Tuesday, July 14, 2020 Pukerua Bay RSA, 5-7 Wairaka Road
Present: Paul FitzGerald (Chair), Nikky Winchester (Secretary), Iain McLean, Kate Dreaver, Margaret Blair, Mel Galletly, Bill Jackson, Pauline Morum, Nathan Waddle (PCC), Jenny Brash (GWRC) Community: Brian Sullivan Apologies: June Penhey, Jonathan Harker Approval of previous minutes: with amendment to note that Jenny Brash is heavily involved in monitoring the GWRC submission on the Plimmerton Farm development; moved Iain McLean, seconded Kate Dreaver, none opposed, carried.
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.
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
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.
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 (?).
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.
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.
On Tuesday Mills & Albert were on site to trim vegetation and clear around the areas to be excavated. They will be working 9 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday. Materials will be stock piled near the overbridge to avoid disturbance to the car park and recently reopened businesses.
Contractors Mills & Albert have confirmed with PCC that they will be starting the widening and resurfacing of the shared SH1 footpath from the Pukerua Bay shops north to the overbridge next Tuesday, 19th of May. This was originally scheduled for 23rd of March, but was put on hold due to the COVID-19 lock-down.
The red line indicates the extent of the works, from the shops north to the overbridge. The blue line indicates the footpath diversion while the work takes place.
This $45,000 Porirua City Council village planning project has been in the pipe for at least ten years to improve the safety of pedestrian and cyclists along SH1. It is now going ahead with matched funding from NZTA to bring the total project funding to $90,000. This funding will allow bringing the pathway up to the required NZTA standard for shared pathways, in particular that it be a minimum of two metres wide.
The existing footpath path will be widened up to 400 mm in some places with wooden edging and retaining walls where necessary. In the three locations where the path is failing and slipping down the adjacent slope, a full width path reinstatement with be undertaken. At the end of the widening works, the widened areas will be full-width resurfaced.
The minimum NZTA standard width for a shared pathway is two metres.
Footpath diversion will be in place
Mills & Albert estimate the works will take 20 working days. During this time unfortunately a footpath diversion will be in place, similar to when the retaining wall was constructed last year, but for only 4 weeks. In addition, the shortcut to the shops across the school field will be cordoned off and unavailable while this work is being done.
You will also be able to go between the overbridge and the shops via Te Motu Road and the SH1 pedestrian refuge at the shops.
These signs from the retaining wall works will be reused.
