Announcements

SH1 shops footpath repair and widening finally underway

• • Announcements, Road safety

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.

Meet the Candidates: Local Body Elections 2019

• • Announcements, Event

Not sure who to vote for in the Northern Ward, or for Mayor, or Greater Wellington Regional Council? There’ll be lots of chances to meet and hear from the candidates standing for this year’s local election.

Hosted by the Pukerua Bay Residents’ Association, both Northern Ward candidates, Mayoral candidates and Greater Wellington Regional Council candidates will be present to talk with you and to answer your questions. All confirmed nominations are listed here.

7pm, Monday 16 September 2019 (ical)
Pukerua Bay Hall, Rawhiti Road, Pukerua Bay (map)

He Ara Pukerua: beach heritage marker unveiling

• • Announcements, Event, He Ara Pukerua
Painting: waka on the beach, Pukerua Bay
Waka on Pukerua Bay beach.

The beach heritage marker, part of Pukerua Bay’s He Ara Pukerua heritage project, will be unveiled by Porirua Mayor, His Worship Mike Tana. The marker covers a brief introduction to Pukerua Māori history, George Stubbs, John Nicol, Nobby Clark, beach houses, the 1962 Battle of the Rocks, the Rāhui and early artists.

This will be followed by the unwrapping of the bollard for the Pukerua Bay Surf Lifesaving Club at Brendan Bay, with members of the club.

All welcome!

10 am start, Saturday 3 August 2019 (ical)
Southern beach car park, at foot of Goat Track (map)

No Engine Braking sign for Pukerua Bay

• • Announcements •

We’re very pleased to see that NZTA has put up a “No engine braking” sign for south-bound traffic. It’s been a long battle even just to get signs installed, and David Olsen deserves credit for persisting with it. We’d like to find ways of stopping engine braking disturbing residents entirely, but this is a good start.

He Ara Pukerua signpost opening

• • Announcements, Event, He Ara Pukerua, History

The He Ara Heritage Group of the Pukerua Bay Residents Association would like to invite you to the opening of 4 heritage bollards on the Ara Harakeke Way. The event will be on Saturday 19 May 2018 and start at 10.00am by the entrance to Whenua Tapu.

That might sound a bit official but it’s really a great chance to see and hear stories about our local history. The bollards have been placed alongside the walkway to mark significant events or places at those sites.

It’s a 2.5 km walk down to the Z Truck Stop and Mayor Mike Tana is officiating at all four of them. He will be ably assisted at each one by our selected historians who will give a potted history of the significance of each site.

A representative from the Hongoeka Marae will bless each one and Mayor Mike will unveil them with a flourish. As a bonus, Mike Jebson from the QE2 National Trust and a resident botanist will speak as we pass the Taupō Swamp sign which was recently rediscovered. The last time it was seen out in the open was when the Queen was here!

At the Truck Stop we will have available some ‘local’ refreshments. They will be non-alcoholic and child friendly. Actually they will be real fruit ice blocks made on the Kāpiti Coast by a couple of ladies just starting their business called Paekākāriki Pops.

Have your say before the end of the April

• • Announcements • , ,

Pukerua Bay residents! We encourage you to make submissions to your local councils about their long term plans, and have your say about things that matter to you. Please have a look at the following two sites, both due before the end of this month:

Porirua City Council: Make submissions on the new proposed Long Term Plan before 23 April at submissions.porirua.govt.nz. The long term plan emphasis is on much needed infrastructure investment in the ageing water supply and waste/storm water systems funded with a 5.25 % rates increase per year over 4 years. Other changes include paid parking in the CBD, strategic property purchases and revitalising Eastern Porirua, subsidised recycling for schools and preschools, improved access to Titahi Bay, a second fenced dog park, and increasing fees and charges to reduce the increase in rates. Click here for the whole document (PDF).

Greater Wellington Regional Council: Submit your opinions online at www.whatmatters.co.nz before 29 April and have your say. Porirua City Council have argued they are paying too high a transport rate due to shortcomings in economic modelling, so revising these models should improve costs for flood protection and transportation. We think Porirua residents should submit in support of this change (by choosing Option 1 in the Revenue and Financing Policy proposal) to help counteract likely votes against it from Hutt and Wairarapa councils. Three other issues are 1. long term plans for the Wairarapa and Capital Connection rail services, 2. improving the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office, and 3. support for the Water Wairarapa Project.

Community Garden consultation

• • Announcements, Community Garden, Consultation • , ,

We had a great meeting at the site of the Community Garden on Sunday, having invited all the neighbours to discuss the project and contribute with ideas and feedback. Everyone who turned out was enthusiastic and eager to participate, so we are looking at getting things moving ahead. With this in mind – everyone in the community is invited to a meeting at 7pm, Thursday 19 October at the School Hall to contribute to the planning for the immediate and longer term future of the garden.

If you have anything you would like to put on the agenda; ideas and feedback,  skills, materials or other resources to contribute, please feel free to message here or comment on the Facebook posts’s discussion.