The Fringe for April 2021

ISSUE 202, APRIL 2021

community news, issues, arts, people, events

contents

Places to go; Letter ................................................................................3

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Grit, determination and leadership .................................................4 – 5 EcoFest West Takes Off ..........................................................................6 Safety works continue in Glen Eden ......................................................7 Looking for Laingholm stories ...............................................................8 Hidden Stories of the West ...................................................................9 Art and about with Naomi McCleary ...........................................10 – 11 Places to go: Events listing ..........................................................12 – 13 Bandstanding: Inventor, communications engineer ... and violinist ....14 Places to go: Glen Eden Playhouse and Flicks Titirangi .......................15 Still waxing lyrical after more than 40 years .......................................16

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At the libraries .....................................................................................17 Sustainable solutions, Titirangi to get its own ‘refillery’; Weather by the Moon .........................................................................18 Walking West, Omanawanui reopens ..................................................19 Naturally West: Myrtle rust .................................................................20

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Live @ the lounge................................................................................22 Advertisers’ Directory ..........................................................................23

On our cover: It’s Our Place. We all have a different idea about what’s important about our special part of the world. What does our place look like where you are?

Take a quick pic and email it to info@fringemedia.co.nz. (Photo by Bevis England.)

HEY, PIANO BAR LADY!

Linn Lorkin went to New York on a three-week transit visa in 1977, fell into piano-bar work and stayed eight years. Interwoven with original songs (including her famous Family at the Beach) and unfolding like a Broadway musical, Hey, Piano Bar Lady! tells the fascinating tale of her adventures in the Big Apple as she progresses from down-town $20-a-night gigs to up-town’s swanky ivories with stops along the way for marriage, divorce and a baby. Currently in revival for New Zealand audiences (including a sell-out performance at Wellington's BATS Theatre in October 2020) this award-winning show is coming to Titirangi Theatre (Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road), for three shows only: Friday April 16 and Saturday April 17 at 7.30pm and Sunday April 18 at 2pm. Tickets are $25 from Eventfinda.

Every issue of The Fringe (and the Titirangi Tatler before it) since April 2011 is on-line at www.fringemedia.co.nz. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ FringeWest) to hear when each issue is available and get other updates.

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www.fringemedia.co.nz 21,000 copies delivered free to letter boxes, post boxes, libraries and selected outlets throughout Titirangi, Glen Eden, Green Bay, New Lynn, Kelston, Konini, Wood Bay, French Bay, South Titirangi, Waima, Woodlands Park, Laingholm, Parau, Cornwallis, Huia and Oratia.

Published by: Fringe Media Ltd, PO Box 60-469, Titirangi, Auckland 0642

Editor: Bevis England 817 8024, 027 494 0700 bevis@fringemedia.co.nz

Adver�sing:

info@fringemedia.co.nz

Features: Moira Kennedy 021 723 153 moira@fringemedia.co.nz

Writers and contributors: David Thiele, Naomi McCleary, Susannah Bridges, Fiona Drummond, Michael Andrew, Zoe Hawkins and Kerry Engelbrecht.

Advertising deadline for May 2021: April 16.

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places to go Marcus Hipa is a Niuean Artist and was born and raised in Alofi, Niue Island. He moved to New Zealand to further his creative interests, attending the Elam school of fine arts and completing both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Drawing, painting and carving are some of the media he utilises to explore and share insights of his people’s history and culture. His works celebrate the values, traditions, progress and sense of community, and shed light on social and political issues affecting Pacific peoples in the Pacific region and in Aotearoa.

Nukututaha, an exhibition of Marcus’ work, will be on display at Upstairs Gallery, Lopdell House, Titirangi until April 18.

In late 2020 a group of West Auckland singers began to think about performing Handel’s Messiah somewhere in the West, partly to celebrate our freedom from Covid (compared to the rest of the world) but also because this work has not been performed in the West for many years (if at all).

The Messiah Choir in the West was formed drawing singers from all over West Auckland and they began practising every week through February and March (losing a couple of weeks during the latest lockdown).

The results of this practise will be revealed on March 30, 7.30pm, at St Michael’s Anglican Church, 425 Great North Road, Henderson. (Free entry although a retiring collection will be taken.)

For more information contact Pauline on 813 5688.

Fun through dance

letter

Grandparents and their grandchildren have the opportunity to express themselves as they exactly want and feel at a Time to Dance session organised by Titirangi Library and being held at the War Memorial Hall later this month.

Led by former ballet dancer Sue Macrae and her contemporary dancer daughter, Anna Macrae (and her two children), it will be all about having fun, Sue says.

“Totally fun. It won’t be structured steps with four this way and four that way. One of the most wonderful things for grandparents and their grandchildren to do is to dance and enjoy being together. And that’s what will happen.

“For grandparents looking after their grandchildren during the holidays, it will be something a bit different to enjoy.”

Sue says that internationally it is not unusual to see young children dancing with older family members but it’s not so common here.

“It’s something that’s really missing here. I love to see the different age groups dancing together, expressing their thoughts and feelings through movement in a safe environment.”

Sue and Anna also run weekly classes focusing on movement and fun through dance for seniors in Titirangi and New Lynn.

Time to Dance will be held on Tuesday April 20, 2pm 3pm at Titirangi Memorial Hall. More information from Titirangi Library.

for els s t v en le Ev alert all

Bikes Kai

Dear Editor, Last time I was at Titirangi Beach I parked in an available parking space with a lovely view of the Manukau Harbour.

Then a group of cars arrived and drove onto the grass picnic area in front of me and, after reversing several times and making endless three point turns, parked – obscuring the views and ruining the enjoyment of I and others who had parked legally.

Not only is such behaviour incredibly inconsiderate and unnecessary (there was plenty of other parking available), it also ruins the grassy areas, leaving them rutted and bare. With rising sea levels threatening our coastlines we need all the protection we can get and these grassed areas are an important coastal barrier.

Some well positioned bollards and rope barriers, as used at other Manukau beaches, could protect these grassed areas, and reduce the antisocial behaviour of some beach visitors.

Yours sincerely, Name supplied, Oratia

EcoFest West

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people

Grit, determination and leadership

- young locals play international environmental role

Joe McLoughlin is now the skipper of the Sea Cleaners' Manukau operating vessel, the Bobby Stafford-Bush, after being a volunteer with the organisation since his school days and also being one of its youth ambassadors who took their 'clean the beaches' message to Hawaii.

Sea Cleaners, the environmental project started by Oratia local Hayden Smith a decade ago has ‘spread its sea-legs’ to capture the interest of the Hawaiian Tourist Authority and the islands’ national airline with two young locals taking on the mantle of Youth Ambassadors for the cause.

Ede Bird from Laingholm and 20-year old Joe McLoughlin of Wood Bay both went to Hawaii as ambassadors for Sea Cleaners, the charitable trust founded by Hayden, which works with groups of volunteers to clean up the Manukau, Waitematā and Whangarei harbours.

While the young pair played their ambassadorial roles in 2018-2019 (Covid-19 cancelled overseas travel last year), both continue their passionate commitment to better the world’s oceans with their efforts to clean beaches and harbours.

They were part of a select group of young New Zealanders chosen to communicate their message to a wider range of people around the Pacific Rim. It is from the Pacific Ocean that the Hawaiian islands receive vast quantities of ocean waste. The kiwis took teams of junior pro-surfers from Billabong, Australia and Japanese lifeguards and some environmental students with them.

Along with beach clean-ups on the island of Oahu and the Big Island (Hawaii), the students also visited local schools to talk about sustainability and ocean health and took part in a number of community events.

You Shop We Deliver

During the 2019 trip a National Geographic film crew captured the whole process of what they were doing and that in turn meant the staggering number of 400 million people had access to the story.

Hayden says “it was a no brainer to take Ede on the Hawaiian mission. She’s the youngest ambassador we’ve ever had. Her level of intent and support of volunteer efforts throughout the year was exceptional.”

Ede and Joe agree that while the health of the seas is a huge issue globally, both are confident in the future – providing we all do our bit to help.

In her last year at school, Ede, now 17, plans a career in the field of medicine but says she’s passionate about sustainability and is keen to be involved with Sea Cleaners in the future.

“Sea Cleaners is really invested in trying to get people who see a piece of rubbish when they’re out walking, to pick it up and put it in the bin. A lot of the stuff ending up on beaches and in the sea gets washed out from storm drains or comes off our roads.

“Just pick it up and put it in the rubbish. It will make a real difference if everyone does something.”

Ede says she thinks it’s easy to get disconnected, especially young people. “I was like that until I started going to beaches and seeing how much stuff there is.

You can spend two hours picking micro-plastics from the beach and having the beach look just as it looked before.

But it must be done.

“So many perceive clean-ups as hard to get involved with so they disconnect but, with enough awareness, stuff can be done. Surely taking as much action as possible is better than just letting it happen,” she says.

“I’m endlessly grateful for being involved with Sea Cleaners.”

A former head boy at Kelston Boys’ High School, Joe had caught Hayden’s eye as a student who put his hand up to volunteer and coordinate the environmental group within school.

“He got his school mates out on the Sea Cleaners boat more than once to help clean up. He stood out as not just being a volunteer himself but getting others to volunteer as well. He works exceptionally hard,” says Hayden. “Both Ede and Joe are extraordinary young people with grit, leadership ability and determination.”

Joe, now 20, left school in 2018 and has worked for

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Sea Cleaners on and off ever since, apart from ‘a bit of OE’. When he returned from that he started working as a deckhand on one of Sea Cleaners’ boats.

“He put his head down and he’s now got his qualifications as a commercial maritime operator, skippering the vessel on the Manukau Harbour,” says Hayden.

Joe says his youth ambassador role was a great experience and says one of the events he worked on was on the northern shores of Oahu, the big surf sites.

“I was totally taken aback when a bunch of us quite easily filled a 40-foot shipping container with rubbish from the beach. It was about 20 hours’ work and we didn’t actually clean it, but just took the rubbish. We couldn’t get it all. We left the beach dirty. We couldn’t clean it.”

Joe has recently been working a Sea Cleaners boat facilitating marshals at the America’s Cup. “We cruised around, doing anything the marshals wanted us to do – collecting any rubbish and sticks so no-one hit any of that with their fancy foils. It was long days on the water, and could be a bit stressful stopping people going through the middle of the course, but that’s all part of it, so it’s all right. And watching the racing up close ...”

He plans to study for degrees in marine and environmental science at university from July this year but in the meantime his day job is cleaning up our local harbours, little by little.

“Seeing it every day would be very difficult if you let

it get to you on a personal level,” says Joe. “You have to look at the positive side, knowing at end of day, you’ve accomplished something. That little bit of coast or creek is a bit cleaner now and that rubbish is no longer in the environment.

“In the global environment, what’s going on in the oceans is huge.

What we’re doing is something like an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff and something needs to change at consumer and production levels. I think everyone needs to make conscious decisions every day. Maybe not take that little bit of plastic you don’t need. It seems we buy things to throw them away,” Joe says.

“I’m not sure what the future holds for me but having worked in this industry and having seen what I’ve seen, I can’t turn a blind eye. It will be a big job.”

For more information visit www.seacleaners.com

Ede Bird: “Just pick up rubbish and put it in the bin”

– Moira Kennedy

Re-open our heritage local tracks Walking links are vitally important but let’s reopen local community tracks before building expensive new greenways.

What I’m hearing loud and clear from residents and ratepayers is a demand for their local board to focus on upgrading and reopening customary walking linkages before spending on new trendy-named options like ‘greenways paths’ and ‘pop-up cycle lanes’.

In last month’s Fringe, Board colleagues advocated for prioritising the Waitakere Greenways Plan, a council plan for new “greenways” and cycling connections across the West, sometimes across private property.

I agree wholeheartedly on the value of walking links and their role in connecting communities, providing recreation and dog walking opportunities and offering travel alternatives but the Greenways Plan overlooks our existing assets. Our ‘local’ tracks (i.e. those under local board control as opposed to those under Council control) have always fulfilled these purposes and in some suburbs these tracks compensate for a lack of roadside foot paths.

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Of our over 200 locally controlled parks: – 96 have been assessed.

– $1.6 million has been allocated for work on 16 tracks within them.

Disappointingly, some of the money was to permanently close three tracks (which I opposed).

– After 18 months only one local boardcontrolled track has been upgraded, in Wood Bay Reserve, and this track is only 37m long. (Note: Zigzag Track, and other tracks in our area that have been upgraded, are in Council-controlled areas.)

This is an appalling lack of delivery. As frustration grows, the lack of completed local tracks is resulting in people pushing their way through forested private properties to get to harbour-side beaches. This is not mitigating environmental risk; it’s shifting it onto private properties. Residents tell me they never experienced this type of trespassing before track closures.

I want the local board I am part of to stop just giving lip-service to this situation, and demand tangible outcomes.

Let’s upgrade and protect our heritage local tracks as our first priority.

– Ken Turner, WestWards Advertisement

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places to go

EcoFest West Takes Off

EcoFest West 2021 is now in full swing. The annual festival began in March, despite Covid alert level changes, and will run to April 18. It celebrates our environment and what we can do to care for it.

EcoMatters Environment Trust (EcoMatters) aims to connect people and places and to nurture kaitiakitanga (guardianship). It supports the community with knowledge and tools to care for nature, reduce waste, ride and fix bikes, and live more sustainably. It runs workshops, hosts events, and provides opportunities for hands-on environmental action.

Organised by EcoMatters Environment Trust, EcoFest West features more than 140 events hosted by a range of organisations in West Auckland.

Covering a wide range of topics, many events are free or low-cost and whānau friendly. Highlights include night walks in nature, guided bike rides, DIY workshops, stream clean-ups and more. The festival presents many opportunities to care for the places we love, explore nature at our doorstep, and discover skills and ideas for a better future.

Among the local events coming shortly are: The art of foraging Saturday April 3 and Sunday April 4, 10am-1pm and 2-5pm. Titirangi Rudolf Steiner School, 5 Helios Place, Titirangi.

Solar power or solar hot water? Wednesday 7 April, 6.30-8.30pm. Online and EcoMatters, 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn.

Urban stream restoration project Saturday April 10, 10am-12.30pm. Atkinson walkway, 65 Atkinson Road, Titirangi.

Myrtle rust and our Ngahere Toi Taiao Whakatairanga Saturday April 10, 2-4pm. Te Uru Learning Centre, 420 Titirangi Road, Titirangi.

Tai Haruru Lodge open day Sunday April 11, 9.30am-12.30pm. 92 Garden Road, Piha.

EcoFest West Speaker Series 2021: Ngā Karanga o Ngā Wāhine Toa As part of EcoFest West 2021 and exactly one year on from the day Aotearoa/New Zealand moved into Alert Level 4, EcoMatters has launched a conversation series with four prominent women leaders in their fields, sharing their reflections on life in lockdown.

Ngā Karanga o Ngā Wāhine Toa (The Calls of the Women Leaders) is a unique opportunity to hear from four wāhine toa who are active in sustainability, science, environmentalism and carbon divestment. They will reflect on the rapid and fundamental changes Covid19 has brought, and share their thoughts on what we collectively need to face the profound social and environmental challenges of our time.

Dee West, Thursday March 25, 7-8.30pm. Dee is co-founder of ChargeNet, the largest privately-owned electric vehicle charging network in the world. Dee will share her story, going from globe-trotting EV champion to her new focus on hyper local sustainability solutions.

Dr. Nicole van der Laak, Thursday April 1, 7-8.30pm.

Nicole holds a PhD in materials science from Cambridge University and is the senior commercialisation manager at Wellington UniVentures. Nicole will reflect on what she has learnt about innovation and her journey to sustainability.

Dr. Karlo Mila, Thursday April 8, 7-8.30pm.

Karlo is an award-winning poet whose work focuses on Pasifika culture, heritage and worldview. Her poems have been widely published. Karlo will reflect on what 2020 meant for her and read from her new work.

Robin Taua-Gordon, Thursday April 15, 7-8.30pm.

Robin is the Heritage and Environment Manager at Te Kawerau ā Maki and has a deep knowledge of the history of her iwi. Robin will share her reflections about what Covid-19 meant for her and the tribe.

You can attend these talks in-person at the EcoMatters EcoHub in New Lynn or watch via Zoom webinar. Limited in-person tickets on sale for $10 via Eventbrite.

For full details of all EcoFest West events, including changes should alert levels change, visit www.ecofest. org.nz.

EcoFest West is brought to you by EcoMatters Environment Trust, with events hosted by a range of organisations, and is supported by the HendersonMassey, Waitākere Ranges, and Whau local boards.

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our place

Safety works continue in Glen Eden Work is continuing on road improvements in Glen Eden. With the intention of making this town centre safer for all road users, especially pedestrians, $5 million is being spent on safety improvements.

The works are taking place on West Coast Road between the intersections of Janet Clews Place and Glendale Road – as well as the intersection of Oates Road and Glendale Road. Further works are to take place on Captain Scott Road between West Coast Road and its intersection with Oates Road. Although West Coast Road and Captain Scott Road will be the focus of the work, smaller pieces of work will be happening on side streets.

The changes are intended to calm traffic and provide more and safer opportunities for people to cross these busy roads.

“Glen Eden was chosen for this project because West Coast Road is a high-risk arterial road that needs transformational change to make the town centre safe,” says Greg Presland, chairperson of the Waitākere Ranges Local Board.

“This is a really neat little town centre and, with the development we see happening around us, we want it to be as safe as possible for the people choosing to call it home.”

Waka Kotahi (the New Zealand Transport Agency) is funding 75 per cent of the project cost, according to Auckland Transport’s portfolio delivery director (projects) David Nelson.

“In Auckland, urban arterial routes like West Coast Road account for a disproportionate number of high severity crashes. In 2018, 60 per cent of deaths and serious injuries involving vulnerable road users occurred on our arterial routes. This project is about providing significant benefits despite the relatively small, targeted programme of works.”

Included in the work is: • The addition of raised speed tables at the West Coast Road/Captain Scott Road and West Coast Road/Janet Clews Place intersections, and at the roundabout at Captain Scott Road/Oates Road

(with the addition of pedestrian crossings); A new signalised crossing to the north of the level crossing on Glenview Road, which will be coordinated with the lights at the West Coast Road intersection; • Removing the right turn into Captain Scott Road from West Coast Road and making Captain Scott Road one-way, southbound, between West Coast Road and Glenmall Place; • The removal of the slip lanes at the West Coast Road intersections with Glenview Road and Bowers Road; • A new roundabout at the intersection of Oates Road and Glendale Road; • The addition of high-friction or coloured surfaces at some crossing points; • More crossing points controlled by traffic signals; and • A general lighting upgrade.

The changes being made were publicly consulted on in 2018 and have the full support of the Waitākere Ranges Local Board.

Maps of the work and more information can be found on the project page on the Auckland Transport website.

The work is expected to be finished in mid-2021.

•

Safety improvement work underway at the intersection of West Coast and Glendale Roads.

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our place

Looking for Laingholm stories Having received funding from the Waitakere Ranges Local Board, West Auckland Historical Society committee members Gai Bishop and Fiona Drummond are working in conjunction with Megan Fitter from the Laingholm community, to collate heritage about the Laingholm area, including Parau, Laingholm, Woodlands Park and Waima.

The brick bridge at the bottom of what was then a gravelled Huia Road.

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections JTD-10J-03727

The work involves seeking out stories and photographs already in existence in the community and beyond, and coordinating oral histories with long time residents of the area.

Some locals will remember Wayne McKenzie, now resident in Wellington. He is a descendant of the Laings of Laingholm who has done an immense amount of research into the area and hopes one day to compile a book of his research. He is sharing some of his research with Gai and Fiona.

From 2022, more New Zealand-specific history (with a focus on local history) is planned to become part of the curriculum for both primary and secondary junior levels, so the information being collated will be of benefit to students and staff at all our local schools.

There are many fascinating stories about the area, including that of the arched brick bridge located at the bottom of the Huia Road Hill before Landing Road. Jack Diamond wrote in 1979 that this brick bridge, believed to have been built around 1890-1900, is a rare example in Auckland and the northern North Island. Due to the

abundance of timber in the area, most bridges used wood and it is unknown why bricks were chosen for this early one lane bridge – built for the horse and cart traffic of the 1890s.

The bricks used were made by J J Craig at their brickworks in St Georges Road, Avondale, while those in the piers were from Gardner Bros and Parker’s brickworks previously by the New Lynn railway station.

The pier bricks are pierced with three holes which enabled them to be bonded together more firmly with cement mortar. The bridge arch was formed on the same principle as the arched roofs of the tunnels in the big Hoffman kilns then coming into use at the large brickworks at New Lynn, while the construction of the sides follows the method known as English Bond, in which one layer of bricks has a side showing and the next layer of bricks, an end showing.

It was registered as an historic structure with the previous Waitākere City Council, probably in the 1960s, which undoubtedly saved it from demolition in its damaged state.

In the mid 1990s, at the instigation of David Harre, then chairman of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and a Waitākere City Community Board member, council funding was secured for the bridge’s restoration with the labour donated by E. Astley & Sons, the New Lynn tannery.

Anyone with information, stories or photographs to share on Laingholm and the wider area can email landingroadproject@gmail.com.

This 1969 photo shows the old brick bridge and the new Huia Road bridge built alongside. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections JTD-10J-03736-169

Your local MP Dr Deborah Russell MP for New Lynn New Lynn Electorate Office 09 820 6245 newlynn.mp@parliament.govt.nz 1885 Great North Rd, Avondale, Auckland

Authorised by Deborah Russell MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

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places to go

Hidden Stories of the West The West Auckland Heritage Conference 2021 Titirangi War Memorial Hall April 11, 10am-3pm (Bookings required, 813 9150)

Trampers performing at cave mouth, Whatipu, 1895. Photographer: Percy Trenwith. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, JTD-18E-00791

Did you know one man was buried three times at Waikūmete Cemetery? Or that the puzzle of the buried dancefloor in the Whatipu Caves is still inspiring artists? What’s the Tale of the Great Whale?

And who are considered the wāhine toa – strong women – of Te Kawerau ā Maki?

You’ll find all this and more at the fifth West Auckland Heritage Conference on April 11.

Three keynote speakers will be presenting: Sandra Coney on the Body in the Burning Bach, Robin Taua-Gordon on the history of Te Kawerau ā Maki and Michelle Edge on the interpretation of our stories.

They will be complemented by more than 10 short presentations within the theme of the Hidden Stories of the West.

Waitākere Ranges Local Board Member and keynote speaker, Sandra Coney, says there are many unknown stories that will delight and captivate in equal measure.

“West Auckland is a treasure trove of fascinating stories that deserve a wider audience,” she says.

“This is an event for everyone interested in the stories of our place, for locals and heritage buffs alike.”

There will be ample opportunity to ask questions and mix-and-mingle with the presenters and other guests as the ticket includes lunch and nibbles afterwards.

All speakers will be presenting in the Titirangi War Memorial Hall, with presentations projected on a wide screen for maximum enjoyment.

Earlier conferences were sold out, so don’t wait too long to get your tickets! Tickets are $20 plus booking fee, including lunch and a full day of presentations. You can book online www.westheritageconference. org.nz or by contacting Sharon Davies on 09 813 9150 or sharon. davies@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. The conference is hosted by the Waitākere Ranges Local Board, in collaboration with the Whau Local Board, Auckland Libraries and the community.

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art & about with naomi mccleary

Between the Tides

Saturday March 13. You will remember. It is a peerlessly beautiful day. We are just back in Level One and the America’s Cup race will go to three all. I try not to care but there’s a twinge of excitement.

At North Piha there is a poetry event; Between the Tides is one of five poetry videos commissioned by Going West. The cast is a poet, Murray Edmond; a sand sculptor, David Hillman; three videographers and an eclectic bunch of word lovers who have shown up to play. I’m a slightly reluctant attendee, simply because my life seems too busy to stop for something that seems, well, so self-indulgent.

That is about to change. As I leave the car at the furthest end of the beach I am merely paces away from a magical glade; a circle enclosed by a high, treelined dune on the seaward side and a mighty wall of pōhutukawa on the other. There’s a breathless stillness broken only by the thrum of hidden surf and an upper chorus of cicada song.

It is so arresting that it takes me a moment to locate the people sprawled under the trees.

It’s not the first time I’ve been here and it always throws me back to Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain Fournier, described by John Fowles as ‘the greatest novel of adolescence in European literature’ and part inspiration for The Magus. Go down that rabbit-hole if you wish, but both books evoke mysterious and hidden places – and I can’t help myself!

And yes, there is participation, and I have a moment of ‘ oh hell, I can’t be doing this’.

But Murray Edmond has produced a very gentle set of guidelines and he is engaging.

So we can use his three suggested forms; Calligrams or Concrete poems, which make pictures on the page (or beach). At this very moment the sand sculptor is carving Murray’s calligram into the wet sand, but we can’t see that yet.

There are Couplets, but I know about that; too easy?

Then there are Cinquains (sin-kane) invented by American poet Adelaide Crapsey (1878 – 1914), and yes, that is her name. These are five-lined poems with a prescribed numbers of syllables in each line – 2,4,6,8,2 = 22 in all. They also make a shape. This form really speaks to me and I settle down to work.

That so very busy life slips away.

Of course I get it wrong! My cinquains skip the 8 syllable line, so mine are – quatrains? But what the

hey; I’m in a happy place and the soft buzz around me speaks that so are we all. The videographers are at work, moving quietly in and around us with hand-held cameras, but they are low-key and I hardly notice them.

After half an hour we make a ragged procession to the beach. I love that glorious moment when you breach the dunes and the glittering wet sand and pounding surf stops you in your tracks. Sandman has scraped with a fine rake the most beautiful and ephemeral expression of Murray Edmond’s poem. It must be at least 100 metres long, or tall, and the words shape ‘the sands of time’ as an hour glass ...

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art & about with naomi mccleary

We all get to work with sticks or rakes and radiate out from the centre-piece. Suddenly I’m alone again, just me and my flawed cinquain, scratching into the wetness and loving every second of it. And there it is; transient, thank goodness, but stopping me in my tracks and giving me a rare sense of being in the moment.

This day is pearl perfect.

Can I be stilled in it yet breathe?

Yep, short of eight syllables, but it’s mine!

Then we coalesce again; cluster around each poem and hear it aloud. Such variety in word and shape and pattern, but everyone is smiling.

And then it’s over and we go home.

This simple few hours of being immersed in beauty; of sharing a creative moment with no test at the end; of stopping thinking and just being. Believe me, it is balm to the soul.

I suggest you take a picnic, maybe a bottle of wine, a good book? Maybe try a cinquain and go scratch it in-between the tide lines. The surf will ensure that nobody will know.

I’m planning more visits to this magic place. I want to be there in winter and again when the cliff-wall of pōhutukawa bloom.

Between the Tides, and four other poetry videos, will be launched on the Going West website (goingwestfest. co.nz), beginning in April.

There are already 37 podcasts available, drawn from the Going West archive – with Season Three loading now.

Register to be on the Going West email newsletter and get monthly updates. There are more live events planned for the latter half of the year.

Artist and theatre maker Kate Parker has published her first children’s book, Kōwhai and the Giants, a fable about the decimation of our forests following human habitation.

Kate is of Ngati Maniapoto, English and Greek descent, and grew up roaming the bush in Kaeo (Northland). She studied theatre in Melbourne and on her return to Aotearoa, cofounded Red Leap Theatre.

The unique and intriguing artwork for Kōwhai and the Giants, created from hand-cut paper, was first exhibited in 2016, at the Arataki Visitor Centre, following Kate’s artist’s residency at Anawhata.

The book is available online and through book stores nationwide with $3 being donated to Forest & Bird for every copy sold.

The Fringe has a copy of this special book to give away. To go in the draw to win write your name, address and phone number, on the back of an envelope and post it to Kōwhai, PO Box 60-469, Titirangi, 0624 or email your details to info@fringemedia. co.nz with Kōwhai in the subject line. Entries must be received by April 16.

WIN

Track upgrades – an update Tracks in local parks, mainly in Titirangi, continue to be upgraded but because of Covid-induced delays and some budget pressures there have been delays.

The upgrade of Bill Haresnape track is or should soon be under way. I have had much feedback on the importance of this track both for commuting and for recreational purposes and I agree it needs to be completed as soon as possible.

The Paturoa Way walkway should also have remedial work commenced soon. The current plan is to have both tracks open by June of this year, weather and Covid dependant.

The next tracks to be worked on will be the Arama Reserve track, the Opou Reserve Track and the Titirangi War Memorial Track. It was proposed that this last track be closed but following representations from a number of families pointing out how important the track was for kids walking to school we decided to have remedial work performed instead of it being closed.

I am keen for these all to be completed as soon as possible. They provide important pedestrian access for the area.

In the Regional Park, the Omanawanui Ridge and Puriri Ridge Tracks have been reopened.

There are plans to complete and reopen a number of other tracks but because of the nature of the projects the construction has to be structured and subject to a time table.

There is some controversy about the style of upgrade with some locals expressing concern that the engineering is affecting the bush experience.

I appreciate their concern but Kauri dieback is still a clear and present danger and the scientific advice is important and careful, and we do need to take care.

Greg Presland | Local Board Chair Waitākere Ranges Local Board

There are a total of 17 tracks to be upgraded and so far three have been completed.

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The Fringe APRIL 2021

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places to go – 4, Edith and George: in our sea of islands: Initially shown at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Wellington (2019), this exhibition by Edith Amituanai and George Crummer (two photographers 100 years apart) is recontextualised in the Homestead Galleries; Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson. Phone 838 4455.

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WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN IN THE WEST...

– May 9, ‘Amui ‘I Mu‘a – Ancient Futures: Dagmar Vaikalafi Dyck, Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi; The Wallace Arts Centre, Pah Homestead.

72 Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough.

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– 25, Recent Works paintings by Gareth Price; West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Thursday/Friday 11am-3pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-4pm; Phone 812 8029 www,westcoastgallery.co.nz.

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w – May 30, Fading to the sky, works by Steve Carr and Christian Lamont; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 8070.

– May 23, Wayward works, a solo exhibition by local illustrator Anna Crichton; Learning Centre Gallery, Te Uru, 420 Titirnagi Road.

Phone 817 8070.

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Event organisers:

Do you have an upcoming event you’d like listed in The Fringe? Send the details, including a contact person and number, to info@ fringemedia.co.nz.

Readers:

While we take care to ensure listings are correct, errors may occur. Check with the contact person wherever possible.

w – May 23, How should we talk to one another? Ana Iti (Te Rarawa) presents an exhibition that looks at the writing of Māori woman authors, and the journey of language learning; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 8070.

– May 30, Ka mua, ka muri, Shannon Te Ao explores experiences of time, history and song; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 8070

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march 26 – 27, Titirangi Festival of Music; for further details and all programme information, view the March Fringe online at www. fringemedia.co.nz/Archives.html or visit www.titirangifestival.com 27, The Thrum of the Tide, gallery concert with Kingsley Spargo; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road; 2pm; free. Phone 817 8070.

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w 28, Titirangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Titirangi War Memorial Hall; 10am-2pm. Contact Tess on tvm. manager@gmail.com or phone 022 631 9436.

28, West Auckland Historical Society presents a Field Trip to the TOROA, Auckland’s last steam ferry and a tour of the restoration work; Toroa Restoration Yard, 2 Selwood Road, Henderson; 1.30-3.00pm; Koha ($5) appreciated. To book, contact Fiona Drummond on 817 5445 or email: fdrummond61@gmail.com.

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30, Handel’s Messiah (abridged version) to be performed by the Messiah Choir in the West; St Michael's Anglican Church, 425 Great North Road, Henderson; 7.30pm; Entry free, retiring collection. Phone Pauline 813 5688.

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april 1, Community Easter Egg Hunt and colouring-in competition with Easter goodies from New World and free coffee from Rampant Coffee.

(Sponsored by Whau Local Board); Green Bay Community House, 1 Barron Drive, Green Bay; 3:30-4:30 pm. Phone 827 3300.

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4, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.

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7, A Mindful Choice, a documentary feature film (75 mins, M) about people who have found inner peace through meditation, often against incredible odds. Titirangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road; 7.30pm; Tickets $10 from eventfinda.co.nz and on door (cash only).

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9, West Auckland Men’s Rebus Club, guest speaker and morning tea; Friendship Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn; 10am-12noon.

Phone Laurie 820 2234.

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9, Ladies’ Probus Club, fellowship, fun, speakers, and a monthly day trip; St John’s Hall, Te Atatū South; 9.45am-Noon. Phone Betty 09 832 0484.

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The Fringe APRIL 2021

10, Titirangi Folk Music Club presents Cajynx, floor singers in the first half; Titirangi Beach Hall, bottom of Titirangi Beach Road; 8pm; $12, $8 for members, under 18 free. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.

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11, Woodlands Park School Brick Show in conjunction with the All Blocks Lego User Group. Hot & cold refreshments available; Woodlands Park School Hall, 202 Woodlands Park Road, Waima; 10am-4pm; Tickets from $5. Phone 817-5140 or email woodlandsparkpta@gmail. com.

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11, Hidden Stories of the West, West Auckland Heritage Conference 2021; Titirangi War Memorial Hall; 10am-3pm; $20, including lunch. Phone 813 9150.

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w 11, West Lynn Garden Family Day, butterfly hunt, tree trail challenge, origami, pavement chalk art, sausage sizzle, drinks, plants and colouring packs for sale; 73 Parker Ave New Lynn; 10am to 3pm; $3 per person, under 2 free. Phone 827 7045.

13, West Auckland Historical Society Family History Group meeting; Henderson Central Library West Auckland Research Centre; 10-11.30am. Phone Gary Snow 832 5098, 021 618 434 or email gary@ snofam.co.nz.

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14, Flicks presents a charity showing of The Pinkies Are Back (92 mins, PG). See page 15 for details; Titirangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road; 6pm and 8pm; Tickets $15/$12/$10 from eventfinda.co.nz and on door if not sold out. Bookings 0210 222 5558 All proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Foundation.

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and Olivia Colman, a beautifully-made and moving film, depicting dementia in its raw, brutal essence; Titirangi Theatre, Lopdell Hosue, 418 Titirangi Road; 10.30am, 6pm and 8.15pm; Tickets $15/$12/$10 from eventfinda.co.nz or text bookings to 0210 222 5558.

9, Flicks presents The Father (M), starring Anthony Hopkins

15, Waitakere Forest and Bird presents Extraordinary eels and enigmatic inanga by Kimberley D'Souza and Laura Torre, freshwater enthusiasts from Whitebait Connection; Kelston Community Centre, corner Awaroa and Great North Roads; 7.30pm; Koha appreciated.

Phone Liz 027 476 2732 or email lizanstey@hotmail.com.

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17, Autumn Clearout Market with plenty of second hand goodies. (Sponsored by Whau Local Board); Green Bay Community House, 1 Barron Drive, Green Bay; 1-4pm. To book a table contact gbcommunityhouse@gmail.com. Phone 827 3300.

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18, Litter pick up along the Whau – A guided walk, Riversdale Reserve to the Whau River and New Lynn for lunch; 10am-12pm.

Phone or text Justine 021 627 864 or email justine@whauriver.org.nz.

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19, Henderson Falls Combined Friendship Club – fun, friendship and fellowship with monthly speakers and frequent outings; Henderson Bowling Club, 2/20 Alderman Drive, Henderson; 10am-noon. Contact Fern 416 0004 or 027 472 0378.

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19 – 30, Titirangi Community House School Holiday Programme.

Email admin@titirangihouse.co.nz or visit www.titirangihouse.co.nz

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for more information. w 20, SeniorNet West Auckland, speaker, morning tea and chatting about computers; Kelston Community Centre; 10am. Phone June 021 179 3635.

23, Glen Eden Combined Probus Club welcomes retirees for morning tea and guest speakers; Ceramco Park Function Centre, 120 Glendale Road, Kaurilands; 9.45am. Phone Brian Holt 838 5857.

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w 23, Flicks presents The Real Dirt on Farmer John (82 mins PG), inspiring, instructive, humorous, dramatic and moving. This film will show with an award-winning short film Field of Fish (18 mins, DOP Robin Kewell); Titirangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road; 10.30am, 6pm and 8.15pm; Tickets $15/$12/$10 from eventfinda. co.nz and on door if not sold out. Bookings 0210 222 5558.

23, Titirangi Folk Music Club presents Friday Folk, an informal gathering of musicians and singers; Titirangi Beach Hall, bottom of Titirangi Beach Road; 8pm; $5. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.

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places to go

25, Titirangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Titirangi War Memorial Hall; 10am-2pm. Contact Tess on tvm.manager@gmail.com or phone 022 631 9436.

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27, Titirangi U3A – meet interesting people 60-years and older; West Lynn Garden, 73 Parker Avenue, New Lynn; 1pm. Contact 818 8890, 027 699 5480 or heathertanguay@slingshot.co.nz.

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28, West Auckland Historical Society presents New Zealand History in Schools: Graeme Ball, chair of the New Zealand History Teachers Association presents an update on the history curriculum for schools; Waitakere Gardens Meeting Room, 15 Sel Peacock Drive, Henderson, 7pm.

Phone 836 5917.

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28, Clothing Swap, in partnership with Sustinnoworx, a local social enterprise that promotes environmental sustainability; Green Bay Community House, 1 Barron Drive, Green Bay; 7pm -9pm; Entry gold coin koha and a sanitary item for 'One for her' Charity. Bring five items of clothing to be swapped to the Community centre by Tuesday April 13 and receive five tokens to swap for clothes on the 28th. Phone 827 3300.

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may May 1 – May 30, Creative Felt by Christine Robson; West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Thursday/Friday 11am-3pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-4pm; Phone 812 8029 www,westcoastgallery.co.nz.

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May 2, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.

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May 8, Titirangi Folk Music Club presents Butter Wouldn’t Melt, floor singers in the first half; Titirangi Beach Hall, bottom of Titirangi Beach Road; 8pm; $12, $8 for members, under 18 free. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.

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l WHERE IT’S AT: • Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount •

• • •

• •

Lebanon Lane, Henderson; 10am-4.30pm daily. 838 4455, www.ceac.org.nz.

EcoMatters Environment Trust, 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn; Wednesday – Sunday, 10am-2pm. 826 4276, info@ ecomatters.org.nz.

Flicks cinema, Titirangi Theatre, Lopdell House. 818 2489, www.flickscinema. weebly.com.

Kelston Community Centre, corner of Awaroa and Great North Roads, Kelston.

McCahon House Museum, 67 Otitori Bay Road, Titirangi; Wednesday – Sunday, 1-4pm, except public holidays.

817 6148, mccahon@mccahonhouse. org.nz.

Playhouse Theatre, 15 Glendale Road, Glen Eden. 818 5751.

Te Toi Uku – Clay Works, 8 Ambrico Place, New Lynn; Tuesday –Friday, 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-3pm. Phone 827 7349, www.portageceramicstrust. org.nz.

• Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, 420 Titirangi Road, Titirangi;

Tuesday – Sunday, 10am-4.30pm. 817 8087, info@teuru.org.nz.

• Titirangi Theatre, Titirangi Theatre, Lopdell House; Titirangi. 817 5812, infoline 817 5951, www.titirangitheatre. co.nz.

• Upstairs Gallery, Level 1, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road; Tuesday – Sunday, 10am-4pm, except public holidays. 817 4278, www.upstairs.org.nz.

• West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Thursday/Friday, 11am-3pm; Saturday/Sunday, 10am-4pm. 812 8029, www.westcoastgallery.co.nz.

Piha RSA presents:

There is so much happening in and around our community, including many weekly events, that we can’t fit everything into these listings. To find out more about whatever you are interested in, visit:

www.fringemedia.co.nz/ourplace

PIHA MEMORIAL RSA presents

Fundraisers for the Piha RSA’s new roof 3 Beach Valley Road, Piha Ph: 09 812 8138 / Mobile: 0277 170 963 piharsa@xtra.co.nz

Friday 16 April 2021

www.facebook.com/rsa.piha.9 rsapiha.co.nz/

6.30pm register for 7pm start $10 per person Register your team (4 – 6 people) with the bar staff or phone 027 717 0963

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The Fringe APRIL 2021

13

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN IN THE WEST...

24, Neighbours Day Working Bee: fence painting, installing a birdbath, and general gardening. (BYO tools, paint brushes, etc.) Morning tea, lunch and treats provided to all helpers; Green Bay Community House, 1 Barron Drive, Green Bay; 9am – 1pm. Phone 827 3300.

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bandstanding: music in the west with susannah bridges

Inventor, communications engineer ... and violinist

David Wardley playing the violin he made for himself: ‘the best-sounding violin I have ever owned’.

The man that hath no music in himself, nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; The motions of his spirit are dull as night, and his affections dark as Erebus. Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music. – William Shakespeare The quote comes courtesy of David Edward Wardley, violinist, theraminist, country musician and occasional mouth organist. “I can also get a tune on the piano, and I played the musical saw long ago”.

David is also a maker of musical instruments and Tesla coils, an electronics engineer, and a radio and telecommunications nut.

Born in England, a career in the RAF took priority over a musical path for David, even though he showed “outstanding” talent as a young violinist.

“About age 11, I ended up in The Northampton Grammar School orchestra where a teacher told my parents that I should take private violin lessons. The lessons were duly put in place with a Mrs Duncan and I well remember the first lesson, and more than anything I recall hating every moment of it. It was the one and only lesson I ever had. Hindsight is wonderful … I was given the chance – and ditched it!”

Around 18 years of RAF life followed. Starting out as an airframe fitter, electronics became more important with a shift in role to Air Signaller, eventually qualifying as an Air Electronics Operator.

Further study led to building his own transmitter and receiver. In 1966 he got an amateur call sign (GM3VDA) and with an aerial stretched across his married quarters garden he used Morse code to contact other amateurs.

In Singapore for 3 years from 1967, things ramped up a bit with the acquisition of a Yaesu FTDX 400 transceiver and a tall lattice tower made of teak (“teak was the cheapest timber I could find”) topped with a cubical

quad antenna. David could now talk to people worldwide. “We talked about the weather, who had died and who hadn’t, signal strengths and radio propagation.”

A decision to emigrate to New Zealand in 1970 landed him a job with Air New Zealand servicing VHF sets. Then it was to the Ministry of Works to service and install HF and VHF radios in vehicles and lighthouses.

“In 1974 I joined the Ministry of Transport Flight Operations as an aviation policeman taking law breaking aviators to court. In 1976 I joined Atlas Majestic Industries to design FM stereo receivers but no one could compete with imported Japanese-made receivers and I became Senior Telecommunications Officer with the Region One Auckland Fire Service, responsible to the Regional Commander for all radio and call out systems including control rooms in Auckland, North Shore, and Whangarei. We established much respect in designing, installing and maintaining call out equipment in about 100 Region One fire stations and over 400 vehicles.

Some of our systems were adopted nationally.”

Long since retired and now 85, David’s enthusiasm for inventing and making has never waned and he remains an active radio amateur building much of his own equipment. “I bounced signals off the moon with mostly home-made equipment, including a computer I built from a kit about 1979 that helped me to calculate where to aim my aerial. More recently Tesla coils have taken my fancy, and as the sunspot cycle improves I again work radio stations worldwide in the evening.”

As if that was not enough, let’s return to his music....

After that one awful lesson, David continued to play the violin. He joined the Waitematā Country Music Club in 1975 and “played and practised like there was no tomorrow. For many years I played in two bands – we earned some pocket money and made ‘the inevitable’ recording. Country music awards were entered and I really owe a vote of thanks to my wife whose support made it possible. She even made my fancy shirts.

“Country music awards are held all over New Zealand, and of the many I won or was placed in, the 1987 ACMA senior instrumental win in front of a full house at Auckland Town Hall was the most satisfying.

“After about 15 years with Waitematā CM Club band I joined the Pinnacle CM Club which met in Auckland city before moving to Avondale Community Centre. I played in their resident band for about 23 years.

Continued on page 15 >>

213 – 215 Woodlands Park Road, Titirangi, Auckland 0604 Phone: 09 817 8495 or 09 817 6188 www.kenturnermotors.co.nz

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The Fringe APRIL 2021

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places to go

Black Adder in Love

FLICKS cinema (Titirangi) will be showing the newly-released The Pinkies Are Back as a special fund raising event for Breast Cancer Research on Wednesday April 14. In this feature-length documentary the Pink Dragons are back to have a crack at the Auckland regional championships after doing well at the nationals. The Pink Dragons team is made up of breast cancer survivors who use the sport to exercise and find a feeling of community. Although the team has a few veterans, many have never so much as touched a paddle. This is a heart-warming and hilarious film. (“Oh my god, that was the most exhilarating performance ever! Maybe better than sex”– says one team member after a race.) Showing at Lopdell House Theatre; 6pm and 8pm; tickets $15 adult, $12 concessions from eventfinda. co.nz and on door if not sold out. Text bookings to 0210 222 5558. >> Inventor, communications Continued from page 14

engineer ... and violinist

“For nearly 40 years I played in a four piece band called The Country Accent. Our lead vocalists were country music award winners and we enjoyed repeat bookings everywhere.”

David says he rarely visits clubs these days. “After playing in bands for so long just watching is not too satisfying. The friendly Pinnacle CM Club and The Waitematā CM Club hold great memories and remain the best clubs I know of.”

Also a keen craftsman and inventor, David built his own violin.

“Hewitt’s fiddle shop in Auckland sold me the traditional wedges of spruce and maple, the purflin strips and willow pieces. For the neck I was sold an old maple piano leg which was just big enough to make a neck and scroll in one piece. I paid only $150 for nearly all the required wood, a ‘gift’ really! Cath at the Stringed Instrument Shop supplied the hide glue and lent me a taper reamer to properly make peg holes.

She might have thought I was mad. I couldn’t justify buying expensive specialist tools so I made my own.

“It is the best-sounding violin I have ever owned and the one I play most. It is unlikely I could make another as good and I am not going to try. It took just over two months, though I never realised how the imperfections would be magnified after varnishing!

“I also built theremins, lap steel guitars and flutes. The violin pickup I invented gained a US patent – 6,274,801, B1. dated August 14, 2001.

My Dad wrote and had music published, but I never did. My highlights in music are winning that senior instrumental in the Auckland Town Hall, and building my lovely violin.”

David hopes to be busking in Titirangi again soon – Covid permitting.

Look out for him there, and check out David’s musical and radio communication endeavours at http://www.zl1bjq.co.nz, http://www. zl1bjq.co.nz/myfiddle/ and http://www.zl1bjq.co.nz/tesla2/silentnight. m4v (Silent Night on a theremin).

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GLEN EDEN The Fringe APRIL 2021

15

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN IN THE WEST...

After a very quiet 2020, which saw all planned shows cancelled, Playhouse Theatre Incorporated is bursting back into life with a medley of three Black Adder episodes highlighting the misadventures in love of Edmund Black Adder.

Taken from the original scripts which have been revered by fans of great comedy for the past 38 years, Black Adder is still outrageous and still very, very silly.

The scripts feature a raft of comical characters including Baldrick, Lord Percy, Lord Flashheart, Kate/Bob and of course the witty, ruthless, unlucky-in-love Edmund Black Adder.

Directed by award winning Bob Lack, Black Adder in Love will be a night out that will make you laugh out loud, full of plans so cunning you could put a tail on them and call them a weasel, and twists and turns like a twisty turny thing.

When: April 17 – May 1 Where: The Playhouse Theatre, Glen Eden Bookings: http://www.playhousetheatreinc.com or from Eventfinda

our place

Still ‘waxing lyrical’ after more than 40 years Over 40 years ago, The Titirangi Poets group began life, as The Titirangi Poetry and Jazz Group. In June 1977, on a chill winter’s night, a small group of poetry and jazz enthusiasts gathered at the Titirangi Beach Hall for an evening of music and verse.

The jazz musicians included John Mackie (bass), Trevor Gascoigne (guitar), Billy Tuku (drums), Owen Spence (flute and saxophone) and Wilton Rodger (saxophone).

The poets who read that night included Diana Hibbert, Michael Morrissey, Denys Trussell, Tony Beyer, Bob Orr, David Stillaman and Ron Riddell, who also acted as MC.

The Titirangi Poets at their March meet up.

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The evening was a great success and after the closing of the hall doors, some of the musicians lingered on the foreshore of Titirangi Beach to serenade the moon, stars, trees and tide.

Thus began the monthly get-togethers of The Titirangi Poetry and Jazz Group. The meetings went from strength to strength, embracing a wider variety of poets and musicians as time passed. The group then changed its name to The Titirangi Poetry and Music Group, to include flamenco, classical and folk/blues musicians.

One local figure who soon emerged to take a leading role in the group was Mari Hunt. Mari took over the organisational work relating to the group when Ron Riddell lived overseas for a few years.

By the time he returned the group had become The Titirangi Poets, and its monthly sessions had moved to the Titirangi Community House, then in Rangiwai Road.

Mari was tireless in her efforts. In the period of almost 20 years leading the group, she also found the time to edit and publish some 20 volumes under the banner of The Titirangi Poets. She is one of the unsung heroes of New Zealand poetry, working quietly away in service of the community, with steadfast humility and devotion.

The group’s sessions at the Titirangi Community House took the form of a round-robin reading circle, with members of the group critiquing poems after they had been read.

Prominent in the 1980s was Kathleen Grattan, a particularly fine poet who lived in Green Bay. Donald Colebrook too, was a committed supporter of the group through the 1980s and 90s.

The last meeting of The Titirangi Poets that Mari Hunt

The Fringe APRIL 2021

convened was held at the beginning of 2000 and a group of members went on to form a new group called The Chevron Poets which met in central Auckland.

It took the return of Ron Riddell, after another absence, of more than 30 years this time, for monthly meetings of The Titirangi Poets to resume (based on the core group of Piers Davies, Will Leadbeater and Geoff Barlow), this time in the Titirangi Community Library.

A revival event, The Titirangi Poets – A Reawakening was held in mid 2013 and regular two-hour monthly meetings followed.

The meeting format then involved a guest poet followed by a guest musician and, after the refreshment break, a round robin session. This was subsequently modified further to include two guest poets, followed by the round robin, although a guest musician was still involved sometimes. This format is still used by the group.

In 2017, Ron published Forty Years of Titirangi Poets, an anthology of 51 poets’ work. Many well-known locals were included, including Kevin Ireland, Peter Bland, Murray Edmond, Bob Orr, Janet Charman and Riemke Ensing. New up-andcoming voices such as Caroline Masters, Robert Hoare and Shem Campbell were also included.

Ron emphasises that The Titirangi Poets has always strived to provide a friendly and supportive audience for both ‘established poets’ and ‘emerging voices.’

“In the first instance, our members were chiefly voices from West Auckland, the voices of ordinary working people; their hopes, aspirations, dreams, identities, lives,” says Ron. “They were, and still are, I hope, voices that reflect the beauty of nature, in particular the beauty of Titirangi and the Waitākeres in general.

“There has been a conscious effort to foster a kind and caring ‘poetic community,’ one that is based on conscious and considerate listening, as well as compassionate honesty. Positive feedback from visiting guest poets confirms that we are making progress in this direction,” says Ron. Active members now represent the whole spectrum of poetic endeavour: ballads, haiku, epics, nonsense verse, confessional ... the sky is the limit!

The Titirangi Poets warmly welcome poets of all ages to meet in the Titirangi Library on the second Saturday of the month, 2-4pm. For more information contact Piers Davies at piers@wwandd.co.nz and join the contact list. (A monthly email is sent out and there are also regular poetry ‘Ezines’.)

Exhibition Drive ‘haiku’ so much hanging by a thread - the world upended in a dew drop – Ron Riddell

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places to go

At the libraries

Titirangi Library is hosting two book launches in April.

The first is Stations of Exile by Ron Riddell to be launched on Saturday April 17, 2-3.30pm. This work has been many years in gestation and reflects many aspects of the author’s poetic travels. Ron is also a singersongwriter and he will be presenting some songs linked to or directly derived from poems in the book. Limited copies of the book will be available at the launch for $25 per copy (cash sales only).

On Tuesday April 20, 6.30-7.15pm, poet and hybrid writer Iona Winter (Waitaha/Pākehā) will launch Gaps in the Light with readings and performances of her work.

Her writing is inspired by her deep connection to land, place and whenua. Copies of her publications will be available for purchase on the night, cash only. See the library’s Facebook page for more details.

Due to Covid-19’s level 2 restrictions, the first monthly meeting of the new Titirangi Creatives group could not take place in March. It will now be on Friday April 9, 11am-12pm. All are welcome to bring along some of their work and introduce themselves.

Crafters for Charity will meet Tuesday April 27, 11am-12pm. The library has patterns and ideas for crafts and also has contacts with volunteer organisations who need donations.

Titirangi Library has a great line up of free, fun, family activities for the April school holidays.

Monday April 19, 10.00-11.00am: Lego Science – Lego and science collide in a brick building lava challenge.

Tuesday April 20, 10.00am: Wilbur’s Cosmic Cone – Book readings and art activities with author Alan D Parr and illustrator Anna Lee. Tuesday April 20, 2.00-3.00pm: Dancing with Grandparents – Grandparents are invited to bring along their grandkids for a special dance class, brought to you

by Time to Dance choreographer Sue Macrae.

Thursday April 22, 10.00-11.00am: Celebrate Earth Day – Make, paint, and decorate your own Earth Day pendants using air dry clay.

Friday April 23, 3.00-4.00pm: Grossology makeup workshop – Hands on tips and tricks for creating scars, cuts, stitches, and gore. Suitable for children aged 8 and over.

Tuesday April 27, 10.30-11.00am: Preschool Dance Party – A fun pre-school movement session.

Thursday April 29, 10.00-11.00am: Geronimo Stinky Cheese Adventure – Are you ready for sleuthing,

reporting, and cheese tasting? Join library staff for a Mousetastic event for all Geronimo Stilton fans.

Friday April 30, 9.30-10.00am: Wriggle and Rhyme – Relaxed, fun music and movement session for babies.

For more information about any of these events, don’t hesitate to contact the library on 817 0011.

Regular programmes at Glen Eden Library include Rhymetime (Thursdays, 10:30-11:00am) and Wriggle and Rhyme (Fridays, 11-11:30am) during school term, and Lego Club (Saturdays, 2.30-3.30pm).

The library is also offering an extensive programme of events through the school holidays, including: LEGO free play; Saturday April 17 and 24, 2.30pm Science with Robert; Monday April 19, 2.00pm ReCreators: Fashion revolution; Tuesday April 20, 10am Teddy bear’s storytime and sleep over; Wednesday April 21, 4.00pm Movie, popcorn and papercraft; Friday April 23 and 30, 2.30pm Venus fly trap papercraft; Tuesday April 27, 10.00am Family Kahoot battle; Wednesday April 28, 2.00pm ReCreators: Grossology – Brains, Blood & Poop; Thursday April 29, 10.00am Every Wednesday, 1-3pm, Whau Ace Adult and Community Education offer free support and advice at their Job Café in the Glen Eden library. The dropin session covers preparing a CV, career guidance, job search, online job applications, and cover letters. Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.

Glen Eden Library’s Book Chat group meets on Wednesday April 7, 10.30-11.30am, in the library’s meeting room. Everyone is welcome to attend and share what they’ve been reading.

Cat desexing campaign for eco-sensitive areas SPCA has joined with Auckland Council to launch a Snip ‘n’ Chip campaign, offering free desexing and microchipping to cat owners in selected eco-sensitive areas of Auckland.

Auckland cat owners living in these areas (the targeted postcodes are 0604, 0772, 0781, 0881, 0977, 0986 and 2022) are eligible for this scheme and do not need a community services card or gold card.

SPCA encourages all cat owners in the seven identified postcodes to take up this offer as vouchers are limited.

Contact SPCA New Lynn on 827 6094.

FRINGEADLTD.pdf 1 15/11/16 16:33

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sustainable solutions with fiona drummond

Titirangi to get its own ‘refillery’

“Refill Nation came out of our love of home, our West Auckland community and whānau, and a desire to eliminate wasteful packaging in Aotearoa,” says Jackson Mulligan. “We believe reducing waste should be achievable for everyone so we built a place to go waste-free shopping.”

Jackson’s latest venture is a new Refill Nation store in the Village’s Rise development, due to open this month.

Jackson believes that to truly drive change, refillable and reusable alternatives that are affordable for everyday shoppers are required. Over the two years that Refill Nation has been operating (in Te Atatu), the company has learned that community connection is one of its biggest business drivers and it is always open to feedback and suggestions – leading to initiatives such as milk swap, social cooking evenings, and new products like its peanut butter mill and kombucha refills.

“When Covid-19 hit in 2020, we had to adapt our business model,” says Jackson. “Fortunately, we were already operating an online store with click and collect and nationwide delivery. But we had to take it a step further and turn our Te Atatu store into a packing and distribution site. We learned a lot about online ordering processes, packing orders and working with our courier friends.”

Jackson is a West Auckland local and is deeply passionate about community. Having heard from many friends and family members that Titirangi is renowned for its strong community, there was a genuine excitement about joining the Titirangi tribe, and a strong desire to help spread the ‘refill lifestyle’.

“We think the Love Titirangi initiatives (replacing plastic bags with reusable ones, BYO takeaway containers and

The Titirangi Refill Nation store will feature innovations including Grind Your Own Coffee and DIY Peanut Butter.

the keep-a-cup concept) are fantastic, and any community which has a group of passionate people trying to reduce waste is a very lucky community indeed,” says Jackson The new store will stock most pantry staples, from flours, sugars, teas, and freshly roasted local coffee beans, to pet foods, kombucha, grind-your-own peanut butter, and eco cleaning products. “We also have a range of sustainable household products such as dishcloths, reusable cups, and refillable candles. One of our most popular initiatives is our fresh milk swap, where customers can return their empty glass bottles and take away a fresh bottle of milk,” says Jackson.

Pricing for refill products is competitive and the concept is also convenient. “If you look at our herbs and spices for example, the average refill cost is about 50% of a packaged product. The other beauty is that you can purchase as much or as little as you need.”

Snap, Send, Solve

Snap Send Solve is a new app, available online at https://www.snapsendsolve.com/ or as a free app on Google Play or the App Store, that offers an easy and efficient way to notify local councils, utilities or other authorities of issues that need addressing in our community. Problems such as graffiti, illegal parking, dumped rubbish, trip hazards or abandoned trolleys can be photographed and uploaded to inform the appropriate authority in just a few taps. Become a community legend and download Snap Send Solve today.

Plant problems?

weather by the moon Ken Ring’s predictions for April April is drier than normal, with average sunshine, warmer afternoons and cooler nights overall.

Only one or two days in each week are wet, heavy over a short period, followed by 4-5 days of dry skies. Wet days are around the 8th, 16th, and 23rd, meaning that the 11th, 18th, and 24th are expected to be clear. The first week, with winds averaging from the north may see slightly higher temperatures. The second week sees southwest winds, and the rest of the month may be southeasterly.

Atmospheric pressures may average 1017mbs.

For fishermen, the highest tides are around the 28th. The best fishing bite-times in the West are at noon on the 9th–12th, and 25th–27th. Chances are also good around dusk on the 2nd–5th and 17th–0th.

For gardeners, pruning is best between the 6th and 11th (waning moon descending), and sowing is best between the 20th and 26th (waxing moon ascending). For preserving and longer shelf-life, pick crops or flowers on the neap tide days of the 6th and 22nd.

Are your indoor or outdoor plants looking a bit sad? Kings Plant Barn would like to help. Visit https:// plantdoctor.co.nz/ with your questions and problems.

You can also upload a photo of the plant.

Kings is known for its sustainability initiatives, recycling paper, plastic film, cardboard and plant pots, the use of worm bins, and their Plan Bee campaign focused on educating the public on how to care for bees to ensure their survival.

Allow 24 hour error for all forecasting. For future weather for any date, visit www.predictweather.com. © Ken Ring 2021.

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walking west with mick andrew

The reopening of a Waitãkere gem It used to be regarded as the Waitākere Ranges’ best kept secret – a hidden gem, tucked away alongside the sparkling waters of the Manukau harbour near Whatipu. There’s certainly nothing secret about the Omanawanui Track now however, after it reopened in March following a two year period when it was closed for extensive upgrades.

Maybe it was because of the media attention about the reopening, or the fact that people have been craving a decent walk for so long, but on the Saturday we visited Whatipu in early March, there were more people on the track than I’d ever seen on a single Waitākere Walk.

When approaching from the Huia side, there’s a small car park along the side of the road where you can park to do the walk from east to west. However, the small bay was overflowing with parked cars so we drove down to Whatipu to start the walk from the other direction.

Taking about four hours return, it starts just before the path to the beach; an ascent up the hill after going through the newly installed kauri dieback station. The work that’s been done on the track is immediately clear: new gravel packed tightly onto jack mesh to prevent any movement of soil and the spread of kauri dieback.

From this direction the track climbs steeply for 30 minutes, passing a side track out to Wing Head, before winding up to the first summit with amazing views over the Manukau and down the southern coast toward Port Waikato. About 30 people stood on the summit, jostling for space to take in the view. To the west the Whatipu wetlands stretch out below like the Serengeti Plains, while far to the south we can just make out Mt Karioi near Raglan.

Pressing on, we begin descending the first bluff, following the gravel track, which is interrupted occasionally with rocky sections with the old chain ropes still remaining. Near the trough of the valley, the track changes into an extensive network of winding boardwalks and steps, complete with rope handles that give it the look of an amusement park attraction and

Omanawanui Track: ‘no amount of gravel, timber or concrete can ever improve on the natural beauty of a great bush walk’.

makes the walk much easier than it used to be.

We climb the next bluff for 30 minutes, eventually reaching the highest point of the track near the trig, which has been upgraded with a wide wooden platform, and press on toward the second half of the track; into another valley and then up into the bush and alongside the road.

Half-an-hour from the end, we turn around and head back along the track with its beautiful views, rather than along the gravel road. As we re-enter the boardwalk section of the track, you can’t but be impressed with the effort that’s gone into upgrading this walk.

However, I found myself asking if it was all really necessary to prevent kauri dieback. The new gravel and hygiene stations are obviously critical, and possibly the board walks. But the hundreds of metres of rope and timber posts seem like a superfluous addition that serves no purpose other than aesthetics. People can easily go under or over the rope to get off the track if they wish. And if it’s for safety, then the council should replace the old chain ropes as well.

While I’m all for creative designs and ‘enhanced’ experience, to spend more money on appearances at a time when the council’s budget is stretched seems like an irresponsible use of resources.

Most people will no doubt enjoy the new boardwalk design – even if it is just for the aesthetics. As for me, I’m of the opinion that no amount of gravel, timber or concrete can ever improve on the natural beauty of a great bush walk.

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naturally west with fiona drummond

Is Myrtle Rust in Your Backyard?

Myrtle rust as it presents on Eucalyptus. Photo courtesy of Department of Conservation.

Myrtle rust has now been found in the Waitākere Ranges at Karamatura, near Mount Donald McLean.

It has spread across the West, the wider Auckland area and elsewhere across the country wherever the climate is compatible with the disease.

Myrtle rust disease is a serious biosecurity threat.

It is caused by a fungus that spreads in the air. People can also move fungal spores around and introduce the disease to new hosts and areas where it may not independently arrive. Plants in the myrtaceae (myrtle) family are at risk from dieback and death. Notable members of this plant family include pōhutukawa, rātā, kānuka, mānuka/tea tree, ramarama, lilly pilly, feijoa, guava, willow myrtle, gum trees/eucalyptus and bottle brush.

Myrtle rust attacks new shoots, fruits and flowers, and can destroy the food relied on by some species of native birds, lizards and insects. There is the possibility that some of these tree species could become regionally extinct, and their loss could have serious flow-on effects to ecosystem services like erosion control and nutrient cycling.

The good news is that a trans-Tasman research collaboration announced last year has successfully completed a nearly complete genome for the fungus that causes myrtle rust. The genome is invaluable to researchers working to understand the process that this fungus uses to infect its host and cause disease. This will mean that specific control strategies can be developed.

To reduce the risk of spreading the disease, avoid brushing against infected trees. Use clean equipment and check it when you leave and return home. If you see yellow spores on your clothing, turn it inside out and store it in a plastic bag before washing it. Clean skin with soap and water to remove and kill spores. Wipe down

phones and other sensitive gear with alcohol-based products, such as hand-sanitisers or methylated spirits.

To see how the disease presents on a range of species, visit https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/549208Austropuccinia-psidii/browse_photos Information is urgently needed on the whereabouts, hosts, and intensity of this disease in New Zealand.

Reporting myrtle rust via the iNaturalist app provides valuable information to land managers and researchers.

Photos of disease symptoms and of the host should be sent to https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/myrtlerust-reporter where you can click on the ‘Observations’ link to post your images.

Identify your observation as ‘myrtle rust’ in the ‘what did you see’ field. The iNaturalist community will help confirm your observations. You can also add further information about the infection in the observation form in this project. Repeated observations are welcome – every report helps track changes in the disease.

You can take pictures using a smart phone within the app or use a camera and upload the images via the website later. Helpful images include: 1. Close-up images of symptoms (usually yellow powdery spores) 2. Images of the leaves, and any flowers or fruit if present 3. View of the plant(s) as a whole (if possible), to show the surrounding habitat/environment You can add healthy trees too. Make observations of myrtaceae when you see them as well, including images of 2 and 3 above.

For more information about myrtle rust, particularly as it relates to your own backyard visit https://www. myrtlerust.org.nz/about-myrtle-rust/ where there is information about what to do if you find myrtle rust.

There are videos that outline the options of either not treating and monitoring the affected trees or removing the diseased trees. The website also provides links showing how to remove infected myrtle plants and safely dispose of the waste (It may be useful to enlist an arborist should you choose to remove the trees.)

In order to “stand apart from the increasingly cluttered digital inboxes and social media feeds” that increasingly seem to plague our lives, businesses need to be seen in quality print publications with a proven reach.

The May issue of The Fringe is your ideal vehicle to reach an affluent and engaged market. Among the special features we are planning are Mothers Day, Winter warming options, and School open days. We will also be continuing to run our Keeping it Local section.

Editorial space and discount rates are available to advertisers in each of these features (conditions apply).

The booking deadline for advertising and editorial submissions in our May issue is April 16 12 with artwork due by April 20. Please get in touch as soon as possible.

Contact us at info@fringemedia.co.nz.

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The Fringe APRIL 2021

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WORST WEEDS WATCHLIST

Have you spotted these in your backyard? Pest plants have a real ecological impact when they jump the garden fence and smother our forests and streams. Keeping them at bay means that native plants and birds can flourish.

CLIMBING ASPARAGUS

MOTH PLANT

WILD GINGER

Smothers the forest floor and prevents growth of native plants. Climbing plant with small, thin leaves, white flowers and green berries that ripen to orange/ red. For small amounts, dig out tubers, rhizomes and seeds & rot in a water barrel or dispose in community weed bins. Try to remove before seeding occurs. Large infestations may require herbicide.

Strangles native plants and is a prolific seeder. Noxious woody vine with white sap and large green pods bearing up to 1000 seeds. Wear gloves when removing pods and dispose of in community weed bins. Pull out young plants at the root, or cut woody stumps and apply herbicide.

Avoid skin contact - sap is an irritant.

Quickly forms dense stands that prevents native plants from growing. Cut off seed heads and dispose at community weed bins. Green stems and leaves can be left to compost. If rhizomes can be removed without causing erosion, dig out and rot in water barrels or dispose in community weed bins. If leaving rhizomes in the ground, cut stems at base and paste immediately with herbicide.

WOOLLY NIGHTSHADE

JASMINE

TRADESCANTIA

Quickly forms dense stands that prevent native plants from growing. Small shrubs grow into large trees with furry grey/green leaves, purple flowers and green fruit turning yellow when ripe. Dig or pull out small plants or cut and paste large trees with herbicide. Remove seeds and dispose of in community weed bins.

Grows densely and smothers native plants on the ground and in the subcanopy.

Evergreen climber with tough stems, dark green leaves, red/pink flower buds and white, five-petalled flowers. Cut vines and leave upper stems to die in trees, alternatively dig out roots. Rot down in a water barrel or dispose in community weed bins.

Forms dense mats preventing native plants from growing, and will regrow from stem fragments. Rake up or pull out all pieces and compost in a weed bag, or dispose of in community weed bin.

For large infestations or more detailed information, visit https://pestsearch.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz To prevent the spread of kauri dieback, refrain from removing weeds from around the root zones of kauri.

Those who live in the Waitākere Ranges Local Board area can dispose of invasive weeds free of charge at the community weed bins: www.ecomatters.org.nz/weed-bins

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21

live @ the lounge

Lizard takes up paddock racing

Whitevan immediately let go all his vital fluids ...

Yeah gidday. Lizard here.

An old mate of mine, Arthur Poole (yes, should have got a full one) had let his back paddock go to seed. This was not because he was lazy or from lack of trying.

Old Arthur’s passion was that the secret to growing crops was in cross pollination. This passion, coupled to a powerful self belief, led to many very unfortunate and monumental failures.

For example, he crossed kale with turnip. Great in a salad or a broth, it said on the tin. He still has 400 cans.

His persimmon/cumquat/zucchini combo showed initial promise but the then Apple and Pear Board were very uncomfortable to get behind the promotion. They told poor old Arthur that it had flavour notes of leather and early market research indicated it had strange sexual undertones. So for years his paddock just grew wild flowers. Pretty but not money-making.

That was until Arthur Poole met Fangio Grabelli.

As you will recall, Fangio was the only Henderson-born left-hander to ever drive a home-built special in Formula One. Well, not actually on the track as it burnt to the ground while still on the trailer going over Mont Agel heading down to Monaco.

It was 1951, summer, and the Austin A40 wheel bearings on the transporter exploded from the heat.

The fire not only torched the car and trailer, but also Fangios right hand and the widow Mrs Giovanni’s sheets that were drying behind the hedge on the side of the road. By way of an apology, Fangio stayed with the widow Mrs Giovanni for two weeks. The passion for racing however, never died.

Fangio suggested to old Arthur, that they should join forces and hold a GrassKana in his back field.

“We’lla maka bloody fortune. Folksa willa comma fromma everyplace.”

Strange how Fangio kept his grandfather’s accent but had only left Henderson Valley the one time for a total of three weeks when he was already in his 30s and

spent two of those three weeks never leaving the widow Giovanni’s bedroom.

“What a good idea,” said Arthur.

That’s when I got involved.

Whitevan had been hassling me for ages to get rid of the gutless Novgorod diesel, some say Russia’s finest engine, and re-power him with something that had real grunt. I’d popped an early Cadillac V8 engine from a 60s Coupe deVille in the bottom of the linen cupboard knowing one day it would come in handy. Shaz had to give me a hand lugging it up the stairs because she was afraid I’d get grease and oil all over the sheets and pillowcases.

After a couple of weeks of sleepless nights, we’d got the engine in and it was time to fire up Whitevan and run a few practise laps around Arthur’s track.

“Taker abitta easy Lizard. Just getta the feel of the place.” Little did he know, Whitevan and me had once raced Waikaraka. Well, we didn’t realise it was a demolition derby until it was too late and were so scared, Whitevan immediately let go all his vital fluids.

We coasted to the infield and watched the rest of the race from there.

Back at Arthur’s paddock I gave the throttle a couple of pumps and sure enough, he fired right up. “‘She’s a sweet runner,” said Arthur.

Anyway, the first race is at the end of next month. So far, so good. Still plenty of time for fine tuning. I’ll let you know how we get on or maybe see you at Arthur and Fangio’s track-warming-BBQ on the last Sunday of this month.

As we paddock racers always say … Stay fast on the grass.

Later, Lizard.

Proud

to be a Westie T-shirts

Leave a gift to nature.

Bequests can be made to “Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc”. For more information on how to make a bequest contact: Fundraising Manager, Forest & Bird PO Box 631, Wellington Freephone: 0800 200 064

www.forestandbird.org.nz

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Now available from Corban Estate Arts Centre 426 Great North Rd, Henderson Ph 838 4455

It’s Our Place!

Community organisations, sports clubs, craft clubs and other non-commercial organisations are welcome to post their news and updates on The Fringe’s web site, FREE. Email your updates and information to info@fringemedia.co.nz See Our Place at www.fringemedia.co.nz

Opinions expressed in the The Fringe are solely those of the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by the publication or its publisher. Fringe Media Ltd is not responsible in any way for the contents of any advertisement, article, photograph or illustration contained in this publication.

While every reasonable care will be taken by the Editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. © Copyright 2021 by Fringe Media Ltd. All content in this issue is the property of Fringe Media Ltd and may not be reproduced in any way or form whatsoever without permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

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directory

The following advertisers support us and our community by making this publication possible. They deserve our gratitude and support.

EDUCATION & CHILDCARE

APPAREL ‘Proud to be a Westie’ t-shirts .........................22

AUTOMOTIVE

LEGAL & POLITICAL

ACG Sunderland, Open Day ............................ 9

Deborah Russell, MP for New Lynn ...................8

FOOD & WINE

Ken Turner Automotive and Auto Electrical ....14

Organics Out West .............................................6

BUILDING & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

SuperValue Supermarket, Titirangi ....................4

Drain Ranger ......................................................8

GARDENS & LANDSCAPE

Ray Percival & Son, painters and decorators ...23

Gordons Nurseries ...........................................23

Turners Drainage & Contracting ......................23

Stihl Shop .........................................................15

Watkins Plumbing Services ..............................23

Tree Culture .....................................................14

BUSINESS, FINANCE, INSURANCE

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Fringe Media, community publishing ..............18

Anne Maree Gardens, rest home ....................17

Itera, PC Repair ................................................23

Hunt & Gaunt Optometrists ............................23

Ready Press Print .............................................23 Waitakere Accounting & Tax Services..............23

COMMUNITY EcoMatters, Worst weeds watchlist ................21 Forest & Bird, bequests ...................................22 The Trusts: supporting the West .....................24

HOSPITALITY

THEATRE & ENTERTAINMENT EcoWest Festival ............................................. 3 Piha RSA, April fundraisers ........................... 13

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Eye examinations • Glaucoma Checks Contact Lenses & Solutions • On Site Repairs • Sunglasses Prescriptions • Drivers Licence Screening

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Waitakere Accounting & Tax Services

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Waitākere Ranges Local Board ........................11

Goodwood Firewood Supplies.........................19

West: 818 4683

WE DO IT ALL! • Virus Removal Phone (09) 212 6098

Thomas & Co, lawyers .......................................7

Axent Audio .....................................................10

sales@watkinsplumbing.co.nz www.watkinsplumbing.co.nz

Email: jackie@tax4you.co.nz

Presland & Co, barristers and solicitors...........17

HOUSE & HOME

For all your plumbing and drainage requirements – big or small – give us a call.

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Linda Cooper, Councillor for Waitākere .............6

A Beach House at Piha.....................................19

Watkins Plumbing Services Ltd

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Bill Korver, lawyer ............................................23

Ray Percival and Son

Painters & Decorators

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mobile: 021 436 900 • a/hrs: 814 9124 email: Rayperci@xtra.co.nz

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Property Lawyer For prompt and efficient advice...

• Conveyancing • Business Agreements • Subdivisions • Wills & Estates • Trusts • Public Works Land Compensation (16 years experience)

Contact Bill Korver LL.B.

Barrister & Solicitor

Ph: 816 8363 Fax: 816 8963

8 Judith Place, Green Bay Email: BillKorver@xtra.co.nz

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23

Gin

ESSENTIAL GUIDE Available at your local store now!

24

The Fringe APRIL 2021

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