Call girls lay down lines and laughs on stage... p22
Grinch comes calling for post shop
The loss of Milford’s post shop is like the Grinch stealing Christmas, says a local disability advocate.
The stationery shop operated by wellliked owners Praveen and Sunita Deo, which contains the post shop, is going after 32 years.
Regular user Chris Treneary said the closing of Milford Paper Power from late October meant Christmas had been taken away from seniors, who are “unable to make the trek to Takapuna or Albany for a less considerate service than the Deos have given over three decades in Milford.”
The Deos said they were “definitely sad” to be closing down, but a new lease from the site’s landlord was too expensive. Praveen said continuing with the business started by his parents was unviable.
Treneary, who is a member of the
To page 2 Everyone on stage at Milford Primary... p12
Westlake owns national title in three-peat
One, two, three... Westlake Girls High School premier basketball players (from left) Lily Fotu, Kodee WilliamsSefo, Amy Pateman and Elin Vincent rush onto court to celebrate the side’s third consecutive national title at the AA National Secondary Schools tournament in Palmerston North on 5 October. Details, pages 8-9.
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HON SIMON WATTS
MP for North Shore northshore@parliament.govt.nz simonwattsmp
Post shop’s closure a big blow to Milford seniors
From page 1
Disabled Persons Assembly, said many elderly Milford residents did not drive or had mobility issues, making it difficult for them to travel to post shops further away.
One resident who had a knee replacement had told her he was going to send his Christmas parcel this month rather than in November as usual, as he did not want to drive to Takapuna because of the limited street parking there.
Milford’s post office boxes for secure delivered mail will be moved to Takapuna after Paper Power closes on 26 October. But a post box operated by New Zealand Post will remain on Kitchener Rd for mailing letters.
Treneary said Milford, which had many seniors, was increasingly bereft of amenities. It lost its ANZ and Westpac banks around 2020 and then the ASB went in January this year.
Doggone shame... disability advocate Chris Treneary will miss taking post shop dog Ziko for walks
A BNZ bank remains inside the Milford Shopping Centre, but the mall’s Warehouse store closed this year. Just Workout gym has also left the suburb.
“We are not building communities but destabilising them with centralised or online services unwelcome to most seniors who prefer face-to-face transactions and the warmth of those contacts,” said Treneary. “Loneliness ensues for seniors deprived of such contact.”
Treneary, who lives in Sunnynook but uses Milford services regularly, also has a personal reason for rueing the loss of the post shop.
Write to the Rangitoto Observer
The Deos allow her to walk their little dog, Ziko, twice a week. The exercise helps Treneary stay mobile while she deals with musculoskeletal disabilities and the wait for an operation at North Shore Hospital.
When the Observer asked NZ Post if it was looking for a new operator in Milford, a spokesman responded with a statement: “At this stage, NZ Post is reviewing its options for the area before deciding to replace (or not) the Milford agency in the long term.
“In the meantime, customers are being directed to Takapuna Paper Plus located at 28 Hurstmere Road.”
We welcome letters. Please limit to 300 words on local topics. Noms de plume or unnamed letters will not be printed. Email news@rangitoto-observer.co.nz or write to Letters, PO Box 32 275, Devonport.
Authorised by Hon Simon Watts, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.
Performing in unison... Westlake Boys High School’s kapa haka group will be in action next weekend, when the school hosts Te Ahurea Tino Rangatiratanga, a day-long festival of performances open to the public
Kapa haka stamps its mark on the Shore
Thousands of spectators are expected at an Auckland kapa haka competition being hosted by Westlake Boys High School next weekend.
Te Ahurea Tino Rangatiratanga is open to the public to drop in during a full day of Māori performing arts performances on Saturday 19 October, and to explore stalls selling food and crafts.
It is only the second time the Auckland-wide schools event has been held on the North Shore in its more than 25-year history. Twenty-three schools have signed up to participate, including Westlake Boys and Girls, and Rangitoto College.
Among those helping with organisation is former Westlake head boy Michael Wassell, who finished at the school in 2022 and is now back in a teacher aide and mentoring role in the Māori department, led by Johnny Waititi. “It’s definitely a public event, we’re encouraging people to come along,” he says.
The day was a great opportunity for the North Shore community to celebrate the vibrancy of Māori culture and experience manaakitanga (hospitality), he said.
The kapa haka groups will feature as many as 60 students apiece, capped to fit on stage, with each group expected to attract plenty of whānau support. As many as 5000 people may attend the day.
Te Ahurea, with the larger annual Polyfest, is one of two events in Auckland from which
Helping hand... Michael Wassell, pictured when he was head boy in 2022, is back at Westlake mentoring younger students and helping organise next weekend’s kapa haka event
schools go through to the biannual national kapa haka competition. This year, however, it is being run as a whakangāhau (non-competitive) festival. Wassell said this had helped boost numbers since Waititi first attracted it to the North Shore two years ago. Participants could focus on celebrating their arts, without worrying about the pressure of being judged.
Younger performers in particular could be ushered through into the performing groups to build a base for the future.
Westlake Boys has students from Year 9 upwards participating, including all those in its bilingual immersion unit. “The main focus is to extend the Māori roots within the school,” Wassell said.
Helping the Māori programme grow was a motivator for him returning to work at the school, said Wassell. He started at Westlake before its now three-year-old Rumaki immersion programme began, but said he gained much from its development, which had helped him as a boy from Beach Haven find his place at Westlake. “I have a strong passion for Te Ao Māori.”
As a young man now, students calling him “Matua Michael” was taking a bit of getting used to, but he was enjoying being involved in their teaching and pastoral care.
Wassell said the Rumaki approach at Westlake included developing programmes for each subject. The extent varied by subject, because some concepts were difficult to fully translate, but this was being worked on. Examples included teaching about energy and heat transference through looking at how hangi functioned, and maths through sailing and waka.
• Te Ahurea begins at Westlake Boys High gymnasium with a pōwhiri, followed by performances from 8.30am until 6pm.
Briefs
Blaze destroys house
The cause of a fire that destroyed a Castor Bay house is unknown. Firefighters responded to the blaze at 2.27am on 30 September, with 12 trucks, one command unit and one support vehicle. The occupants escaped without injury. Crews, assisted by an excavator, were at the scene for more than 12 hours.
Hospice gets new chief
Harbour Hospice has a new chief executive in Amanda Fowler, who is returning to the Takapuna-based organisation where she previously worked in human resources. Fowler begins work in mid-November, taking over from Jan Nichols, who is retiring.
Gardeners’ delight
Green-fingered tomato fans will want to make a beeline to the community garden on Seine Reserve in Forrest Hilll for its spring festival on Sunday 20 October. Heirloom tomatoes in 28 varieties will be on sale, along with vegetable seedlings, compost and lucky dip dahlia tuber bags, plus flowering plants and baked goods. There will be activities for children too, all from 2pm.
E-waste cleanout
Clear out your E-waste this Saturday at a free North Shore drive-through collection to divert unwanted computers, televisions, heat pumps, whiteware and more from landfill. E-waste disposal company Echo will recycle or safely dispose of items, but cannot accept CDs, DVDs, floppy discs or lightbulbs, including LEDs. The event is at host Samsung’s head office, 24 The Warehouse Way, off Akoranga Dr in Northcote, from 9am to 3pm on 12 October.
New pensioner housing limits ‘irresponsible’ – Grey Power
Grey Power North Shore says the Government’s decision to cap a subsidy for pensioner housing is “irresponsible and negligent”.
Its president, Trish Deans, says that with an ageing population, the need for affordable accommodation for vulnerable elderly people is more pressing than ever.
“Decisions are being made without reference to the research presented by many experts and associated age care organisations,” she says.
Deans is seeking speaking rights at an Auckland Council committee meeting this week, where the funding cap – revealed in the Observer’s last issue – is on the agenda.
The mayor, council and housing provider Haumaru Housing have all written to Government ministers seeking to have the cap’s imposition reviewed.
Haumaru Housing estimates that if the cap remains, around 100 units in the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area alone will have to be left empty as they fall vacant over the next five years. The area has 12 villages, with others spread across the city.
Haumaru has told council it will be unable to maintain and upgrade its units without the subsidy. This has been capped at 65 per cent of occupancy on the number
of tenants attracting an income-related rent subsidy The move, based on occupancy at the middle of 2024, blindsided providers.
Deans told the Observer she was dismayed to learn of the cap.
“The Government needs to accept the forecast that NZ’s population is ageing.” More planning for this was needed and Grey Power North Shore supported a call from Aged Care for a ministerial taskforce.
“What is the Government’s plan to cope with the known overwhelming demands of our ageing population?” Deans asked.
Grey Power North Shore represented not just current Gold Card holders, she said, but it also evaluated the outlook for those aged 40-plus. By 2030, people should expect:
• 25 per cent of the population will be 65 years of age or older.
• 75 per cent of the population will live in the top half of New Zealand, most clustered in Auckland.
• Nine out of 10 hospital beds will be occupied by someone over 65.
By 2048, 40 per cent of renters (660,000 people) would be seniors.
Deans said evidence-based planning was needed across all aged-care sectors. “The current Government’s withdrawal of funding for social housing is short-sighted.”
Cruising club offers emergency option
Milford Cruising Club has put its hand up to be a community hub in case of a civil defence emergency.
While its location on Milford Reserve and near the Wairau Estuary outlet, might make it unsuitable in some situations, such as flooding, its facilities could help fill a gap in places that might be “stood up” if needed, council staff said in a recent workshop for
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board (DTLB) members. .
Council arm Auckland Emergency Management is using the DTLB area as a pilot for the city’s board-level plans. This follows widespread community concern about inadequate and unclear response plans last year. Work is ongoing to launch the new plans early next year.
Royal reward... Former Silver Ferns captain and Milford resident Adine Wilson with Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, at her recent investiture as a member of the NZ Order of Merit. Wilson, a lawyer, was honoured for her work in netball governance and player advocacy. She is also a Sky commentator, as is her husband, the former All Black Jeff Wilson.
Population barely growing in Devonport-Takapuna
Newly released Census figures show the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board (DTLB) area’s population grew by just 0.1 per cent in the five years to 2023.
Most growth appears to be in the board’s northern areas of Forrest Hill, west Takapuna, Milford and Sunnynook, with the Devonport Peninsula population likely declining, although a suburb-by-suburb
breakdown is not available. The total population of the DTLB area is 58,005 people. Neighbouring board Kaipātiki has had an 0.2 per cent population decline, but still has 86,128 people. The two boards – which make up Auckland Council’s North Shore ward – unsuccessfully called last month for their boundaries to extend north to combat a growing variance in representation com-
pared with faster-growing Albany Ward. Albany’s Hibiscus and Bays board is up nearly 10 per cent to114,003 people and Upper Harbour up 22 per cent to 76,959.
“The figures are daunting for the future DTLB funding,” said board member George Wood. Council is moving to fund boards on a formula where 80 per cent of what is allocated is based on population.
Homeowners grab last chance at flood buyout
Last-minute leaflet drops in Milford’s Nile Rd area are likely to have prompted more homeowners to opt into a flood buyout assessment before the scheme’s cut-off date last month.
Auckland Council was unable to provide the Observer with the number of extra sign-ups locally from hundreds of impacted homes, but it said across the city, the final total was about 47 per cent of the 7389 properties it knew were impacted by storms early last year. Of those homes, the 2555 given red or yellow placards, were most in focus.
Recovery Office spokesperson Melanie Tuala said from around 20 to 30 sign-ups a week over the last six months or so, in the final week of September this had risen to 140. On cut-off day, 30 September, 53 more buyout assessments were sought.
In Milford, 65 homes have already been assessed as being in Category 3 – qualifying for a buyout due to serious risk to life from future storms – with settlements to come.
As of 3 October, Forrest Hill had six homes assessed as Category 3, with five in Sunnynook and two in Castor Bay.
Homes that entered the buyout scheme before the end of 2023 should all be assessed by the end of this month. Those from 2024 are in the pipeline. For some the review will stretch into next year.
One Nile Rd resident told the Observer a leaflet about the scheme had last month been popped through the cat-flap at his family home, which he had to wade out
Takapuna’s Citizens Advice Bureau is still dealing with flood-related queries, more than 20 months after Auckland’s record deluge.
Manager June Bartlett said this was mostly people asking for advice on who should pay for repairs which were needed
of on Auckland Anniversary Day in 2023.
Before the leaflet arrived, the property had been visited by assessors, but he is yet to find out about his categorisation and what, if any, buyout would be offered.
He said ground beneath the badly damaged home had slumped since the floods. If a buyout offer was forthcoming, accepting it seemed the only option, especially given public uncertainty about plans to reduce future risk in the area.
Around his property, several homes backing onto a culvert stand empty. One in front is rented to tenants from overseas, believed to have no idea about its flood history. He wonders what will happen if some neighbours take a buyout and others don’t.
“The council needs to let people know what is planned,” he said.
A confidential briefing from council’s Healthy Waters department on its plans for the area – understood to include retiring some land near waterways from housing – is expected to be given to a Devonport-Takapuna Local Board (DTLB) workshop this month. Board members have been calling for a detailed update for some time, sharing community frustration about the need to spell out wider Wairau catchment work.
Recovery Office staff last month gave the board an overview of the deconstruction process council will use across the city. This includes checking homes for asbestos, disconnecting water and power and removing concrete slabs from any land to be turned
because damage on a neighbour’s property had affected theirs.
An example was someone asking who should pay to fix a washed-out retaining wall on their neighbour’s section, which was affecting their property.
into green space.
From the acceptance of a buyout offer, it is expected to be three months before keys are handed over.
The exiting owner will be able to salvage items from the home and section. This might include anything from keeping heat pumps, to retrieving buried ashes or taking interior fittings with children’s height charts on them. Homes will be relocated or materials re-used where possible.
Tuala told the Observer it was possible that despite the cut-off date for assessment opt-ins having passed, council may consider homeowners in special circumstances.
“This will be very stringent as the funding is time-limited, covering getting everyone through the categorisation process, the buyouts or construction works, and then removing buildings with risk to life and handing it over to whatever use is next.”
The Governing Body of councillors will make final decisions on land-use plans.
Board member Mel Powell wants “navigators” – people who guide homeowners through the buyout process – retained beyond the end of the year. Tuala told the Observer the service would taper off, but she expected it to carry into 2025.
Across the DTLB area, 25 properties which had received red, yellow or white placards in the aftermath of the floods or Cyclone Gabrielle have applied for consents to do their own flood-related works, including on cliffs.
“A lot of things seem to be going to the Disputes Tribunal because, one, I guess people don’t have the money to fork out for the neighbour’s house repairs and, two, a lot of them are tenanted places themselves, so the landlord doesn’t want to fork out.”
Basketballers commanding in clean sweep at nationals
Westlake Girls’ premier basketball team dominated the competition to win their third national title in a row over the weekend.
The side advanced undefeated to face St Andrew’s College in the final of the AA National Secondary Schools girls tournament in Palmerston North on Saturday 5 October.
In a rematch of the two previous finals, Westlake beat the side from Christchurch, 97-69, to secure a rare three-peat of titles.
On their way to the final, Westlake racked up the points, with pool play victories against Rangitoto College (102-44), Manukura School (87-38), Christchurch Girls High School (100-25), Rotorua Girls (104-37), and St Peter’s College (81-69).
In the quarter-final they defeated Hamilton Girls 81-62 to progress to a semi-final where they beat Tauranga Girls College 94-71.
Kodee Williams-Sefo won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, amassing a total of 110 points, 63 rebounds, 19 assists and 21 steals during the week.
Other Westlake standouts were: Emma-Kaye Schroeder, who led the team in scoring with 165 points; Amy Pateman, who contributed a total of 108 points, 32 assists, and 22 steals; Zenthia Stowers, who was the anchor in the defence and also a key scorer with 96 points; while Imani Rasmussen dominated the boards with 74
In action... tournament MVP Kodee Williams-Sefo drives up court while (right) Amy Pateman works around the block of a St Andrew’s defender Briefs
rebounds, using her 193cm height to block many scoring attempts.
Amy, Emma-Kaye and Lily Fotu were in all three title-winning teams, with head coach Bronwen Davidson saying their experience was invaluable in the latest victory.
Davidson said the team’s defence helped them win games. The squad knew their systems so could adapt to various situations.
Meanwhile, Takapuna Grammar placed 5th.
Bronze for Rosmini
In boys’ basketball, Rosmini College came third at secondary nationals, beating Wellington College in a bronze medal playoff by 101-81, after losing their semi-final to Napier Boys’ High School. Rosmini’s Bartosz Jackowski was named in the team of the tournament. Westlake Boys High placed 13th.
The winners (again)... Westlake Girls High School premier basketball team (from left) Back row: team manager Kat Wills, head coach Bronwen Davidson, Imani Rasmussen, Elin Vincent, Amy Pateman, Kodee Williams-Sefo, Mia John, Riley Sina’au, Zee Stowers, assistant coach Nela Fotu and team manager Tanja Venema. Front row: Shyloh Udomsak, Emma Schroeder, Lily Fotu, Charlotte Mawston and Brennah Latoalevi-Nosa.
SILVERSEA CRUISES
Date: Wednesday 30 October from 6pm Venue: 488 Lake Road, Takapuna
Meet with representatives from Silversea Cruises
Get expert advice from our cruise specialists
Enjoy complimentary drinks and nibbles
Exclusive bonus offer for attendees!
Silversea's small luxury ships are designed for those who delight in discovery and indulge in luxury. All ships feature spacious, ocean-view suites with butler service, and most include private verandas, meaning you can sip your champagne from the comfort of your deck while watching the vistas beyond.
Whether you want to gaze at icebergs or palm trees, the choice is yours. Silversea ships sail pole-to-pole on all seven continents, leaving (almost) no part of coastline uncovered.
Don't miss this opportunity to explore luxurious cruise options! RSVP now: Email takapuna@helloworld.co.nz or Phone 257 0883
Rosmini’s revenge... Rosmini College got one back against old foes Westlake Boys High School on 25 September, when their senior sevens side beat Westlake 36-19 to win the North Harbour youth title. It was a rematch between the schools from the North Harbour 15-a-side final earlier in the season, which Rosmini lost 41-27. The Rosmini under-14 team bowed out of the sevens after reaching their semi-final. Westlake added the junior title to its trophy cabinet. Pictured above: Senior sevens champions (from left, top row): Josh O’Sullivan, George Lendich, Niki Tomoda, Inoke Vaingalo, Braden Morley and Nate Tofilau. Bottom row: Mitchell Powlesland (coach), Zion Vagana, Luke Paltridge, Liam Campbell-Mauafu, Ryder Heath, Ashton Savage, Kruez Vale and Vitolio Otutaha.
Built for Business.
Why commute when you can stay close to home? Conveniently located at Smales Farm, Takapuna - B:HIVE offers state-of-the-art offices and event spaces.
Explore private office and desk options in two great spaces - the iconic B:HIVE HQ and B:HIVE + (opening March 2025).
We’d love to show you around!
Takapuna captain keen to get spinning
Long-time Takapuna premier cricket player Matt Jones has played a captain’s knock – and the Auckland season hasn’t even started.
Takapuna was left without a premiers coach leading into the 2024-25 season, following the departure of Neil Fletcher after three years.
Fletcher was going to return this year, but decided to stay in Wellington for family reasons. Then a top coach from Gloucestershire was lined up – only for the Takapuna offer to be topped by one in England.
Now Jones has been thrust into the role of player/coach, organising the squad and pre-season games.
“It’s been busy, but I love the club and love the sport, so I was happy to do it,” says the 29-year-old, who is in his 11th year with the Takapuna prems and fifth as captain.
A new coach has now been secured and an announcement is imminent.
Takapuna had a mixed season in 2023-24, finishing fifth in the two-day competition, losing the one-day final and failing to make it out of pool play in the T20 competition.
On paper, the club has half a dozen of the top players in Auckland – Robbie O’Donnell, Darnu Ferns, Quinn Sunde, Jordan Sussex and Michael Sclanders all have Auckland Aces contracts, while Will O’Donnell is playing for Northern Districts.
The reality, though, is that given the Auckland schedule, the representative-level players are rarely available for club play.
“It’s a nice headache to have and we’re
used to only having the Auckland players occasionally,” said Jones.
The goal for a premier team was always to win all three competitions – a feat never achieved before, said Jones. In reality, winning one competition denoted a successful season.
Schlanders will be particularly missed, with his elevation to the Aces – he scored 800 runs for Takapuna in 2023-24.
Jones said players to watch this season included import Ed Middleton from Gloucestershire, a leg spinner and middle order batsman, who arrives mid-November, and Campbell Brighouse, a batsman out of Westlake Boys, playing his first full season for the club.
Pre-season, the team has gone well, beating Mt Maunganui Cricket Club in a 50over game, hitting 290 and bowling them out for 124, with Greg Johnson scoring 81. Last Saturday, Takapuna scored 255/9 in its 50 overs against Grafton, before rain stopped play.
The season opener will be a two-day match away against Parnell on October 19.
Jones, a left arm spinner who has played more than 200 games for the prems, is as keen as ever to get out onto the pitch – once the coaching duties have been handed on.
He hopes to add to the four seven-wicket bags he has bowled over the years.
WIN A RETURN FLIGHT TO
Whole school comes out to play – and sing and dance
Island idyll... (from front) Violette Dwen, Lucy Weaver, Liz Ogbonna, (obscured) and Luka Wilson lead the Pasifika performance
Milford Primary productions get everyone up on stage
Every Milford Primary School pupil took part in one of two musical productions to bring Term 3 to a colourful end last month. Giving everyone a turn on stage meant adding extra songs to The Button Box (for years 4-6, and pictured on these pages) and The Bee Musical (years 1-3).
The senior show follows Alice and Jack as they go through a family collection of buttons from around the world with their grandmother, who explains their origin.
A song representing each place was staged by a class. The wider school community helped out too; for instance, a Chinese
grandmother choreographed the dragon dance and supplied costumes for it.
A Māori legend about Lake Pupuke was included in the production to tie the international stories back to Milford.
The Bee Musical for junior pupils was a fun show about the importance of pollinating insects and the need to protect them, which reflected Milford Primary’s values as an Enviro School, said teacher Paula Snowball.
Each production was staged three times, with impressive lighting and backdrops, in the school hall from 24-26 September.
Enter the dragon... Hudson Moreton (front), Carter Johnson in black and Charlie Reid in gold dance in the foreground of the production’s song for China as the mythical beast appears stage right
Take a bow... Olivia Yang, Jason Peng and Eivin Cao play the violin during a song for Ireland
Storyteller... Mina Russell as the grandmother is spotlit against a desert sky as she introduces an African song
Rock on... Leo Cunningham (left) and Cavallo Bozzone add a taste of Americana, singing Greased Lightning, while Macklin Menzies (below) does a solo turn playing Queen’s We Will Rock You in an English-centric portion of the show
Song of India... Misha Abdul Rahim performs during The Button Box
To celebrate a Taste of Takapuna in October our local restaurants are running some special deals.
EL HUMERO
LUNCH SPECIAL
Enjoy delicious marinated sirloin steak, cooked over the hot coals, served with fries, aioli and salad for just $28!
T’s and C’s – El Humero is open for Lunch Thursdays –Sundays only, from 12pm – 3pm.
Check out some the great dining deals on our website - available for October only!
STREET ORGANICS
$20 SPECIAL
Protein Pancake + Karma = $20.
Treat yourself to our all-time best-seller: our delicious LCHF Blueberry Protein Pancake, plus your choice of any refreshing drink from the Karma range.
CATCH 21
HALF-PRICE COFFEE
From Tuesday to Friday in October.
DINNER SPECIAL
Thursdays – Saturdays, a FREE tap beer when you order a Slow Cooked Beef Rib or Flounder.
FLORRIE MCGREAL’S IRISH PUB
LUNCH & DESSERT SPECIAL
Beef & Guiness Sausages ($17), colcannon, garden peas smothered with rich onion gravy followed by our housemade Guinness ice cream ($12).
JAM ORGANIC CAFE
10% OFF YOUR BILL
Visit JAM Cafe for some of their award-winning coffee, delicious food and cabinet options, mention the Taste of Takapuna special, and you will get 10% off your total bill on weekdays in October!
WOK’N NOODLE
PAD THAI SPECIAL
For the entire month of October, you can enjoy Wok’n Noodle’s incredible Pad Thai for just $15! (originally $19.50)
Taste
SAM’S MEDITERRANEAN EATERY
MAIN & DESSERT SPECIAL
For the month of October you can enjoy Sam’s signature dish – Mediterranean Chicken AND their top-selling Tiramisu, for just $40! (valued over $60!)
LUNA BAKEHOUSE FREE COFFEE
Purchase any savoury croissant sandwich, and get your regular-size coffee for free!
T’s and C’s – there will be an additional charge for any alternative milk options.
SPENCER LOUNGE BAR
10% OFF MAINS
At Spencer Lounge Bar, we’re offering 10% off all main meals all month long! Mention I Love Takapuna to get this deal!
NANAM
TAPAS DEAL AND DRINKS SPECIAL
Our tapas experience is just $55 per guest, available for a minimum of 2 guests. Mention “LOCALS DEAL” this October to get 25% off your drinks!
REGATTA BAR & EATERY
NEW BURGER SPECIAL
HANOI HAVEN
FREE DESSERT
When you spend over $100 at Hanoi Haven in October, you can enjoy a dessert of your choice for FREE!
ROSIE’S RED-HOT CANTINA
MARGARITA MONDAYS
Enjoy Rosie’s signature slushy Margs on special, every Monday from 5pm! Check out Rosie’s website for all their upcoming events and their deals.
Give the new Sticky Hoisin Duck Burger a try, for a special price of just $25! Or add a flute of Veuve Clicquot for just $40.
THE PLUMM CAFE
COMBO DEAL AND SUPERGOLD DISCOUNT
Enjoy some delicious Eggs on Toast with a regular coffee for $18. SuperGold members – enjoy 10% off meals and food!!
CENTRO CAFE
FREE DRINK WITH MEAL
To celebrate our new dinner hours, we’re running a special promotion throughout October: enjoy your first drink on us with the purchase of any main meal!
BANDO
FREE DRINK
Enjoy a free can of drink (Coca Cola range), with ANY main meal ordered throughout October for the Taste of Takapuna.
from Oct 1st!
Amaia’s growth adds to fears for environment
Concerns
It was interesting to read in the Rangitoto Observer (30 August) that the local board is frustrated with the Amaia developer refusing to install lighting on a public path and boardwalk.
This development on Esmonde Rd borders onto an inlet of Shoal Bay estuary, an area with a Significant Ecological Area (SEA Marine 2) designation. “At-risk” species inhabit the nearby mangrove and shell-bank habitats.
The local board appears to find that it is powerless in this process. Maybe it will now understand how local residents, including the Takapuna Residents Association, also felt during the submission process and feedback at a hearing in February this year.
Their concerns were mainly ignored by the developer and the council, which then consented to a plan change for additional development, including a 16-storey addition to the site – way above the original seven-storey maximum height consented.
The original project was passed off to the council as an urban village based on design principles mimicking an urban forest.
I suggest the Amaia people and Auckland Council staff visit the nearby beautiful Smiths Bush to understand what a real forest looks like. The council seemed mesmerised by the wordy spin and a rather good display model of the build showing plenty of surrounding open space.
When the developer requested a plan change with additional buildings to include a 16-storey block, no new model appeared to illustrate the loss of open space.
One of the concerns raised by a submitter at the hearing was the start of an earth slip following development along the outer east side estuary edge into the SEA marine space. Photos show that trees and other vegetation have now been removed and this slip is far larger than first noted. Nearby residents report that this has been covered in matting, with possibly some planting to stabilise the slip. Invasive flowering pampas grass has slipped into the mangrove estuary and is taking hold at the bottom of the bank.
Another large area with trees removed has also been cleared. This includes a car park and is visible from Esmonde Rd when travelling towards Takapuna.
Maybe our local board could show concern for these issues and our sensitive marine environment, rather than just worrying about lighting along a pathway.
Philip Moll
• Editor’s note: The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board provided written feedback to the Amaia hearing panel, raising concerns about aspects of the development. The pathway was one of the few issues on which it had a direct responsibility, as its sign-off was needed for this part of the development, which was otherwise decided on by council planners and the independent panel.
not heard... some local residents felt they were ignored when the Amaia’s developer won the right to boost the size of the Esmonde Rd project, to include a 16-storey tower
Orchids bloom once more at Milford show
Orchids returned to Milford in full colour when the North Shore Orchid Society hosted its spring show.
The society was once based in Milford, so as a tradition it hosts an annual show at the Senior Citizens Club hall.
President Peter Jenner said he was impressed with the flowers on show, with plenty of quality across all 100 entries in the 40 judged categories.
As well as the orchids in the competition, vendors were selling plants at the 29 September event, which proved a popular purchase with visitors.
The club has just under 30 members, and one way it is trying to increase numbers is by encouraging Asian communities.
Asians love orchids, said Jenner, but may be reluctant to join clubs, so the society is making efforts to make this more appealing, by putting information out on Chinese chat lines such as WeChat.
Winning blooms... North Shore Orchid Society president Peter Jenner with the display which won top prize for a novice. Below: Milford resident Jan Richmond (left) and friend Donna Morgan admiring the flowers. Richmond grew orchids for 40 years, but said hers never looked as good as those on display at the MSSC hall.
Canny shopper... Annabelle Luicien with her show purchases
Floral art... The spring orchid show drew Forrest Hill residents Leigh Huggins (left) and Chris Hett on a Milford outing
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Bike Hub building up speed
The North Shore’s first Bike Hub in Forrest Hill is off to a good start, receiving hundreds of visitors in its first weeks.
In two weeks since opening on 12 September, it sold 17 bikes and received 27 donated ones, which will be checked and on-sold.
Bike Hub assistant Zara Makkink said that during weekdays the hub was getting about 15 visitors and at weekends around 40 people a day were coming in.
People were mainly enquiring about purchasing and donating bikes, but others wanted repairs, she said.
The hub was set up by Auckland Transport to encourage cycling, and is managed by EcoMatters Environment Trust.
It had an official opening on its site off East Coast Rd in Greville Reserve last week.
Makkink said many of the people coming in had either seen it while out driving, walking or cycling, with others saying they read about it in the Observer.
EcoMatters community bike hub manager Brent Bielby said the community had been anticipating the hub, as its opening was delayed by a year.
Hub helper... Castor Bay resident Doug Charko on his bike by the Forrest HIll Bike Hub, where he has offered to volunteer his services
Art show’s focus: Healthy world, healthy minds
Links between brain health and a healthy environment are visualised in an intriguing art exhibition that has spun out of Massey University research.
Protecting the Planet and Our Brains: A Photographic Exploration opens at the Lake House arts centre in Takapuna today. Associate Professor of Psychology Susanne Röhr, who organised the show, says: “I wanted to do something a bit different than more conventional research where we collect data.”
To convey complex inter-connections between dementia and climate change – the subject of her ongoing research – she decided the photographic medium would help deliver on the old maxim about a picture being worth 1000 words.
She hopes the works will be seen widely, sparking public discussion and understanding of how everything from urban design to severe weather can have an impact on brain health and wellbeing.
Twenty-eight images from 14 photographers form the exhibition, which ranges from modified landscapes to portraits emphasising community and inter-generational interaction.
An example is a night-time shot of Auckland Harbour Bridge, which illustrates how bright lighting can affect the behaviour of animals and birds, and disrupt human sleeping patterns.
Röhr put out the call for photographers from across Auckland who might be keen on exploring the project. A series of workshops followed, led by Röhr and Torbay photographer Alena Iakusheva.
Most of the photographers are amateurs but several professionals joined in, including Devonport’s Kathryn Nobbs.
Nobbs has created a work that highlights memory, decay and pollution. Her study, used on the poster for the show, depicts rusted relics she found in the sand under the
Discards...
Kathryn Nobbs’ picture of rusted relics under the Narrow Neck cliffs was chosen for the exhibition poster
ore-stained cliffs at Narrow Neck Beach.
The photographers were all aged 40plus, something Röhr said was deliberate because issues of dementia were particularly relevant, as it was in mid-life that certain risky behaviours became habits.
After being introduced to other risks, including environmental ones, the participants set forth to capture some of this thinking through a neighbourhood lens.
Raising awareness of the links between environmental health and personal health is Röhr’s driver. “I want to get the idea out that when we think about healthy ageing and dementia prevention, we can’t think about these strategies without thinking about environmental sustainability.”
She said some people might feel it was provocative to hear that dementia may have a link with climate change, but the impacts of heat waves on cognitive decline were
documented. So too the positive benefits of green space and the ill-effects of pollution.
“We need to think more holistically, Māori do,” she said.
People already living with dementia could benefit from slower decline and greater wellbeing if they lived in a healthy environment. Urban design also had a role to play in helping society benefit from increased green space and gardens.
Providing more opportunities for “non-gasoline mobility” was also good for both people and the environment.
East German-born Röhr said: “On a personal note, I miss the opportunity to cycle – here it’s too dangerous.”
• Protecting the Planet and Our Brains, on daily at the Lake House, 37 Fred Thomas Dr, from 11-25 October, with an opportunity to meet the artists and researchers on Sunday, 13 October from 4pm to 6pm.
Call on the Call Girls when you’re on the lookout
A rollicking yarn about four women from a retirement village who moonlight as “call girls” promises plenty of laughs.
The play, which has its premiere at the PumpHouse next week, has added contemporary resonance, with the quartet starting their pay-per-minute phone chat service to raise funds for a battle against a corporate giant intent on taking over their home.
James Carrick, the North Shore-based writer of Call Girls , has set the story in Beach Haven, where development is making inroads on neighbourhood character. The Narrow Neck resident says it is a mix of universal themes and a relatable location and characters.
In his day job in interiors, Carrick is also familiar with retirement-home clients, and says: “Meeting these older people who had so much to share motivated me to bring their stories to the stage.”
He drew on the humour and humanity he encountered to work on the play, his fifth, which he wrote over two years.
“They’ve still got a twinkle in their ageing eyes,” is how he puts it.
Call Girls was chosen from 12 plays that had “risen from the ashes” which Phoenix Theatre Company assessed for its first production back post-Covid.
Play director Liz Cannon – Carrick’s real-life partner who, like him, has a track record of acting in community theatre – has drawn together a cast from across Auckland.
“We put the script out to the wider Auckland theatre community and were blown away by the amount of people who wanted to audition,” she said. “Since then, we’ve had so many offers from people wanting to be involved in some way, it’s really heartening”.
Cannon says cast members come from as far as Bethells Beach and Onehunga.
Ready to ride... Call Girls cast members (from left): Ayesha Heble, Ami Coster, Helen Davies and Kate Birch play four retirement-village residents out to save their lifestyle from a dodgy developer
Locals among the line-up include Kate Birch from Bayswater, who has previously been involved in Company Theatre, Aidan Allen, also from Bayswater, who developed his talents in Takapuna Grammar School productions, and Rebecca Wright from Devonport, who plays the operator of the Beach Haven Rest Home.
The action centres on news that a dodgy developer from Shady Glades retirement living company wants to take over the place.
This threatens the lifestyle of residents Ivy, Angela, Pauline and Rose, who concoct a resistance plan.
In playing one of the quartet, Birch is joined by Ayesha Heble, Ami Coster and Helen Davies. The women take on alter egos at the end of a phone line to finance the residents’ fight.
Comedic misadventures ensue and they cross paths with a suave television host, a stereotypical Irish priest, an overly enthusiastic exercise instructor and a conniving councillor.
Carrick even pops up on stage himself, to fill several cameo roles.
The play is just the second in its 20-year history that Phoenix Theatre has staged
for a few laughs
On call himself... playwright James Carrick has three cameo roles in the production at the PumpHouse. Cannon says Phoenix is a group that is very much about putting the community back into community theatre, with a play to match. She hopes locals will share the enthusiasm, and is heartened that tickets are selling well.
Phoenix vice-president Braydon Priest, production manager for the season, says the show will likely appeal to fans of Calendar Girls, Ladies’ Day, Dinner Ladies and the like.
Cash for Schools 2024
Watch a movie, enter the draw and earn your school cash!
Watch any movie during the T3/T4 school holidays at Takapuna Beachside Cinemas. Fill in the online form, and we donate $1 to your school and put you into the draw to win one of three $100 gift cards.
At the end of the holidays, we will total up the entries, donate money back to your school and draw our three prize winners.
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• Call Girls is on at the PumpHouse theatre in Takapuna from 17-26 October, with adult tickets priced at $32 and concessions available. Book at the pumphouse.co.nz events@thevic.co.nz
Music and dance putting on a show
North Shore Winds is joining forces with a diverse range of dancers and the Auckland Police Pipe Band for a multicultural performance on Saturday 19 October.
The musical organisation says the event, titled Synergy: A Showcase of Music and Dance, is its most ambitious project to date, drawing on talent from across the city.
An array of dance styles, from ballet to cha-cha and circus-style performance, will be showcased to live music. The North Shore-based Smooglynaka troupe will perform traditional Russian kalinka dance.
The event will be held at Westlake Boys High School’s Peter Rea Auditorium from 7-9pm.
Tickets range from $30 to $50 and are available from northshorewinds.org
NOW SHOWING
A Mistake (M) 103min
The Apprentice (R16) 123min
Iris and the Men (M) 98min
Rosalie (M) 116min
Show Me Shorts Film Festival 11-13 Oct
Joker: Folie à Deux (R16) 139min
Runt (PG) 93min
COMING SOON
I am a Dark River (E) 70min 17 Oct
Maurice and I (E) 98min 17 Oct
My Favourite Cake (M) 97min 17 Oct
Seven Samurai (PG) 207min Re-Release
Six inches of Soil (E) 96min 17 OCT
Smile 2 (TBA) 132min 17 Oct
CatVideoFest (G) 73min 19&20 Oct
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