afternoons, you can get some for your garden.

Cleaning up Houghton Bay: Houghton Bay sediment ‘worse than sewage’, reads an article on the Stuff website five days ago, featuring an interview with John Robinson of Island Bay who is actively involved with Houghton Bay residents looking to clean up leachate from the old tip. See http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/8629822/Houghton-Bay-effluent-causes-a-stink

Grant and Norman

Newsletter No. 83


Published as Issue No. 68

24 April, 2013

Partnership with Council: Last year the Kae Miller Trust, which owns and manages the Alice Krebs Lodge on the View Rd/Te Raekaihau Headland Park, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City Council. The MOU gives the Trust – and implicitly the Houghton Valley community and TriG regeneration group members – guardianship rights for this area. One year on and the Trustees (locals – Brenda, Grant, Jenny and Norman) will meet on May 14th with the Parks & Reserves Dept to review the agreement. The meeting will be held in the Lodge at 3 p.m., ring Grant if you want to know more.

Houghton Valley Website: The last few months has seen considerable effort by Ian of View Rd and Grant designing and building a new Houghton Valley website. Like many of Grant’s activities they have two objectives, building of community resources and work towards his PhD study – “Stewardship: An Ethico-Aesthetic Approach to Uncertain Futures in the Valley of the Wild”. The site will be launched later in the year.

Cleaning up Houghton Bay: The attached document [No attachment], distributed on April 11, summarises the state of play – from the Council’s perspective – in the resident-driven initiative to eliminate what the they describe as “the on-going occurrence of pungent and ‘colourful’ discharges in Houghton Bay.” One recommendation is: the Houghton Valley community be involved in the assessment of the catchment with the possibility of setting up a “care” group within the Community that builds on the work already undertaken.

Norman and Grant

Attachment missing:
Houghton Bay memo April 11 2013 re leachate in the bay-1.pdf