The Eastbourne Herald June 2023

Bowling club plans to sell up but stay local

by Louise Parry

Eastbourne Bowling Club's plan to relocate - first mooted two and a half years ago - is back on the table, exasperating one of its potential neighbours.

Its board has come up with three proposals for relocation within Eastbourne, which it said it has consulted with the Eastbourne Sports and Services Club, Eastbourne Community Board and council parks and reserves officers about. If none are agreed upon, the club will be forced to amalgamate with another club, the Board says, “with the players taking the proceeds of sale of the existing premises with them”.

"It would be a travesty to lose some millions of dollars in value from the Eastbourne community and deprive Eastbourne of its own bowling facility for current and future generations."

The options put forward include: Relocating to the south side of existing Croquet Green, requiring the removal of a line of Pohutukawa trees, relocating the Cricket Club practice nets and replacing a re-centered cricket wicket; relocating to the former Croquet Club lawn (formerly the women’s bowling club) either to the north of the site of the “somewhat under utilised tennis courts” next to San Antonio Church, or south to the cricket area and relocating the trees and practice nets; or relocating to the tennis courts.

In each of these concept plans a standard 34m x 34m all-weather synthetic bowling green is envisaged, which could include in the future a canopy for inclement weather. The plans would likely include a club building with the possibility of its own bar for members.

Eastbourne Croquet Club president Liz Palmer is surprised the plan is up for discussion again before a business case has been put forward. "They've been told by everyone that they can't do it, and that's that," she says. "We've wasted hours and heaps of emotional energy on this."

The bowling club previously approached the croquet club, and the ESSC and Eastbourne Community Board, she says. "They couldn't get anywhere with any of them."

When it was first approached, the croquet club agreed in principle to remove its memorial hedge to allow enough room for an adjacent bowling green, but it did not support relocating the croquet club lawn.

"We won't allow an invasion of our green," Mrs Palmer said, adding that she questioned any plan to halve the size of the basketball court when the sport is among the fastest growing in the country.

"I can't believe it would be raised again. It's been gone through until we're blue in the face."

Any one of the five stakeholder clubs (Cricket, Croquet, RSA, Rugby and Football) under the ESSC head lease has the power of veto to any or all of the options.

Eastbourne Cricket Club said that it has no problem with moving the nets if it is for the benefit of the community. "When there is a formal proposal ready for consideration, we will discuss it via the ECC Committee and provide feedback," Neil Gray said. "Until then, speculating on 'what if' doesn’t seem worthwhile."

The bowling club said it would "greatly contribute" to any building and development costs. The Bowling Club is intent on leaving no

stakeholder in a worse position and to improve the shared Eastbourne sporting hub for the betterment of all," a statement said, adding a public meeting would be held in the future.

Eastbourne Sports and Services Club chairman Kevin Togher said that there had been discussions around licensing between the Bowling Club, Hutt City Council and the ESSC, "and we have an agreement that I expect will be part of the final proposal that the bowling club provides that will ultimately be part of the public consultation that will follow. I am sure there will be plenty of opinions once a final concept is presented."

Eastbourne Community Board chair Belinda Moss said the board's position was that, while it would be good to retain the bowling club in Eastbourne, the current proposal came at a cost - the loss of the tennis courts and much of the cricket practice area.

"There must be robust consultation, and we won't support the proposal unless it has community support," she said.

Hutt City Council said the Eastbourne Bowling Club approached it with an enquiry to possibly establish bowling at HW Shortt Recreation Ground.

"Hutt City Council has investigated relocating the bowling club to a new green at HW Shortt Recreation Ground. Our preliminary investigation has not considered reducing the croquet lawn," a spokesperson said.

The next part of the process would involve a formal request from the bowling club. No formal proposal had been received by HCC. If one is received, engagement and formal consultation would be required.

Foodbank asks for financial support BRIEFS

Hutt City Council project manager Nat Garcia told this week's Eastbourne Community Board meeting that progress was being made on a remediation solution to stabilising the Point Howard slip, which damaged water pipes cutting off water supply and shut off the main road in February. Detailed designs were expected by the end of July, and once approved by council, work would get under way. "It is progressing, it takes longer than we would like it to," she said. Regular monitoring was undertaken, with greater frequency during periods of heavy rain.

A new, narrow bus shelter will be installed at the bus stop on the western side of Muritai Road opposite the kindy, following an appeal by kindy teachers and children. Fiona Hodge from East Harbour Kindergarten said the children sent letters with pictures of how they envisioned the shelters to Greater Wellington Regional Council, who agreed to a bus shelter that will still allow enough room for pushchairs and wheelchairs to pass.

Grant requests totalling $3710 were put to the ECB from local organisations. They included funding for a rail to be installed at the Eastbourne skate ramp, new waterproof clothing for rescue boat crews from Muritai Yacht Club, and additional air filter boxes for Muritai School, along with high visibility vests and two gorilla carts that could take supplies to residents should the roads be cut off; and cooking equipment for Eastbourne Scouts.

Studio Toru owner Philothea Flynn is determined to boost visitor numbers to the Eastern Bays. She's restarting the Eastbourne business group, and working with HCC on promoting Eastbourne as a destination for WOW attendees.

Wellington Harbour Master Grant Nalder told a community board meeting this week that faster and larger ships visiting the harbour may necessitate picking up and moving the Hinds Point lighthouse to Inconstant Point, as part of a project looking at the future of harbour traffic.

Lower Hutt's Foodbank is urgently appealing for cash donations to help address a spike in demand for food packages.

“We don’t have enough on hand to feed the amount of people who are asking us for help. If we don’t figure something out, we’ll run out of funds by the end of this year and we’ll need to consider shutting down our operation after 37 years.” says David Douglas, the Chairperson of the Lower Hutt Foodbank.

To supplement food donations, the organisation relies on funds donated to buy the necessary items for food packages. The items are bought at retail prices, which have significantly increased due to inflation.

Over the last year the Foodbank has seen a dramatic increase in demand for assistance. Last year the Foodbank helped a total of 13,700 people and distributed over 3500 food packages. Demand has increased 80% in the last

year, from an average of 365 food packages per month to 655 food packages per month.

Food donations from local producers, partners such as the Te Awa Kairangi Kai Collective and Kaibosh, and the community fill approximately 500 food packages per month. Regular financial donations provide a further 50 food packages per month, meaning the Foodbank is rapidly depleting its cash reserves. David and the other 35 volunteers that run the foodbank are urgently asking those in and around Lower Hutt to consider making a regular weekly donation of funds through the organisation's Givealittle page. “Our goal is for 500 people in Lower Hutt to donate $5 (about the cost of a coffee) every week. This would make an incredible difference to our ability to help those in need.”

You can set up your weekly donation at www.givealittle.co.nz/org/lhfoodbank

Next ECB meeting:

7.15pm Tuesday 22 August, 2023, East Harbour Women’s Club, 145 Muritai Rd.

The agenda for the meeting will be posted on huttcity.govt.nz and on the Board’s website eastbourne.nz a few days before the meeting.

Submissions

Draft speed management plan: The Community Board said it was disappointed the plan didn’t include consultation on lowering the speed in roads back from Marine Drive in the Eastern Bays, where residents have asked for this for years. The Board also recommended further consultation on the proposal to lower the speed along Marine Drive in Days Bay to 30km/hour. The Board doesn’t think this significant proposed change has been notified widely enough in Eastbourne.

Keeping up to date

One of the Board’s roles is to inform residents about Council and Regional Council matters. We share information on the eastbourne.nz website, on the Eastbourne Community Notice Board Facebook page and by email. You can subscribe to the Board’s update emails at eastbourne.nz/ newsletter.

Contacting the Eastbourne Community Board (ECB)

If you have an issue or a suggestion for Council, including reporting a leak, please complete the Report a Problem form on huttcity.govt.nz. For urgent issues, call 04 570 6666.

Residents are welcome to contact ECB members about other concerns.

Belinda Moss (Chair)

belinda.moss@huttcity.govt.nz

029 494 1615

Bruce Spedding (Deputy Chair) bruce.spedding@huttcity.govt.nz

021 029 74741

Frank Vickers frank.vickers@huttcity.govt.nz

027 406 1419

Murray Gibbons murray.gibbons@huttcity.govt.nz

04 562 8567

Emily Keddell emily.keddell@huttcity.govt.nz

021 188 5106

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

021 271 6249

Tupua Horo Nuku progresses north

Tupua Horo Nuku’s progress around the Bays continues, with work started on foundations for Sunshine Bay section.

Hutt City Council head of transport Jon Kingsbury said at Sunday's open day that work on the next bay has been started before the Windy Point section of the path is complete to “stay ahead of the game,” should king tides and strong southerlies strike.

Windy Point should be finished by the end of July, and the Sunshine Bay section is due to be completed late 2023-early 2024.

The most challenging section of the path will be around Lowry Bay and its design will be part of the council’s Long Term Plan discussions next year.

Mr Kingsbury said an announcement is coming on funding for the remainder of the $79.9m project, which is currently short by more than $31m. The council is confident it will finish within budget, which HCC announced in February had more than doubled from the initial $30m price tag “due to the complexity of operating in a coastal marine environment and…changes from the original plan to address much-needed resilience upgrades to Marine Drive”. Cost pressures had also affected the price. The project is jointly funded by the council, Waka Kotahi and the Government.

Despite its hefty cost, the shared pathway will not prevent waves from washing over the road in a storm. "There's no promises that the

overtopping will be resolved, but it will lead to improved service," he said.

Lowry Bay poses the biggest challenge to implement demonstrable resilience; Marine Drive regularly floods when there is a king tide or southerly storm. Designers are completing additional work to increase the efficacy of that section, which will be considered in Long Term Planning next year. “We’re confident [the seawall] will make an impact, but in 50 years’ time we don’t know. That’s why we’re looking at additional resilience in Lowry Bay,” Tupua Horo Nuku design manager Andrew Kennedy said.

Mayor Campbell Barry acknowledged the sea wall was not a solution to rising sea levels, but that it had been designed to be raised with predicted sea level rises. The council had to act now, rather than waiting for the expected Government announcement later this yearwhich could impact the eastern bays.

"There’s no clear direction of what the outcomes of Government discussions on managed retreat will mean. We had to increase resilience and we have the ability to build the seawall up. We don’t know what will happen in ten, twenty or fifty years," he said. HCC's District Plan, which includes flood mapping, is undergoing review.

Days Bay was not factored into the path design and there is currently a question mark over where cyclists will be directed once they exit the northern end of the shared path.

Eternal optimist heading home

by Ann Packer

It’s just over a year since we ran a story on Claudia Porto, the yoga teacher resident here since 2018, when she and husband Patrício Porto arrived for his posting as Brazilian viceconsul.

Recently recovering from breast cancer, she was convinced that her yoga practice had saved her. And facing the last year of her husband’s diplomatic posting, she said: “My time is a gift.”

Now it really is time for the Portos to go home to Brasília, much to the regret of many who’ve enjoyed not only her eternally optimistic company and her insightful teaching – especially for people with injuries, developing forgotten muscles through a practice she calls Activate Yoga – but also her very real contribution to several community organisations.

John Kingi, coach for the group whose waka ama canoe rests on the Whiorau reserve at the southern end of Lowry Bay, describes her as “one very cool lady”. He says she was one of the brave people who came and asked if she could hoe (paddle). “Been part of our waka whānau ever since.

“It has been cool to have her with us paddling – she started our winter hot cuppa teas, did Claudia. We’d sit there after a cold night’s paddle with a ginger lemon tonic she’d made for us. The best!”

Don Manning, CEO of Sailability Wellington – which makes sailing possible for people with all sorts of disabilities – calls Claudia an angel.

“She’s been an absolute godsend to Sailability, to the sailors and the volunteers that make the sessions work,” he says. “Every now and then an angel comes along and connects you to an experience of goodness.

“She came by the marina with a couple of friends and they stepped up to make lunches for the volunteers.

"She eventually asked if she could learn to sail, so she could teach others. She would do all we asked, when we were short of help on the dock, short of help with rigging a boat and so on.

"And she has a sixth sense when it comes to fitting lifejackets so people are comfortable about the risk they’re about to take on.”

Mr Manning says he was in Samoa once and started to explain what Sailability does, only to discover the diplomat he was addressing knew about it already, through someone Claudia had brought along to sailing.

And anyone who has experienced Claudia’s Monday night Yoga Nidra teaching – zizzing off for three quarters of an hour of guided meditation in quiet darkness – knows the value of those sessions, when over $2550 was raised for charity – first the war in Ukraine, which had just begun, then child cancer.

Go well Claudia and Patrício. We know you’ll enjoy being back with one of your boys even as you leave your daughter behind here – a reason to return, for sure.

News from Point Howard

The PHA and PHTC warmly welcome all members and residents to their AGMs on Sunday 25 June from 3:30pm. Please join us for drinks and nibbles from 3pm and the AGMs will kick off at 3:30pm sharp! If you’re not a member and would like to become one then please contact pthowardassn@gmail.com for information on how to do so. Please remember voting on motions is strictly members only. A huge thanks to the members who have joined or renewed for the 2023/24 financial year. We truly appreciate your support.

The garden has its winter crop in, and is looking splendid. All residents are welcome to gather some veges for a meal, leave some to share, and while you’re up there pick a weed or two! The gardeners love having visitors admiring their labours, and if you wish to join a working bee or two then please contact pointhowardgarden@gmail.com.

Howard Road Slip: A paper was presented on 7 June to the HCC Long Term Plan/Annual Plan Subcommittee which proposed two options (rock bolt or reinforced concrete wall) for the restoration of Howard Road at the slip site. The PHA has followed up with the HCC Transport Team for the sub-committee’s decision. For further information on the agenda item please visit http://infocouncil.huttcity.govt.nz/ Open/2023/06/LTPAP_07062023_AGN_3143_ AT.PDF and see page 44 - 46.

pthowardassn@gmail.com

JAG033

The Porto family – Patricio, Eduardo, Claudia, Pedro and Paula. Photo: Julia Sabugosa.

High calibre of Scholarship applicants shows in runners-up

Two former Eastbourne primary school students – one San Antonio, the other Muritai – who are now university graduates, have received runner-up awards in this year’s Eastbourne Freemasons’ Scholarship round. Both have been Dean’s List scholars at Victoria University in recognition of their academic excellence.

Juliet Tipler Clemett of Pt Howard, who is doing Honours in Latin this year, is passionate about languages. She started young – one of her earliest memories is of going to Alliance Française classes with her mum as a threeyear-old.

Juliet studied Japanese and French at high

school (St Matthew’s in Masterton then Hutt Valley High School in her final year) taking Latin as an extra subject, by correspondence, to Year 12. She has also been studying Te Reo Māori at university and teaching herself German for the past couple of years.

Part of Juliet’s study has involved translation – she translated Seneca’s Medea and Aristophanes’ The Clouds for the Victoria Ancient Theatre Society (VATS), a student-run club that presents annual productions. “It’s a fun thing to do – being involved with university life and the department.”

At a time when the Humanities are being marginalised, Juliet believes that studying other cultures and diverse ways of thinking is essential, “crafting us into people who are able to think critically and enabling us to have a more enriched understanding of the past, and consequently our own future. In particular, languages enable us to engage with diversity and difference, celebrating our multicultural world.”

With a BA in Classics, Ancient Greek and Latin, languages, culture and literature, and an interest in Philosophy, Art History and Philology (the history of language), Juliet has now embarked on Latin honours, intending to continue on to Masters and Doctoral studies.

“I’m so interested in languages, that I could end up studying and living anywhere,” she says. In November, as a part of her studies, she is embarking on a Greek Field Trip, involving four weeks of visiting archaeological sites and places of interest in the Ancient Greek world.

Margarita Montes de Oca’s award came as a pleasant surprise – she didn’t know the scholarship existed until her grandparents, who live in Oroua St, alerted her.

Dux at Wellington Girls’ College before starting conjoint BSc and BA degrees at Victoria University of Wellington majoring in Ecology/ Conservation Biology, Public Policy and English Literature, Margo, as she is known, is now in her fifth year. She is completing Honours in English with a focus on ecological and interdisciplinary literatures – the continuation of a writing career that began while still in the senior school at Muritai.

The daughter of a Kiwi mother and Mexican father made her first foray into writing while in Year 7, with essays for the RSA’s Anzac

competition in 2012 – the Ruhr bombing raids (Dambusters) – and 2013, on the battle of the River Plate. Researching for the first piece, she still remembers poring over books in the Hutt Library, and says being up against Wellesley, she entered partly because she “wanted to represent the public schools”.

There was an unexpected consequence: “One of the pilots sent me a photo of him with his plane, after I wrote it.”

Another story, included in Makaro Press’s 2013 collection: Eastbourne: an anthology, was written in Margo’s last year at Muritai, when she was head girl. More recently she has had poetry published in literary journals such as Starling and Sweet Mammalian.

She is especially interested in the creative interface between science and literature, inspired by a course last year taught by Dr Rebecca Priestly – “my favourite course so far” – who was one of her referees for the award. Margo says such interdisciplinary papers are becoming more widely taught as people realise the impact forms such as poetry and lyrical essays can have on such important issues as climate change.

She is undertaking research into looking at the possibilities of the lyric essay as a genre, that she suggests might “create a new kind of politically potent imaginative space.

“It’s all about stories really.”

*Read about the scholarship awardee in next month's Eastbourne Herald.

Juliet Tipler Clemett.

Margarita Montes de Oca.

Muritai School principal Stu Devenport says they have been “blown away” by the response to the Kapa Haka Rōpū crowdfunding initiative, as signalled in the May Eastbourne Herald . Securing the funds means the school will be able to have their expanded rōpū (group) – about a third of the total school population – fully kitted out for the HuttFest celebrations at the end of the term, he says.

Performances by local primary and secondary schools take place at Walter Nash Stadium over five days from 26-29 May, with Muritai onstage at 5 pm on Tuesday 27.

Mr Devenport says reaching close to 75% of their target in less than a month is a true testament to the community’s generosity and how much they value this opportunity for their tamariki. “We can’t wait to see them up on stage

at Walter Nash Stadium, representing Muritai with pride! A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to this great cause so far. Tēnā rawa atu koutou!”

You can still contribute to this fund at: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/muritai-schoolkapa-haka-performance-ropu

Tickets for HuttFest are now available. Visit https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/huttfest-2023tickets-555970481677 for tickets.

RONA BAY BOOKS

Stephen Philips with the Ranfurly Shield at Old Timer’s Day

Cloudy Bay Cellar One award for local architect

by Ann Packer

A project five years in the making has won the Commercial Architecture category of the 2023 Nelson/ Marlborough Architecture Awards for Days Bay architect Paul Rolfe Architects. The building has been shortlisted for four awards in total, including the New Zealand Property Council’s Green building, and Leisure and Tourism awards. But while it automatically qualifies for the National Architecture Award in November, it’s up against some big commercial projects, he says.

Best known locally for the Pause Yoga studio design for Days Bay teacher Cathy Gamba, Cellar One is just one of many projects Mr Rolfe has been involved in for Cloudy Bay Estate and owners Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH).

The Cloudy Bay Shack, a luxury guest house on the Estate, built to replace an earlier Shack destroyed by fire, won the National Architecture – commercial category award in 2012 as well as a couple of NZ Best Awards, and was a collaboration with Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects in Sydney.

Incorporating an existing 1985 building that is considered an industrial heritage artefact, the steel and timber framed Cellar One project was intended to push the boundaries, creating what the architect calls a “playground for winemakers”. It allows them to handcraft

small batch wines in oak cuves rather than the huge stainless steel tanks we’ve got used to, while extending the cellar door visitor experience and telling the story of the vineyard – all an important part of the burgeoning area of wine tourism.

They removed a wall and put in accessible stairs so visitors can look over the wine making floor from a glazed “pod”, a bridgelike structure spanning old and new spaces, that floats above the cellar floor. There are also some hidden spaces on the walkway, including a wine library with every vintage the estate has produced since 1985.

All this while following sustainable guidelines – the building meets the “5 star Green Star Design and As Built” certification which includes the refurbishment of an existing building, across nine holistic impact categories – which Mr Rolfe says involved a lot of research

into materials and products, and was one of the most time-consuming parts of the project.

He started his working life as a draughtsman for Sir Miles Warren in Christchurch, who was known to be fussy about taking on anyone beneath the rank of architect. But eventually it was the great man himself who “pushed me out of the nest” and into Architecture School in Auckland.

At the completion of the project, last September, the space accommodated a sitdown dinner for over 100 people to celebrate the completion of the project and the release of the 2022 vintage.

Paul Rolfe.

The winning project.

A bittersweet tale for EB

Eastbourne audiences are in for a treat with the Butterfly Creek Theatre Troupe’s production of Talking With... , promises director Suzy Cain.

The troupe’s winter production opens next month and is staged in an intimate setting on the stage at Muritai School.

The play is composed of eleven ten-minute monologues, each featuring a different woman talking about her life. Written by Jane Martin, the play had its New York premier in 1982 and has been performed around the world to great acclaim since.

Both touching and comical, Talking With… deals with the personal ordeals of each of the female characters.

They include a baton twirler, a fundamentalist snake handler, an ex-rodeo rider and an actress willing to go to any length to get a job.

Cain, who moved to New Zealand from the United States 18 years ago, has directed the play on two other occasions. She is thrilled to be bringing it to Eastbourne.

“Each time I have been delighted by the different interpretations of these 11 amazing stories.”

Cain has a masters’ degree in acting and directing from Florida Atlantic University, and was working at Actors Theatre, Louisville, Kentucky, when the play premiered in 1982.

“I was immediately struck by its candour, humour, depth of character, and brilliant storytelling,” she said.

“Each night as I watched it unfold from the wings, I laughed, cried, and was sincerely touched by each of these 11 incredible monologues.

“I am so lucky to have a very talented and dedicated cast, many of whom our audiences will recognise from previous productions. There are also some new faces from Wellington, Upper Hutt and the Kāpiti Coast.

Rehearsing this play over the past two months has been a joy. I think our audiences will thoroughly enjoy this peek into the lives of these quirky, funny and intelligent characters.”

Talking With… runs from July 6-8 and July 13-16. Tickets, limited to 50 per night, can be purchased from Eventfinda (www.eventfinda. co.nz/2023/talking-with/lower-hutt) or Artisan Co-Op Store in Rimu Street, Eastbourne.

Faith in the Community

Show we care..

Soon, we mark our new Matariki holiday. In Māori culture, Matariki is the Pleiades star cluster. The celebration of its first rising marks the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar. Matariki is a new national holiday we’re learning to celebrate. Matariki brings together ideas of remembering Whānau – past, present and future - as well as the beauty of God’s loving care as revealed in nature. It carries threads of genealogy, mythology and creation. The bonding of the earth/harvest and family together with sky/stars and God, sometimes bringing these together by celebrating with kites.

Matariki isn’t faith based, yet it shares many themes with our faith.

We have the unique opportunity to recognise and celebrate Matariki in our own way, just as Colin Gibson’s lovely New Zealand song gave us the opportunity to celebrate faith in our own way:

“These hills where the hawk flies lonely, beaches where the long surf rolls, mountains where the snows reach heaven, these are our care.”

Let’s celebrate Matariki to show we care in a way which is truly ours.

Shared Service - St Alban’s + St Ronan’s: Sun 6 August at Wellesley at 10am.

St Ronan’s: Services Sun 9.30am - informal 1st and 3rd, traditional 2nd and 4th. Our 5th Sunday, Pot-Luck Fellowship Lunch is 30 July at 12 noon. Ask if you’d like our monthly printed magazine the Record E:office@stronans.org.

nz W:www.stronans.org.nz

St Alban’s: At Wellesley College Sun 10am communion with guest vicar. Special activities for children during term time. 1st Thurs only, 10.30am communion at St Ronan’s Church with guest vicar (note the time change. E:office@ stalbanschurch.nz

W:www.stalbanschurch.nz

San Antonio: Vigil Mass, Sat 5.30pm. Sacred Heart, Petone: Mass, Sun 9.30am and 5.30pm. E: holyspiritparish41@gmail.com W: www.holyspirit.nz

Ngaire Smith performing Audition. Photo: Hayden Rogers.

BRIEFS

Hato Hone St John is holding a First Aid workshop on Tuesday, July 18 from 2.30-4.30pm at St Ronan’s Church hall, 234 Muritai Road, Eastbourne. The two-hour session will cover CPR, Defibrillator use, and what to do in situations such as choking or severe bleeding. This is not a certificate course, but rather a practical session to help you help others in an emergency. The cost is $40 per person, and you can book by emailing Sandy Lang at slang@ xtra.co.nz

Days Bay filmmaker Murray Reece is hoping to offer a public screening of his feature film Where’s George in August, at the Lighthouse in Petone. He expects a Sunday 5pm date to be confirmed in July for the second screening of the film, now it has an M classification. Made over five years using neighbours and friends, most of whom had not acted before, the movie features local actor Russell Smith as “Rissole”, a man so depressed he walks into the bush with the idea of ending it all. He then encounters a bizarre, “off-the-wall” world of comedic characters who may (or may not) help bring him to his senses. The film was well received back in December by invited locals, including the 14 neighbours and four other Eastbourne actors who feature. The Eastbourne Bowling Club had a great response to the Community bowls event run last season, with around 50 new players filling the green on Thursdays with fun and laughter. The Community Bowls programme will continue in the coming season. The club has purchased a dozen sets of new coloured bowls of varying sizes for this, thanks to Pub Charity.

Council officers are considering Seaview road closures for two separate motor sport events later this year. The Hutt Valley Motor Sport Club Port Road Sprints are to be held on 22 October 2023 (reserve day Monday 23 October 2023), and Sunday 21 January 2024 (reserve day Monday 22 January 2024), 7am-6pm. The following month will see the Port Road Drags take place, on Sunday 12 November 2023 (reserve day Sunday 19 November 2023) 7am-6pm. Both events have to adhere to strict conditions including traffic management and noise conditions.

Excitement is building among the creative team behind the At the Bay audio-visual presentation, launching on July 2 at Wellesley College. The thought of a world premier certainly increases the nerves.

It’s been a long, complicated and fascinating journey to realise the production, according to director Anne Manchester. The origins go back to late last year when local author and Mansfield scholar John Horrocks gathered a group together to discuss ways the community might make its own tribute to Katherine Mansfield during her centenary year.

Plans quickly moved from readings from her At the Bay story to something more permanent, a recreation in film of at least parts of the story, which has a special place in the hearts of local Mansfield enthusiasts.

The starting point was the comprehensive archival collection of photographs held by

Come and Join us

at East Harbour Regional Parks community planting days:

the Historical Society of Eastbourne. Many of these captured the period when Katherine’s family – the Beauchamps – holidayed here. These became the backbone of a photographic tribute, combined with the work of six actors to recreate key scenes from the story.

The finished film is 18 minutes long, comprising 300 different photos. Skilful editing creates a sense of movement and drama, enhanced by narration, sound effects and music, composed by Katherine’s cello playing friend Arnold Trowell.

The event at Wellesley College on July 2 looks to be a sellout. Those who miss out (tickets are available through Eventfinda) will have other opportunities to view the film, however, including at a planned exhibition about Katherine Mansfield’s relationship with the Eastern Bays at the Eastbourne Community Library later in the year.

9th July Baring Head/ Ōrua-pouanui

16th July Roto Parangarahu (Pencarrow lakes).

Sign up at Greater Wellington Regional Council — Winter Planting 2023 (gw.govt.nz) or on Facebook

The creative team (minus Eastbourne librarian Megan Davey) at a preview screening of their At the Bay photographic tribute. From left, photographer Simon Hoyle, archival photographic researcher Ali Carew, director Anne Manchester and producer John Horrocks. Photo: Simon Hoyle

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.

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

• Toy Library - Two Monday Sessions at 1.302.30pm and 7.30-8.30pm.

EastbourneToyLibrary on Facebook. Kathy

0273551950

• DB Playcentre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 12 noon, Drop in anytime to visit a session or call James on 022 043 7841 to arrange a visit.

• 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.

• 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.

• DB Playcentre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 12 noon, Drop in anytime to visit a session or call James on 022 043 7841 to arrange a visit.

• 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.

• 9.30am Nia Dance Fitness Class (low impactteens to 70+) Music Movement Magic - Muritai Yacht Club - call Amanda 021 316692 www. niainwellington.com

Wednesdays

• Cubs: 5.30pm - 7.00pm, Ed 021 738 699.

• 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 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 12 noon, Drop in anytime to visit a session or call James on 022 043 7841 to arrange a visit.

• “Steady as You Go” Age Concern sponsored Falls Prevention and Exercise Programme.

WHAT'S ON

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!

• 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, 9.15am-11.15am, during school terms. 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 Celeste 021 206 5713

•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.

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

• Eastbourne Bowling Club casual summer bowls 5.30pm for an hour or so. Make up a mixed team of three. Contact Keith Turner ph 04 934 4142.

• EFC Social Womens Football. Every Thursday, 6.30pm, Bishop Park (unless otherwise notified). Contact: Trysh, 02102931247

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 9.15-12 noon Puddle Jumpers

CLASSIFIEDS

casual ‘drop-in’ session.$5 per child per session. Call James on 022 043 7841

Saturdays

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

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

• Lions' Bin - cost effective rubbish and e-waste disposal. Last Saturday of the month (except December) by Bus Barns. Gavin 027 488 5602.

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

Okiwi Volunteer Driving Service

Okiwi Volunteer Driving Service

Provides transport to appointments in the Hutt Valley, and Wellington for all Eastbourne’s older residents.

Provides transport to appointments in the Hutt Valley, and Wellington for all Eastbourne’s older residents.

CLASSIFIED advertising costs 50c perword. Email editor@eastbourneherald.co.nz

Our ‘20-Minute Volunteers’ are also available for small jobs around the home.

Our ‘20-Minute Volunteers’ are also available for small jobs around the home.

Okiwi Volunteer Driving Service

Find out more about us at www.okiwi.org.nz

Phone Celeste the co-ordinator on

Find out more about us at www.okiwi.org.nz

Phone Pippa the co-ordinator on 0800 654 942

Provides transport to appointments in the Hutt Valley, and Wellington for all Eastbourne’s older residents.

Phone Pippa the co-ordinator on 0800 654 942

Our ‘20-Minute Volunteers’ are also available for small jobs around the home.

Find out more about us at www.okiwi.org.nz

or on our Facebook page

Phone Pippa the co-ordinator on 0800 654 942

Studio Apartment to Rent. Fully furnished, selfcontained, Mahina Bay. Drive on with great views and sun. Free gas water heating. Available short to medium term for singles or a couple. Text : SEAVIEW LOFT 021 1115297.

Nice weather for ducks – winter swimming

by Ann Packer

There’s nothing like swimming out into the harbour to make you realise how insignificant you are, says physiotherapist Gina Gentry, one of Lowry Bay’s “Blue Ducks of Whiorau”. “Looking back, the houses are like a ribbon.”

She’s one of a number taking the plunge even on the coldest winter days around the bays, with a wide variation in age, background and ability – but all agreed on the benefits.

Some make it a quick up-to-the-neck catchup with friends at the end of a working day; others like Days Bay writer Maggie Rainey Smith and her swim buddy Suzanne McRobb, say as long as the water quality is okay, an early morning coldwater swim is the perfect rejig. Lockdown was Maggie’s incentive to take the plunge – and now, having someone to meet up with helps. The pair have signed up for a swim class in town, to move on from their original comfortable breaststroke to a more efficient freestyle.

For Heather Newton, who swims in Lowry Bay in the late afternoon, it’s as if the day’s concerns just wash away. “Once the initial shock is over it’s truly lovely looking out across our beautiful harbour, watching the sun go down – balm for the soul.” For her it was the promise of health benefits (“from anti-inflammatory through circulation boost to stimulating the vagus nerve which controls the parasympathetic nervous system which helps balance all our daily stressing”) that got her started. Sometimes swimming with a friend from Pt Howard, she says recently the water has been so clear you can see an abundance of cushion starfish on the sandy bottom.

Commuters and dog walkers alike set

their clock by the Blue Duck swimmers, including nurse Lynn O’Toole and play centre supervisor Lucy Miller – the youngest and most experienced swimmer in the group; she’s been a water polo rep and swimming instructor. They meet at 7.15am on weekdays, though on weekends it’s 8 am, followed by a soak in a hot tub with coffee and chat. Most days they swim 900m – from the historic boatshed to the buoy and across to a mooring in Sorrento Bay – although they’ll sometimes swim to the Pt Howard buoy, a 1.6 km round trip.

What began as a midwinter dip turned into serious training for the annual Wharf to Wharf swim. Then October-to-Easter swimming stretched to year-round for the trio, who are joined by others on occasion. Two have shed the wetsuits that got them started but they still swear by neoprene undercaps with ear flaps, to keep their heads warm. They also wear neon towfloats which make them easy to see in the water – adding lights when a full-moon night swim is planned.

For all the Blue Ducks, it’s the sensory experience that appeals most – with touch, smell, sounds, taste and colours all heightened. One of the best things about harbour swimming is not having to turn around, says Gina, who grew up on a farm with a 10m pool. And having company offers security, as well as the chance to chat at the buoy.

All are agreed the water has been much colder recently – maybe it’s the frosty nights and lack of cloud cover. But as Heather Newton says, “Getting under as quickly as possible is the key. You just have to make up your mind to do it and from there it’s fine – quite addictive really.”

Junior teams on a winning streak

Eastbourne’s junior rugby teams have performed strongly in the first half of the season. All of our junior teams are enjoying a winning season and three of our six teams are undefeated.

This is the result of plenty of hard work from our players, dedicated coaches, managers an parents. There have been many highlights over the first two months of the season.

In early May, our three tackle teams travelled by bus to the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS) in Trentham and trained in their Green Room facility.

This was an incredibly fun and noisy bus ride and an amazing experience for our players and coaches to utilise a world class facility.

Old Timers’ Day was held on 27 May. WE had another successful weekend, despite the rain, with all of our rugby teams winning. The Eastbourne Senior U85 team also won 25-12 against Western Suburbs.

Our hardworking volunteers kept the Eastbourne and opposition players warm with free sausages. Our visiting teams really appreciate this tradition.

As with previous Old Timers’ Days, we also had plenty of past players travel to Eastbourne and reconnect with their former teammates. Celebrations continued well into the evening.

Two weeks ago, our Year 2 Sharks, Year 4 Lions and Year 5 Dolphins competed in the NZ Junior Rugby Festival hosted by Pōneke RFC. This is a great tournament that our families really enjoy.

Kidztalk

This tournament gives our teams the opportunity to play teams from Wellington, Kāpiti and Wairarapa, which we don’t play on a regular basis.

Lastly, this season our Year 5 Dolphins and Year 7/8 thunder are currently planning an end of season tour of the Wairarapa and potentially the Hawkes Bay.

Winter is here, but we're not fussed! Indoors, we've upgraded the premises with a fresh coat of paint, a beautiful mural, and a new way of displaying learning stories.

Tamariki have lots to do when it's cold and wet outside: playdough, puzzles, and swinging have all been in play. They also have been enjoying our impressive collection of costumes, with all kinds of animals and characters to choose from!

Thank you to our many volunteers and the wonderful Eastbourne community for supporting our various fundraising efforts, including our Kitchen Takeover at the ESSC and firewood raffle. Your ongoing support and generosity is greatly appreciated.

- Willie Davis, ERFC

News from our local early childhood centres

Supervised sessions Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, with casual koha Fridays - all from 9.15 to 12. Email daysbay@playcentre.org.nz or just stop by.

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

PETONE

NEWS FROM DAYS BAY PLAYCENTRE

Left: Ziggy and Spiderman are never in the same place at the same time.

Above: Ragnar, Zac, and Baby Vinnie build car ramps.

Greg Halford leading training at the NZCIS Green room.

Garden Stuff with Sandy Lang

WATER USE EFFICIENCY

June/July: Early/mid-winter. Tidy, plan, plant, prune and mulch (conserves water, builds soil, supresses weeds).

Stomata: Last month I said how the ‘chemistry of life’ goes on only in water, but land and air are very dry. So, while land plants are ‘wet inside’, to stop them drying out they must be covered by a super-thin, super-waterproof membrane, the cuticle. But the cuticle also stops the plant taking in CO₂, so it stops photosynthesis - the process by which plants make their energy food (sugar) from CO₂ and sunlight. But the cuticle is perforated by millions (~10,000 /cm²) of tiny valves, stomata, which allow it to take in CO₂ and photosynthesise (good) but they also allow water vapour to escape (bad).

Control: The great thing about stomata is they can open and close to control the uptake of CO₂ and the loss of water, so as to achieve a best compromise. So, stomata close at night. There’s no photosynthesis in the dark, so why waste water by opening at night? Stomata also do some extra tricks like closing in the hot part of the day (when the air is driest) but open earlier and later (when it’s more humid).

WUE: So, stomata maximise the amount of photosynthesis, while minimising the amount of water loss. This optimisation gives rise to the idea of a plant’s water use efficiency (WUE)the amount of photosynthesis (grams of sugar) associated with a certain amount of water loss (kilograms of water) – so the units of WUE are g/kg. Because land plants have evolved to optimise WUE in different environments, some achieve higher WUEs than others. Most WUEs fall in the range 0.5 to 1 g/kg (examples are legumes 0.40, oilseeds 0.70 and clover 0.88 g/ kg) but other WUEs are a lot higher (the cereals 2.4, some grasses 2.7 and some cacti 6.17 g/ kg).

In your garden: There are four ways WUE is relevant to you: (1) High-WUE plants make better use of the same amount of rain than low-WUE ones, so grow better with limited rainfall or in poor soil; (2) Many weeds are high-WUE - a reason they grow so well; (3) If you supplement limited/erratic rainfall by watering your garden, you will get a proportional increase in growth (don’t over water); and (4) Mulching increases growth because it helps the soil store more water.

slang@xtra.co.nz www.mulchpile.org

Double header results springboard EFC teams into 2nd half of the season

The EFC Gs and Thirsties, playing in the Capital Football

Over 45 and Masters 4 grades respectively, had impressive wins in front of their home supporters in a double-header at Bishop Park on Saturday.

The Gs dispatched Karori 3-1 in what would have to be their best performance of the season.

The Thirsties then stuck away neighbours, Petone, 2-1, in a hard-fought match that had all the hallmarks of a local derby. Both the Gs and the Thirsties have powered into the second half of the season on the back of some recent, no-nonsense, winning performances that have become the hallmark of both teams.

The Thirsties are now sitting third on their table while the Gs are sitting a handy fifth in their grade.

The Hammers, EFC’s marquee team, went down fighting 1-3 to Karori but are nicely placed in the top half of Capital Football’s Masters 1 table. The team has been battling a string of injuries to key players recently but has had plenty of player support from the other EFC masters teams to boost their ranks.

A big shout out needs to go to each of

the EFC masters teams for the support they’ve shown each other throughout the season.

The Toros, playing in the Capital 6 grade, suffered their first loss after an impressive streak of wins. They went down to runaway competition leaders Miramar Rangers who are 9 points ahead of the chasing pack. The Toros sit fourth on the table but are only one point behind the second and third placed teams which bodes well for the team heading into the second half of the season.

The club recently held a Sunday morning beach clean up at Days Bay. Approximately 70 members of the club came along to pick up rubbish all along the beach and were rewarded with bacon butties for breakfast. There was a team competition for collecting the most and First Kicks 'cleaned up'.

- Mike Andrews, EFC

Eastbourne's junior footballers got stuck in for a good cause, cleaning up Days Bay Beach.