Plan for Johnsonville rec centre
By Frank Neill
A plan for Wellington City Council to work with Johnsonville Mall owner Stride Property Group to create a new recreation centre near the mall is being considered today, 8 May, by the Council’s Environment and Infrastructure Committee.
“We know that the northern suburbs need a recreation centre,” Northern Ward Councillor Ben McNulty says.
“It’s been identified in the Council’s facilities plan that there is a lack of recreation space in the northern suburbs.”
The Council has written to Stride letting them know that today’s committee meeting will consider signing off on a proposal to work with Stride on developing a new recreation entre.
The idea is that Stride would build the centre, and the Council would then lease it, creating a steady revenue stream for Stride.
Cr McNulty predicted that the committee would sign off on the proposal.
“I wouldn’t expect a huge amount of opposition to it,” he said on 5 May.
This development comes in the wake of a notice of motion
Cr McNulty put forward at the 5 September 2024 meeting of the Wellington City Council.
Cr McNulty’s motion was passed at the meeting.
It asked the council staff to prepare a report within six months on “options to facilitate and realise commercial development more quickly within the Johnsonville Metropolitan Centre Zone”.
The staff were being asked to “give us every option possible ... to make the mall redevelopment happen,” Cr McNulty told the “Independent Herald” after he put together his notice of motion.
The Council staff have prepared the report, and “they came back to us with a spectrum of options,” Cr McNulty says.
The preferred option is to take a “carrot and stick” approach to enhancing Johnsonville development.
The “carrot” option is formally
asking Stride to build a recreation centre and/or a community centre, which the council would then lease as tenants of Stride.
“The council’s lease is going to be a strong one ... that gives Stride financial security as well,” Cr McNulty says.
“With the closure of the collective community hub, there is a lack of community space in Johnsonville.”
The Council is, therefore “really interested” in Stride building the facility and giving the Council a tenancy.
The “stick” option related to the fact that Greater Wellington Regional Council has agreed that a proper bus and rail interchange is required in Johnsonville.
“We know that the transport interchange is overdue as well,” Cr McNulty says.
“Hopefully they can do that with the co-operation of Stride.
“The stick we’re doubling down on is the transport interchange.
“That needs to get done and we are happy to use the Public Works Act to make that happen.”
One of Council’s options under the Public Works Act is compulsory acquisition of land.
The idea of a new recreation centre has been welcomed by the Chair of the Johnsonville Business Group, Stephanie Guy.
“We would love to see it happen,” she says.
“Anything that will bring people and revenue into Johnsonville is positive.”
Under the Chairmanship of Mark Kirk-Burnnand last year, the Johnsonville Business Group was supportive of Cr McNulty’s move to facilitate commercial development more quickly in the Johnsonville business district.
If the proposed recreation centre “comes to fruition I would be a very happy man,” Mark says.
The “Independent Herald” contacted Stride Property Group and asked their reaction to the proposal. It would be “unwise” for Stride to make any comment until after today’s meeting to sign off on the Council plan, Stride’s General Manager Retail, Roy Stansfield said.
Community grants
Community organisations can apply for a grant of up to $10,000 from the Bupa Foundation’s Community Grants Programme.
Michael Burgess, Bupa New Zealand’s Director of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, said the programme is designed to support community organisations in implementing practical health-focused initiatives that genuinely benefit local communities. This year the Bupa Foundation will disburse $640,000 in grants. Applications close on 6 June. For more information and to make an application visit www.bupa.com.au/about-us/ bupa-foundation.
Cashless ferries
Wellington’s East By West ferry service moved to a cashless payment system on 1 May. Harbour ferries now accept ticket payments via credit or debit cards to provide faster, safer and more convenient transactions. Tickets can be bought from the East By West ticket office on Queens Wharf or on board. Payment by inserting or swiping a debit card will avoid a 1.5% credit/contactless surcharge. Ferry staff will be able to provide in-person support and assist passengers with any questions.
One of the areas near the Johnsonville Mall where a new recreation centre could be built. Photo: Ben McNulty.
Blood pressure awareness campaign
The Heart Foundation is launching a nationwide blood pressure awareness campaign to encourage New Zealanders to get their blood pressure checked.
The foundation is offering free blood pressure checks to the public at pop-up events around New Zealand from 17 May.
One pop-up will be held at the Newlands Community Centre, 6 Batchelor Street from 11am to 1pm on 23 May.
Another will be held at the Waitohi Community Hub, 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville, from 10am to 2pm on 26 May.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects a million New Zealanders and is the single biggest risk factor for New Zealand’s biggest killer – heart disease.
One in three New Zealanders over 30 have high blood pressure.
Of those, only a quarter have it under control. There are 350,000 Kiwis who have high blood pressure and don’t know it.
“High blood pressure damages your arteries and can lead to serious complications such as heart attack and stroke,” says Heart Foundation Medical Director, Dr Gerry Devlin.
“It’s often referred to as a silent killer because high blood pressure itself rarely has symptoms.”
New Zealand blood pressure control rates lag behind nations like Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Heart Foundation is determined to help turn that around and believes New Zealand should be aiming to double blood pressure
control rates by 50% over the next 10 years.
“If we can achieve it, we will save 12,000 lives by 2040,” Dr Devlin says.
“If we adopt a more ambitious goal to achieve 70% control by 2030, the number of deaths averted will be considerably higher.”
Dr Devlin says high blood pressure currently contributes to 45% of the cardiovascular deaths in New Zealand each year (4,000 people).
Successfully managing blood pressure can have a dramatic impact on heart health.
“For every 10-point drop in your systolic * blood pressure, you reduce your risk of a heart event by 20%.”
Lynnette, a 53-year-old mother of two, mistook her heart attack symptoms for acid reflux. She had a family history of high blood pressure and cholesterol and had managed with medication, though, she admits, not always consistently.
After an appointment with a cardiologist, who undertook tests, it revealed Lynnette had been experiencing a series of small heart attacks.
"I thought heart attacks were sudden and severe,” she says. “I didn’t know they could happen like this, so gradually."
She is now focused on living a healthier lifestyle, listening to her body, and getting medical advice when something feels off.
“Go to the doctor if something feels off. Don’t just assume it’s nothing. And if you’re on medication, take it regularly – it could save your life,” Lynnette says.
Blood pressure checks can be done by your
doctor, nurse or at selected pharmacies.
Home monitors are also an option.
“We want to encourage New Zealanders to get their checks done, understand what the numbers mean and take charge of their heart health to live a longer, healthier life,” Dr Devlin says.
There are many practical actions people can take to prevent and help manage high blood pressure. Exercising more, reducing salt intake, improving sleep, reducing stress, increasing nutrition and reducing alcohol all
have an immediate and positive effect on blood pressure.
* Blood pressure measurement is given in two numbers which are written one above the other, for example 120/80. This is said ‘120 over 80’. The top number is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. This is systolic pressure . The bottom number is when your heart relaxes. This is diastolic pressure . An ideal blood pressure is 120/80, although this may vary depending on your individual circumstances.
Big rise in library use follows no fines
Wellington City Libraries are seeing a 30% surge in new customers and over a million books borrowed by children and teenagers each year since introducing their popular fines-free policy almost three years ago.
The number of new library users rose by 14% to 10,824 in the first year ending 30 June 2023.
This growth more than doubled in the following year, reaching around 30% or 12,296 users.
Notably, in just the first nine months of the current financial year, the number of new library users has already surged to almost 10,000.
“We’re thrilled to see both a significant increase in new library members and strong borrowing numbers among children and teenagers,” Mayor Tory Whanau says.
“This proves that our decision to eliminate fines is enabling more of our young people to discover the wonders of reading and enjoy the welcoming environment in our libraries.
“It’s also about equity – providing equal access to information, resources, and learning opportunities for Wellingtonians, regardless of their financial situation,” Mayor Whanau adds.
Councillor Rebecca Matthews, who championed the removal of fines, said the impressive increase in new users demonstrated the positive impact of removing financial barriers.
“The problem with library fines wasn’t that
the books didn’t come back, it was that the people never did.
“Now our libraries are truly for everyone,” Cr Matthews says.
When the fines-free policy was introduced on 1 July 2022, a total of $541,198.78 in outstanding debt was written off Wellington City Council’s books.
Before this change, Wellington City Libraries collected $335,171 in fines in Financial Year 2020-21 and $227,668 in 2021-2022.
Statistics from the Wellington City Libraries show that the removal of fines has increased circulation and readership within the community.
As the number of new library users surged, the number of physical books borrowed rose by 2.5% to 1.9 million in the first year after fines were abolished.
This initial growth then jumped fourfold to about 10%, meaning 2 million books were borrowed by the end of June 2024.
Children and teenagers borrow over a million books annually, and they are on track to maintain this momentum, having already borrowed more than 808,000 in the first nine months of the current financial year.
Abolishing fines also led to a spectacular return of long overdue books – a 131% jump in the first year and a whopping 191% the year after.
Even more striking, kids and teens returned a massive 153% more overdue books in the first year, and around 190% more in the following year.
Cathy Lyders about to take a blood pressure reading. Photo: Supplied.
Khandallah
Presentation on drowsy driving Suburban Expectations at KAT
By Roy Ferguson
Martin Jenkins, Khandallah resident, engineer and businessman, was guest speaker at the 1st May luncheon of the Wellington North Rotary Club.
Launched in May 2005, the AKILLA Drowsy Driving Educational Campaign was New educate drivers about the dangers of drowsy driving. It has been structured in such a way as to build a solid foundation for researching and disseminating information so that drivers can avoid crashes and their tragic consequences.
AKILLA was founded by Martin as a result of a violent road crash which claimed the life of his father. He spoke about the “silent killer”. It is second to alcohol as a cause of death on the roads, yet it receives little attention in the campaigns run by Waka Kotahi. Martin explained
that, when tired, the body takes micro sleeps. These may only last 3-10 seconds but in that time a vehicle travelling at 100kph can travel 83 metres in 3 seconds.
The main risk factors behind drowsy driving are the time of day, the danger period for those over 60 is mid-afternoon; physical or mental exertion; alcohol; food; medications and the temperature. If these risk factors were mixed with sleep deprivation the combination could be fatal. If you are feeling drowsy Martin recommended swapping drivers, a power nap of 15-20 minutes, or phoning to be collected.
impact if a person was sleep deprived.
Visit his website atwww.akilla.comfor more information.
By Morris Robertson
KAT Theatre had a very successful short past weekend at Khandallah’s Cochran Hall. The fare was a mix of period, modern, comic and dramatic.
While each play was unique, the common thread was that all the key characters were negotiating the expectations of others. New Director, TJ Duggan, chose a 10-minute script called ‘Poverty’ by local writer Angie Farrow, one of a series she has written
play ‘Boxes, directed by Krzysztof Kowal, was a bright wordless combination of mime and music, staged by an interaction with moveable brightly coloured boxes.
Although the production has ended the Theatre’s outreach continues with a performance of ‘Boxes’ for some of the Cashmere Ave School classes on May 21st.
Another community activity is to host a group of Newlands Brownies at the hall. They are doing their “Be Creative” badge this term and they will “visit a theatre and
Khandallah Community Centre: A place to
belong and celebrate
Are you feeling a bit isolated, or simply looking to meet new people in your neighbourhood? The Khandallah Town Hall and Cornerstone Community Centre is inviting locals of all ages to get involved, get active, and get connected.
With three versatile spaces—the spacious Town Hall, a bright upstairs meeting room, and a cosy lounge—there’s a setting for every occasion, including milestone birthdays and community meetups. The entire venue can be booked for larger events.
A variety of friendly, inclusive groups meet games, family history research, exercise classes, yoga, Zumba, Art class, craft group and singing. Whether you’re keen to try something new or just enjoy a relaxed chat, there’s something for everyone.
“Joining the tai chi group really lifted my spirits,” says local resident. “I’ve made great friends and look forward to it every week.”
The centre also welcomes anyone looking to start their own group or host a private event.
“It’s a welcoming space for anyone who wants to feel part of the community,” says a centre spokesperson. “We love seeing people connect and create lasting memories here.”
Centrally located in the heart of Khandallah, the Town Hall and Community Centre continues to serve as a local hub where people come together to learn, share, and celebrate. booking a space, visit the centre or get in touch with the team. Phone: 479 5420, email: info@kthc.nz or visit our website: kthc.nz.
Publications in book and DVD format by Martin Jenkins on Drowsy Driving
& Health
Every day people regain their independence with an Acorn stairlift
All Acorn Stairlifts are easy to use, easy to maintain, and all feature the very best in additional features built to keep you safe and provide a smooth ride around the curves of
As people enjoy longer lives and wish to remain living independently at home, the demand for domestic stairlifts continues on every level, making Acorn the safest alternative for staircase use
A feature of the stairlift is an optional hinged is an excellent option to avoid blocking a door or walkway at the bottom of the stairs, as well as Acorn Stairlifts will help you master 'the three Rs': Regain your independence, Retain full use of your home, and Remain in the Installing an Acorn Stairlift turns your home into a bungalow, by removing the obstacle of stairs if they become too cha-
As an example of Acorn’s commitment to excellence and safety, they are proud that their products have earned the prestigious Ease of Use Commendation
This commendation is only awarded to companies whose products have passed rigorous testing proving they are easy to Acorn is the world’s biggest company dedicated solely to the manufacture, direct sale, installation and maintenance of home
Cherries – helping support heart health and joint mobility
Diet plays a huge role in our health with foods that offer specific health
Cherryvite’s Montmorency tart cherries
As one of nature’s richest sources of your body’s free radicals, and support heart health and joint mobility, reduce Montmorency tart cherries are warmed and pressed to remove thecentrated to 68° Brix by removing additives, preservatives or colouring Tart cherry juice concentrate can be reconstituted into a single-strength
Hand and wrist therapy
Public consultation begins on modernising health workforce regulation
The Ministry of Health has opened consultation recently on health workforce
Minister of Health Hon Simeon Brown has announced the Government is reviewing New Zealand’s health workforce regulation
Health regulations are the rules that ensure New Zealanders get safe and quality health current Health Practitioners Competence
richest natural source of Super Antioxidants!
The optional hinged rail section
ON... O WHAT’S
The Community Noticeboard is for non-profit organisations. For $15.00 you can publish up to 25 words. No AGMS, sporting notices or special meetings. Community Notices must be pre-paid. phone (04) 587 1660 or email classifieds@wsn.co.nz
Karori Lions e-recycle fundraiser
Saturday 10 May at Karori Community Centre 9am-1pm No whiteware, car batteries or old type TVs. Flat screens ok.
Don’t Chuck It Fix It
Ngaio Repair Cafe is free, open
Saturday 17 May,10am - 1pm, Ngaio Union Church, corner Crofton Road and Kenya Street, Ngaio.
THURSDAY
Eagles to fly from airport
Wellington Airport’s iconic giant eagle sculptures will be flying off into the sunset tomorrow, 9 May, ending a 12-year residence in the terminal.
The two eagles and Gandalf will be replaced by a new display later this year which is being kept under wraps for now.
Wellington Airport’s chief executive Matt Clarke says it will be the end of an era for the airport, with excitement building for what’s coming next.
“It’s not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport, but in this case, it will be emotional for us.
“They have been a huge success and travellers from around the world have loved admiring them. After 12 years it’s the right time for them to fly the nest.
“We’re working with W t Workshop on some exciting plans for a unique, locally themed replacement to take their place.
How fast can a submarine go?
U.S. nuclear-powered submarines can go faster than 25 knots (nautical miles per hour) underwater, which is approximately 29 miles per hour or 46 kilometers per hour.
this.
“We’ll unveil what’s next later this year so keep watching the skies.
“By the end of the year the whole terminal is going to have a spectacular new look with the new multi-level hospitality venue open
as well.”
The eagles were made by W t Workshop and unveiled in December 2013 to tie in with the Hobbit movies.
Date: Thursday 15 May at 9:45am
Johnsonville Uniting Church 18 Dr Taylor Terrace Enquiries to Kathy 938 4523
W t Workshop Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Richard Taylor says it's a bittersweet moment farewelling the eagles which have become such an iconic feature for locals and travellers alike.
“There are many more stories to be told, and we're looking forward to working with Wellington Airport on bringing a new chapter
to life."
Each eagle weighs 1.2 tonnes and has an internal steel framework and a polystyrene body. They have a 15-metre wingspan and a combined total of 1000 feathers, with the longest feather measuring 2.4 metres.
The eagles will be disassembled overnight on the evening of Friday 9 May and placed into storage. The long-term plans for them are still to be decided.
Smaug the Magnificent remains in the check-in area.
Mean (7)
Arrival (6)
Clumsy (5)
Precise
One of the eagles and Gandalf at Wellington Airport. Photo: Supplied.
Johnsonville Hawks pipped in Rugby
By Frank Neill
Johnsonville’s premier Rugby team was pipped almost at the post by Poneke in their Swindale Shield match on 3 May.
With four minutes to play the Johnsonville Hawks were leading the match 38-34.
However Poneke’s Nick Robertson dotted down to take his team to a narrow 41-38 win.
Johnsonville looked in control of the
match, played at Kilbirnie Park, when the half time whistle blew. They led 31-19.
Soon after the second half started the Hawks extended their lead when their captain Finlay Sharp scored a try which Ken Kurihana converted to give them a 38-19 lead.
However that marked the beginning a major Poneke comeback.
The home team scored 22 unanswered points to just sneak ahead of the Hawks.
Regan Herbert scored two tries for Johnsonvile and Jacob Walmsley and Ish Perkins also dotted down.
Ken Kurihana kicked five conversions and a penalty.
Tyler Hall chalked up a milestone during the match, with the flanker playing his 50th match for the Hawks.
The Johnsonville Hawks’ next match is a home game against Old Boys University at Helston Park on 10 May. Kick off is at 2:45pm.
Using DNA to find elusive relatives
The next meeting of Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists will be on Wednesday 21 May at 7:30pm.
It will be the branch’s first at its new venue, the Johnsonville Bowling Club, 34 Frankmoore Avenue.
The speaker, Kaye Batchelor, has been doing genealogy for more than 40 years, starting when she was at high school.
Since 2016 Kaye has added DNA to her toolkit, and has used a combination of traditional research and DNA matches to solve mysteries in her family tree.
Her talk is about finding one of her most elusive ancestors, Jane Currie.
Jane married James Gilbert in Edinburgh in 1835, emigrated to New Zealand in 1839 and died in 1874 as Jane Foster.
No document found in Scotland or New Zealand recorded who her parents were.
Many have speculated about Jane’s parents and even added people to their family trees purporting to be her parents.
Kaye has used DNA matches and collaborated with relatives to finally discover likely parents and siblings for Jane and will pass on tips for finding such elusive relatives.
Visitors are very welcome at all of the branch’s meetings.
Arrive at 7pmfor coffee, tea and biscuits, and a chance to chat with the branch’s friendly members whoareveryknowledgeableabout a wide range of family history subjects.
The meetingshould finish between 8:30pm and 9 pm.
A re-creation of history.
Latest NZCT grants
By Frank Neill
Three local sports clubs were recipients of grants in the latest round of the New Zealand Community Trust’s disbursements.
The Karori Hockey Club was provided with $5,312.75 for equipment.
The Victoria University Association Football Club was granted $4,000 for a contractor.
The Victoria University Rugby Football Club and Wellington College Old Boys was granted $17,000 for a contractor.
The trust disbursed $539,431.82 in the latest round of funding, announced on 2 May.
One gaming venue in the “Independent Herald”’s circulation area contributed to these grants – The Pickle Jar in Karori. It was one of 17 gaming venues in the greater Wellington region that contributed.
NEWS TIPS
Memorial for mental hospital patients
A project to memorialise former Porirua Hospital patients is under way.
More than 1,800 people are buried in Porirua and Whenua Tapu Cemetery who were former patients of the hospital.
All of these people lie in unmarked graves and as part of the recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in care the Government has set up a fund for headstones for patients buried in unmarked graves throughout the country.
Porirua City Council is now taking steps to see that happens for former Porirua Hospital patients.
As overseer of these cemeteries, the Council wants to hear from the public as they have just published a list of names of those buried.
The list is available at www.poriruacity. govt.nz/cemeteries-project.
The people on this list are known to be, firstly, patients of the hospital and
secondly, without a headstone, Porirua Cemeteries Manager Daniel Chrisp says.
"This project is a significant and meaningful one to the Porirua and Wellington communities," he says.
"The hospital was once the biggest asylum in the country and working towards naming every single patient buried with us is a huge step to restoring the mana and dignity of those individuals who died while in the hospital’s care."
The council is asking people to contact cemeteries@poriruacity.govt.nz if they see a known family member in the list.
The Porirua Lunatic Asylum, later Porirua Hospital, opened in 1887.
At its height, in the 1960s, it had more than 2,000 patients and staff and covered 1,000 acres of land, making it one of the largest hospitals in the country. By the 1980s, many patients were in community-based care and the hospital was closed in the 1990s.
Tyler Hall, who chalked up his 50th match for the Johnsonville Hawks on 3 May. Photo: Supplied.
Kaye Batchelor used AI to generate this image
Porirua Hospital in the early 1900s. Photo: Supplied.
This Mother’s Day, please help keep hope alive for women with obstetric fistula living in the world’s poorest places.
As we honour Mother’s Day, we reflect on mothers whose hope has faded – burdened by the life-long smell, shame and isolation of obstetric fistula.
Jamila was one of those mothers. After the birth of her much-loved daughter, bodily waste began leaking uncontrollably through her birth canal. Jamila was deeply shocked and utterly mortified.
This is obstetric fistula and throughout history it has always existed as a real risk in childbirth – but it is often hidden.
Imagine Jamila’s future without your help. She would live trapped in her home, unable to go to work, go to the market, or attend church. Because it would be impossible to hide her overpowering smell. Without surgery, the leaking would never stop.
But thanks to compassionate people like you, Jamila received life-changing surgery through the cbmfunded obstetric fistula ministry in Nigeria, partnered with Sustainable Family Healthcare Foundation.
“The surgery was successfully done,” said Jamila, her smile beaming with joy.
Right now, countless mothers like Jamila remain trapped in shame and isolation. This Mother’s Day, will you help restore their dignity?
Drawing on more than 115 years of experience, and driven by its Christian values, cbm (Christian Blind Mission) works alongside people with disabilities in the world’s poorest places to transform lives and build inclusive communities where everyone can enjoy their human rights and achieve their full potential. cbm seeks to change attitudes, practices and policies that lead to marginalisation, exclusion and poverty because of disability.
This Mother’s Day, honour the beauty of motherhood by keeping hope alive for women living with obstetric fistula in the world’s poorest places.
Simply scan the QR code using your mobile phone camera or go to www.cbmnz.org.nz/jamila.