out & about
The Leys Memorial Trophy returns to New Lynn It was back on March 20, 1929, that Mr W. Cecil Leys presented an imposing trophy made of sterling silver to the then Auckland Central District Boy Scouts’ Association and the ‘Leys Memorial Trophy’ was immediately put up for challenge. The original conditions laid down for the challenge (for a patrol of senior scouts) included camp craft, signalling, ambulance skills and lashing work. Over the years the competition has become the premier award for Venturer The winning New Lynn team included (L-R) Scouts (aged 14-18 years) Willow, Elijah & Samual. in the Auckland region. Members of the New Lynn Scout Group have always looked forward to this challenge and dominated the event throughout the 1990s but last held the trophy in 2004. The following years saw many tightly contested events with New Lynn being pipped at the line. However there was no doubt of the result this year with the New Lynn team amassing double the number of points of their closest rivals, over a two-day tramping event. The team worked their way through a number of bases which included a gear check, some outdoor first aid, fire lighting and putting up an old canvas tent blindfolded. Another important aspect of the competition was navigation; which saw the New Lynn team take a ‘slight detour’ for two hours after miscalculating which base they were at and bush-bashing their way up and down banks, over fallen trees and through rough gorse. They eventually emerged, albeit scratched
and muddied, and produced a much-awaited home-made Tiramisu that was commended by both judges and fellow competitors (and won the dessert competition). The New Lynn Sea Scout Group caters for boys and girls aged 5 to 19 years. So if you want a slice of the action on the water, or to go camping and explore the adventure playground that we have out West, ting Andrew on 027 6939 756 or check out www.newlynn.seascouts.org. nz for more details.
Op shop gets bigger and better The Glen Eden Hospice Shop is now bigger and brighter. Shoppers will be able to find even more pre-loved goodies and enjoy an enhanced shopping experience. Located on the corner of Captain Scott and West Coast Roads the shop’s staff and team of volunteers are looking forward to helping you. “As Glen Eden continues to grow, we want to make sure that our Hospice shop in Glen Eden also grows and is a wonderful experience for our shoppers,” says Barbara Williams, CEO of Hospice West Auckland. The money raised by the Hospice shop in Glen Eden directly supports Hospice West Auckland to provide end-of-life services for people in the greater West Auckland area – Westies helping Westies. The store is happy to receive donations of furniture, quality clothing, home wares and much more during the shop’s opening hours, 9am-5pm, seven days a week. For larger items, Hospice provides a free pick-up service. Call 0508 446 7742 to arrange collection.
The Watercare Treatment Plant consent
Watercare’s application to this particular site is going clear 3.5 hectares of native to attract some scrutiny in bush and to construct a the next few weeks and water treatment plant has months. been granted. There are The Panel also thought 171 conditions attached to that the provision of the application and I am compensation was vital to not aware of Watercare’s the result and said this: response to these. “Similarly, we consider But there is deep concern that the positive effects of about the decision among the WBMP compensation the various community The Waitākere Ranges Local Board Future West team are (left to package were an essential groups who fought the right) Mark Allen, Saffron Toms, Sandra Coney and Greg Presland. element of the success of application. Appeals are possible, perhaps inevitable. the application. Without that, there would be no The Panel relied heavily on the regional significance satisfactory means of counter-balancing residual of the treatment plant and said this: adverse effects and the application would likely fail.” “In weighing all the matters to be considered, we One aspect that will raise eyebrows is the Panel’s placed significant emphasis on the public good finding that the policies of the Auckland Unitary elements of the resilient infrastructure that is proposed Plan relating to kauri dieback disease require the for the benefit of the region as a whole. That benefit management of the risk of spreading the disease, rather was fundamental in our decision to grant consent than the avoidance as far as possible of the spread of to a finely balanced and challenging application. the disease. The site is at the head of a valley with some Without the public good element of this infrastructure, of the most significant stands or urban kauri left and any a proposal to clear 3.5ha of SEA would have no realistic spread of kauri dieback will be catastrophic. chance of success and would run Time will tell but I don’t think this into impenetrable barriers when is over yet by a long shot. assessed against the objectives – Greg Presland and policies of the AUP.” The treatment of alternatives to Advertisement
please support our advertisers – they support us
The Fringe AUGUST 2021
17
