Retail: $2
www.gbweekly.co.nz
Friday 18 March 2022
Marking Takaka’s history
Celebrating the new heritage plaque: Workcentre co-ordinator Alli Gardener, holding photograph of Sadd family members, with Heritage Golden Bay committee members, from left, Julie Reilly, Paul Sangster and Sally Gaffney, and Michael von Pupka. Photo: Anita Peters. ANITA PETERS
Another heritage plaque adding to Tākaka township’s rich history was recently installed at the Workcentre building at 84 Commercial Street. A photograph of local businessman Mr JJ Langridge, whose family home this was from around the 1890s, shows him standing in uniform with his horse at its frontage. He never went to war, but was possibly part of the Mounted Rifles for the Boer War. “They were like a Home Guard crowd,” says Paul Sangster from Heritage Golden Bay. “They were never a formed registered army; usually they were older guys who couldn’t go into the military – trained to d4efend us if something astronomical happened, like an invasion.” Mr Langridge owned the general store opposite the Anglican Church. His secretary James Sadd and family were number 84’s next residents. A 1907 photograph gifted to the Workcentre by family members shows Mrs Sadd with four of their five children standing at the Victorian frontage. James Sadd eventually purchased the house in 1929.
The land bet ween the house and Commercial Street became the first Tākaka Bowling Club from 1910 until 1936, when the telegraph exchange building was sited there. The house was then occupied by Doctor Bydder, who adapted it for a maternity and nursing home between 1939 and 1942, under charge sister Bethune and nurse Lash, until a community cottage hospital became available. The Bradley family were the next residents, between 1955 and 1982. Edward Bradley was minister of the Tākaka Church of Christ and also worked at the telephone exchange while his wife provided home-based welfare care to needy and marginalised people, mainly children and elderly folk. “Apparently it was very social; they had many visitors,” says Alli Gardener, today’s longstanding Workcentre co-ordinator. “We regularly get people come in and say, ’Oh, I was born in the back room,’ or, ‘We used to visit Granny and that was her sitting room.’ The house is much more elaborate now; it’s been tarted up over the years.” Members of the Langford family lived there
scenic flights
just stunning
Golden Bay Air goldenbayair.co.nz 0800 588 885
S c h e d u l e d • S c e n i c • C h a rt e r
Mr JJ Langridge at his front door of what is now the Golden Bay Workcentre building in Commercial Street. Photo courtesy Golden Bay Museum.
until 1983 when, with government and council funding, the house was purchased by an established women’s group, who then initiated the Workcentre Trust. Their main focus was to offer training courses that offered facilities, resources and support for individuals and groups developing business enterprises. This gracious building has not only been a home for several families, but has also provided endless essential community support and initiatives.
GoldenBayPropertyServices.co.nz
YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERTS Call us today for all your property advice inc. current market estimate on your property.
Locally owned and operated Ray White Golden Bay || Billy Kerrisk Licensed Agent REAA 2008 Level 1, 11 Buxton lane, Takaka || Billy 0276085606 || Sam 0273014209
* Window Cleaning * Water Blasting * House Washing * Gutter Inspection/Cleaning * Lawns/Grounds Maintenance * Drone Inspection/Surveys
JO RICHARDS
Golden Bay Community Board’s monthly meeting took place via Zoom on Tuesday morning. Topics discussed included Port Tarakohe, flood protection projects, and bus services but it began with a contribution about shorebird protection. Public Forum Cynthia McConville thanked GBCB for its support of a project to establish planting and a bird hide at Taupata gravel reserve. “The planting is well-established and the bird hide is built,” said Cynthia, who explained that reported disturbance of shorebirds due to vehicles had reduced by two-thirds since access was blocked. She moved on to talk about restricting vehicle access to seven of the Bay’s key shorebird sites. Referring to the speciallycommissioned council report on the subject, she stressed the importance of preventing people “joyriding” in cars, and on motorcycles and quad bikes. The report was discussed at length later in the meeting. Reg Turner then appeared on the Zoom screen – but only very briefly – to explain that his question had been deemed as “better answered by staff” and so was withdrawn. GB Projects TDC community infrastructure project manager Graham Rimmer provided an overview of current projects underway in the Bay. He started by outlining the work required to link a new wastewater pumping station at Tarakohe to the Four Winds facility in Pōhara. “We need a couple of months to finalise costings and figure out how to get the pipe in the ground… and how we do it without closing Abel Tasman Drive.” For a significant stretch of the pipe run, Graham explained that a diamond-bladed trenching machine would be required to cut through the hard rock, and it will be a slow process. “We’ll do about 40 metres a day with the trencher.” The work is expected to start in July 2023. Staying with Port Tarakohe, Graham informed the board that the replacement of the existing wharf with a new concrete structure was well underway. “We’ve recently removed the timber decking from the old timber wharf.” He described plans to extend the marina breakwater by around 20m and widen it to accommodate two rows of parking. Continued on page 3 With 19 years' experience in Golden Bay’s real estate, Belinda has a proven record of marketing & selling a variety of property. If you are considering selling, give Belinda a call.
Belinda J Barnes AREINZ
021 236 2840
belinda@goldenbayproperty.com
027 690 0769 | Free Quotation
Inside: CAS bikes Organic growing Book review Movie review Couple’s 60 years THE GB WEEKLY, FRIDAY 18 MARCH 2022
GB Community Board
Licensed Agents REAA 2008
ISSN (PRINT) 2538-0923 ISSN (ONLINE) 2538-0931
1