Pukerua Bay Hall, Rawhiti Road
7.30pm, Thursday 31 October 2019
Attendance
Committee: Iain MacLean, Jonathan Harker, Paul FitzGerald, Brian Sullivan, Kate Dreaver, Pauline Morse, Mel Galletly, Nikky Winchester.
Community: Ashley Blair, Margaret Blair, Ross Leggett, Pauline Morum, Hugh Young, Gay Hay, Judy Frost-Evans, Bill Jackson,
Apologies: Josh Trlin, Anita Baker, Chris Kirk-Burnard, Gillian Candler, June Penhey, Simon Hay.
7.40 pm: Welcome.
Adoption of the minutes from 2018 AGM
Motion: to accept and adopt the minutes of the 2018 AGM. Moved Brian Sullivan, second Paul Fitzgerald. None opposed, motion carried.
Chair’s report
Full report available here: 2019 report of the committee
In summary, it has been a very productive year. We rely on the Porirua City Council (PCC) Village Planning process to fund many of this year’s projects, including capital works on the community garden and He Ara Pukerua, and funding also for a drinking fountain to be installed by the skatepark/train station.
He Ara Pukerua
Presented by Brian Sullivan.
In 2006, the Green and Gold project started but didn’t progress. In 2016 the project was restarted as He Ara Pukerua. Over the last three years, the group have been learning about the history of the village.
When the railway overbridge on Airlie Road was replaced several years ago, the wood from the original bridge was stored. The first heritage sign was put up on the railway station platform, with many thanks to Bill Inge and Richard Noakes. The group undertook various activities at the school gala and with the school children to drum up interest in the community. In 2018 four signs opened on Ara Harakeke Pathway. In 2019, two signs opened on the beach. Many thanks to Pauline Morse for her artwork. There will eventually be a map on the station platform showing where all the signs are, and a website with more information. The group next hope to put a sign on the Northern Outlook, but that requires some negotiation so it may take a couple of years.
Iain noted that the old Muri Station building has been repainted and will have some display boards installed.
Ashley Blair asked everybody to imagine the temporary work camp of 400 people, when the railway was being built in 1884-6. About 2000 tons of materials came in to the beach, then an incline tramway took it all up to the railway level. They even took a steam engine and boiler up. There was a collapse in one of the tunnels; two men died immediately and one was trapped. A doctor came up from Wellington by steam ship. They also had a brickworks, which made about three million bricks, as well as using bricks from elsewhere in Wellington and around the country. There were some very interesting characters involved in the work.
The Community Garden and Food Forest
Presented by Paul FitzGerald.
Thanks to Jonathan Harker for planning the project and getting it up and running.
The group’s first step was to make an entranceway, then they added mulch and a range of fruit trees in 2018. Rob Oscroft took over coordination about 18 months ago, and more people are joining in. There is now a small container on site for storage, and a shed (the old Muri Station building from the northern platform, which was removed when the station closed). Many thanks to Pamela Meekings-Stewart for storing the shed in the intervening years. PCC has provided money to fix it up. Dan Brown cleaned it inside and out.
Other activities
Te Araroa signage around the village has been improved.
The Residents Association agreed on a new policy with the school regarding use of the School and Community Hall. The RA is involved as representatives of the community to collect advice on what might be done to improve the hall. The school principal will provide a financial report twice a year to the RA and the Trustees. The after school care programme will continue to run in the hall. The income was $1500, with expenditure of $2000. Some repairs are required to the heating system and lighting. All hall hireage fees will be used for ongoing maintenance. Larger projects will be paid for out of the school’s budget.
The Executive Committee has made submissions to PCC regarding the Growth Strategy and the review of the District Plan. A submission was also written regarding the Plimmerton Farm development, in conjunction with Friends of Taupo Swamp. The Executive Committee will continue to monitor this development to ensure it doesn’t have a negative impact on our community and our local environment.
It was noted that Mount Welcome is being sold as a housing development plot, and a small housing development is planned on Muri Road.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to the members of the Executive Committee of the Residents’ Association for the work they have done during the year, the PCC staff and PCC and Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) councillors who attend our meetings and support our community.
David Olsen, a member of the Executive Committee, died unexpectedly earlier this year. The Executive Committee extended condolences to his wife and family on behalf of the community.
Motion: to accept the annual report of the Chair. Moved Iain MacLean, seconded Jon Harker. None opposed, motion carried.
Financial report
2018/19 annual financial statement (PDF)
Income for 2018/19 was $3,628.97, including calendar sales. Expenses for 2018/19 were $3,463.91. This left a net loss for the year of $204.68.
Net assets at 30 September 2019 were $2,145.33, being a mixture of cash in the bank and equipment owned by the Association.
Loans were cash advances made in December 2018 by a member of the Committee to help with cashflow.
Motion: to accept the financial report for the 2019 year. Moved Iain MacLean, second Paul Fitzgerald. None opposed, motion carried.
Guest speaker
Waste Free PKB
Presented by Nikky Winchester.
Waste Free PKB started in January 2019. It is a free community recycling scheme, whereby people can drop off items for recycling which cannot be put into the normal household rubbish collections. This includes oral health products (eg toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes), AA and AAA batteries, and many other items, which are recycled primarily via Sustainability Trust in Wellington and Terracycle. The intention is to continue to expand the collection.
For more details email wastefreepkb@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/groups/WasteFreePKB
PCC report and update
Presented by Ross Leggett.
There have been a number of meaty issues for PCC this year, including:
- Funding for Three Waters (drinking water, waste water and storm water);
- How to approach growth and balance the funding;
- Dealing with silt and other pollutants in Porirua Harbour. PCC are working with Ngati Toa in improving the condition of the harbour;
- Property revaluations, which will probably come out in December;
- The new District Plan which will be rolled out in 2020, including working with the new national freshwater policy;
- Preparing to work on the 2021-2041 Longterm Plan;
- The revocation process by which roads currently owned by NZTA (including SH1 through Pukerua Bay) will be returned to PCC. NZTA are acknowledging that Centennial Highway is of particular concern and needs further thought.
Ross noted that the councillors will be taking it in turns to attend PKBRA Executive Committee meetings.
The report on erosion at Pukerua Bay Beach was expected to be delivered in September. This has been delayed but it is being prepared.
General business
Dark Skies
Presented by Hugh Young.
Motion: that the Pukerua Bay Residents Association supports Pukerua Bay being a Dark Sky community. Moved Nikky Winchester, second Jon Harker. None opposed, motion carried.
Seeing the stars in the night sky is a fundamental human right. NZ enjoys very clear skies and excellent stargazing, and is becoming a tourist attraction. In 2001 Arizona was made the first Dark Sky sanctuary. An international dark sky reserve was established in Twizel in 2012, which is one of only eight in the world. There are also two dark sky sanctuaries in NZ, and ten other places of interest around NZ, including South Wairarapa.
Darksky.org have designated the sanctuaries, parks, reserves and communities, and have strict guidelines. PCC is aware of the need to reduce light pollution and has changed to LED lighting which has made a big difference. LED lights are on the blue spectrum and may need temperature and glare adjustment to fit within the Darksky.org guidelines.
Ross Leggett noted that street lighting is maintained by Wellington Electricity, through contractors. PCC paid for the transformation to LEDs. There have been some complaints about some of the LED installations and some adjustments have been made. PCC have had a submission made to change the lighting used for recreational lighting around central Porirua.
Tony Jackman
Hugh Young asked that the community pay tribute to Tony Jackman who has for many years walked the streets of Pukerua Bay collecting rubbish.
Biodiversity
Gay Hay requested a community focus on biodiversity.
Suggestions
- Beach signage is very unclear regarding keeping dogs on leads. Would it be possible to have new signage on the roadway? Any such signage should be multilingual.
- Signage was also requested regarding the areas where the footpath is a shared cycle path.
- A 30km sign was requested for drivers going down the hill.
- A request was made that PCC reinstate inorganic waste collections.
- It was suggested that a cricket pitch be installed in the community garden.
Election of committee members
New committee members: Bill Jackson, Margaret Blair, Pauline Morum.
Resignations: Brian Sullivan and Pauline Morse.
Ashleigh stood to propose thanks to Pauline for her thirty years of service to the Committee.
Motion: to accept change in committee members (election not required). Moved Iain MacLean, second Paul Fitzgerald. None opposed, motion carried.
Conclusion
Thanks to all the guest speakers tonight.
Meeting concluded: 9.20pm