Local Happenings

Houghton Valley Email Newsletter

9 February, 2011

Nothing much has been happening – that I know of in Houghton Valley! If you hear or know of anything interesting please let me know. So just a quick note about …

Alice Krebs lodge: Alice Krebes lodge will be open this Saturday 12th at 1.30 pm for anyone who would like to come and have a look. Either come to the lodge or meet Grant at the bathing sheds at Princess Bay at 1 pm and he will walk you to the lodge via the track.

Yoga Class: Jenny has started her yoga class on Tuesdays at 6.45 – 8.30 pm in the HV School Hall. Bring a mat and blanket. Last year the class cost $7.00 not sure how much this year?

Have a wonderful rest of the week 🙂 Sam

Houghton Valley Email Newsletter

24 January, 2011

A big welcome to new email members! Isn’t the weather lovely?

Eatable weeds list: A list of eatable weeds that grow in View Rd Park has been made. So far about 15 have been identified. A booklet will eventually be produced with photos and explanations. The plants identified so far are: NZ spinach, Wild turnip,  Borage, Cat’s ear, Karamu, Taupata, Yarrow, Fennel, Blackberry, Deadly Nightshade, Puha and Valerium.

Ideas for Houghton Bay: Several locals have come up with ideas for Houghton Bay that maybe of interest:

• Arts trail around the local artists’ studios;
• Friendship evenings at the hall including a speaker;
• A proper notice board outside the Community Hall;
• Pedestrian boardwalk between the pavement and the sea from Houghton Bay to Island Bay – cyclists could then use the pavement;
• Alice Kreb Lodge as accommodation for an artist or writer’s residency;
• Creating a local website – a good example is  http://grandarts.org/  A Christchurch web designer has offered this one for emerging communities – http://placerama.com/ (Link not current.)

Do you have more ideas?

Non- Emailers: Last week’s email news was printed out for non- emailers by Christine from Cave Rd. If you know of anyone who would like a hard copy please ring Christine.

Houghton Valley Community Garden: The dirt doctors, Hana and Jacob have been giving the locals useful advice about composting. They make compost mounds, about 1×1 metre, from sticks, green stuff, seaweed, manure etc. When it begins to heat up, they create a hole in the middle for household waste. The heat keeps the rats and mice at bay. After a good storm they collect seaweed at Lyall Bay. They drag it up onto the rocks and leave it until after rain has fallen before taking it to the garden (the rain washes out the salt).

Australearn: US students from Australearn helped dig out tracks at Houghton Valley last week. The tracks make it easier to access the garden and school playground. Dave did a fabulous job at organising this. Thanks Dave!

I would love any ideas you have for the newsletter and any photos (please keep them small) that are relevant to the community.

Sam

Houghton Valley Email Newsletter

January 15, 2011

I hope you had a pleasant break!

Newsletter in print: Christine from Cave Rd has offered to coordinate a list of non- emailers. If you know of someone, phone Christine.

Traffic Issues: The Houghton Bay Progressive Association agreed to write to the council to follow up on the traffic issues at the corner of Houghton Bay Rd and the Beach. The Association also agreed to explore the costs of installing a park bench in View Rd Park in honour of Piebe Kooistra of Hungerford Rd. For 30 years or more Pieter has cut tracks at keep them open within the park.

Houghton valley Community Garden: Local families are now harvesting lettuce, spinach, strawberries, herbs and potatoes. New plots are now being prepared for the winter crops. There is still space available for those who wish to start a plot. A comment: “I interviewed a well known economist this week, who told me we are heading for a world food shortage. I have a little garden at home but my enthusiasm was renewed.” 🙂

From Dave the caretaker at Houghton Valley School: For the past four or five years Houghton Valley has hosted groups of  American students touring New Zealand as part of Australearn. As part of their tour they volunteer a couple of hours working on community projects. There are two or three tours a year and Houghton Valley school has been fortunate to be able to be the beneficiary of their labour. Sometimes they have helped around the school with the landscaping but more recently they have contributed to weed control and the creation of the tracks through the HV School-WCC Coastal Forest Regeneration Project.

Another group of 20 arrive at 9 am on Thursday 20 January and the focus will be carving out new sections of the Haunted Hut track and the Fantail Guide track. This is so people can stroll down through the forest to the Community Garden and playground with greater ease. It’s light work and a great opportunity to meet these young people from all over America amidst the ambiance of our new forest. Simply bring a spade and/or a grubber and stout shoes. They are gone by 11.30 am.

If you have any ideas or stories for the newsletter please contact me.

Have a nice windy weekend, Sam 🙂

Houghton Valley Email Newsletter

17 December, 2010

Its the time of the year when everything shuts down … This will be the last newsletter of the year – we will resume in early January. During the break I will be staying around so if anything urgent comes up e.g. neighbourhood watch or traffic or community notices contact me and I will put a short note out.

Commonsense Organics: Just a reminder that our fundraising day is tomorrow. We will get 5% of all profit made at the Kilbirnie Commonsense Organics tomorrow only. All proceeds go to the community garden. See you there!

Neighbourhood Watch: Greg and Lucy from Houghton Bay Rd saw some hoons doing donuts in the playing field behind Houghton Valley school on Sunday (12th) night at around 10.30 pm. Lucy thought about ringing the police as they must have been cutting up the grass etc, but couldn’t find a local number and didn’t want call the emergency number. Did anyone else see or hear anything?

Fireworks: There is a fireworks display tonight on the back field of Rongotai College behind Bunnings at 9:15pm. The whole family is invited.

Xmas decorations: After last week’s newsletter, Jenny from Houghton Bay Rd suggested “Some streets go all out for Xmas decorations, but as I look down towards the sea I see there are are a few houses flying flags, and thought wouldn’t it be great if lots of people in the valley flew summer flags and pennants.” Is anyone interested?

Houghton bay Rd/Esplanade Intersection: Thanks for those of you who commented on the problems with this intersection, we will keep you posted on the progress.

Merry Christmas to you all – see you in the New Year

Grant

Subsequent reply:

“Yes, we got involved with the car driving on the school grounds the other night, because we thought they would make a mess of the school playing field. I rang the wellington police station (because it was a non-emergency) and was told to hang up and dial 111, which I did. Apparently all calls to the police must go through 111. The police arrived about 1 hour later. In the mean time my husband, my 25 year old son, and a neighbour went to the school grounds and locked the gate with our own chain and padlock to contain the culprits. During the hour waiting for the police they had quite a ‘chat’ to the two young, silly and quite remorseful drivers of two unregistered vehicles. Once the police arrived they were given a warning I believe. No real damage done, and two young fellows will think twice about tangling with the local Houghton Bay Rd, concerned residents, in the future I would think.”

Houghton Valley Email Newsletter

12 December, 2010

Sorry, I am a bit late this week, I had technological difficulties. 🙂

Houghton Valley Community Garden: Locals meet every Sunday at 2 pm to work in the garden. The garden is next to the school playground, all are welcome.
Common Sense Organics in Kilbirnie has nominated next Saturday, 18 December when the garden will get 5% of that day’s profit. So please do all your organic Xmas shopping on that day. The compost bins are finished and ready for your ‘donations’. Spinach, lettuce and herbs can be harvested. (Picture missing?)

Christmas Tree: Ben from Hungerford Rd has made a Christmas tree for the community garden, you are invited to hang a little Christmas bauble on it – thanks Ben!

Christmas decorations: You may have noticed the lovely decorated house on the corner of Houghton Bay and Hungerford Road. They have been putting them up in the first week of December for many years. They often find notes in their letterbox from local kids, saying how much they like them.

Hermit of Houghton Bay: Pat Hutchinson from Island Bay has just published a comprehensive story of the ‘Hermit of Houghton Bay’, in the latest, Wellington Southern Bays Historical Society magazine.  After doing lots of research Pat felt a lot of sympathy for the hard life he had living in the cave in the 1880s and 90s. Pat is also certain that a photograph of the Hermit standing out side the cave establishes approximately where the cave was – on (or under) the  site on No 108 The Esplanade. (Picture missing?)

Memorial: Does anyone know anything about this? (Picture missing.)

Neighbourhood Watch: Keep a keen lookout around your neighbourhood we are still hearing of some dodgy goings on in the area. Make sure your cars are secured and you let your neighbours know if you are going away.

Email me on Thursday if you have any news 🙂

Have a great week! Grant

Houghton Valley Email Newsletter

26 November, 2010

Welcome to the new members – more locals are joining this group every week.

Houghton Valley Community Garden: Good Fortune occurred this week. Sue from Operation Green Thumb Inc. came to see the garden and was very impressed. She is offering financial support for equipment; topsoil and seedlings so this Sunday the people who come to the garden will be making a list to send her. Also Common Sense organics in Kilbirnie has invited us to write a proposal and if successful the garden will get 5% of one day’s profit. The garden is just north of the school, by the lower playground. We will meet at 2 pm this Sunday as usual, so come and have a look.

Houghton Bay Community email news: This email group is growing every week (is now 38 households) and is beginning to transform into a newsletter. Samantha, a journalist who lives in View Rd, has kindly offered to take over the email news so will start next week.

Accommodation: Samantha is looking for a place to rent as she has to leave her house in View Rd. Samantha’s message is: “Shane and I are looking for a 3 bedroom house in the area, we are responsible reliable tenants who always pay on time. Shane is a photographer/house painter (he is currently painting the white deco house at the top of Hungerford Rd) and I am a journalist. We both love to surf and are in love with the ocean – so it would be wonderful to be able to see it 🙂  It would be ideal if the house has a log burner or a heat pump? We are looking to move in around January next year. Thanks for your help.” 

A message from Dave (caretaker at the school): “Can anyone help Julia and her family? Julia is currently renting in Cave Road, works as a teacher aide at Houghton Valley School and has a child at the school. She is passionate about Houghton Valley and would love to stay in the area. She is looking for a 2,3,4 bedroom house up to $400/week. Please spread the word.”

Alice Kreb Lodge garden: If you are planning to go for a walk up to the beacon, check out the small community garden next to the cottage and give it a water. The hose is on the side of the lodge. Just be mindful that there may be people in the lodge.

Local crime: Some locals have had things stolen in the last couple of weeks including cars so be aware of this and report anything suspicious.

What are the boundaries of Houghton Bay?: This question was asked in 1930 by the members of the Haughton Bay Progressive Association and they decided the following: Wyatts house on Hornsey Rd, Hungerford Road to quarry, Haughton Bay to South Point and Buckley Rd. Can anyone figure this out?

Regards, Grant

Houghton Valley Community Garden Newsletter

4 November, 2010

This Sunday we will be gardening as usual and building the compost bins. Now that we have a hose we can water the plants. Soon the rabbits are going to attack the lettuces, so if anyone has any spare wire netting that would help. Lots of strawberries appearing on Sophie’s plants. See you Sunday at 2 pm.

Regards, Grant

Houghton Valley Community Garden Newsletter

21 October, 2010

This weekend we will be meeting come rain, hail or shine to plan the how the garden will be involved in the school fair (planned for next Saturday). So far the ideas we have are to:

• Raffle: the prize is a family plot;
• Quizzes: kids have to guess how long it took to transform the land into a garden and what is planted in the plots.

Any other ideas would be most welcome. See you Sunday at 2 pm (if raining we will be in the school staff room).

Cheers, Grant

Houghton Valley Community Garden Newsletter

17 October, 2011

I have just been down to the garden and it’s pretty miserable so let’s have a day off and see everyone next week.

Regards to everyone, Grant

Houghton Valley Community Garden Newsletter

14 October, 2010

We have dug all the community garden plots for this season and all but 2 are full of veggies and herbs. We planted a loquat tree also. What’s left now is space for family plots, so come and claim one if you want. The Houghton Valley school fair is on the 30th and we are thinking of raffling off plots and giving the proceeds to the school. we also plan to have a photo display board showing how the garden developed. If anyone has any other creative ideas or can help on the day please let me know.

Also you may not be aware that as well as the Houghton Valley Community Garden, there is also the Alice Kreb cottage garden (by the beacon on View Rd Extension reserve). The garden has silver beet, potatoes and other veggies and flowers growing in it.

The photo is taken two weekends ago at the Houghton Valley Community Garden. See you Sunday.

Cheers, Grant