Our place: Titirangi Primary; At the libraries

Titirangi Primary School is calling for all families with children turning five in 2021 and living in its zone to get in touch with the school to arrange enrolment.

The school has a roll of around 470 children,

Photo by Alan Tunnell.

and focuses on smaller classroom sizes, and a combination of modern and traditional learning practices to provide fun learning across a broad curriculum. There is also a wide range of optional programmes available for children within the school day, as well as extracurricular activities connected to the school spanning art, culture, sport and technology.

The school's new entrants will get the benefit of a number of new developments.

In 2020 the swimming pool was refurbished and a new junior school playground has been opened. In 2021 Titirangi School students will be able to use the upgraded playing field that promises all-weather use for the first time in the school’s history.

To find out more visit the school’s new website, www.titirangi.org.nz, and browse the ‘new to school’ section.

Left: Eliah with Principal Julie Lynch opening the new junior playground. Above: Jackson, Xan, Alyssa, Aurora and Ruby on the new monkey bars. Titirangi Library, next to the War Memorial Hall at the top of South Titirangi Road has a number of special events planned this month.

Thursday October 8, 11am-12pm: Tramping in the Waitākere Ranges, a visual story of the Auckland Tramping Club, 1920s – 1940s. This special presentation by Raewynn Robertson from Research West is part of the Auckland Heritage Festival. Registrations preferred. Phone 817 0011 or email titirangi.library@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

School Holiday Activities

Monday October 5, 10-11am: Lego Spinner Tournament. Put your creative skills to the test and build a Lego super spinner then take part in our first ever spin and win tournament. Suitable for 5+.

Thursday October 8, 2-3pm: FX Makeup. Learn how to create cuts, bruises and gore in our movie makeup workshop. Suitable for 8+.

Saturday October 10, 10.30-11.30am: Kidz Need Dadz Stories and Craft. A special storytime with guest readers and a craft session brought to you by Kidz Need Dadz Charitable Trust. Suitable for all ages.

Titirangi Library’s regular programmes for children return after the school holidays and all are welcome with no registrations required:

Tuesday October 13, 10.30am: Rhymetime. A fun social music session for toddlers.

Wednesday October 14, 10-10.30am: Words on Wednesday. Interactive storytelling for children aged 3-5 years.

Wednesday October 14, 3.30-4.30am: Lego Club. Free play brick building. Suitable for 5+.

Thursday October 15, 3.30-4.30pm: Minecraft Club. Social gaming for all Minecraft fans. Own device and Minecraft logon required.

Friday October 16, 9.30-10am: Wriggle & Rhyme. Active movement and play for babies. Suitable for 3-18 months.

Note: All events listed are subject to changes to Covid 19 alert levels. Keep up to date on the library’s Facebook page.

Working to maintain our priorities

While we’re all occupied with Covidbeen reduced to $150,000 to spend 19, climate change and biodiversity on safety projects in the road corridor. loss are still happening at speed and We have a long list of safety concerns budgetary decisions are being made from residents so we need to prioritise. that affect us all. While the money for the

Council’s emergency budget has redevelopment of Glen Eden has once emphasised asset sales as a way to again been deferred, we will continue recoup losses from the pandemic. to fight for it to be reinstated and Future West have been fighting to are optimistic it will be in the next retain three important assets and long-term plan. We are concerned, have managed to halt the sale of however, about the loss of $1.8 million two properties, both of which were The Waitākere Ranges Local Board Future West team are (left to of our transport capex that we have purchased under the Public Works Act right) Mark Allen, Saffron Toms, Sandra Coney and Greg Presland. been saving to put in to Glen Eden. for the prevention of flooding: a flood-prone section in Western Road, By now the consultation period for encouraging Aucklanders to install Laingholm that enjoys a great deal of community interest and involvement, rainwater tanks will be complete. This is an important part of building and land with high-value endangered forest forming the headwaters of resilience for our rapidly growing city as we are faced with the increasing Kaurimu Stream. likelihood of droughts due to climate change. Increasing private rainwater

However, we were not successful in retaining strategic land in Glen harvesting across the region will also take pressure off stormwater Eden, which already ranks poorly in terms of parks and open space. While infrastructure and reduce the urban heat island effect. Council kept the back portion of the property which we’ve been working As the board’s representative on Local Government NZ, I am now in on for a long time (and part of our Greenways plan), they unfortunately the process of ensuring that reinstatement of tree protection becomes voted to sell a large portion of it, including the access to West Coast Road. a priority advocacy point for LGNZ to the next government. There’s a lot Please encourage your councillors to ensure that maintenance of this of support from local board members and chairs across the region, and I access is included in any sale agreement. expect to get this adopted at the next meeting.

The local board is working on how we will spend our substantially That’s all for now folks. Take care and stay safe, and safely connected. reduced transport safety budget. Prior to Saffron Toms, Deputy Chair, Waitakere Covid-19, we had allocated some $500,000 Ranges Local Board, 021 322 803. to pedestrian safety improvements around Konini School. However that budget has now Advertisement