2017 March BEACON

March 2017

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”Double Trouble” ...Twice the Fun He got behind the wheel for his first race when he was 12. It’s been full on ever since then for 15 year old Lynfield College student Jarrad Green, who just lifted his first championship trophy for the Auckland Youth Ministock car series.

“childcare like you’ve (09) 626 4251 ext3

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With twin brother Thomas chasing him, this is a very competitive family. They travel to races all over the upper North Island. Kaikohe, Waiuku, Huntly and Rotorua are frequented as dad Ross takes the two race cars on their double cab transporter truck.

Thomas started racing a bit later when he was 13. He had a nasty crash a season back which would make any mum’s heart skip a beat. Sarah says, “Ross and I were fortunate because we had turned and didn’t actually see the crash happen. Any time one of the boys gets in the lead I start to get anxious. It’s also heart-breaking when they can’t finish a race. What also worries us is when their car comes in on the back of a tow truck. I help in the pits with tyre changes and suspension but when a car is towed in we think – can we fix it for the next race? How much will it cost?”

Fortunately Thomas is a very good welder. It seems like he needs to be! The family motto is “you break it, you fix it”. Both Jarrad and Thomas have become clued up mechanically as they do most of the maintenance and repair work themselves. They work together part-time at Midas Onehunga, which allows them access to a tyre machine and other tools.

At the Ministock Championship, getting out on the track in front of big crowds at Waikaraka Park and mixing it up in a competitive class tested the nerves.

When it came to the final race it was a cliff-hanger with Jarrad and another 15 year old boy tied for points. There was a four-lap run off race to decide the championship. Most of the public had packed up for the night and were leaving when the run off race was announced.

The two drivers were both nervous because they had never had to do a one-on-one race before. The pit lane emptied as all the pit crews lined the fence to see the race. Sarah couldn’t bear to watch the race and left the pits.

Jarrad lost the coin toss and pole position. Then he messed up the start so he was in trailing position until near the end when the lead car made an error. Jarrad powered through on the inside and went on to win the race.

The crowd erupted, chanting, “Jarrad, Jarrad!” Sarah was screaming and crying. Emotion overcame Jarrad and he was crying. Ross had tears too, but muttered, “It’s pretty dusty on the track”. never seen before!”

The first thing Jarrad did after getting out of the car was to go over and talk to the other driver. All the senior stocks guys – Jarrad’s heroes – came over to congratulate him. The Club Promoter said it was one of 115 Boundary Rd, Blockhouse Bay the cleanest races he had witnessed. (next door to Bupa) Along with support from mum, dad and younger brother Harris, the twins also get a boost from family sponsors Grandma (in return for lawn mowing), Ross Green Contracting, and Midas Onehunga.

It’s great to see local lads come through, and Lynfield College is proud to have them as students, with Jarrad winning the Auckland Youth Ministock Championship. Congratulations!

Call us or pop in anytime with your child to meet our wonderful teachers and tour the most innovative and award winning learning and outdoor play environment in NZ

It Just Stinks • p2 What’s the Secret? • p4 Cafe Cruisers • p7

Thanks to our contributors: Graham, Kathy, Kerrie, John C, John S, Peter G, Timespanner

‘Old-School’ Childcare

Editorial by Kerrie Subritzky

In my day, childcare centres were few and far between. In fact, it was mostly just kindies and play-centres. Those were the days where kids pretty much just played. They played make-believe, dress ups, chasey, go-home-stay-home, climbed trees, and fell over and got dirty, and scuffed knees. Oh, and there was usually an old tractor carcass for the littlies to pretend to drive on. Mum would pick us up at lunchtime, and off we’d go home for a sleep. Unless you were a big kid, then you were an afternooner.

That rough and tumble childhood grew some fairly capable adults. It’s a time I still have fond memories of, and when my own kids came along was the kind of place I looked for. ‘Oldschool’ we call it now – that generic term we moderns use to describe anything from the ‘olden days’.

Continued pg 6

The Big Finance Picture The Third Age with Peter Goulter So you are looking forward to retirement. “Roll on 65,” you say. Over the three previous issues we introduced this topic and looked at the Big Picture and Health. Over the next three issues we will continue to expand on what can be a scary season of life for many men and women.

As with any season of life you need a life plan, and the third age is no different. This season of life should be the most influential and rewarding.

So, the BIG FINANCE PICTURE is: You are unlikely to be as wealthy as the day you retire and enter the third age. Financial limitations will impact your freedom to do things at some stage and you need to allow for this in your plan.

Your plan is the whole of life direction you are planning for, and part of that plan is a finance plan or budget.

LEISURE CHANGES As mentioned last month, health and capacity will impact your leisure, as will finances. With increased free time leisure opportunities increase and so with all these opportunities you will need to budget time and money. You may need to ration, change or eliminate current or new opportunities.

ADEQUACY OF SAVINGS With changing income, you will need to plan what activities (travel, presents, recreation, dining out, etc) are reduced, altered or eliminated. Your savings will be defined as you enter the third age and it is unlikely that they will increase from that point. There is an argument that there is no point in planning further saving.

There are decisions to be made about adjusting living t o income, or living to

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consuming all income and savings. If your income exceeds living requirements, then it is a season to give it away. There is no point being the richest person in the graveyard. No one will care!

USEFULNESS AND YOUR VALUE Our culture has a tendency to value people on their asset wealth. The third age brings changes to wealth patterns. It is a time to accept one’s worth and value is not based on what we have but who we are. Who we are, our identity, should be based on our influence and the legacy we leave behind in the lives of other people. With increased time in the third age, there is never a season like this to build legacy.

UNFULFILLED DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS The reality is that you will enter this season with some aspirations or dreams that have never been achieved. If you have aspired to climb Mt Everest you may have to let this go. It is healthy to review the bucket list and choose to let some things go.

BUDGETING You may have operated without a budget for many years. The third age may be a season that the budget has to be reintroduced to achieve your life plan without stress and fear.

By doing a budget you may find you have freedom to do more than you expected!

Questions to ponder: • Have I done a detailed life plan?

• Is it time to do a detailed budget as part of this plan?

• What dreams do I need to let go?

Join us again in April when Peter covers the changing environment in the third age. Ed Copyright: Beacon BHB reserves copyright over all material printed herein, except where other copyright is shown. No material may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher or editor.

Editor/Advertising: Kerrie Subritzky e: kerrie@bhb.nz | Ph 0273 44 44 16 Designer: Alistair Craig e: al@seriousmedicine.co.nz | www.seriousmedicine.co.nz Printer: Words Incorporated | Ph 626-6158

It Just

www.bhb.nz Treated wastewater discharge

Stinks!

The Manukau has been treated as the backside of Auckland for decades. Power pylons were routed around the edges of the growing suburbs until they were finally pushed out into the harbour itself. Then housing expanded under the terrestrial pylons.

Onehunga was Auckland’s main port until ships became too large to cross the bar.

Auckland has finally started to interact well with the Waitemata Harbour edge. Similar development at Onehunga is still in the planning stages.

The Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant is the biggest insult, though. Swimming has been banned at Laingholm and Wood Bay with permanent signs erected. Auckland Council has ceased routine monitoring of water quality at these beaches.

Green Bay registered 24,200 enterococci per 100ml of water – 173 times the maximum safe level for swimming of 140. That was back on 16 November 2016. Up until January 2017 it had exceeded safe levels 4 weeks out of 10.

The Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant reached capacity, and semi-treated effluent bypassed full treatment 20-22 times each year after heavy rain over the last decade. “On June 29-30 last year about 124 Olympicsized swimming pools of partially-treated waste water was discharged into the Manukau just across the harbour from the beaches at Laingholm, Wood Bay and Green Bay,” said waste water biologist Gemma Tolich Allen.* After publicity about low water quality in both harbours, Phil Goff called for advancing the construction of the huge 5m diameter “Central Interceptor” pipe across Auckland to the Mangere Plant. This $1 billion project has been shuffled backwards over the last decade as councillors scramble to find money for other projects.

With Auckland’s growing population, the Central Interceptor will be able to divert sewage from spills into the Waitemata and deliver more waste faster to the Mangere Plant.

Will the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant be expanded fast enough to cope with this increase? And why is “treated” waste still discharged into our Manukau Harbour instead of the Tasman Sea? John Subritzky *NZ Herald, January 2017

Nothing Succeeds Like Success

It’s common knowledge that success begets success. Success is attractive, and everyone wants to be part of it. It’s human nature. And that could very well be the reason for a remarkable, recent influx of students for Glenavon School. Although the roll has been steadily increasing for a few years, enrolments have jumped by 110 new students in the past 12 months – that’s a 21% roll increase!

However, success doesn’t happen overnight, and a well-implemented vision is evidenced by the school’s outstanding June 2016 ERO report, resulting in a four-to-five-year review status.

That’s a grade ERO (the Education Review Office) gives to schools that are doing very well, and are hitting the right performance markers.

When asked for his thoughts on what attributed to the growth, Principal Phil Toomer responded, “I think our 4-5 year ERO report has certainly helped spread the message that we are a high performing school and that we provide an exceptional education for our community.

I think the local and surrounding community are continuing to pick up on this and there is a good buzz around the school.

“When parents are excited about something, they tell their friends. We are getting a lot of families enrolling who have heard great things about the school and want to be part of it.

“Our property upgrades have also had a major effect.

We have upgraded our classes and grounds and are creating a new innovative learning environment for our junior school. Our community is excited that the school looks fresh and new - we get comments every day about how good our school looks.“ munity Cen he Com tre t A knock-on effect of increased rolls means that the t A school have been able to start new classes and hire new Sunday 19 March teachers. Toomer says “We have kept class sizes small this 9.30am – 2pm year in anticipation of a continuation of growth. This will mean that our class sizes will not be stretched as we grow.

NOW INCLU We are now quickly running out of space so our next step DES is to look towards new, roll growth classes.”

LOCALLY As the roll continues to increase, Toomer expects that MADE CRA FTS the school will be able to access funding to build new classrooms to support more students. “This will give us a great opportunity to create more innovative learning Admission only spaces for our children,” he says.

Kerrie Subritzky proceeds to upkeep of Armanasco House.

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

FAIR

$2

March 2017 • 3

What’s The Secret?

For quite a time now I have been pondering life in the Bay, what makes it what it is, and why it’s such a pleasant place to live in.

Help is on the Way at Blockhouse Bay! The school playground can be a daunting place at times when you are new or a little sad, shy or lonely.

Blockhouse Bay Primary has adopted the “Cool Schools” Programme and trained playground mediators are on duty every lunchtime. The Year Five and Six pupils go through a series of workshops to develop the skills of mediation and then when they are fully trained, they are able to patrol the playground at lunchtime to look out for conflicts, praise good playground behaviour and to help children who are in any way unhappy.

In the picture you can see what good use the school has made of the Friendship Seat which was donated to the school by New World Supermarkets and is made from recycled plastic bags.

If a child needs a friend they sit on the seat and the mediators or other children can see them and offer to find them a friend - leading to happy children and a positive playground experience for all.

4 • March 2017

At work we so often see random acts of kindness – donations of hand-crafted items, made especially for children or sick adults, food items for Food Pantry, clothing for refugees based just down the road, excess fruit and so on. We are becoming more used to it, but are still very pleasantly surprised, and it makes my day.

All this got me thinking … what’s the secret?

Not money, not possessions for their own sake.

It is open-hearted giving and sharing, understanding where others not so fortunate may be coming from, and looking beyond self.

In a word, “it’s not all about me”.

It’s looking at the bigger picture of the community around us. Discovering how we can benefit that community by considering not just our own position, but that of our neighbours.

It’s all those amazing community groups that give of themselves with no expectation of any return but the happiness and progress of others. Think Scouts and Guides, think

churches around us and consider how much they put back into our community. Think the numerous clubs and associations that are really only there for the betterment of their communities.

Then think of the volunteers. Those wonderful, usually quiet, usually behind the scenes people who are always on hand, it seems, no matter what is needed. From the gent who dressed up in a pumpkin suit to meet and greet at the Garden Festival (he is also our Town Cryer), to the lady with her plants and jams, to the couple who run the bi-monthly Antiques and Crafts Fair at the Community Centre, the people who teach English twice a week, and many, many others.

Yes, it is uplifting to be around these people, they are such good examples of how we can think beyond our own parameters and look out further afield, to the greater community.

The rewards are surely there.

“it’s not all about me”.

Graham Edwards Blockhouse Bay Community Centre

www.bhb.nz

10th Trusts NZ Open Bowls Tournament a Great Success – Despite the Weather!

Moving the Trusts NZ Open from its traditional November time to February to benefit from better weather seemed to be a bit of an error of judgement by organisers, Auckland Bowls last week with poor weather hitting the start of the competition.

The inclement weather caused numerous headaches for the organisers and host clubs who did their best to ensure the games went ahead with as minimal disruption to the players as possible. Unfortunately, several games had to be moved to artificial and indoor greens to ensure that the competition kept to schedule, but despite the bad weather and disruptions spirits and level of competition remained high.

Saturday saw the start of the disabled competition under the scrutiny of Commonwealth Selectors, with the finals being played out on Monday 20th.

The penultimate day of the tournament opened with the AeroBowls Women’s Triples Final under glorious sunshine and in front of a good crowd. The AeroBowls Men’s Triples Final kicked off after lunch. The final game of the day was the Trusts Woman’s Singles which proved to be one of the best games of the tournament with both ladies playing some sublime bowls, with Brown’s Bay player Elaine McClintock prevailing to take the title.

The weather looked to hold as the tournament entered the final day that would feature the Ryman Healthcare Men’s and Women’s Pairs Final, with the Trusts Men’s Singles Final bringing the event to a close.

Chris Le Lieuve and Jamie Hill seemed to have the game under control but a late surge from Kerry Chapman and Tony Grantham brought

them back into contention before succumbing 18-16.

The Women’s final was played in extreme heat and proved to be a tense battle of nerves. However, Elaine McClintock and Marilyn McLeod finally sealed a 17-14 victory.

The scene was then set for the Trusts Men’s Singles Final between defending Champion Richard Girvan and Chris Le Lieuve with Richard proving too strong, taking 4 shots in the final end to secure back to back titles.

Tournament headquarters, Blockhouse Bay Bowling Club proved to be an ideal venue for the event but they were disappointed to only have one player from the club to get into the final stages, with Esther Eu reaching the semifinals of the Women’s Singles. Congratulations must be given to the sponsors, Auckland Bowls, Blockhouse Bay Bowling Club as well as all volunteers, groundskeepers and players.

2017 Trusts NZ Open Champions • The Trusts Men’s Singles – Richard Girvan • Ryman Healthcare Men’s Pairs – Chris Le Lieure & Jamie Hill • AeroBowls Men’s Triples - Scott Evans #, Schalk Mouton & Rory Soden • The Trusts Women’s Singles – Elaine McClintock • Ryman Healthcare Women’s Pairs – Marilyn McLeod & Elaine McClintock • AeroBowls Women’s Triples – Margaret O’Connor, Christine Buchanan & Anne Dorreen • Disabled Pair’s – Bruce Wakefield, Carolyn Crawford • Disabled Triple’s – Bruce Wakefield, Norm Earnshaw, Lynda Bennett

The Silver Strummers

The Silver Strummers are an established ukulele orchestra with performers residing around the Blockhouse Bay area. Formed five years ago by a couple of ukulele enthusiasts, it now has twelve members, most of them retired people ranging in age from 60 – 80 years old. Many are musicians who had grown up with some music knowledge and wanted to continue with their music ability. The performers’ enthusiasm is quite contagious and it keeps minds active with something to offer others in retirement.

Quite by accident they were asked to Oil leak. perform at a local retirement village.

This resulted in the word spreading that here were a group of musicians bringing back music from the 50s to the 80s, and not just entertaining but encouraging audience participation. As their popularity spread, other retirement villages and homes requested concerts. They currently perform to 12 villages in the area over a 12-month period.

The group has two practice sessions and two concerts per month. To vary the music they introduced other instruments into the orchestra, but in the main it still continues as a ukulele group. The programme is everchanging as new music is introduced.

Bookings for 2017 are already well in advance and it looks like another very active year.

The group is currently looking to fill two vacancies, for a guitar player and a bass player.

For more information contact Peter on pac.gic@gmail.com March 2017 • 5

EcoWest Festival 2017: Te Radar @ BHB

West Auckland is gearing up for a month-long celebration of our awe-inspiring environment this autumn. From 11 March to 9 April 2017, EcoMatters Environment Trust will partner with the Western local boards to host EcoWest Festival, an annual festival of more than 100 events across west Auckland that celebrate our unique environment and what we do to care for it.

“We’re super excited to be offering over 100 events this year, our biggest festival yet!

We have so many people who do great things which make west Auckland an awesome place to live, and this festival is about sharing their passion and skills with the wider community,” says Festival Manager Myrthe Braam.

“Workshops and events during EcoWest will provide opportunities to learn practical things you can do at home like composting, growing vegetables, identifying weeds and reducing your household waste. Or you can head outdoors and show some love to our treasured parks and streams.”

The whole family can get involved with activities like family bike rides and guided walks learning about butterflies, and there will also be events to get people out and discovering the natural wonders in their backyard. Most of the events will be free or low cost.

Some of the new events this year include the Down and Dirty // Rooftop Party at Lopdell House, Titirangi, The Green Effect Comedy Show featuring Te Radar, Penny Ashton, Pax Assadi and Brendon Green, Free Park Yoga at Olympic Park and Conscious Layers Action Nights where you can learn the basics of repairing clothes.

EcoWest Festival will end with a bang with EcoDay on Sunday 9 April, a fun familyfriendly day out featuring loads of activities, live performances and great food. EcoDay will be held at EcoMatters Environment Trust and Olympic Park in New Lynn.

The Festival is hosted by EcoMatters Environment Trust, with generous support from Henderson-Massey Local Board, Waitakere Ranges Local Board, Whau Local Board, The Trusts Community Foundation and Greenstar Energy Solutions.

Full details of all EcoWest Festival events at www.ecowest.org.nz 6 • March 2017

“Old School”Childcare (contd) Nowadays teacher ratio is unusually high; 5 children to education has changed. And a lot of it is for every teacher, most of whom have been there the better, but a kind of ‘sanitising’ has crept a decade or more, resulting in the stable family into the mix. It’s got so that everything has atmosphere that children thrive in. to be ‘safe,’ to the point really that kids don’t With a strong philosophy that children really get to explore their boundaries, and learn through doing, bare feet, roly-poly down challenge their limits like they used to decades hills, splashing in puddles, and getting messy ago. They don’t really get close enough to the and dirty are all part of the norm. Technology edge to know where the is downplayed to ‘a useful edge really is. tool’ that sometimes supports Childcare has become their outdoor discoveries. big business. It is now an Shock horror! Surely not? entrenched part of society, Nope, instead of ‘screen with children in some form time’ children have hands-on of day-care whether parents experiences with a grassy hill, work or not. In the old days ‘safe fall’, concrete, sandpit, there would have been two bark and a nature area. And or three in a suburb, whereas they turn out just fine. Better now It seems that there is a than fine, in fact, with their childcare facility in virtually ex-pupils names regularly every street. Which is just emblazoned on school as true in the Blockhouse noticeboards around town.

Bay area as anywhere else in Denise is very chuffed Auckland. about that.

You could be forgiven for Being a ‘not-for-profit’, with funds raised thinking that the little childcare centre on the hard way and going back into the running Boundary Road near the gates of Lynfield of the centre, advertising is a bit of a stretch.

College was just for children of teachers and And they could do with a better sign (any adult students at Lynfield College – especially businesses out there keen to sponsor one since it has “Lynfield College” in its name. contact Denise). But I was inspired by a story Having passed it at least a thousand times, that needed to be told. Check out their below that’s exactly what I thought – wrongly as for details, but you’d better be quick as I have a it turns out. And with quite an unassuming feeling places won’t be available for long. exterior as well, many of us would pass on by without another thought.

The Lynfield College Community Childcare Centre approached me to place and design an ad. As I did my research and chatted to Denise, the centre supervisor, I began to realise that what they have here is something out of the ordinary, and a bit special. In a time where there are more OUR CENTRE 2017 OPENINGS brand new, slick, Lynfield College Community Childcare up-to-the-minute AVAILABLE! Centre is a small, family-friendly, day-care centres than FREE afternoon sessions not-for-profit early childhood centre – you can shake a stick available to all new at, this one, for all enrolments (conditions apply) licensed for just 30 children.

We pride ourselves on quality care and its humble exterior, 20 hours ECE subsidy education for children aged between six stands out. In fact, available for three and four months and five years. it makes me want to year olds. have grandchildren.

Opening hours & location Here is a little Monday to Friday 7:45am to 5:30pm childcare centre 100 Boundary Road, Blockhouse Bay. where the word Contact: 09) 626 2464 “little” belies impact. lynfieldcollegechildcare@xtra.co.nz Licensed for just 30 www.lynfieldcollegechildcare.co.nz children, the child to

Lynfield College Community Childcare Centre

www.bhb.nz

Leisure cycling ticks so many boxes for me.

It’s now my major hobby, my main exercise, a big part of my social life and very much part of who I am.

Local Boy Top 1% in New Zealand Congratulations to Henry Frear (Year 11) who was awarded an Outstanding Scholarship award in English, meaning he is in the top 1% of students in New Zealand who sat this examination in 2016.

Green Bay High School is very proud to announce a total of five Scholarships were awarded to students, four in English: Henry Frear, Xanthe Brookes, Philip Baker, Ruben Mita and one in Geography: Paige Rundle. This is an exceptional result.

What makes Henry’s success more remarkable is that he was a Year 11 student at the time of the exam!

“Henry is an exceptional student, who never missed an English workshop where his contributions were insightful and challenging for all the students involved,” says a very proud Head of Department, Richard Brooke. “He is one of those rare students who surprise you with their extraordinary intelligence, and in his case, a beguiling grace and humility as well.”

I should say here that I am not a prayingmantis shaped racer dressed in skin-tight lycra that looks like it’s been sprayed on. (Some of my cycling clothes are tight, but only around the belly and belt). I am leisure cyclist and I do it for fun. “I feel like I’m ten years old!” said one of my riding pals recently. “I’ve just spent all day having fun on my bike, going to the beach and hanging out with my gang.”

I was well into my fifties when I was coerced into cycling by a friend. I was a ‘newbie’: unfit, ill-equipped, a bit scared and a little wobbly. But I liked it, and I kept doing it.

My wife started cycling with me and we have discovered that it is a great thing to do as a

couple. We started rendezvousing with other friends for Saturday rides and soon there were a hundred of us!

Our group is called the Café Cruisers; it’s very informal and we say there are only two rules: be safe, and be nice! We are an odd assortment of people from all over Auckland [including Blockhouse Bay] and with varying fitness and experience.

Rides are on paths or quiet roads, typically 15-30km with usually a cafe at the start and a lunch together at another cafe. Occasionally we travel out-of-town, especially on long weekends, and have great adventures. Most people ride hybrid or leisure style bikes but basically anything with wheels would suit our style of riding.

If you would like to know more, check out Café Cruisers Auckland on Facebook.

John Cowan

New Waikowhai Coastal Boardwalk.

Part of the walkway between Onehunga and Blockhouse Bay has recently been completed with the opening of the new Waikōwhai Coastal Boardwalk linking Taumanu Reserve with Bamfield Reserve in Hillsborough. The boardwalk, which cost $1.1million, is one of two sections which are required to plug gaps in the network, about 80 per cent of which is off-road through coastal bush. Have you tried it yet? Just head to the Monday - Friday and Saturday MorningS new Taumanu Reserve in Onehunga and take a walk or cycle over the water to Hillsborough.

• WOF • Mechanical RepaiRs • autO electRical RepaiRs • seRvicing

Automotive RepAiRs

tRans Flushing • BRakes • clutch • exhaust • luBes • BatteRies

570 Blockhouse Bay Rd. Blockhouse Bay. Behind THE BLOCK Café

627 9925

The second stretch of boardwalk to be completed is between the beach at Wesley Bay and Aldersgate Road. Currently this section around the headland is only accessible two hours either side of low tide.

March 2017 • 7

What’s Happening in March …

Advertise with

Tue 7th

Staying in Touch – gathering for people affected by early stages of dementia.

Contact Church of the Saviour for more details 09-627 8779 or office@cots.org. nz

Sun 12th

Wild Westie Car Rally. Starts 9am at a venue TBA upon registration. Adults $15, under 12 free. Register online at www.bhbl-lionsproject.org . Registrations close 8 March.

Wed 15th

St Patrick’s Day Dinner 6.30pm Blockhouse Bay-Lynfield Lions monthly dinner.

Dress up in green and bring your best Irish Jokes for a great night. Bookings essential before Sat 11th. Go to www.bhbl-lions.org.nz for full info.

Fri 17th

Beacon BHB deadline for April issue. Contact kerrie@bhb.nz

Tue 21st & Wed 22nd

First Aid Course at BHB Community Centre. Discounted price of $60. Contact Maree at the centre for more details 09-626-4980

Sat 25th

Self Defence seminar: 11am – 1pm at BHB Community Centre. IMBC Academy is running a FREE community seminar to teach basic self-defence techniques.

Contact David 022 030 7028 or imbcacademy@gmail.com Regular Events

Mondays

Indoor Bowls 10am at the Senior Citizens Hall $1

Tuesdays

Housie 7.30 till 10.00pm at the BHB Community Centre, 524 Blockhouse Bay Rd. Run by St Dominic’s Parish, this regular Housie session is a fund-raising project for the church’s development and maintenance. All players are welcome.

Wednesdays

Indoor Bowls 10am at the Senior Citizens Hall $1

Thursdays

Activity Corner from 9.30am (for morning tea) at the Senior Citizens Hall $1

Fridays

Green Bay Street Food: 5pm- 8.30pm Delicious street food fiesta and live music.

Food Pantry open Friday afternoons at BHB Baptist Church.

Saturdays

Free Dinner every 2nd Saturday, 5pm – 7pm, at Iona Presbyterian Church hall, 38 Donovan St BHB. All welcome. For more info phone 09-627 9845 Early April

Sat 1st - Sun 2nd

7 compelling reasons why this should be YOUR advert: 1. You’re reading this – so are potentially 10,000 other households.

2. People read from cover to cover – there’s something for everyone 3. Hyper-local – it’s all about community – your community 4. High visibility, essential for branding awareness 5. Monthly (not weekly) = affordable investment 6. Our active online presence increases advert reach in community 7. Personal approach – we care about your business

Beacon Delivery

Sat 1st GARAGE SALE: Sausage sizzle, cakes, toys, books, jigsaws, white elephant, 8am – 12noon coffee cart and, weather permitting, large board games on the lawn. Where: Iona Presbyterian Church, 38 Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay. Wed 5th

Blockhouse Bay Historical Society 1.00pm at Blockhouse Bay Community Centre. Tyl von Randow will speak on his memoir Red Dust over Shanghai.

This memoir concerns his childhood in Shanghai from 1937 to 1952 and his subsequent New Zealand years when he lived in Blockhouse Bay.

Contact Kerrie on 0273 44 44 16 or kerrie@bhb.nz

• Physiotherapist Specialists in all aspects of injury and rehabilitation • Acupuncture and massage treatments • Open Monday to Saturday – 7.00am till late • Home visits available

2 Kinross Street, Blockhouse Bay (under the Westpac Bank)

Purchase equipment and products direct from our clinic www.advancedrehab.co.nz

Phone 627 9560

admin@advancedrehab.co.nz

Specialist orthodontics for all ages

Dentists: Dr. Peter Raymond BDS Dr. Haydn Gray BDS Dr Kathleen Sandberg DDS Dr Ravi deappointments Saram BDS Emergency

available daily!

Hygienist: Anna

Phone: 627-9970 www.bhbdental.co.nz 3A Heaphy Street (by the roundabout)

Dr Nitin Raniga Orthodontist

BDS (Otago), DclinDent (Otago), MOrth RSCEd, MRACDS (Orth)

6 Exminster Street, Blockhouse Bay

Phone: 09 627 3555 nitin@aucklandortho.co.nz www.aucklandortho.co.nz

Our lifestyle packages provide quality eyewear and eyecare solutions to suit your needs.

Visique Blockhouse Bay 1 Donovan St, Blockhouse Bay Ph 626 7713 *T’s & C’s apply.

8 • March 2017

www.bhb.nz

Happy Families

Council launches freedom camping pilot

Fun makes for happy families!

Getting family time is a tough thing today, between all our children’s separate sports commitments and activities. However Dr Kenneth N.Condrell, a child psychologist, reported on research into what distinguishes happy families from unhappy ones. He came up with five criteria: Happy families have parents who respect each other, they value extended family, they give compliments to encourage each other, they watch their language to ensure it isn’t abusive, and finally they are families who plan fun together. However sometimes we can all use some help with that!

“Messy Church” is a fast-paced and fun event for families held monthly on Saturdays from 4pm-6pm at Church of the Saviour – with our next date 18th March. Following a different theme each time there are craft activities for all ages, mess, and games. This is followed by games and songs, a story around the theme and a meal, which means you don’t even need to cook for the family that night.

For many local families, this is a mustn’t miss date in the calendar. It’s also one of the few opportunities to have some genuine family time together, and if Dr Condrell is right, it might just help your family stay happy!

Auckland Council is conducting a two-month pilot ‘dispersal’ programme from February to April that could see freedom campers encouraged to spread out over 27 locations across the city, rather than crowd into a few well-known hot spots.

Local boards help select camping sites The pilot sites have been selected following extensive consultation with local boards, resulting in seven of the city’s 21 local boards participating. Puketāpapa Local Board is offering Margaret Griffen Park in Lynfield for the pilot. This park has a history of freedom camping.

“We want to be welcoming hosts to our visitors,” says Councillor Cooper. “Campers bring an estimated $1.2 million a month into our economy over summer.”

“However, the influx of freedom campers into hotspot areas – particularly in northeastern coastal and inner-city locations – is creating problems.”

What’s on at the Library

The Blockhouse Bay Library is changing colour!

Exciting new paint job for our BHB Library. Work started on 13th February, and will take 3-4 weeks. Business as usual, but take care when walking around the outside for the next couple of weeks.

Events for Kids Thursday 23 March 2017, 10:30 – 11am: Pasifika Preschool Storytime: Enjoy learning about and listening to some stories from the Pacific Islands and sing some songs.

Regular Events Wednesdays, 9:30am – 10am Wriggle & Rhyme for 0-2 year olds: Enjoy a free and fun way of interacting with your baby or toddler by learning developmental skills through songs and rhymes (during school term only).

Thursdays, 10:30am - 11am Preschool Storytime: Come along for free, and have some fun learning literacy development through stories and songs.

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March 2017 • 9

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Back in the Day

Kosy Theatre

“Mural painted on building near site of original theatre”

Early in 1925, the good folks at Blockhouse Bay asked the Avondale Borough Council for a public hall. After all, Avondale had just swished up the Town Hall by finishing the 1915 part and shifting the old wooden hall to the side - why not treat Avondale South to a hall as well? No, said the Council, we’d rather sort out your water, roads etc.

During 1925, three immigrants arrived from England -- carpenter Ole August Guttormsen and his sisters Helga and Annie. Ole purchased the corner section of Donovan and Blockhouse Bay Road (that part then called Wynyard Road) and by early 1926 he was in the process of building the hall on his land, fronting Donovan. Maybe he thought he’d try running the hall, earn money, then reinvest in building shops along the rest of the frontage, as a lot of specbuilders did in those days? Who knows? It ended up, though, that he only did the hall, and it opened on 12 June 1926 as the Blockhouse Bay Hall, a dance venue featuring a “perfect floor” and jazz music until 11pm on Saturday nights.

Another proprietor took over in 1928, by which time Guttormsen had arranged a projector for the hall, and was showing silent movies, at least now and then (these weren’t advertised in the papers as the dances were). Guttormsen moved to Te Awamutu, but retained ownership until 1935. By which time, after two more proprietors, sound equipment was installed for the movies, but the dances held sway until the late 1930s or so. The hall was also used for community meetings, like those of the Avondale Women’s Group, political speeches during elections, and as a polling place.

Real Estate agent Douglas Fleming purchased the property and the hall in 1944, and the little cinema was finally given its own name, the Beverley, at least until 1953 when there was a further sale, to Frederick Ofsoske. Now, a further and last renaming, to the Kosy Theatre, and alterations to the front which added a new entry, and two shops either side, a hairdresser and a dairy. It was here that Jan Grefstad worked, rising to manager of the cinema, before he headed north to Avondale and his fame with the Hollywood from 1966.

They say TV doomed the Kosy. Just as Blockhouse Bay began to truly boom in terms of urban population, the business had a harder and harder time attracting customers. The cinema itself closed in the late 1960s, the building used for other purposes for a while, then it was demolished in January 1973. The site today is part of the car park in front of Countdown Supermarket.

Timespanner For more fascinating articles go to www.timespanner.blogspot.co.nz Our thanks to Blockhouse Bay Historical Society for use of images www.blockhousebayhistoricalsociety.com

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10 • March 2017

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COMMUNITY NOTICES Senior Citizens Hall – A Hive of Activities Fancy a sociable game of indoor bowls?

Looking to meet up with some friendly folk for a game of cards, chess or other fun activity?

The Blockhouse Bay Senior Citizens Hall is the place to be. Make yourself at home in a very social atmosphere where age is not important – you’re never too young or too old. Why not come along and see for yourself?

New folk are always welcome.

Indoor Bowls: Mondays & Wednesdays, 10am Activity Corner: Thursdays from 9.30 for morning tea. Cost: $1

www.bhb.nz

Self Defence Seminar IMBC Academy is running a FREE community seminar to teach basic self-defence techniques.

Where: BHB Community Centre When: 25 March 2017, 11am – 1pm Contact: David 022-030-7028 or imbcacademy@gmail.com

The Blockhouse Bay Library is changing colour!

Exciting new paint job for our BHB Library. Work started on 13th February, and will take 3-4 weeks. Business as usual, but take care when walking around the outside for the next couple of weeks.

Iona Presbyterian Church Garage Sale Sausage Sizzle, Cakes, Toys, Books, Jigsaws, White Elephant, Coffee Cart and (weather permitting) large board games on the lawn.

When: Saturday 1st April, 8am – 12noon Where: Iona Presbyterian Church, 38 Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay

Lynfield Community Church Turning 50 The Lynfield Community Church was established in 1967 by five partner churches (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational and Associated Churches of Christ) and continues to be unique in its inter-denominational flavour.

On the weekend of 27 & 28 May it will celebrate 50 years of service to its community and efforts are underway to locate and invite former members to the occasion. To that end the church is interested in hearing from any former members who have not already been contacted.

Contact & info: Rev Nyasha Gumbeze, office 6264141; Jenny, 021-152-3395

March 2017 • 11

It was just over a year ago – 6th February 2016 – that Mischief disappeared. We were ‘between houses’ and my friend had kindly invited us to stay with her.

Mischief and Pansy appeared to settle in well at their new home, so it was a shock when Mischief was nowhere to be found.

I was distraught. We searched everywhere for him, called for him, and put notices in letterboxes all around the area, not wanting to give up.

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12 • March 2017

Time moved on in its normal relentless fashion, and come April it was just Pansy and I who made the move into our new home in Panmure. I was heartbroken, having faced the inevitable truth that Mischief was no longer with us.

But miracles do happen.

Just a couple of weeks ago I got a phone call. My heart jumped when the caller introduced herself as a vet nurse from the Lynfield Veterinary Clinic. Could it be about Mischief? My thoughts scrambled as I prepared myself for the worst - was he dead, hurt or … could he possibly still be alive? Unbelievably, Mischief was alive and well.

I rushed across town to Lynfield, all the while still not quite believing that it could be him. But there he was curled up in the cage. He immediately knew the sound of my voice, and my heart was racing as I heard his answering meow.

The vet nurse had the name of the lovely woman who has been looking after him for a year, not far from the Lynfield Vets. Mischief wasn’t in good shape when he arrived at her home, but he soon put himself at ease - sleeping on her bed. I am so grateful to this kind woman for nursing him back to being a fluffy, healthy, 6kg cat.

In early February Mischief ’s adopted mum happened to take him to the vet. Mischief was routinely scanned for a microchip, and my name came up. I had adopted Mischief from the SPCA, where microchipping comes as part of the service, however I had no idea this was the case. All I can say to that is, thank you SPCA! Mischief is now very much at home here with me and Pansy. He is regularly running up and down two flights of stairs which will help him lose some weight. I am so thankful for microchipping and to his adopted mother - it is truly wonderful to have him home again.

Kathy Skellern