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An additional three-storey care facility building is planned at Ryman’s new complex on Killarney St and Ander Place, Takapuna.

The new building will include 45 care rooms evenly split for dementia, hospital-level and rest-home care. It is essentially an extension of the three- to five-storey retirement village already consented on Killarney St, which was the site of the old Takapuna Fire Station.

Auckland Council officers have recommended the application be processed without public notification. The additional building was made possible through the purchase of several homes near the old fire station site.

The previously consented retirement village includes 89 apartments – 59 independent-living and 30 assisted-living suites.

Building work has started, with construction expected to be completed in 2024.

By Ryman standards, and compared with the scale of its William Sanders Retirement Village in Devonport, the Takapuna village is a boutique offering above Lake Pupuke.

An artist’s impression of Ryman’s new Takapuna retirement village now under construction. The mostly apartment-style complex will have views towards Lake Pupuke.

Why the ‘Y’ has shortened its name

The YMCA will be known simply as the Y and its local operation as Y-North in a gradual rebranding, starting from late this year.

Its main community centre servicing the North Shore is at Akoranga Dr and is a hub for basketball competitions.

The group also runs recreation facilities and operates childcare, school, holiday, and seniors programmes.

Chief executive Julian Baldey told the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board at a briefing sesssion that it still respected its heritage, but feedback from young people was that a new name would make it more inclusive.

Founded in England in 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association was set up in New Zealand in 1855, making it one of the country’s oldest charities. Basketball was pioneered as a sport at an American YMCA in 1891.

Baldey said the Y’s plans included partnering with local sports clubs to make better use of often-empty clubrooms to run some of its programmes. It asked the board for ongoing support, including for its youth development arm, Raise Up, which runs camps, sports and now well-being programmes, the latter in response to youth demand.

Dig this... (from left) Geoff Pownall, David Morrison and John Gould from Takapuna Rotary recently cleaned out the overgrown frontage of Takapuna Playcentre on Auburn Reserve, ready for fresh planting with native grasses. The group has a four-year involvement with the centre, helping lighten and brighten its once-overgrown grounds.

Rotary offers chance to offload electronic gear

An e-waste collection is being organised by Takapuna Rotary, with proceeds to support North Shore charities.

Items ranging from old computers and televisions to smaller devices, batteries and cables can be dropped at Abilities North Shore at 91 Hillside Rd, Glenfield.

Collection day is Saturday 24 September, between 10am and noon. Charges are $10 for a boot load, $20 for a car load and $50 for a trailer load. Polystyrene and cardboard will also be accepted.

Abilities will also securely destroy a computer hard-drive if asked.

The workshop accepts e-waste at other times, but normally charges $5 to $20 per item. The organisation provides work disassembling unwanted items for resale or reuse.

Rotary president Geoff Pownall said he hoped locals would consider gathering items from family, friends, neighbours and workplaces to make it a bumper collection.

Rotary is committed to supporting Abilities, a non-profit society that helps provide work for people with disabilities.