The Eastbourne Herald February 2022

Bowling Club selling up, on the move

by Ann Packer

Eastbourne's Bowling Club facility and greens in Muritai Road are to be sold, with committee members hoping to relocate to another part of Eastbourne and invest sale proceeds into synthetic greens.

The club has been in its current premises since 1907, but declining membership and fewer people using the club for functions has seen it struggling with the significant costs required to maintain its greens.

EBC president Clive Mallett says the green is finally open after "something of a disaster since last season when the green was plagued with moss and nematodes leaving it like a patchwork quilt".

The decision was made to dig up the affected areas and replant – unfortunately the special seed required was not immediately available and inclement weather at the time meant the ground was not seeded until quite late.

“Four rinks are now open, thanks to the dedication of our ground supervisor and the perseverance of members, who spent a great deal of time hand-weeding the incredible variety of weeds that came away in the imported top soil,” Mr Mallett says.

“The community will be able to participate in bowls and the club extends a warm welcome to new members.”

Like a lot of clubs these days, the Eastbourne Bowling Club has suffered from a decline in full playing membership. Bowling all weekend in traditional garb is no longer popular, as it once

was. However, the more casual form of the sport is thriving, with a good number of men and women casual bowlers participating from the Eastbourne community. These people enjoy the socialising and friendly competition of games of shorter duration.

Mr Mallett says in the coming weeks it will be possible to start community bowls using the shorter Bowls3Five format. With this in mind the current committee has come to the realisation that the future for the club lies in providing a community-based facility and increasing the participation of local families.

Reluctantly the club has accepted it must relocate. Mr Mallett says it would be a sad day indeed for the community and both existing and future bowlers if there were no bowling green retained within the community.

However, while the club may be cash poor, it is fortunate to be asset rich since it owns the freehold title to its land.

The committee considers this value should be reinvested back into the community where it was raised. One option is relocating and investing the sale proceeds of the existing club premises into a synthetic green which can be used throughout the year and with lower overheads.

The club is currently exploring several options, which would generate sufficient funds to create “a really first-class facility”.

Mr Mallett says the experience of other bowling clubs in New Zealand who have installed a synthetic green is that membership numbers often double or even treble, which would assure the future of bowls in the Eastbourne community.

What a whopper!

This kingfish is the biggest catch so far for Jason Yan, who has been practising his craft at the popular Sunshine Bay anglers’ corner for several years under the watchful eye of Sri Lankan-born Mushab Thazleem, from Stokes Valley.

Mr Yan, 21, from Tawa, who is in the third year of an IT degree at Victoria University and also has a day job, sought out Mr Thazleem and asked to be taught to fish.

The teacher is as proud as the student.

Fire up the barbie

Eastbourne Pool has closed after a 14 week season, repeating last year's early closing of the summer facility. Speaking under public comment at this month's Eastbourne Community Board meeting, John Welch expressed disappointment the pool was continuing under a shortened open season and that this had now become permanent due to the financial impacts of Covid. He had calculated that the pool could expect enough revenue over an additional two weeks of entry fees to offset costs. Mr Welch had sent the calculations to HCC but was yet to receive feedback. Eastbourne Swim Club spokesperson Kaye Wilmshurst, noted the pool played an important role in saving lives by providing swimming lessons. She said the Swim Club had previously been able to fit in 11 club nights but now could only fit eight. As a consequence it was struggling to complete its programme which was based on a 10 week season. She added the pool and its swim programme were more accessible to local people who could find it hard to get to the Huia or McKenzie pools. She considered HCC should not be shortening the pool season. Swim Club parent Kate Evans said HCC had previously provided free entry to pools for children taking part in the Weetbix Triathlon. She said last year the

TIMETABLE

Depart Days Bay

BRIEFS

Eastbourne Pool closed early so the Swim Club had to use the Harbour. She said this was not as safe for the children and the same issue would have arisen this year if the triathlon was going ahead. She noted HCC had limited spaces available for lessons in its other pools and they were expensive. She added training at the Eastbourne Pool was accessible and affordable. Mayor Barry responded that pool costs were not broken down into individual pools but were seen in totality. He said HCC had been forced to make some difficult decisions due to Covid, and acknowledged there had been significant pressure on pool use over the summer season. He agreed to organise a meeting with council's director of Neighbourhoods and Communities and invite concerned residents.

In his first ECB meeting address for 2022, Mayor Barry said the council would be concentrating on its Long Term Plan. "We are addressing issues within our Three Waters network and transport infrastructure, For Eastbourne, that begins with starting work on the Eastern Bays Shared Path. In 2022, we will invest around $18 million to begin the construction of the first two bays, Sunshine Bay and Windy Point. We will also finalise the detailed design for the remaining bays, and keep you informed of how we’re progressing.," he said. "This takes us a step closer to having a safer and more attractive entrance into the Eastern Bays, something that this community has been waiting a long time for. "

SAT, SUN & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

10.40am (S)

12.45pm (S)

3.00pm (S)

4.25pm (S) 5.30pm

(S)

(S)

(S) = Sailing calls at Somes Island, subject to passengers.

FERRY FARES One way: adult $12, child $6. Family Days Bay $66 (Return). 10 trip: adult $91, student $68, child $46. Monthly pass: adult $273, child $138. Matiu Somes Island: adult $25, child $13, family $68 (Return).

Sailings may be cancelled at short notice due to weather. To check today’s sailings, call our daily status line on (04) 494 3339.

Next ECB meeting:

7.15pm Tuesday 12 April, 2022, East Harbour Women’s Club, 145 Muritai Rd.

Annual walkabout

The ECB’s annual ‘walkaround’ Eastbourne will be on Saturday, 5 March. The walkabout (which may be online this year) is a chance for residents and resident associations to meet with the Board and a Council Officer as we travel from Point Howard to Burdan’s Gate. If you would like to speak to us about an issue or opportunity in your area, bay or street, please email virginia. horrocks@huttcity.govt.nz by Monday 28 February.

Tupua Horo Nuku

The Eastern Bays Shared Path is now known as Tupua Horo Nuku – a name gifted to the project by Te Atiawa Taranaki Whānui. It tells the story of Ngake who created the harbour entrance, and in the process, carved out the Eastern harbour, the islands, and Te Awa Kairangi. Work will start soon in Sunshine Bay and Windy Point.

Point Howard

The Point Howard wharf restoration project will begin soon. The ECB is working with the project team to ensure safe pedestrian and cycle access around the Point when the work site is fenced off.

Eastbourne Community Board (ECB)

Residents are welcome to contact board members at any time. Members often sort minor issues directly with council staff or may ask for a report from officers to go on the next agenda. You can also contact us on the Eastbourne Community Board Facebook page (not to be confused with the Eastbourne Community Notice Board Facebook page).

Virginia Horrocks (Chair)

virginia.horrocks@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 230 8210

Frank Vickers (Deputy Chair) frank.vickers@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 027 406 1419

Bruce Spedding

bruce.spedding@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 029 74741

Murray Gibbons

murray.gibbons@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 04 562 8567

Tui Lewis (Ward Councillor) tui.lewis@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 271 6249

Belinda Moss

belinda.moss@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 029 494 1615

It's all in a name

Minister of Transport Hon. Michael Wood, Mayor of Lower Hutt Campbell Barry, and mana whenua representatives from Taranaki Whānui, and Ngāti Toa have celebrated the gifting of a name and cultural narrative to the Eastern Bays Shared Path project.

It will be called Tupua Horo Nuku, a name that evokes the story of the Tupua, Ngake, one of the two creators of the Harbour in traditional Māori narrative. It was gifted to the project by Te Atiawa Taranaki Whānui, as part of the partnership between iwi and Hutt City Council.

Golden Palace Takeaway

12 Rimu Street, Eastbourne

Fresh & Delicious:

• Fish and Chips

• Burgers

• Chinese and Thai takeaways

Open 7 days 12pm-8.30pm

43 Waitohu Road York Bay 021 2299 299

Now in Eastern Bays!

Ping has been providing internationally acclaimed semi-permanent make-up in Petone and Lower Hutt for more than 15 years, and has now opened her salon in York Bay.

DRAFTCOPY

Ping is available at a time to suit you. Call now for an appointment and free consultation.

e: microbladingmaster@pwyllie.nz

w: pingsmicrobladingtraining.nz

w: beauty-zone.co.nz

Phone 562 8848

Groups to merge

A proposal that Okiwi Trust merge with the Eastbourne-Bays Community Trust (EBCT) was presented to the Eastbourne Community Board at its February meeting.

The main reason for the merger is to simplify governance by having one set of trustees, and one set of Charitable Commission returns to complete.

The proposal will be voted on at an Okiwi Trust Special General Meeting open to all Eastbourne-Bays residents on 28 April, 2022.

Following consideration by Trustees of both organisations over the last 12 months, resolutions have been signed and a binding Heads of Agreement entered into. A discussion paper is the basis for consultation now taking place with community stakeholders, including the Eastbourne churches that helped set up the trust.

Okiwi Trust was established in 1972, with extensive community fundraising, to purchase and operate a residence for the care of elderly people. The residence ceased to operate in 2001 and the property was sold. Net proceeds of $430,000 were invested in appropriate securities, generating sufficient income to provide ongoing services for the elderly – social events, small jobs around the home and a driving service.

The initial funds have now grown to $800,000 and are currently managed for the Trust by Jarden Securities.

The EBCT, with funds of a similar amount to Okiwi, is also managed by Jardens. George Tuffin, who currently chairs both trusts, says the combined funds, in excess of $1.5M, would open up more investment opportunities, increase diversification and lower overall portfolio risk. Okiwi’s assets would be “ringfenced”, accruing income in proportion to the four existing EBCT funds. A 10% saving in management fees is expected.

Anne Manchester, secretary-trustee of Okiwi Trust, says the trust’s principal objective, “to promote by every means the welfare of elderly people and the relief of distress in any form of those unable to care adequately for

themselves” will continue to be the guiding principle for the Okiwi funds within the merged entity.

The merger is expected to take place on May 31, when Okiwi Trust’s assets will be transferred into the EBCT. The name of the new entity will be Okiwi & Eastbourne-Bays Community Trust and the Okiwi secretary and treasurer will become officers of the EBCT.

For further information, contact George Tuffin, 027 243 1945 or Anne Manchester, 027 684 5664

MIRO stalwart recognised

It is not an exaggeration to say that Gail Abel and the other volunteers at Mainland Island Restoration Operation (MIRO) are responsible for the improving health of the Northern Forest and the increasing bird life we enjoy in Eastbourne.

Mrs Abel was presented with an Eastbourne Award this month for her role in MIRO which started in 1999 and has included establishing and running MIRO’s plant nursery and planting the Lakes area. Over the years, she ran several predator trap lines from the McKenzie track to Hawtrey and then later from Hawtrey to Butterfly Creek. She has been active on the MIRO Committee as Secretary, Treasurer and Chair at various times.

In 2004, land around the Parangarahu Lakes was retired from farming and came under the management of Greater Wellington Regional Council as part of East Harbour Regional Park. With no seed source to fuel any regeneration, Gail used skills garnered on Matiu Somes Island, where there has been a planting programme since 1981. She set up the Eastbourne nursery which produces around 2-3000 plants a year on an area the size of two tennis courts now in Gracefield.They are grown from seeds that Gail and other volunteers collect from the Northern Forest tracks.

News from Point Howard

Point Howard Community Garden

The Community Garden belongs to all residents – please come and visit, take a few veggies for a meal, leave some to share, pull out a weed or two. If you are keen to help on the occasional working bee or watering roster, email pointhowardgarden@gmail.com to get on the mailing list.

Right now the garden beds are literally overflowing. Tomatoes, zucchini (yellow and green) if not checked every couple of days they turn into monsters but still delicious. Cucumbers (hunt around, they’re there hiding), the runner beans are climbing, strawberries for the sharpeyed and pumpkins everywhere. The latter will be a while before ripe for the picking so we hope in the meantime they don’t take over completely. The sweetcorn will be ready for picking soon.

At last – watering is very simple – just turn on the beautiful bird tap beside our garden shed and wander around with the hose in hand, admiring all the growth. It’s best to water early morning or evening and the current restrictions say handheld watering is allowed.

Compost bins – anything except meat/fish (attracts flies and other pests).

JAG032

The good, the bad and the ugly: Facebook debate turns nasty

by Louise Parry

Facebook: it can be a blessing in helping people communicate quickly with each other. Posts about excess produce that needs a home, lost pets and misdirected courier drop offs can be useful.

But it can also bring out the worst in people, as the Eastbourne Community Facebook page has shown recently with discussion on vaccine mandates descending into misinformation and abuse.

Recent posts have seen opposing views on vaccine mandates, and have included posts such as "the Doctors, nurses, midwives, psychiatrists and others who have had to give up their lifes (sic) work because of things they know...not right, WARCRIMES.", and the reply "think you should actually have some idea of what warcrimes are..." being met with "not quite Dr Mengele".

Sinead Diederich says she started up the group in 2013 with the intention of providing a way to share notices or information relevant to the members.

"Facebook groups are helpful because they allow a reach that is wider, say, than your own friendship group, but narrowed for a shared purpose which might include hobbies, causes or communities.

"The purpose hasn't changed although the group has grown hugely since I started it.

"The admin is a team of three. I wouldn't call us moderators since that suggests the purpose of the group is for debate which it is not. However I don't think there is any way to stop people using the group that way. Sometimes it does get nasty.

"I can't (nor would I if I could) comment as to whether it's just Eastbourne since I don't have much to do with other groups. I suspect really it's just human nature and it's a tiny percentage of the traffic: it just seems to get a lot of press. You can't stop people being like that (in Facebook any more than in life!) and I encourage members to just walk on by.

"We have a "report a post" function which allows members to draw our attention to posts getting nasty. However, like the content itself, this can be contentious. Furthermore, we don't commit to a 24/7 admin role since it is a voluntary service we are providing for the benefit of the community.

"My view is that the group is fit for purpose 99% of the time, and that the benefits outweigh the negatives by a wide margin."

Other community FB groups have similar rules as the Eastbourne group, but one of the Petone Community Facebook Group admins

says that group has had to remove one person, and that overall they are happy with the general tone from their user group.

"Maybe we are just a little more chilled out this way!

"It is interesting that Eastbourne has a much smaller population than Petone but a very high membership of its Facebook Noticeboard (3,900 registered users) whereas the Petone Noticeboard membership is 3000. There is obviously a very highly engaged population in Eastbourne"

The Eastbourne Herald apologises for any offence this material may cause, but after much consideration we decided it was important to show an example of recent posts.

The original intention was to publish a screenshot of recent posts to the group, and although our advice is that this would stand up legally, we decided not to do this.

We'd be interested to hear your opinions on this story, and on the group, particularly if you are a member. Please send to editor@eastbourneherald.co.nz

Local writer's poetic memoir

by Ann Packer

A new book by Days Bay writer Maggie Rainey-Smith, that will resonate with several generations of women, uses poetry rather than prose to tell a life story.

Not your usual anthology, Formica , published by The Cuba Press, is a memoir in 48 standalone chapters, covering her mother’s life and her own.

Ms Rainey-Smith has always written poetry. But it was not until 1998, “in later life”, as she puts it, that she really began to develop as a writer. It was a workshop at Victoria University, with Greg O’Brien, that gave her the confidence to take her writing seriously.

She has published three novels: About Turns (Random House, 2005) brought marching girls and book clubs together on the page. Turbulence (Random House, 2007) was written from a middle-aged male’s point of view.

Daughters of Messene, published by Mākaro Press in 2015, became a bestseller in Greece following its translation in 2019.

Artemis, taking her mother’s ashes and some iPod recordings back to her mother’s country of origin, slowly reveals the shocking story of what happened to her grandmother during the Greek Civil War, over half a century earlier.

In her working life Ms Rainey-Smith teaches

Workplace English to migrants and refugees, and for some years ran a book group and creative writing class at Arohata women’s prison.

Formica, which comes with stunning jacket endorsements by Dame Fiona Kidman and poet Rachel McAlpine, refers to all aspects of the author’s life in one way or another –childhood, motherhood, grandmotherhood, work, marriage, menopause.

Many poems are tongue-in-cheek, with a wry wit that pokes fun at familiar themes while offering a fresh take on them – kitchen appliances, overheard conversations, the typing pool in a government department, Saturday matinees.

As Fiona Kidman says on the book’s cover: “The characters in these poems are typists, returned servicemen, teachers, people without pretension but with their own colourful inner lives. The title poem Formica is subtle yet so rich with imagery that it brings to mind a compressed Alice Munro story.”

Faith in the Community

Caring...

Waitangi Day, our national day, holds much more significance for us than, say, a local food festival. But our Waitangi Day celebrations this year have been much scaled back compared with normal. Just another example of how this virus has haunted our lives and limited our freedoms these last couple of years. But compared with our friends in Auckland, and especially with our friends overseas, we in Wellington have been reasonably free to live our lives as normal. Over this period, we’ve witnessed and been a part of the care taken, one of another, as we’ve helped each other through these anxious times. Of course, care for one another is core to our churches’ faith …love one another, just as I have loved you (John 13:34). So, let’s continue to keep alert for ways we can care for one another over this next nervous period as Omicron spreads through the nation. And let’s look forward to a more normal Waitangi Day celebration next year…!

Combined churches: Ash Wednesday service, 2 March at 7pm, at San Antonio.

St Ronan’s: Services: Sun 9.30am - informal 1st and 3rd, traditonal 2nd and 4th. Ask if you’d like our weekly emailed e-Service or monthly printed magazine the Record E:office@ stronans.org.nz W:www.stronans.org.nz

Community Fridge: Surplus home produce? Spare a thought for those less blessed. Drop something in, take something out...

St Alban’s: Two services Wellesley School Sun: 8:30am (traditional) and 10am (contemporary), with Kids Club (primary) and Hot Chocolate Club (intermediate). Communion Thurs 10am at St Ronan’s. E:office@ stalbanschurch.nz W:www.stalbanschurch.nz

San Antonio: Services: Vigil Mass, Sat 5.30pm, San Antonio. (Mass, Sun 9.30am and 5.30pm, Sacred Heart, Petone). E:holyspiritparish41@gmail.com

• This column of church news and views is sponsored by St Alban’s Anglican, St Ronan’s Presbyterian and San Antonio Catholic Churches.

Maggie Rainey-Smith.

Reverend resigns as church building's future unclear

by Louise Parry

St Alban's Church is looking for a new leader, after the announcement last Sunday that incumbent Rev John Hughes is leaving. Rev Hughes said it was time for a new adventure and he will be retiring.

His announcement comes as the Ngaio Street church faces its sixth year of sitting idle, with no publicised plan or date for repairs following the damage sustained during 2016's earthquake.

The 7.8 magnitude quake saw the church classified as unsafe, and the congregation shifted to Wellesley College auditorium for services, in a move that was to be temporary.

Since then the parish has undertaken community consultation and worked with consultants to devise a plan to repair the church while retaining its character.

The delay in earthquake repairs Anglican Church in Ngaio Street was the result of disagreement within the parish, according to a written response to questions The Eastbourne Herald put to Rev Hughes last week.

"There has been no change in the intention of the parish to return to the Ngaio St site and have it as its base for operations. The plans involve strengthening the church and hall, and future proofing them. All this done with

aesthetic integrity. These plans have been well received by the Diocesan Council. The Anglican Diocese of Wellington are the church building’s legal owners.

"The holdup isn’t with the plans or the buildings. However, the building issues have highlighted a need to build a strong consensus across the parish on its primary objectives, and on the direction that it should proceed. Until this is achieved, the building plans are on hold. The church and hall buildings remain closed as both buildings have been identified by experts as highly earthquake-prone.

"The Parish is going through a process of sharpening its mission so that it has a clear, God-called sense of who it is and what it should be doing. This process should enable our Parish to see the path ahead and the resources it needs for the journey," Rev Hughes says.

Rev Hughes says there are no plans to sell off properties in Ngaio Street, and, although the church building is not able to be used, a maintenance eye is kept on it to minimise its physical deterioration.

"For example, the Vestry are seeking advice from roofing specialists regarding maintenance/repair of the roof of the church building."

Wellington Anglican Diocese Archdeacon for Governance Sue Fordyce said the Diocese is

Ensuring dogs have their day

Coral Penny (right) took up dog grooming when she came back from the Wairarapa a year ago and couldn’t find anyone to groom Ruby, her sevenyear-old shih tzu.

Mrs Penny works out of the laundry at the rear of her Tuatoru St house, a space small enough that she can't accept German Shepherds – though she’s been asked to.

With no background in such work, Mrs Penny asked her Greytown dog groomer, Lynley St Martin, to mentor her. She borrowed friends’ dogs to practise on; a webpage, local ads and a mail drop helped spread the word and now she has a steady stream of clients coming on average every six weeks, though some only need a clip annually. The hands-on work can alert her to problems that owners may not yet be aware of, such as lumps, bumps and ear infections.

Does she ever get bitten? Yes – she sometimes has to use a muzzle on her customers. But she still loves the job.

awaiting plans from the vestry in conjunction with the wardens and parish community on what the missional intention of the space will be.

Ven. Fordyce says Rev Hughes' resignation was no surprise to the Diocese, as he had indicated he would retire once his new house, outside of Eastbourne, was completed.

John and Janet Hughes.

Virginia Ann Fox 7 July 1946 – 17 January 2022

Lowry Bay resident Virginia Fox was the longest living resident in the Bay, until she died recently at 75 years of age. She had lived in Lowry Bay her entire life.

The third child of Cyril and Mavis Middlebrook, Virginia grew up in a 1905 villa on Cheviot Road that her parents moved into in 1940. In 1987, Virginia and her husband David built themselves a house, designed by Fritz Eisenhoffer, on “the back paddock”. She loved her home on the family land and often referred to it as paradise.

Virginia started school at Queen Margaret College as a five-year-old, attended Sunday School at St Columba's in Point Howard, then Bible class at St Alban's in Eastbourne. She was into drama, music, choir, school musicals with Scots College and after-school dancing classes with the Scots boys followed by “spiders” at James Smith’s coffee bar.

Birthday parties, held on the family tennis court (now two properties on Cheviot Road) were notable for the prizes, food and takehome gifts, as well as huge colourful bows in the girls’ hair. This birthday party tradition was later continued for Virginia’s own daughter, Alexandra.

In 1964, Virginia was the belle of the ball as a debutante at the Majestic Cabaret. She played social badminton at the Lower Hutt Horticultural Hall, which was when she was first alerted to the symptoms that led to her being diagnosed with type one diabetes. After going to a private secretarial school, Virginia worked for a while in Wellington then went to Melbourne for two years to gain more work experience. When she returned, she spent three years at home with her parents tending their much-loved garden.

Virginia was introduced to David Fox by her cousin, who was dating a good friend of David’s. Though Virginia at first declined, she cancelled an existing date to go out with David instead…for the next three nights. After a whirlwind romance, the couple were married at St Alban's in Eastbourne then shared their reception venue with the just-defeated Labour Party at the Hotel St George on election day in 1975.

Virginia worked as a secretary for engineering firm Clime Spencer Holmes Miller and Jackson, while David worked for New Zealand Breweries in the hotels and food division. This led to franchising into a pavlova business in Wellington; Cowells Pavlova opened in Karori in 1976, later moving to Petone until the couple retired in 2000.

After her mother died, the Foxes moved in with Virginia’s father before building their dream home on the back section, adding an extra bedroom to the plans for long-awaited baby Alexandra. Now grown, she has fond memories of weekends spent with her parents in the garden, passing on a love and extensive

knowledge of gardening.

Always sociable, Virginia loved getting dressed up for special occasions, going out and also hosting social gatherings at home, including Lowry Bay’s Aranui Play Readers. She was “a wonderful host and the absolute life of the party,” says daughter Alex, who remembers many social events at the house as a child.

Retiring at 54 due to health issues, Virginia could spend more time enjoying her own hobbies – sewing, cooking, gardening, painting, bridge, mahjong, garden group and arranging the flowers for St Alban's church. More recently, she enjoyed playing Bolivia at Eastbourne Women's Club and her local book group.

In 2019, Virginia was given less than a year to live, but instead lived on to see her only daughter Alexandra return from living overseas with her partner, and to meet her one and only grandchild, Mai, who brought her absolute joy – and is now the fourth generation living on Virginia’s beloved property at Cheviot Road.

- by Ann Packer

The Eastbourne Herald has been thriving for the past 30+ years, delivering objective, local news, for the community of the Eastern Bays of Lower Hutt.

The Eastbourne Herald continues to thrive, with a loyal advertising base and readers who continue to value receiving their news each month delivered to their letterboxes and online.

After 15 years of loving running The Eastbourne Herald, it’s time for someone else to take over the reins and inject new energy into what is one of the few remaining independent newspapers in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Are you are writer or designer? Do you love your community?

Are you looking for a part-time career in which you can truly be part of the community?

If this sounds like you, please contact me on:

editor@eastbourneherald.co.nz

Eastbourne is said to be a great place to raise your offspring, but for some locals, it’s far from that.

Banded Dotterels and New Zealand Falcons, both with vulnerable populations, share similar problems resulting from their habit of nesting on the ground, and in Eastbourne one threat is cat predation.

Karearea, endemic New Zealand Falcons, while perhaps numbering as few as 20,000 (making them rarer than some kiwi species), may to be slowly increasing, and are listed as ’Vulnerable, Recovering’. Whilst they occasionally nest in trees, ground nests are much more common, and this leaves the adults vulnerable to disturbance and their eggs and chicks to predation. Their ferocious nature makes them a dangerous target, but at night the excellent night vision of cats, combined with the limited ability for falcons’ aerial defence, leaves them at a disadvantage.

Camera surveillance around Eastbourne of the nests of both dotterels and falcons, identifies cats as a serious threat to their breeding success.

At right is a night shot of a confrontation between a female Karearea (dark back to camera in the foreground), and a cat at least 5 times her weight, by her nest. In this case, thankfully, the cat was repelled and 2 chicks raised to fledging, but 4 nests on this site in York Bay have produced 12 eggs, with only 3 chicks raised to fledging. Twice nests with eggs were abandoned after predator visits; most recently when 3 eggs were abandoned in mid-December last year, following a visit from an unidentified furry predator, most likely a cat. The eggs were just days away from hatching.

So, what can be done? Live-catch cage traps with suitable bait can be quite effective

Kidztalk

for trapping cats, and those that can be positively identified as feral can be ‘terminated’. Domestic cats present a thornier problem. As a first step towards resolving this issue, mandatory microchipping of domestic cats would be helpful; the next step could well be neutering of all cats except those of registered breeders, which would reduce the number of unwanted cats adding to the feral population. If we value our native birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates, we should consider options that keep cats on their home property, especially at night. After all, many of these restrictions already apply to dogs.

Overseas, lovers of cats and native wildlife are taking positive steps including fitting bells and other anti-predation devices such as CatBib and Birdsbesafe collars.

Another approach, cat curfews and containment arrangements, can benefit cats by decreasing fighting, disease, and road accidents.

A research project in Dunedin found that bells halved prey caught, and colourful Birdsbesafe collar covers are claimed to reduce bird and lizard predation without reducing rodent predation, since rodents are colour blind. All or any are worth trying

WELCOME TO DAYS BAY PLAYCENTRE

Here at Days Bay Playcentre we are happy to be back playing with our friends after the long summer / raumati break.

Time for some fun with water and diggers in the sandpit, and on those rainy days we are happy inside making music, painting and enjoying exploring ALL the toys!

We would love to welcome some new whānau to our centre. We run sessions for kids and a carer (e.g. mum, dad, nana, grandad) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays from 9.15 - 12.

Drop in anytime to visit a session or call James on 022 043 7841 to arrange a visit. Ka kite!

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

Ada, Nova and Fern taking turns on the ‘twing’!

Above, a Karearea in flight and below, a cat attacks a karearea, as captured by a trackcam.

Rona Gallery closes its door

by Ann Packer

The long-established Eastbourne gallery and bookshop run by Joanna and Richard Ponder has closed, although the couple plan to continue living upstairs and artist Richard will carry on painting and selling his work, by appointment, as Richard Ponder Studio. “So the door will still be slightly open,” he says.

The couple, who received an Eastbourne Award of Excellence last year, say they are simply getting too old to run a seven-day-aweek business.

It’s 20 years since Rona Gallery was acquired from Mark and Anna Jacobsen in Rimu St. With their son James the Ponders added a bookshelf to include Mrs Ponder’s favourite children’s books.

They moved premises once in Rimu Street then relocated to the former hardware store on Muritai Road, which had room for a full-scale bookshop and came complete with Post Office.

In 2014, when their apartment was built upstairs and the building remodeled, they relinquished the postal agency.

The new venue offered space for not only art, but book launches and poetry readings, musical performances and talks.

Daughter Alicia, who writes speculative fiction, worked in the shop, as did Mary

McCallum, now a publisher, and illustrator Giselle Clarkson.

A Karitane nurse by training, Mrs Ponder became an expert over the years in children’s literature, moving up from kindergarten teaching to primary then secondary teaching in literacy.

She is retaining a now large bookshelf area for her favourite children’s books, which she’ll continue to lend to friends and family.

Richard and Joanna are perhaps most proud of their efforts in fundraising for the hospice movement nationally, in association with Richard’s artist brother Michael Ponder.

“We all know people who go into the hospice,” says Mr Ponder.

“We decided we could do better than what was [then being raised].”

Over a period of around six years, in places as far-flung as Gore and Taupo, he says their art and books events raised some $250,000 for the hospice movement and Wellington Free Ambulance.

And, says Mrs Ponder with a smile: “It was such fun, actually.”

Above right: Joanna Ponder.

Village Pup Cuts

Grooming for small dogs in the heart of

Lower Hutt – your river city

RiverLink is a partnership between Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, working together with our Mana Whenua partners – Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Taranaki Whānui ke te Upoko o te Ika.

riverlink@gw.govt.nz www.RiverLink.co.nz

Indicative image: Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River looking north

A blast of fresh air for schoolchildren

by Ann Packer

Stuffy classrooms – we all remember them. Quite apart from the smell, international studies show that poor classroom ventilation impacts children’s health, school attendance and academic achievement. Even before Covid-19, CO2 levels in New Zealand classrooms were beginning to cause concern.

We know now that ventilation is important in helping prevent the airborne transmission of Covid, particularly the omicron variant. However, keeping windows and doors open –not a problem in summer – will not be so easy once we move into the colder, wetter months. How to know when to open and shut classroom windows and doors?

One Eastbourne parent anticipated the problem late last year and began working out a practical solution to what he could see was going to be a challenge for local schools. Oliver Seiler, an IT software engineer and father of three boys, realised that at the time there was no comprehensive plan in place nationwide to implement air quality monitoring in classrooms.

He contacted Muritai School principal Bec Power, who was enthusiastic about the idea of plug-in air quality monitors for each classroom.

Using electronic components, his own 3D printer, laser-cut panels from a Seaview supplier and e-waste supplied by the local community (out-dated phone chargers) Mr Seiler created small wall units for Muritai’s 22 classrooms, staffroom, and – on a bigger scale, with a big smiley face – the library. They were installed a week before school began in February. The

units react to bad air by lighting up, alerting kids and teachers to the need to open up rooms.

The best part is the kids themselves are the ones doing the monitoring – if the warning light changes from green to orange or worse, red, it’s time to open doors and windows. While they could be silently monitored from the office, this way it’s an educational tool, what he calls “an indicator in real time in the room that tells them ‘Ventilate!’”

Mr Seiler had followed the progress of Covid waves in his native Germany, where such units are also installed in rooms occupied by seniors. He says it’s important that the setup is not disruptive or anxiety-inducing. The system has been tested in collaboration with researchers from the Public Health department of University of Otago and can also be upgraded to monitor VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and fine particulates, but for now he’s keeping it simple.

Mr Seiler, who at the beginning of the pandemic used his 3D printers to help make around 30,000 face shields, is also working with a teacher in Kapiti, mentoring senior students to make the units for their school.

Puriri protest

Oliver Seiler.

The air quality monitor.

Protest signs have gone up objecting to a planned housing development at 15 Puriri Street, Eastbourne. The old homestead was removed several years ago and the site has remained empty since then. A resource consent application is currently with Hutt City Council. Read more about this in next month's Eastbourne Herald.

Mondays

• Retired Persons’ Assn meet 4th Mon, 10am St Ronan's Church hall for morning tea followed by a speaker - $2 entry.Transport can be arranged for these meetings on request, ph 562 7365 or 562 8387.

m-5.30pm. Contact Judy Bishop 562 8985

• “Baby Bounce & Rhyme” at the library 10.00am.

• Singalong 1st Mon, 2pm at St Ronan’s.

• DB Playcentre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 11:45, phone Jeanne 021979177.

• Pt Howard Playcentre. Mon 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• The Historical Society’s Eastbourne History Room above the library is open 2-4 pm every Monday.

• Eastbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade training every Monday 7-9pm. Ph 562 7001 for more info.

• Toy Library 8-9pm. St Ronans Hall www. eastbournemibase.com.au Elizabeth 021 08224664.

• Eastbourne Karate Dojo junior and senior classes (children 8 year & older, plus parents) on Monday and senior classes on Thursday. Contact lindsaysensei@live.com, cell 021 844 873.

• Keas: Monday 5.15pm – 6.15pm. Kea Leader: Ed 021 738 699

• Venturers: 7.00pm - 9.00pm, Susan 0275 35 4962

Tuesdays

• Pt Howard Playcentre Tues 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• Days Bay Playcentre Puddle Jumpers Tues 10:30 to 12 noon: Messy and Sensory play for children 2 years and under. Casual sessions, $3 donation.

• Muritai Tennis Club 9.30–noon. Merryn 562 0236.

• Eastbourne Homebirth Group 1st Tuesday of the month. Phone Kate 562-7096.

• East Harbour Women’s Club Morning Tea & Chat Group 10am. Contact Glendyr 562 7181.

• Indoor Bowls Club 1.30pm, at the croquet club, Oroua Street. Rosemary 562 7365

• Menzshed 9 till 12 , Williams Park, Barrie barrielittlefair@gmail.com 0204 1234511. Women welcome.

• Poetry group, every second Tuesday meet to read and enjoy poems old and new. Phone 562 8387.

• Toy Library 9.30-10.30am. St Ronans Hall. Facebook: Eastbourne Toy Library Elizabeth 021 08224664www.eastbournemibase.com.

au

• 9.30am Nia Dance Fitness Class (low impact

- teens to 70+) Music Movement MagicMuritai Yacht Club - call Amanda 021 316692 www.niainwellington.com

• Pump Dance preschool and junior hip hop. 4pm onwards St Ronans Hall. 0274373508 info@pumpdance.com

Wednesdays

Cubs: 5.30pm - 7.00pm, Erica 021 190 3900

• Library preschool story time 10.00 am.

• Pt Howard Playcentre Wed 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• Scottish Country Dance. Merryn 562 0236.

• Bridge Club 7-10pm. Shona 562 7073.

• DB Playcentre Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12. Siobhan siobhan_whelan@yahoo.ie

• “Steady as You Go” Age Concern sponsored Falls Prevention and Exercise Programme. Held 12 noon each Wednesday at Eastbourne Community Hall. Classes are held for 1 hour and costs only $2. Improve your strength and balance to reduce falls and injuries. Falls are preventable. Please join us!

• Intermediate/teen hip hop and contemporary. 5pm onwards St Ronans Hall. 0274373508 info@pumpdance.com

• EHock - Fun Stick and Ball game Girls and Boys 7- 13.Eastbourne Community Hall. Wednesdays 6.00 p.m. - 7.30 p.m. Derek Wilshere 0274303596

Thursdays

• Menzshed 9 till 12 , Williams Park, Barrie barrielittlefair@gmail.com 0204 1234511. Women welcome.

• St Ronan’s Mainly Music, 9.30am-10.30am, contact Cathy 027 213 9342.

• SPACE at Days Bay Playcentre. Michelle 971 8598.

• East Harbour Women’s Club

- Bolivia 12.45pm, Contact Glendyr ph: 562 7181. Guest Speaker (3rd week of month)7pm, drinks and nibbles provide, Contact Diane ph: 562 7555

•Lions meet 2nd Thursday of the month at the Eastbourne Sports and Services Club, Tuatoru St 6.30 pm. New members and visitors are welcome. Graham 562 8819.

• Eastbourne Karate Dojo junior and senior classes (children 8 year & older, plus parents) on Monday and senior classes on Thursday. Contact lindsaysensei@live.com, cell 021 844 873.

• Intermediate Contemporary Dance Thursdays 6:30pm - 7:30pm St Ronan's Hall info@pumpdance.com,0274373508

• Scouts: Thursday 6.00pm - 8.00pm, Vanessa 021 669 727.

Fridays

• Pop in and Play playgroup at St Ronan's Church Hall, 9am-11.30am during school terms. All preschoolers (0-4 years) welcome.

Cath 027 213 9342.

• Pt Howard Playcentre Fri 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• AA Plunket Rooms 7.30pm. Mark 566 6444/ Pauline 562 7833

• DB Playcentre Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12. Siobhan siobhan_whelan@yahoo.ie

• Discovery Time for 4years+ at San Antonio School, 78 Oroua Street, 9.30-10.30am. Office 562 7398.

• Eastbourne Bowling Club. Newly formed Ladies casual bowling group meets Fridays at 2.00pm. Experience is not required. Bowls & instruction available. Casual dress code. Contact Cheri - 021 0699 274.

Saturdays

• Justice of the Peace at the Eastbourne Community Library, first Saturday of each month 12pm-1pm.

• Lions’ rubbish bin last Saturday of each month.

• Croquet from 10am Muritai Croquet Club. Lyn 562 8722 or Val 562 8181.

Sundays

• AA Plunket Rooms 10am. Karen 021 440 705.

CLASSIFIEDS

SONNY'S YOGA - EASTBOURNE CLASSES - Enjoy a relaxing yoga class near the ocean. Every Wednesday 6.45pm at Muritai Yacht Club. Beginners welcome. First Wednesday of each month will be a gentle YIN yoga class. For more info visit www.sonnysyoga.nz

ECOGARDENER-restoration,restyling,maintenance. All sizes. All styles. txt 027 6939 323

Dan Reed lawn mowing, lawn and garden care. Contact 027 337 1360.

WATERBLASTING Services – For all exterior cleaning and maintenance – call Mike on 027 587 5871. Lawn mowing and gardening services. Contact Supreme mowing. Phone Grant 0212481771. STUDIO TORU. JEWELLERY, ART, CERAMICS

3 Oroua St Eastbourne. Open Thurs, Sat, Sun 10am4pm, Fri 10am-6.30pm or by appointment. Call Philothea on 021 433 082. CURRENT EXHIBITION: Disorderly Order Exhibition Until 6th March. Paintings by Beth Strickland &amp. Ceramics by Aimée McLeod. UPCOMING EXHIBITION: 11th March – 17 th April. First time collaboration with Artist Jelena Rukavina & Printmaker Kirsty White. www.studiotoru.co.nz or @studiotoru

EASTBOURNE HERALD ADVERTISERS UNDERSTAND NOT EVERYONE IS ON FACEBOOK. THE EASTBOURNE HERALD GOES TO EACH AND EVERY LETTERBOX IN THE EASTERN BAYS. ADVERTISE HERE AND HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - HARD COPY AND ONLINE READING!

Garden Stuff with Sandy Lang

Plant mobility

February/March: Late summer/early autumn. Garden tatty as summer growth, wind, drought and rain take their toll. Late-summer pruning: •remove unwanted growth, •remove dead/ dying shoots (more easily identified when in leaf). Also, •tie up and •redirect growth you want to keep, to form the skeleton of next year’s plant.

Immobile: Unlike us legged creatures, plants can’t move after the seed has fallen. For better or worse they must live out their lives in that spot. What if the spot is unideal? To some extent plants can adapt to unideal situations. The one chance plants get to relocate is between generations. For this the daughter plant (seed) should not fall too near its mother plant (change in circumstances), nor too near its siblings (competition).

Remote generations: Seeds have evolved many ways to move away from their mother plants before deposition. While a seed can’t choose where it lands, it can choose to travel as far as possible before it lands. By producing large numbers of seeds and by dispersing these randomly over large areas, plants can rapidly colonise a new area and maximise their chances of survival across generations. Some seeds will land in good spots, others in bad spots. ‘A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed…’ Lk 8:5.

Seed dispersal: By: •Wind (dandelion, thistle, 10 km; sycamore, pine, tumbleweed, 500 m). •Water (coconut, sea, 1000s km). •Furry animals (burrs in fur, bindii in feet, 100 km). •Birds, bats (soft fruits, seeds in poo, 100 km). •Small vertebrates (nuts, seeds to nests, 100m).

In Garden Stuff #27 (see www.mulchpile.org)

I emphasised the importance of sex to create genetic diversity. A species’ adaptation and survival depend on it. But how can a plant have sex with a distant plant if neither can move?

Remote sex: The female reproductive unit (egg cell) remains in the ovary of the parent plant, but the male reproductive units (pollen grains) are produced in very large numbers in the anthers from whence they are liberated. It is important the pollen is: •highly mobile (tiny) and •lands on the right part (stigma) of the right flower (same species).

Pollen dispersal: Random dispersal by: •Wind (pine, grasses, grapevine, 100 km) and more directed dispersal uses animals: •Insects (bees, bumble bees, flies, beetles, 10 km).

•Small vertebrates (birds, bats, 10 km). Google Coevolution.

Enduring race a race of endurance

The 24-Hour Endurance Yacht Race will be sailed on the weekend of 12 and 13 March. As in recent years, the start will be off Rona Wharf at 1100 on Saturday 12 March.

“Despite a rise in Covid cases, we are still expecting a good turn-out of participating yachts”, says Theo Muller, Race Director. He has been talking to many skippers who have sailed in previous 24-Hour races, and going by their enthusiasm, there’s simply no way of stopping them from once again lining up on the start line.

Operations Coordinator, Brent Porter confirmed that the yachts will again sail a short triangle in front of the wharf, but unlike last year when the spinnaker track was very short, this time it will be much longer.

The yachts will first sail up-wind to the middle of the harbour, before returning in the direction of Rona Wharf under full spinnaker. This will be a magnificently colourful spectacle

for the spectators on the wharf.

Close to the bottom mark near the wharf, the yachts will drop their kites, round the mark and on their way to one or two circumnavigations of Wellington Harbour.

“Later in the day there will be a change-over to a much shorter circuit at the northern end of the harbour for the rest of the race until the finish at precisely 1100 on Sunday morning”, Porter said.

Race Officer Bob Rowell, himself an experienced yachtsman, emphasized on-board safety. All participating yachts will have been inspected on a range of safety requirements and managing the race from an onshore base at Lowry Bay Yacht Club, he and his team are constantly in touch with the fleet via VHF radio and cellphone. All competing yachts will have been fitted with an electronic tracking device that allows the Race Officer to know the precise location of the yacht, day and night.

Possum increase means 1080 drop

OSPRI NZ Ltd says a 1080 drop in the East Harbour Regional Park is required following increased possum activity.

Tracey Beauchamp and Sam O’Donnell, representatives of OSPRI NZ, spoke to this month's Eastbourne Community Board meeting, and advised an aerial drop of 1080 would commence in May, 2022.

They said the number of possums in the East Harbour Regional Park had been increasing and had reached a level where control was required.

The first drop would be non-toxic bait followed by toxic bait the subsequent week.

They said there would be a flyer drop to Eastern Bays residents and community meetings would be held online.

In response to questions from members, Ms Beauchamp advised MIRO would be walking the tracks to remove 1080 pellets from the path. She said it was important dog walkers were aware of the risks to dogs.

Jo Greenman, Park Ranger for the East Harbour Regional Park, noted the aerial drop would not take place over official tracks. She said it was still important to be aware carcases were toxic for six months and that muzzles were recommended for dogs.

Cooking classes

Private events

Friday night dinner

www.tartinesfrenchcafe.com

Open Wednesday-Sunday 7am-4pm

Enquiries: 021 028 85347

Tartineseastbourne@gmail.com