The Weekend Sun - 9 May 2025 by Sun Media

9 May 2025, Issue 1259

Passing on his passion

We’re told he’s there nearly every day Guiding Bay of Plenty youngsters – like he is pictured here with Olly Selfe, 6 – on how to perfect their skills on a skateboard Ollies, grinds, slides and flip tricks ooze out of Destination Skatepark and the 31-year-old is in the thick of it – always Shaun Boucher grew up at the Mount and fell in love with the sport at the age of 11 when he swapped his rollerblades for a skateboard

Fast-forward 20 years and Boucher is now a role model and mentor to the community for his passion both on and off the board

He has competed professionally overseas, helped to design his hometown’s new

Destination Skatepark, and he recently became New Zealand’s national champion skateboarder after winning the ‘ street ’ and ‘park’ categories in the 2025 National Skateboarding Championships in March

In the last few years he’s also founded Mana Skateboarding, teaching kids and adults alike the art of skateboarding to share his passion

with the next generation

“I teach young kids from primary school to intermediate to college,” said Boucher, who now channels his love for skateboarding into his mission to redefine the way people experience the sport

Cocaine bust

Police and New Zealand

Customs officers have seized more than 25kg worth of cocaine valued at $9 million during a series of raids

Customs and police were tipped off on March 29 about a significant importation of cocaine through Lyttleton Port

Officers executed search warrants across New Zealand, and the investigation has led to the arrest of four men aged 30-36 from Christchurch, Wellington, Tauranga and Auckland

The men will face multiple charges, including possession of cocaine for supply and burglary, and will appear in various district courts across a range of dates

Fatal BoP crash

Police can now release the name of the man who died following a crash in the Bay of Plenty at the beginning of the year

Paul Jukka Makela, 56, of Kawerau, died following a crash on SH30, Coastlands, on January 23, said a police spokesperson in a statement this week

“Police extend our condolences to his family and friends Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing”

Bill to ban social media

National MP Catherine Wedd is introducing to the biscuit tin a new Members’ Bill aiming to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms in New Zealand

Wedd said the My Social Media AgeAppropriate Users Bill is about protecting the “ most vulnerable young teenagers and children from the online harms of social media ”

Wedd said social media was an “extraordinary resource ” , but it came with risks

“Right now, we aren ’ t managing the risks for our young people well ”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it was a move intended to protect young people from bullying, inappropriate content, and social media addiction

“As a dad, I feel very strongly that we need to do a lot more to keep our kids safe from harm,” he said

large sports tournaments

come

Tauranga City’s new indoor courts are about to open on Cameron Rd and the community can get ready y to reap the benefits.

This Saturday, May 10, from 10am2pm, the University of Waikato Haumaru Sport & Recreation Centre will hold a big public open day

Bay Venues spokesperson Scott Yeoman said the open day will feature free activities and games, have-a-go sports sessions, food trucks and plenty of fun for the kids, including a special play area with an inflatable slide.

Named ‘Haumaru’, the facility will be home to a wide range of community sports including basketball, volleyball, pickleball, badminton, netball and more.

Yeoman said Haumaru will help to host large sports tournaments that come to the city, such as AIMS Games.

“There will be opportunities for casual bookings and court hire, as well as recreational activities for local schools and the wider community

“This will include Tumble Time play sessions for preschoolers and their parents during weekdays.”

The centre has four basketball-size courts with maple hardwood sports flooring from Canada. The size creates enough room for three netball courts, or

13 pickleball/badminton, or six volleyball courts “For large tournaments, we can change the line markings to increase the number of badminton/pickleball courts to 17,” said Yeoman.

Curtains can be hung between courts for tournaments. “The name ‘Haumaru’ was gifted by mana whenua. The name has local significance and also relates to health and wellbeing, which fits with the active sport and recreation activities that will take place in this facility,” said Yeoman.

Warehouse to indoor courts

The building was originally owned and operated as The Warehouse. The retail store closed last year after the property was purchased by Tauranga City Council to convert into a multi-purpose sport and recreation centre.

Te Papa ward councillor Rod Taylor said initially the plan was to build a brandnew indoor court facility of this scale at Memorial Park, which was estimated to cost more than $40 million.

Yeoman said the total cost of this venue to Tauranga City Council and Bay Venues was about $28m

“Talking about being The Warehouse, we really did get a bargain,” said Taylor “It’s a win-win really.”

Yeoman said the $20m price tag includes the price of the land, the

Ne indoor courts open ith communit fun da

building, all improvements and construction work and all equipment

“Not only does this development save more than $10m but the city now also owns a new piece of land in downtown Tauranga that it didn’t have before, which had been valued at $12.5m.”

Tauranga City Council purchased the property early-2024.

“The construction time – after prep works, demolition and consenting – was about six months,” said Yeoman.

Bay Venues general manager of community facilities Paul Dunphy said when the centre was purchased it was still full of shelving from The Warehouse.

“We’ve taken everything out, made it one big open space, put a sports floor down, earthquake strengthened the building… refurbed it and made it usable.”

Demand for more courts

With a population growth of 40%, Taylor said there weren ’ t enough courts to serve the whole city

Dunphy said his youngest child wasn ’ t able to play an indoor sport this year because the teams were full for his age group

“This centre will have the space to create new classes and leagues so more people can play indoor sports. ”

Yeoman said a group of adult

Haumaru will also help host

that

to the city. Photo / Scott Yeoman

oodles of chemistry, loyalty and love.

“Like no other team I’ve experienced,” said Murray. “Each of us has gained 23 new lifelong friends.”

Lifelong branding

And with lifelong branding – many of the sisterhood have been inked with the club’s bear claw logo, a nod to the pioneer spirit and a new culture.

Skipper Te Arna McGhie attributes it all to “ a crazy coach A crazy talented caring coach”. The magician Mickel Ra i i

“It’s because of him round good fella.

“And it’s not just f advice,” said McGh him with life questi he’s very considered and always says the things. A wonderful honest, genuine per

Royalty of sor

The coach is a bit overwhelmed; he’s struggling with the accolades:

“That is NOT why I do it. I just like to help

Simple ”

Arataki – meaning “instructional path”.

Mickel is royalty of sorts, the Rawiri family being the unspoken first family of the principality of Arataki Park.

It’s three football fields of public park, but more importantly a community backyard, a second home to generations of local kids who’ve played and stayed because they are loyal subjects, they belong here.

Embedded on an island at the entrance

anywhere close to what he did for the community But if I am headed down that path, I will be happy.”

Then in 2010 the clubhouse was gone. Burgled, vandalised, unsafe, flattened.

m ” The allfootball hie. “I go to ions because d, motivating right l, rson. ” rts

After footie practice, after life lessons, the help continues. He teach them to drive.

“That’s why I am a driving instructor

That’s why I do my job. To help people. Born in Arataki, h lives in Arataki and lives by the name of

“With all our cousins and aunties and uncles, who aren ’ t our real cousins, aunties and uncles, but effectively are, ” said Murray proudly E b dd d i l d h e to morial Dennis dad.

Arataki Park is a large upright stone mem – it states: “In loving memory, Michael Te-Ruhi Rawiri (Big Mike)” Mickel’s d “A big man on many levels And every is modelled on this fella ” He and wife Patsy were at the club eve

he as treasurer, or president, or cleaner maintenance man Arataki’s Ra dynasty began right ther I wave to him ever drive in He’s pheno

ything I do ry day r or awiri re. “And ry time I omenal

The dynasty –Mickel Rawiri at the memorial to

“Often the going dow lights we on and playin Then us ho us an other put u His eve h

e sun was wn, the ere coming d we’d be ng outside. n he’d take ome, feed nd all the r kids, and us to bed. house was eryone ’ s house. Like mine. Probably won ’ t get

“We suffered,” said Arataki Sports Club president Billy Russell “The worst time in club history” It could have been terminal, could have ended the club, except for redoubtable spirit: Rawiri spirit “They held on long enough for people to come home, come back to the club and we ’ re slowly rebuilding from the ground up, ” said Russell. “A lot of aroha towards that family”

And there will be another Arataki Sports Club There’s a vision, there’s a plot of prime Arataki pasture, there’s a committee laying plans. And there’s a coach who last weekend was having his first free weekend in months.

“There are only so many people equipped to be a coach, only so many who can put their hand up, ” said Ray Atkins of his mate. “And he’s phenomenal.”

Meanwhile, the “all-round good fella” has been thinking, “If I knew that would be my epitaph, if that was on my gravestone, then I would die a happy man. ” awiri

Hunter Wells

While students around Aotearoa turned their noses up at the glitchplagued Ka Ora, Ka Ako - Healthy School Lunches Programme, preschoolers in Gate Pā are chowing down on their new free food packages

The free kai – which the children are “absolutely loving” – is provided via KidsCan and has become a “huge help” to many of the preschoolers’ families and the wider community

Since March 31, Kids Campus – a small, community-owned, not-for-profit incorporated society serving Gate Pā for more than 40 years – has been receiving free meals for its 40 children after qualifying for the KidsCan ECE Food for Kids Programme

The scheme is completely separate to the Government’s Healthy School Lunches Programme

The KidsCan scheme supplies free food to children aged 2-5 at eligible ECE centres around Aotearoa.

Kids Campus operations leader

Melissa Jeffcoat said that, in only

When free food for kids orks

one month, it had made a huge difference to theie tamariki, but less fortunate families in need.

No

pressure

“Until now, parents had to pack lunchboxes, but some children would arrive without one. Now we know everyone ’ s being fed. Parents can donate fruit, biscuits or crackers to go towards morning and afternoon teas if they wish –but there’s no pressure. It’s taken a huge weight off many families.”

Jeffcoat said Kids Campus is licensed for 40 children and staffed above government ratios – 1:3 for under-2s and 1:6 for over-2s –allowing staff to prepare and serve meals on-site at no extra cost

“The food arrives from Auckland

Mondays and is well organised The children have had things like beef lasagne with salad, egg sandwiches, fruit platters and yoghurt.

“Meals are healthy and adhere to the Ministry of Health choking guidelines for young children, so it removes any worry for us. ”

Fussiest on-board

Jeffcoat admitted some parents were initially apprehensive that their children wouldn’t like the meals, but now even the fussiest eaters had come around. “When 29 of their friends are eating the same thing around the table, they want to try it too Our children are absolutely loving the kai.” Best of all, leftover meals did not

Enquiries over $670,000^

go to waste, she said. Recently, extra lasagne was divided among several families in need, and peas that didn’t appeal to the kids were blitzed up and added to macaroni that was renamed ‘Hulk’s pasta’. Leftover fruit is blended into smoothies. “We’re not just feeding children, we ’ re reaching the whole community,” Jeffcoat said. She contacted The Weekend Sun, saying that, with all the bad publicity around free food in schools, she thought readers should know how great the KidsCan initiative was. “This is such a huge help for many of our whānau, and we couldn’t be more grateful and pleased with how it’s working out. ”

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Hudson Kriel, one, and Hunter Redfern, four, enjoy the free kai from a KidsCan scheme. Photo / David Hall

Debbie Griffiths

Tauranga aims for fourth water polo title

The top Tauranga men ’ s water polo team is gunning to defend their national league title – which they’ve held for the last three years – in the two-month 2025 competition which began early-May

Tauranga Water Polo Club chairperson

Mark Edgecombe said the Division 1 men ’ s team had snatched the Suzuki NZ National Water Polo Club League in 2022, 2023, and 2024 – so have started the competition this year as the team to beat “This year would be the first for any club to get four titles if we were to be fortunate enough to win,” said Edgecombe.

The National League runs from May 3-June 22 with six teams competing in Division 1 – Canterbury, Hutt, Marist, North Harbour, new men ’ s side for 2025 Sea Wolf and Tauranga.

Edgecombe said the Division 1 men will be looking to set the tone early and remind everyone why they’ve been so dominant. “We’ve only just started this year, so I guess it remains to be seen who the other strong teams are, but it has been teams like Marist or Hutt have been pretty strong last year as well.”

Edgecombe said teams will play each other home and away in a double round-robin format “Then, it all wraps up with finals weekend in Tauranga on June 28–29, where every team will be in the mix ”

This Saturday, May 10, spectators can enjoy all the action of Tauranga versus the North Harbour Turtles, who will battle it out from 1pm at Baywave in

Mount Maunganui “This league gives squad members a platform for up-andcoming players to test themselves at the highest domestic level,” said Edgecombe, who said his club also has a Division 2 men ’ s team, and a women ’ s team, competing in their respective categories in the competition.

“The women ’ s is a round robin that’s going to be played around the country over different weekends,” said Edgecombe.

“The men ’ s Division 2 is something similar, they move between different pools and different clubs during the season, and at the end of June there’s a playoff series here at Baywave which will

consist of semi-finals and finals ” There National League includes competitions for age groups – under 12s, 16s, 18s, and 21s, before the senior categories.

Bay Venues’ head of aquatics Matthew Strange said his staff are really looking forward to hosting the upcoming National League games at Baywave. “Tauranga Water Polo has been performing strongly on the national stage, and we are proud to be their home pool.

“We love the energy these events bring to our aquatic centre and the positive flow-on effects they have for the city”

Ayla Yeoman

Tauranga Water Polo Club’s men ’ s coach Joe Kayes with the Division 1 team before practice. Photo / Mark Edgecombe

Home & Get those backyard trees trimmed ahead of winter

As New Zealand enjoys autumn, many of us are preparing our h homes and d garddens f for the colder months ahead. One important task that often goes overlooked is the maintenance of trees, particularly those near powerlines.

According to Powerco, property owners are legally required to keep trees a minimum safe distance away from overhead lines under the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations “If your tree grows too close, you must get it trimmed by an approved contractor ”

As autumn winds pick up and winter storms approach, branches that grow too close to or touch powerlines can become a hazard. High winds can cause these branches to snap, which may lead to power outages, fires, or even electrical shock risks

Unpredictable weather

In the Bay of Plenty where winter months can bring unpredictable weather conditions, it’s important to take proactive steps to reduce these risks.

Properly trimming trees near powerlines not only helps ensure a safer environment but also improves the reliability of your local power supply

Autumn is the ideal time to address tree maintenance before the full force of winter sets in. Trees are entering their dormant phase, which means trimming them now has less impact on

their overall health The cooler weather also makes the job more manageable, with less risk of overheating or working in heavy rain

Additionally, pruning trees before winter ensures any weak or damaged branches are removed, preventing them from being a threat during storms This will also help to improve airflow around the tree, reducing the likelihood of branches becoming entangled in powerlines when the winds pick up

Where to start

Firstly, walk around your property and take note of any trees that are growing near powerlines If the tree is too close to the powerlines for you to trim safely, you must contact your local power provider for their advice first. Never attempt to trim or remove branches that are in direct contact with powerlines yourself

Trees should be pruned at least once a year to maintain healthy growth and prevent dangerous situations Removing excess growth now can help avoid bigger problems in future. If you are unsure about how to safely trim trees, or if the task requires working at heights, it’s best to hire a professional arborist.

Trimming trees before winter is also a smart investment in the safety and protection of your home – most likely your biggest asset.

For more information on tree safety near powerlines, visit: www.powerco.co.nz/safety/treesafety-near-power-lines

A Applications open for TCC Resource Wise Community Fund

Do you have a great idea to reduce the amount of waste getting sent to landfill and promote sustainability?

Tauranga City Council has opened applications for the annual Resource Wise Community Fund

With grants ranging from $2000 to $25,000, from a pool of $100,000, the fund supports projects that

reduce material consumption, promote reuse and repair, prevent food waste and identify opportunities to transition to a circular economy

Individuals and groups can submit applications by Friday, June 13

For more information or to apply, visit: www tauranga govt nz/living/ rubbish-and-recycling/resourcewise-community-fund

Rosalie Liddle-Crawford

LYNLEY PARK

If you think classical music and kids don’t mix, think again.

Opus Orchestra is about to prove they do with its highenergy, family-friendly concert

‘Party Time’ at Baycourt on Saturday, May 24, from 4pm.

It’s not your average sit-still-and-bequiet performance – instead ‘Party

Ladies – hook into a new hobby!

s dem ‘ wom wo back ladi

llowing last year ’ s success and high and, a Bay of Plenty men only’ fly-fishing orkshop is coming k this year, to teach es the basic skills of fly fishing.

With availa Fly re Sween for m learn

The aims t wome suppo enviro

h only 20 spots able, Women on the egional co-ordinator Jill ney is on the lookout ore women wanting to the niche skill two-day workshop to introduce en to fly fishing in a ortive and encouraging onment.

“The plann but w 20 to unpr said S

e event last year was ned for 15 women, we increased that to accommodate the ecedented demand,” Sweeney

The limited spots at 2024’s event meant 40 women went on a waiting list, of which 11 have signed up for this year ’ s event

Enthusiasm

Sweeney said this demonstrates patience and enthusiasm for learning this sport and experiencing its benefits “One of the women is coming back for a second time,” she said Since last year ’ s event, the women have stayed in touch via a social media group chat and often organise events and fishing trips together

“All of the women had the opportunity to join the Women on The Fly online community – around 600 women nationwide can now connect in a safe space, to have support and grow in their fishing journeys

Classical music for kids at Baycourt

Time’ is designed to make music fun and accessible for children of all ages as well as the adults who bring them with interactive moments, toetapping percussion and opportunities for kids to join the musicians on-stage.

The orchestra features toptier professional musicians from Hamilton, Tauranga, and Rotorua as well as freelancers from Auckland

“The players love doing these kid-friendly concerts, ” said musical director Peter Walls. “It’s satisfying and heartwarming to see such positive responses from youngsters ” Opus Orchestra will be accompanied by soprano Georgia Jamieson Emms, who’s known for her engaging stage presence and beautiful voice that brings songs to life.

With pieces like Antonio Salieri’s playful party scene and classic pieces from Mozart, children will learn to recognise different instruments while enjoying the magic of live performance that gets everyone dancing – quite literally, in the case of the

“The event last year, run by myself and members of the Tauranga Anglers club, was so successful and oversubscribed [that] Fish & Game saw an opportunity to get more women fishing in this region, hence inviting me to run another event, ” said Sweeney

A participant from last year ’ s event said: “I learnt so much and came away feeling confident enough to go and buy some fishing gear, join a club and start fishing”

Designed with small learning groups to create a safe space for beginners, the event makes fly fishing accessible even to those who have never tried the sport before “The small learning groups meant I could ask my questions and have oneon-one when needed,” said another participant

Participants will learn from experienced mentors and tutors from Tauranga and Rotorua fishing clubs, Fish & Game NZ fishery officers who will share their knowledge and expertise.

“I was blown away by the generosity of time and patience given to us newbies,” said a participant from 2024’s event “I honestly enjoyed everything about it and I am still talking constantly about it ”

Registrations open Eastern Fish & Game is partnering with WoTF to host the second women ’ s only fly-fishing workshop in the Bay of Plenty Eastern Region on May 24-25 at Ngongotahā, Rotorua.

Registrations are open –enquire by emailing Jill at: sweeneyjill5@gmail com

well-known ‘I could have danced all night’.

Opus Orchestra’s past successful shows have featured everything from Hairy Maclary to the Emperor and the Nightingale.

‘Party Time’ promises to be no different – a perfect introduction to classical music that the whole family will love.

Tickets can be purchased at: www.eventfinda.co.nz/2025/ party-time-fun-for-the-familywith-georgia-jamieson-emms/ tauranga

Ayla Yeoman

Jill Sweeney showing off some of her fly-fishing skills. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Debbie Griffiths

Opus Orchestra performs with Jackie Clarke and children in the 2023 Hairy Maclary-inspired event Photo / Richard Lummus

Lost trumpet, fou passion in NZ

Brass instruments are in his genes, Matua trumpet player Garry Hoekstra, 65, says

He started at 13 in his native Holland and would have started younger, but he was not allowed to

“My parents wouldn’t let me [play] They stopped me because I was not performing too well at school,” Hoekstra said

Eventually, his parents would let Hoekstra play, and he joined a family with generations of brass bands in the blood “They gave me a trumpet, brand new, and I started to play,” he said His passion stemmed from his uncle, who taught the first lesson and was a proficient church organist.

His uncle was also involved in brass bands.

To NZ, despite objections

Hoekstra’s life in Zeist, a large town in the Utrecht province of Holland, remained relatively static until 1981 “Suddenly things changed,” he said

An aunt who had immigrated to New Zealand in 1952 came to visit, and he decided to move there too He packed his bags for New Zealand despite objections from his family.

Then tragedy struck five weeks into his new journey His mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and subsequently died

She left him money in a savings account, and he received her “blessing” to move to another country

Although he enjoyed playing the trumpet, he admits that he would have thrown it aside if it were not for joining a church music team “It was just the encouragement that they gave to me. ”

One quirk of playing with the church team was the different musical keys they would perform in, he said “Trumpets are in a key setting of B flat, but the music we have in the church is on a different key, in a different pitch ”

Hoekstra learnt that he needed to

transpose everything in a note highe was hard ”

While he was in Holland, visiting mother, he had to “hand back the tr that was theirs”

An Antoine Courtois

He decided to use the money left t by his mother to purchase a FrenchAntoine Courtois trumpet

The instrument boasted two differ slides, one in B flat and the other in key of C, allowing the instrument to up a key and hold higher notes. “It w fantastic feature,” he said

The trumpet would go everywhere he went, until one day in 1986, it would disappear after he left the instrument in his c “Somebody decided to borrow it w asking me, ” he said “They stole it A from the original mouthpiece.”

Hoekstra’s unique trumpet was go the community’s generosity saw ano trumpet donated to him He would do some “plumbing” on the trumpe shortening it with a hacksaw and ra the replacement to the key of C “B quality just wasn ’ t there ”

Seven years would go by, and even he looked for a replacement, Hoekstra said

er “It his rumpet, to him -made rent n the o go was a car without Apart ne, but other d et, aising ut the ntually, kstra and five-month-old daughter After convincing the owner that the trumpet was his ith

He needed to look for something a bit better He began ringing up musicians and contacts, looking for a good-quality trumpet “If at all possible, a key of C trumpet ”

lead

He was told to forget about the trumpet until, in 1993, he got a lead from a friend on a trumpet in the correct key that had been bought in an auction

After being told by his friend that the trumpet was Antoine Courtois’ trumpet, Hoekstra’s ears perked up “I couldn’t believe it. I had completely given up on that instrument.”

He decided to ring the instrument’s owner and organise a visit with his wife

Matua trumpet player Garry

65, was reconnected with his trumpet in 1993 after it was stolen and missing for seven years.

his, he reconnected with the last thing his mother had left behind for him “I felt like taking the trumpet back home ”

Restoration work

In the years after his wife died, he constructed three penny-farthing bikes and helped restore the Ann Johson glider hanging in the Classic Flyers Museum in Mount Maunganui

He still plays the trumpet, joining the ukulele band at Jack Dusty’s Ale House in Otūmoetai every Monday and occasionally playing at St Peter’s Church in Tauranga. Hoekstra said he is still learning the trumpet and is far from a master of the instrument. “Playing an instrument is just a continuous learning,” he said. “The road of learning is like that all the way until the day you die. Tom Eley

Between a soul and the divine Churches Active In Our Community

Prayer, a phenomenon transcendent to sect or order, is the primal interrelated cry of supplication between a soul and the Divine

One may pray individually or congregationally In Christianity, a prayer that is most frequently prayed together and aloud is The Lord’s Prayer. People are brought together before the Divine when they speak, chant or sing a prayer in unison; an act of solidarity that serves to increase connection to each other and the Divine Those who are sick, suffering dementia or dying are still able to participate in a holy moment with others in those shared acts of prayer.

Prayer ranges from the heartfelt hymns and poetic metrical psalmody of the Christian tradition to the melodious Islamic call to prayer – the Adhan, followed by the Salah prayers; and Shemā, the foundational prayer in Judaism

expressing conviction in one supreme God

Then there’s the silent reflection of the Quakers; the Zoroastrian Manthra Spenta, invocational calling upon supreme God Ahura Mazda; and Hinduism’s vibration of the sacred syllable Om signifying God and the whole of creation, and recitation of sacred verses or phrases called mantras

There are also the meditational practices of Buddhism, internal reflection and contemplation to gain insights into the nature of reality – all seek blessings from and communion with a divine entity perceived to be superior.

That’s the commonality that we in Interfaith celebrate Mark your diaries for the interfaith prayer gathering in Tauranga during the Week of Prayers for World Peace in October All faith groups and individuals are welcome Email: tmifc2014@gmail com or phone 027 699 8562 Bhadra Dasi, Tauranga Moana Interf r aith Council

Hoekstra,

Photo / Tom Eley