He Ara Pukerua Historic Display & Community Garden Family Fun Day

16 September 2020 / By / Community Garden, He Ara Pukerua

Despite the gloomy grey weather, the Pukerua Bay Family Fun Day went ahead as planned for the opening of the new Rail Comes to Pukerua and Rail Timeline display panels in the former Muri Station building, and the community garden fun day. The He Ara Pukerua rail history displays were blessed by Ngāti Toa kaumatua Kahu Ropata, supported by Moana Parata and others. Porirua City Mayor Anita Baker and Ward Councillors Nathan Waddle and Josh Trlin revealed the panels. A section of the tramway rail used during the construction of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway 1884–1886 was presented to the mayor. Kahu also blessed the community garden. Following the blessing and speeches there was a sausage sizzle, cakes and tea brewed from thermettes, and a stalls selling T shirts and home-made face masks. A smaller turn-out than planned, but still attended by enthusiastic locals braving the wind and drizzle.

He Ara Pukerua is grateful for the help from Greater Wellington Regional Council and KiwiRail to secure the lease on the former Muri Station shelter. The northbound Muri Station shelter has been relocated onto the garden and is in the process of being refurbished.

Images courtesy of Cr. Josh Trlin, Porirua City Council (via Facebook); Andy Erceg and Ashley Blair, He Ara Pukerua (via Facebook).

Pukerua Bay Library to be earthquake strengthened

4 August 2020 / By / Announcements

Over the next six weeks the cutest little library in New Zealand (if not the world) is going to be earthquake strengthened. As much as possible the crew will be working around our opening hours, so Nuala will still be there ready to issue and return your books as always on Tuesdays & Thursdays 2pm – 5pm, and Saturdays 10am – 1pm.

For more information: Pukerua Bay Library

Coffee in Pukerua Bay!

15 July 2020 / By / Announcements, Recreation

Pukerua Bay now has a café of sorts – the new coffee caravan from Greedy & Co. on the grounds of the former St. Mark’s chapel on 98 Rawhiti Road, opposite the school (map).

Open 8am – 1pm, Tuesday–Saturday. Fresh roasted coffee, hot drinks and home-made baking including pies, scones, muffins, and gluten-free banana loaf.

After the successful opening day on the 4th of July, Renée and Sarah said on Facebook:

“WOW what an amazing day! We cannot believe all the support we received from all of you wonderful people! Thank you for all your patience while we found our way around our new space, it meant the world to us! See you all on Tuesday for round two”😎

“Thank you” photo message, from the Greedy & Co. Facebook page

Contact by phone +64 27 473 3391 (SMS) or email, greedyandconz@gmail.com

New drinking fountain installed and ready to use!

15 July 2020 / By / Announcements, Recreation

The school kids proposed it, the skateboarders wanted it, the escarpment track walkers will be glad of it, and dogs will also benefit from it. The new long-awaited drinking fountain and refilling station by the skate park and playground is installed and ready to use! Check it out next time you’re out for a walk.

Work on driving the pipe down the pathway from Sea Vista Drive and building the concrete pad and small retaining wall was completed this week.

Have your say on Plimmerton Farm development

26 June 2020 / By / Consultation

Submissions close 5pm, Thursday 2 July

Porirua City Council (PCC) is changing its District Plan to use a fast-track process for the Plimmerton Farm development, and is asking for the public to give their views on it.

This is our only chance to influence the outcome of this development by persuading the Minister for the Environment (who makes the final decision on the plan change) to protect the unique values of the Taupō Swamp and wetlands in the area. We will have to live with the decisions made now in perpetuity.

The Residents Association is working with the Friends of Taupō Swamp and Catchment (FOTSC) to help protect this environment.

You can help, too.

Everything you need to know is now up on the FOTSC website https://www.tauposwamp.org/plimmerton-farm-development.

Have a look at the “Have some more questions…?” document on the website. This is the culmination of input from many sources, and you can use it to help make a submission with the environment a priority, not a casualty, of planned development. There’s a lot there because there’s a lot to say.

You are free to use the words on it, but make them personal and write about the things you value the most.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UoA6uXzutlMBvunaFwkHdTSuz__TrG1s/view?usp=sharing

FOTSC has prepared an example of the submissions you can make. This will help simplify the process.

All the development information from PCC is on their website, along with links to the online submission page.

Remember: submissions are due 5pm Thursday, 2 July

He Ara Pukerua T-shirts and tote bags for sale

22 June 2020 / By / Fundraising, He Ara Pukerua

T-shirts and tote bags are back on sale again. We are taking orders now for personal delivery. You can pick your desired size and colour as described in the product descriptions (although we have run out of the pink T-shirts). Please allow a short delay for printing.

Funds go to support He Ara Pukerua, the Pukerua Bay heritage project.

Taupo Swamp volunteer planting and weeding day

3 June 2020 / By / Biodiversity, Working Bees

Friends of Taupo Swamp & Catchment need your help – even an hour will make a difference! They are ready to go to get another 1800 wetland plants into the ground this season, having raised the money and ordered the plants from local nurseries. Stage two of the Taupo Swamp Wetland Restoration starts this Saturday, June 6.

When: 9am, Saturday, 6 June 2020 (ics, Facebook)
Where: Taupo Swamp, via Ulric Street, Plimmerton (map)

Work this weekend will be continuing to weed last year’s planting (some trees are now over 2 metres tall) and preparing the ground for the upcoming planting season. Gloves, gear and a morning snack can be provided thanks to Roger at Plimmerton Deli. Want to get in touch? Contact the organisers at tauposwamp@gmail.com or +64 21 263 9844 (💬).

New water fountain and bottle filling station

3 June 2020 / By / Recreation

The Residents’ Association have engaged Porirua City Council to install a new water fountain and water bottle filler by the playground and skate park, just up from the railway station east car park. Installation will begin on Thursday 18 June and involve driving a water supply pipe under the concrete path from a new water connection on Sea Vista Drive. This means the footpath link to the station will be closed for two days. There will be a temporary sign put up a week before works start, to let commuters know of the slightly longer walk to the station.

The model of water fountain and bottle filler to be installed is similar to the one pictured in Plimmerton. It will be registered on the RefillNZ national database, which lets visitors know where fountains and bottle refill stations are all around New Zealand; a good thing for escarpment track walkers.

The RA thanks Porirua City Council and its Village Planning and Waste Minimization teams for their support and for funding the installation.

Plimmerton Farm development submissions

26 May 2020 / By / Consultation, RA

As you will know plans have been in the wind for some time for the redevelopment of Plimmerton Farm to housing. This needs a change to the designation of the land from rural to residential. Porirua City Council has successfully had the approvals process moved to a fast tracked approach, and is now consulting on the proposed change and the development in whole. Information on the process being followed, and documents outlining the proposal, can be viewed on the council website: Proposed Plan Change 18 Plimmerton Farm.

This development will be ongoing for about 30 years, with the first parts of the development taking place close to Mo Street and the James Street roundabout. Taupō Swamp will be affected by developments as they progress.

Proposed precinct plan (Fig. 13), from Attachment 14: Urban Design Report.

The Pukerua Bay Residents’ Association (the RA) will be lodging a submission on the proposal. It would help us in writing the submission to have an understanding of any concerns or support that residents have on the proposal. While you may intend to lodge a submission to the Council on your own behalf, please feel free to share your thoughts with the RA.

Submissions close 5pm, Thursday 2 July 2020.