The Fringe, November 2021

ISSUE 209, NOVEMBER 2021

COVID-19 vaccinations are now open for everyone 12 years and over They’re completely free and are one of the most powerful tools against COVID-19.

Play your part in protecting everyone in New Zealand and giving us more options in the future. Book your vaccination today.

community news, issues, arts, people, events BookMyVaccine.nz

0800 28 29 26 (8am – 8pm, 7 days a week)

contents

This too will pass: Let’s dance ...............................................................3 Kids of West Auckland are missing out .................................................4 Slip, sliding away ...................................................................................5

7

The thrill of the hunt ......................................................................... 6-7 Art and about with Naomi McCleary ...............................................8 – 9 Keeping it local; At the library; Charity funding shortfalls at record levels; The kauri dieback debate..........................................10 Creating together; Corban’s Summer School ......................................11 Places to go: Events listing ..........................................................12 – 13

11

Getting it right for everyone................................................................14 Bandstanding: Marlo Schorr-kon meets White Noise Mafia ...............18 The most British of motors ..................................................................19 Naturally West: Listen out for boomers ..............................................20 Sustainable solutions: See the light with LEDs ....................................21

19

Live @ the lounge; Weather by the moon ..........................................22 Advertisers’ Directory ..........................................................................23

On our cover: Greg Lokes’ photographs have attracted quite a following and

looking at this special tūī, it’s easy to see why. To see more images turn to pages 6 and 7.

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

It’s Our Place!

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

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 (www.fringemedia.co.nz), Email updates and information to info@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, Cynthia Smith.

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.

2

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

Advertising deadline for December/January: November 12.

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

This too will pass: Let’s dance

Titirangi local Willy says he’s going Accountant Chris says a little nuts in lockdown and can’t getting back to work has wait for some freedom again. “A helped her cope. “I was glad nice movie and coffee in a cafe to get back to the office. would be lovely.”

The work environment has And so say all of us in these tricky been such a release from Covid times. Collective anxiety is home but it’s been a bit high; some people are angry and of a Clayton’s freedom. I’m have lost patience with lockdowns; new to my neighbourhood and yes, it seems that many are so don’t have connections holding onto their emotions for nearby and it’s been hard. fear their tinder-dry, tense moods I’ve kept to routines – get will flare into bad temper tantrums. up, have a shower, get House painter Ron doesn’t hide dressed, have breakfast. his anxiety. “I’m anxious all the That helps.” time. Thank goodness for my Local contractor Jim says dog and the dog parks. I take the he’s learning to deal with dog out twice a day but I’m still each day as it comes. “Work anxious. Very.” isn’t everything. Being It’s worth remembering the Lynda Libeau: sharing the happiness that comes with flowers positive for my wife and phrase ‘this too shall pass’, often attributed to Suft Farid-al Din Attar of family seems to have created deeper, stronger relationships.

Nishapu, a 13th century Persian poet. And it was Saint Teresa of Avila “I don’t see myself as an alpha male but I feel I need to ‘man up’ for in Spain in the 1500s who cautioned that in bad, lonesome and difficult the family. Music is a great source of happiness for me and I’ve made a times we should never forget they will actually pass. lot of that happen around me, much more than usual.

Heather Tanguay is deeply involved in her community, has helped “ As I see it, a lot of people fear anxiety and that fear can make things develop food pantries and works with a range of groups including a lot worse. My wife suffers terribly with anxiety so I encourage her to chairing the Titirangi U3A group. Nothing seems to faze her, but this talk about it. She says sharing is helping, but it’s hard and I do feel for latest lockdown has rocked her. those living alone.”

“This is a much harder spell of lockdown than before. I don’t sense Like the Persian poet and Saint Teresa he says “this too will pass. the feeling of ‘getting together’ that we had last time. People are We’re working at looking positively ahead. Of course we don’t know frightened as they don’t know what is going to happen,” she says. what’s in the future but we know we will come through this.”

“I feel panic sometimes if I allow myself to think further than next For many locals it’s the simple things that have mattered the most. week. It is like a monster lurking around the corner waiting to pounce.

“Small acts of kindness, baking for neighbours, paying a cup of coffee Having said that, there’s also the feeling of achievement with simple forward from local cafés, buying a box of cookies for the person behind things like finishing a jigsaw, making a pot of lemon honey or planting you in the supermarket line,” says one. “Those little things can have some beans.” such a positive impact.”

Heather’s not alone. Gardening has been “a saviour” for many; the Lifestyle and residential villages offer their residents games, book simple joy of new growth and bright colours in gardens or pots. sessions, quizzes, musical and movie events. And there are hundreds Lynda Libeau at The Fairy Flower Shop in Titirangi thrills at the of other sources for entertainment or learning too on the Internet, happiness she sells – and gives – with her posies and bouquets. She’s whatever you are interested in. been in the Village for 25 years and says when she was allowed to But be aware of the danger of spending too much time online. It is re-open, there was a rush on posies. “Lots of people were buying for important to keep informed but manage how much you watch, read or themselves and their friends, sharing the happiness that comes with listen to things that make you feel anxious or distressed. flowers.

Social contact is crucial so keep in regular contact with people close “There’s a lovely man who comes in often, buying flowers and knick- to you by phone or online and try to have a laugh every day. The saying knacks worth perhaps up to $85. Then he buys more and gives them ‘laughter is the best medicine’ has never been more apt. away, often to a passer-by. We like to give too – it creates such joy.”

Continued on page 18 >>

You Shop We Deliver

Shopping delivered to your door

Titirangi Supermarket 429 Titirangi Rd, Auckland, 0604

Owned & Operated by Locals

please support our advertisers – they support us

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

3

our place

Kids of West Auckland missing out – local skatepark ‘not up to scratch’

Walk or drive along Portage Road to cost $2.6 million and it was all privatelySister Rene Shadbolt Park on the corner funded. of Kinross Street, and you’ll usually “Of course we’ll be talking to the find lively gatherings of young people local board and council. We’d like their having a great time scootering and blessing to use the land adjoining the skateboarding. current skatepark and work with them But many of those users and their on health and safety and construction families think the facility doesn’t meet to make it a successful outcome. We will international standards and doesn’t cater need a town planner, building consents to the needs of most users. and geotech input.”

Rather than moan about it they He says many locals are going to other have formed Westside Connection places as the current site does not Advocacy (WCA) and, with leadership provide what they need, or cater for all from Laingholm man Richard Smith, an ages. avid skater with more than 20 years Local businesswoman, Louise Tanguay, experience, they’re working together to New skatepark supporters with Louise Tanguay (centre), is on the Westside Connection Advocacy Richard Smith (white T-shirt) and Tanja Swanepoel (right). raise funds to make it happen. group, and has two boys who are keen Richard qualified as a landscape architect in 2002 and a couple scooter riders and also do a bit of skateboarding. of years later began to focus on 3D design of urban environments “It’s their local park but it’s pretty poor,” she says. “Having becoming a specialist in skate design and consultancy. Since then he’s somewhere safe to ride is incredibly important. It keeps them healthy designed more than 100 skate parks and facilities and checked out and out of trouble and parents know where they are. dozens more around the world.

“On a busy day, my boys have to wait their turn or get on the bus Now, through his company RICHLandscapes, he’s produced a 3D and go to the park in Orewa. That’s four buses to get somewhere for a conceptual design for Shadbolt Skatepark which he’s circulating to challenging ride.” achieve feedback from locals and users.

Tanja Swanepoel is also a member of WCA and runs Aroha Skate for 5 – 15 year olds, working with schools and communities to safely integrate skateboarding into schools.

“I feel passionate about this project. Skateboarding is so many things for different people – meeting friends, releasing stress and getting involved in a good sport,” she says.

“It’s a great lifestyle that’s clean and healthy and the positive mental health aspects are huge.”

Other members of the WCA include Richard James de Vera, Keith Duffy, Levi Hawkins, Nick Reading and Marcus Tollomache and they’re hoping the community will dig in its pockets, sell sausages and support any other fundraising activities that will go towards the costs of building consents and similar.

“We don’t want any money from the council,” Richard says. “We’re “With the recent inclusion of skateboarding in the Olympic Games applying to a range of funding sources and we are looking for angel as well as a decline in traditional sports, skateboarding, scootering and investors. We’ve done a preliminary estimate on a square-metre rate wheeled-play activities are growing exponentially with participation from an experienced national specialist that works out at $1.2 million. rates soaring,” says Richard.

“RICHLandscapes is providing detailed designs free of charge and “Our plan is to create something that will really support the area and the structural engineers are doing likewise. We want to get the best bring people in. The kids of West Auckland are really missing out. specialists in New Zealand, at the right price and best quality. The idea “We want a great solution for the whole community. We want to now is to discuss it with the community as this will be a real community make it happen.” effort and that’s how we want to drive it.”

More information: www.westsideconnection.co.nz.

FRINGEADLTD.pdf 1 15/11/16 16:33 Richard says a similar project he’s been involved with in Gisborne – Moira Kennedy

P R E S L A N D a n d C O LT D

BRANDING SIGNAGE

aphic gr

C

M

Y

WEB PRINT

B A R R I S T E R S E S T

&

S O L I C I T O R S

1 9 8 9

CM

MY

CY

0 9 8 1 8 1 071 m y l a w y e r . c o . n z

CMY

K

WWW.09DESIGN.CO.NZ 4

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

Presland and Co provide a variety of legal services including conveyancing, family law, criminal law, wills & estates.

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

our place

Slip, sliding away ...

Recent torrential rains resulted in 10 massive slips in the Waitakere Ranges and the repairs are estimated to take until March next year.

Auckland Transport says the priority for repairs is based on roads that are completely impassable and communities that are isolated.

“We’re chasing Whatipu first as the road is completely closed (except to residents) and we’ve got people way out there,” says Bernie Sheary, AT contract manager.

The main slip is pictured, right, and there is a secondary one on Mt Donald McLean. Despite the high priority it will be the end of February before the road opens, “and that’s a big ask,” Bernie adds.

Whatipu Lodge managers Ursel Koppelmann and Peter Riem have been forced to cancel all bookings and are left without any income.

They lease the lodge and camping grounds from Auckland Council and must remain on site for security reasons.

“Our options are very limited,” says Peter. “Aunty Jacinda gave us a handout to cover the rent, but we’re still in a waiting game now to see what Auckland Council comes up with by way of payment relief.”

Te Henga Road, Bethells is also a priority. There are also multiple slips on Mountain Road, Henderson Valley and in Piha. One lane of Lone Kauri Road, Karekare, also collapsed.

While all the slips are business as usual as far as repairs go, Bernie says they are complicated, with each having its own challenges.

Local Board member and Bethells resident Mark Allen says the largest slip on Te Henga

please support our advertisers – they support us

Road is still being surveyed and has access issues.

“The slip is still wet and moving, so more may come down. They can’t get trucks and trailers on site as there’s nowhere to turn around. Plus there’s the issue of where to put the spoil.”

The Bethells Road slip that closed the road was quickly repaired in the midst of a gale-force storm. “That was a big success story,” Mark adds.

“The community also pulled together to help one another.

Really good stuff.”

The Covid lockdown may also affect the timing of repairs, as construction materials are in short supply. “It might complicate things depending on what we determine is the best solution for a road, what materials we need and whether we can get them,” explains Bernie.

All 10 slips require resource consent, which normally takes up to a year, but because they are classed as emergency works, the repairs can go ahead sooner, with the consent retrospectively applied.

The ‘rough water’ estimate to fix all the slips is $4.6 million.

To get more information on your road repair, phone the AT call centre on 09 355 3553 and give the operator your slip location.

– Jade Reidy

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

5

in the picture

The thrill of the hunt

Greg Lokes didn’t set out to be a photographer but the art found him and he seems somewhat bemused that he’s attracting a local following for his work, particularly the shots he’s taking of birds from his home deck in the Waitākere Ranges.

Kererū (left), tūī, warou (swallows, right), pīwakawaka (fantails, below) and even the notoriously hard-tospot riroriro (grey warbler, bottom left) all seem to flit towards Greg’s lens and almost pose for him “We’re surrounded by bush so there’s lots of bird life and that gives me the chance to experiment,” he says before sharing he’s had no formal training in photography (“like zero”) and has “never been into birds, but I enjoy the hunt and capturing those that are hard to find.”

That’s led him to researching them, finding out what trees they like, their behaviours at different times of year and wondering just why they’re doing what they’re doing.

“I do like writing so I have fun doing some creative thinking around that, writing captions and giving the birds a bit of character. I do enjoy the hunt and only got the riroriro when I heard them early one morning. I leapt out of bed, put on my dressing gown, grabbed the camera and there the birds were near the deck.”

Greg says his journey to bird photography has been a long and gradual process. “I first picked up a camera given to me by

Linda Cooper Linda Cooper

Councillor for Waitākere Councillor for Waitākere Please feel free to

Please feel free to contact me with contact me with issuesissues or ideas or ideas

021 629 533

021 629 533 linda.cooper@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz linda.cooper@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

6

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

my brother in my mid-teens. He was managing a shop at the time and would bring different 35mm film cameras home and sometimes he’d let me have a go with them. I bought my own camera, an Olympus OM10, soon after.

“I really only dabbled a bit in photography then. It was back in the old 35mm film days. You’d buy film, take photos, get the film processed and hope that maybe half or a quarter of the photos were any good.”

Greg got married to Barbara, had children, got a mortgage and says he just became a point-and-shoot person. “It was an interest that nagged away at the back of my brain but our money was better spent on things other than cameras.”

In time, he and Barbara bought a classic Mercedes and joined a car club with a magazine and website. He thought the photos were shocking so put his hand up to help out and before long Greg had become the car club’s photographer. “Everyone expected it. I did it for quite a few years.

Anne Maree Gardens, Rest Home & Hospital Respite & Day Care, Specialist Hospital Dementia Care and Young Persons Disability Care

We believe that inclusiveness, enjoyment and fun, contribute to a resident’s holistic well-being.

Phone: Resina Rakai on (09) 828 3741 / 021 835 743 www.annemareeresthome.co.nz 24 Coronet Place, Avondale advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

in the picture

“It gave me confidence and I started to think I may have talent even. I was extremely nervous at the start but was getting good feedback. Practice make perfect.”

With family grown up, Greg and Barbara travelled in the UK and Europe by camper van in 2019, taking hundreds of pictures, and learning more about photography along the way. Then it was on to Africa and wildlife safaris in Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania.

“That was absolute bliss for me, and another step in my photography journey. The wildlife was just fantastic and I actually got a long lens then, the same lens I now use with the birds.”

Greg’s not into mountains of photographic gear and now only has two cameras and two lenses, “prepared for every event.

“The light in Africa is amazing while in New Zealand it’s quite harsh so you end up with lots of light and shadow so I’ve been learning about that. Digital cameras have so much in them and you have to work your way through them, but I have the will to learn and be experimental.

“I don’t like computers so don’t sit in front of them manipulating shots but try to do as much as I can in-camera and I don’t like fooling around with colours so try to keep it sharp and natural, maybe with a quirk.”

Greg’s not aiming to have a big photographic business but wants to keep up his love affair with bird life, local weather and his neighbourhood. You’ll find him on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Gregs-Eye 2180581698675099.

– Moira Kennedy

WestWards Community Voice

Efficient Roading Are raised pedestrian crossings necessary? Auckland Transport says elevating a marked pedestrian crossing makes walkers more visible to drivers and thus pedestrian safety is greatly improved.

This is undoubtedly the case where a crossing would otherwise be just the traditional big white lines on a road.

But when the interaction between pedestrians and vehicles is controlled by pedestrian buzzer and traffic lights, like the busy Titirangi/Great North Road intersection, raising the crossing offers virtually no increase in safety.

Moreover, it often introduces unwanted effects, something Auckland Transport is having to iron out in Glen Eden.

Without a pedestrian element a raised piece of road is called a ‘speed hump’, a traffic calming device to restrict traffic flows and reduce average speeds.

It’s important that pedestrians safely and I support crossings in busy areas controlled by

please support our advertisers – they support us

as I said they often add more problems than they remove.

Speed humps significantly increase fuel consumption as drivers brake on approach and accelerate away.

Moreover, speed humps have significant unwanted effects on surrounding residents, particularly on arterial routes with numerous heavy buses and trucks, something Auckland Transport knows well.

I accept that roads are not just about cars, but roads are also not equal, because circumstances often determine a road’s primary purpose.

Take for instance Atkinson Road which must accommodate lots of young pedestrians entering and exiting the two primary schools and Glen Eden Intermediate. This road is not all about pedestrians, but they are a primary consideration. On the other hand, the width and alignment of Titirangi Road makes it the sensible route for commuter and heavy vehicle traffic in and out of Titirangi, and the communities beyond.

I completely agree with Auckland Transport’s comment that “Roads are not all about cars”. But equally an efficiently operating roading system for ALL users is essential to having a liveable city.

– Ken Turner

Advertisement

can cross busy arterial roads

lights. But my support for speed humps is limited, because

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

7

art & about with naomi mccleary

Down the Covid Rabbit-hole!

I write this as Auckland continues into its Level 3 lockdown.

I’m weary of the carping and straight out viciousness of much of the media coverage; the assumption that they, the generalists who have the job of providing a conduit of information between the decision-makers and us, know more than our governors and scientists. (A brilliant exception here is Simon Wilson, whose Herald columns are a breath of sanity among the clatter).

What a frightening load our leaders carry as they try to balance our health against our livelihoods and judge our capability to withstand the psychological and emotional toll we are all experiencing.

Nowhere is this felt more keenly than in the arts sector. Just disappointment after disappointment as events get cancelled yet again.

Robin Kewell: Flicks has built up a loyal following.

Today I received an update from Robin Kewell of Titirangi Flicks. Those tentatively booked dates cancelled and a new set of hopes raised. Titirangi’s Flicks Cinema has built a loyal following over the last few years; comfy, intimate theatre and a constantly surprising range of great movies. We all hunger for it to be back with us. Make sure you are signed up to the email newsletters. https://flickscinema.weebly.com/ Going West was really smart to divide the festival into four monthly events – but not quite smart enough.

Caught up in our extended lockdown, a restructured and tightened series of live-streamed conversations took place over September and October. These had their own brilliance and intimacy. For the first ones I sat at my computer in my lockdown gear and with a bowl of hearty soup. Lovely! It felt so up close and immediate. These six sessions are still accessible on the

susannahbridges.co.nz

goingwestfest website and Youtube; everything from Charlotte Grimshaw talking about her bad girl days, Alison Jones on the unreliability of memory, gender issues explored in more than one medium, a new lens on speculative fiction and a very moving session on domestic violence. This last, facilitated by Carol Hirschfeld, around a new book, Her Say: Survivors of Domestic Abuse Tell Their Own Stories, is not for the faint-hearted. But it is incredibly important and I was awed by the sheer courage of the two women who faced the camera – and the incredible Jackie Clark – friend, fighter, infinitely available as she walks alongside these women. Compulsory viewing for everyone who gives a damn.

Going West November? Possibly a break to evaluate, design, find the next breakthrough. But the aforementioned sessions, and all last year’s podcasts from the archive, plus the newly commissioned poetry videos, are there for the taking. They are both a distraction and a life-line to a world of considered dialogue, ideas, the comfort and nostalgia of looking back and the beauty and challenge of looking forward. Keep tuned to the goingwestfest website. It’s food for the soul. https://www.goingwestfest.co.nz/

The beating heart of the Whau arts scene is set to get a fresh injection of energy following the appointment of Janet Lilo and Jody Yawa McMillan to a shared Whau arts broker role. Janet and Jody inherit a thriving community arts scene in which they have both been ideas generators and participants for many years.

They have everything that a community needs in this uncertain time; they are familiar faces and can tap into the deep store of knowledge that resides in the Whau community. They are an integral part of ‘Whau the People’, a grassroots, backyard arts connector and transformer. This is what we need; flexible, responsive communities dancing with what’s possible to keep life and colour alive – and kicking!

Here’s another clever intervention. Art Adventures are a series of lockdown-friendly, low-fuss, free art activities designed for young people at home. They take into account that there may be limited resources in low decile schools. Developed by the education team at Corban Estate Arts Centre (CEAC) in 2020 as a response to the Covid environment, they have been refreshed for 2021 to support teachers, students and parents

The Klipsch Fives The Most Versatile Powered Speakers on Earth.

Connect directly to your TV, Smartphone, Tablet, Turntable, CD player or PC

$1799

Embossed Lightboxes (porcelain and corian)

Unique and beautiful lighting for your home

8

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

Free Delivery Contactless Payment

AXENT AUDIO, 25 Portage Road, New Lynn. Ph 827 1220 advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

art & about with naomi mccleary

with online or school pack delivered instructions. Art Adventures have been promoted to school communities, and are hosted on the CEAC website for general use. https://ceac.org.nz/events/art-workshop/ceacadventures.

Feedback tells the team that these Art Adventures have been printed off at schools and distributed to students. In addition, photos of children and their creations pour in from proud and happy parents.

Knowing that our schools may not return to visit CEAC until Level 1, the education team has developed a series of online workshops that can be delivered via zoom to students at home, or Google Meet into classrooms. This is the sort of resourcefulness that will see us through and crack new directions.

The way we dress and address our bodies is an intrinsic part of our cultural makeup; very clear in Māori, Pacifica and multi-cultiural communities. Our Western traditions are less easy to define. My personal ‘thing’ is lipstick. It’s part of my fight against the greyness of aging, but is a signature across female (and male?) ages and styles.

Masks have put paid to that!

So now when some friend or stranger smiles at me, all I can do is smile secretly and crinkle up my eyes. So – I’m giving up lipstick for eye makeup. Earrings? Not so much unless they are big and bold. Neck pieces? Yes. Fashion will sure follow form here.

For big and bold, go no further than local artist Ronja Schipper. Ronja is a graphic designer, illustrator and compulsive maker of things. Re:purpose is her range of beautifully up-cycled jewellery pieces, hand-made in Laingholm from discarded bike inner tubes, cleaned, polished and enhanced. By re-using under-valued resources for creating her design pieces, she’s aiming to highlight the relationship with our at-risk environment.

Ronja is passionate about re-purposing discarded items and materials, and turning them into objects of desire. Her work has been in the limelight since her earrings became a favourite accessory of our Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

I am also noticing that all the ‘fashion and lifestyle’ publications (Viva, Sunday, Canvas) are ferociously

pushing sustainability: local design, transparent supply chains, natural fabrics, longevity of garments and furnishings. Covid has actually helped to entrench this movement; another case of desperation pushing innovation.

Jody (left) and Janet standing in front of a mural

by Atarangi Anderson.

I want to make a plea for us to search out the work of our artists and designers online and to buy work that touches your heart. But I’m aware that when I say that, it is to the privileged in our communities with disposable income. I also want to see, somewhere out there in our arts community, an up-cycle workshop. A place where people can go to revitalise and enhance used clothing; learn how to use sewing machines; be tutored by knitters, crocheters, pattern-makers. Let’s not stop there; community gardens and a cooking school where the diverse cultures of the West can demonstrate and spread the art of food and the intrinsic part it plays in our lives.

I started this column feeling tired and frustrated. I end it with a glimmer of hope and the firm belief that our shared arts and culture is where the energy resides to get us through.

It’s not easy being ‘Chonk’ I’ve been enjoying the spring birdlife this year. Riroriro (grey warblers) have been calling for months, and pīpīwharauroa (shining cuckoos) have followed them as ever. Kuaka (godwits) have flown all the way from Alaska to the Manukau and tūī are partying in the kōwhai. We are so lucky to have these beautiful birds in our backyards.

Sadly, not all of them do well. We found a kererū in our garden recently. It was hopping around the yard and not attempting to fly at all. I kept an eye on it for a few hours hoping that it would recover on its own, but late in the evening I saw it perched on our verandah and realised that it needed more help. We captured it and kept it safe in a cardboard box overnight then took it to Birdcare Aotearoa in Green Bay the next day.

Birdcare Aotearoa do a fantastic job looking after sick and hurt birds, and rescuing baby birds. It was formerly known as the NZ Bird Rescue Trust. They will care for any sick or injured native or wild birds, nursing them back to health and releasing them

please support our advertisers – they support us

carefully when they are well, or if they can’t recover, ending their lives painlessly.

Sadly the kererū we rescued couldn’t be cured.

It had a dislocated shoulder which was why it couldn’t fly. Even if Birdcare had been able to fix it, the bird would have been in constant pain. Chonk, the incurable kererū.

Although I was sad to learn that the kererū didn’t survive, I was very grateful to Birdcare Aotearoa for their help. They’re one of the many fantastic organisations in West Auckland working hard to look after our treasured birds and bush and native fauna. You can find out more about them at https://birdcareaotearoa.org.nz/.

– Deborah Russell, MP for New Lynn

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

9

keeping it local

The Fringe wants to help our businesses and community groups and makes space on these pages available for advertisers and non-commercial organisations, at no charge.

To be included in our next issue, email info@fringemedia. co.nz before November 12.

Are your drains ready for summer?

At the Library

The sun is shining, and although restrictions are still in place, we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. The organised among us have even done their Christmas shopping!

While we’re moving on with life, it’s a good idea to check on the effect of winter and lockdown on the health of your outdoor drain system.

The sound of DIYers going about their projects has been ringing in the air for the past few months and many homes are looking a million bucks better – but the disposal of fine debris, nails, caulking guns and cartridges or other small items is often overlooked.

Most commonly, they are swept to the side or left to the elements, to disperse over time. Spring rains increase the risk of this fine (and not so fine) debris going into drains. Chances are rubbish has already gone into your water collectors. Add the unavoidable tree leaves to the mix and you could be looking at a bleak picture.

At Alert Levels 2 and 3 you can book a consultation and drain clearing, not just as an emergency service but as part of property maintenance. All work is carried out using the required PPE and keeping the recommended distancing. And this year a ‘hydro-jett’ inspection could yield the best value yet.

Don’t let winter become a backflow emergency. Talk to the friendly local team at Drain Ranger (see their ad on page 23) to make sure your drains are looking as good as your latest home improvements.

Are you looking for ways to minimise your waste at home? Learn how to recycle right with the WasteWise Advisors in an online Waste 101 presentation, hosted by Titirangi Library. This presentation, on Friday November 5, 10-11am, covers the waste services provided by Auckland Council as well as the steps you can take to begin your waste minimisation journey. Follow the link on the Titirangi Community Library Facebook page.

The Libby app developed by Overdrive provides library members with over 2000 titles to explore online. You can read a huge range of quality New Zealand and international fiction and nonfiction on your favourite device, all for free. You could also try an eMagazine. All eMagazines are available right away – no need to put on hold. There are also no checkout limits so you can borrow as many eMagazines as you want!

And with another library app, Beamafilm, you can enjoy movie nights at your place. There’s a wide range of films and documentaries for you to stream for free and there’s sure to be something for everyone. Download the Beamafilm app or stream directly from their website.

For more details on how to unlock free online content or to get a library card and start enjoying the library’s digital collections today go to www. aucklandlibraries.govt.nz.

Charity funding shortfalls at record levels

Hundreds of charities and community groups are struggling to meet revenue shortfalls as the impact of Covid lockdown continues.

New funding data shows the need is greatest amongst charitable organisations which provide social services on the front line of Covid – with community support groups making up over half (52%) of those that have been allocated funding from The Trusts this month. Many of these groups require urgent financial support to cover operating overheads such as power, rent and insurance.

The Trusts’ initiative offers $1m in funding to charities and community organisations but has had applications for over six times the amount of available funds this year.

Local sporting organisations made up a fifth (21%) of those who will receive critical funding, with environmental initiatives accounting for a seventh (14%) of applications and cultural groups making up the remaining 13%.

A record 259 charitable organisations and groups applied to receive a share of the million-dollar fund, a 50% increase over any previous year in the fund’s history.

Allan Pollard, CEO of The Trusts, which established the Your West Support Fund, says that the volumes of funding applications is far in excess of what has been experienced before.

“The shortfall between what we can offer these organisations and what they have applied for is around $5.6m – with significantly more unmet need in the wider community.

“Our focus has been on helping our essential local groups meet their immediate day-to-day expenses so they can weather the ongoing impact of lockdowns in our region,” he says.

10

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

The kauri dieback debate The letter about kauri dieback, written by Bob Armitstead and published in the October edition of The Fringe, generated some interesting responses and excited a great deal of emotion and personal invective.

We do not have space to publish all the responses, although the language used in some rendered them unprintable anyway. We will, however, be following up many of the points raised and would like to thank everyone who took the time to write.

It is important to remember that we are all dependent on the scientific research produced by those qualified to do it.

The research cited by Bob Armitstead, suggests that 25% of kauri tested were indeed dying of kauri dieback and that we don’t know how this pathogen is spreading or why it has been killing so many trees on both public and private land over the last decade.

This should be a matter of grave concern.

The Fringe is always keen to feature differing viewpoints and having published Bob Armitstead’s letter, our first on this subject, we will consider featuring different viewpoints in the future.

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

art & about

Creating together

Clockwise from top left, Stephanie Nierstenhoefer (OOAK), Naomi Azoulay, Julz Packer (Beauty by Being) and Ronja Schipper (re:purpose) came together on Zoom during lockdown to discuss creative projects and support each other’s businesses. They call themselves Creatives Out West.

Coming from Germany, Israel and the UK the women have lived in Titirangi for many years and raised their children here. While chatting on Zoom they decided to collaborate and produce something as a group that would encompass their values of sustainability, creativity, and community, “an anchor to help us maintain a forward focus and stay motivated through the weeks ahead.”

The group has created a gift pack with locally designed and inspired goods, to help support each other as artists and inspire some love and community spirit.

The gift pack (left) is simply called From Titirangi with Love and includes a pair of beautiful up-‘bi’cycled feather earrings, handmade by upcycle designer Ronja, a sustainably sourced tea towel with a Titirangi themed print by mixed media designer Stephanie, a tote bag with original artwork by collage artist Naomi and a guided meditation recording to release fear and anxiety by healing speciaist Julz. Only 50 packs will be produced: pre-order yours by emailing hello@ooak.nz.

The group believes in supporting local talent, collaborating with other creatives, re-purposing existing resources and offering practical items for everyday use. If you are interested in joining the group, contact Stephanie at steph@ooak.nz. Everyone is welcome.

Meaningful Engagement:

Corban Estate Arts Centre’s Summer School 2022

Corban Estate Arts Centre’s adult arts-intensive workshop programme, Summer School 2022, offers a stimulating new line-up of hands-on creative workshops for adults, delivered by accomplished art practitioners from across Aotearoa. In 2022, the workshops aim to embrace and promote Te Ao Māori and interconnectedness, intuitiveness and exploration.

In 2022, participants can choose from Textiles – A Journey in Print Design with Katie Smith; Introduction to Carving with Wikuki Kingi and Tania Wolfgramm; Mamalu – Dignity with Rosanna Raymond; Inkslinging – Colour Woodcut with Faith McManus; The Lab with Jack Gray; and Hei Whāriki with Ruth Woodbury.

The carefully curated programme reflects a renewed and growing interest in tradition, slow crafts and process. From textile design through to raranga weaving, woodblock printing, traditional Māori carving, and exciting new performance-based and Indigenous methodology workshops, there are many potential creative directions in store for participants with ample opportunities to develop and hone existing skills.

In these hands-on and practical workshops, participants will not only be interacting with like-minded peers and field experts, they will also have the opportunity to take part in a number of additional activities which include a Tutor Exhibition and Farewell Function. Whether one is returning to their craft or taking up a new and innovative art form, Summer School 2022 is the ideal place for creativity and meaningful engagement, all while gaining a special insight into the diversity of practices that have developed at Corban Estate Arts Centre.

This space is being seen by up to 70,000 local residents. It could be yours for as little as $240 + GST, or 0.33 cents per reader.

Email info@fringemedia.co.nz or phone 817 8024 to find out more.

(For all our rates, download our media kit from http://www.fringemedia.co.nz/Rates.html.)

CORBAN ESTATE ARTS CENTRE

SUMMER SCHOOL 17 - 21 JANUARY 2022 Summer School 2022 offers an array of weeklong workshops with talented arts professionals, sharing their expertise and experience to support your creative learning and practice development. info@ceac.org.nz (09) 838 4455

please support our advertisers – they support us

ceac.org.nz The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

11

places to go

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

Please note: Many of the following events and gatherings may be rescheduled or cancelled in response to Covid alert level changes.

Others could be postponed or in recess over the summer months.

If in doubt please contact the organisers or venues to confirm event details. w – 21, Paintings by Mandy Patmore; West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Thursday/Friday 11am-3pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-4pm; Phone 09 812 8029, www.westcoastgallery.co.nz. w – 28, Marti Friedlander: Portaits of the artists, 80 novel and compelling images of creative New Zealanders from the 60s, 70s and later; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 8070.

Sena Park:

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 – 28, Annyeong. Recent Karekare Residency artist Sena Park presents a neon work in Te Uru’s street front window, based on the casual Korean word ‘hi’. Annyeong came from Park’s experiences in Mongolia when she participated in the 5th Land Art Mongolia Biennial in 2018; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 8070.

– December 5, Stars start falling. This exhibition puts Teuane Tibbo’s paintings from the 1960s and 1970s into conversation with work made by Ani O’Neill in 1999 and new commissions by Salome Tanuvasa, spanning more than fifty years of artistic practice; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 8070.

w

– December 12, Mercury in Retrograde, Iza Lozano, Zhu Ohmu, Maia McDonald and Te Ara Minhinnick present an exhibition of contemporary ceramics; Te Uru, 420 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 8070.

w

november 6, Music at the RSA: Josh Perotti; Piha Memorial RSA, 3 Beach Valley Road, Piha; 4pm. Phone 812 8138 or email piharsa@xtra.co.nz

w

w 7, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.

9, 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.

w

w 12, 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. w 12, 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. w 13, Music at the RSA: Gerry O’Neill; Piha Memorial RSA, 3 Beach Valley Road, Piha; 4pm. Phone 812 8138 or email piharsa@xtra.co.nz

w 13, Titirangi Folk Music Club presents Celtic Ferret, 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.

15, 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.

w

16, SeniorNet West Auckland, speaker, morning tea and chatting about computers; RSA Henderson, Poppy Restaurant, 66-70 Railside Avenue, Henderson; 10am. Phone June 021 179 3635.

w

20, Music at the RSA: DJ Saul & Guests; Piha Memorial RSA, 3 Beach Valley Road, Piha; 4pm. Phone 812 8138 or email piharsa@xtra. co.nz

w

21, Antiques, Collectables and Crafts Fair (proceeds go towards upkeep of Armanesco House); Blockhouse Bay Community Centre, 524 Blockhouse Bay Road; 9.30am-2pm; $2 entry fee. Phone 445 1227

w

26, Glen Eden Combined Probus Club: company and fellowship, interesting speakers, morning tea and monthly outings; Ceramco Park Function Centre, 120 Glendale Road, Kaurilands; 9.45am. Phone Brian Holt 838 5857.

w

26, 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.

w

27, Music at the RSA: Gerry O’Neill; Piha Memorial RSA, 3 Beach Valley Road, Piha; 4pm. Phone 812 8138 or email piharsa@xtra.co.nz

w

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.

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

HAPPY HOUR WEDS & THU RS 4 - 6pm

Come and have a say about what goes on in your Community House at our

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on

Thursday 25th November 2020, 6 – 8pm Subject to any Alert Level changes

500 South Titirangi Road, Titirangi Light refreshments provided For more details contact Denise or Bernie.

Phone 817 7448 or email admin@titirangihouse.co.nz

12

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

Book @

tobys.co.nz or Ph 09 242 1450

Yo u r L o c a l s i n c e 1 9 2 4 advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

places to go

• 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; Wednesday – 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.

Don’t Read This

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

l WHERE IT’S AT:

Gotcha ...

Just like you, tens of thousands of other West Aucklanders are reading this magazine. And many will come back and read it more than once ...

The fact is that people do read print publications.

More often than not, their search for a specific product or service starts with something that they have read somewhere.

And even if they do additional research and make their eventual purchase through some digital platform, their choice will still be shaped by what they have seen in print.

To have your promotional message read by a large, engaged and affluent readershi p, advertise in a publication that is read.

Contact The Fringe today.

Email info@fringemedia.co.nz

TITIRANGI THEATRE is proud to present

JACK and the GIANT KAURI TREE The Panto

Directed by Terry Rutledge Performance dates March 22nd to April 3rd LOPDELL HOUSE THEATRE

AUDITIONS Titirangi Theatre, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road SUNDAY, November 28th, 10am-4.30pm Contact 021 260 0807 for more information.

(Minimum age 12 years.)

Please bring the music for your prepared song.

A pianist will be present. please support our advertisers – they support us

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

13

keeping it local

Getting it right for everyone

Exceptional service for the community, an extensive range of skills and expertise and ‘more bodies on the ground’ are ongoing priorities for clients following the recent merger of Titirangi’s David J Brown & Associates and New Lynn legal firm Thomas & Co. The merger follows that in 2017 when Ray Ganda merged his practice, Titirangi Law Centre, with Thomas & Co. The three principals, Don Thomas, Ray Ganda and David Brown are all well-known throughout the community and among them have many years experience, plus the knowledge and skills of their combined team of 20. Don celebrated 50 years in New Lynn this year, Ray has been practising for 53 years and David for almost 50.

“We are a one-stop-shop for clients and now we offer our clients more people with more knowledge and extensive backgrounds,” says Don. Services include the full range of general legal practice. “With such a strong and highly competent team, we have the answer, and if we don’t have a specific answer, we know where to find it. One thing we don’t do is criminal,” he says.

While Don, David and Ray are considering gradually pulling back on their work loads, they agree the merger has created a tremendous opportunity for younger team members. “They have the skills and can seamlessly take over those senior roles.”

David has practiced in Titirangi Village for 37 years with a “small team of professionals. Our people are rocks and stalwarts and our five have been welcomed into the Thomas & Co fold.

“The resources already available through Thomas & Co combined with ours is outstanding, really wonderful,” he says.

“There’s no question our cultures and merging of skills and experience

is good for clients. Don and I have the same philosophy and approach – protecting people and property. Getting it right for everyone flows through everything.”

“We promote ourselves as an office, not individuals,” says Don. “While clients may have individual contact with someone they’re comfortable with, they also have access to a wide range of skills and competencies with our team approach.”

And what effect has Covid and its lockdowns had on clients?

“It’s business as usual. Been there and done that last year,” says Don. “For many years now our business has been done digitally, so it’s comparatively easy. We don’t have to pick up papers and take them from one place to another; likewise we can all work from home and access files wherever we’re working from.”

He cites clients connected with each other as far away as Hawkes Bay and Northland. “In normal circumstances they’d all meet at Thomas & Co’s New Lynn offices and it would be sorted quickly round the table.

With lockdown it’s taken a little longer being done remotely. But it can be done, no problem.”

There are no issues either with getting signatures for wills, powers of attorney or similar remotely. Protocols under Covid health regulations cover those, with a Thomas & Co lawyer able to witness such events via video.

“For us it’s everyday work, but for many of our clients their needs are experiences of a lifetime so we have to make sure we’re clear in what we’re doing and that they understand. We’re in the business of supporting people and we’re flexible,” says Don. David agrees. “People are at the heart of our business, that’s what it’s all about.”

“People are at the heart of our business.”

Merger of West Auckland Law Firms We are pleased to announce the merger of David J Brown & Associates (lawyers in Titirangi) with Thomas & Co Lawyers Limited (lawyers in New Lynn).

Thomas & Co already incorporates the practice of Ray Ganda (Titirangi Law Centre) from a merger in 2017. The original principals of the three practices, Ray, David and Don, have many years of experience working in West Auckland.

The David J Brown & Associates team – Paula Fletcher, Legal Executive, Jaimee KirbyBrown, Lawyer and Danielle Norrie, Lawyer - join the merged team to continue to assist all their existing clients as well as the clients of the merged practices. See the “Our Team” tab on the website for the whole team.

Our focus on service for our community and clients is behind the merger. The directors and staff of the combined practices can now offer an even wider range of skills and resources. This means we can meet your every legal requirement. There is always someone available with the necessary knowledge and experience to assist with any legal matters that might arise.

Give us a call, or come in and visit us. We welcome enquiries and are happy to answer any questions.

Details of our office location and on-site parking can be found under the “Contact” tab on our website. We have lift access and are also handy to the bus/train interchange. This means that visiting our office is easy and convenient.

Proudly supporting our local community INCORPORATING T I T I R A N G I L AW C E N T R E D AV I D J B R O W N & ASSOCIATES

TITIRANGI LAW CENTRE

14

The Fringe OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2021 2021

2nd Floor, 3 Totara Avenue, New Lynn (09) 827 5907 www.thomas.co.nz advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

please support our advertisers – they support us

The The Fringe FringeNOVEMBER OCTOBER 2021

15

16

The Fringe OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2021 2021

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

please support our advertisers – they support us

The The Fringe FringeNOVEMBER OCTOBER 2021

17

bandstanding: music in the west with susannah bridges

‘We are dying to get back out there’

Heavy alt-rock band White Noise Mafia have kept themselves busy in these crazy times by writing new material and rescheduling cancelled shows. “But we want to get out and play as soon as Covid permits!” Guest columnist MARLO SCHORR-KON caught up with the band.

The four members of White Noise Mafia come from far-flung locales, but it was lead guitarist and born-and-bred Glen Edenite Matt Holden who brought the band together.

“It was the initial forming of the band, and the local scene, that brought me to Auckland” says Chris (guitar and White Noise Mafia (l-r) are vocals). “I actually grew up most of my Holden and Matt Sansome. life in South Canterbury. Our drummer Neo’s from the Coromandel, Matt (Holden) and bass player Matt Sansome (yes two Matt’s) were here in Auckland. We all knew each other before joining but it was Matt H who put it all together and brought us here. So blame him!”

The band has a unique sound influenced by many different artists.

“We are all big fans of vastly different sounds, but to narrow down what helped create our sound, we take great inspiration from groups such as Linkin Park, Shihad and Slipknot, just to name a few.”

Matt Holden’s musical journey began when he was just four years old when his parents gave him “a crappy, cheap acoustic guitar” for Christmas. His older cousin picked it up and “started shredding like crazy.” Matt was “hooked on the idea of playing an instrument like that one day.”

White Noise Mafia formed in July 2020. Neo explains: “We all met as competitors in Smoke-free Rockquest. The two Matt’s were in Silvera, a metal band that came third in the final. Chris and I both competed in separate bands in the North Shore finals and ended up placing side by side in the top two spots.

“Basically, Matt Holden took it upon himself to put together a band full of people he knew were capable of playing, and here we are. It only took one practice at my house to gel and so began a year of unreal growth as a band.”

The band already has two songs out for the world to hear, The Divide and Let It End. “We’re happy about the feedback we’ve received on these songs, and will keep trying to do better and better things,” says Matt H.

Auckland-based music collective, The Human Kind, have released their second single and video for the year, Walk To The River.

“We all experience low times, things can feel rough and turbulent.

Instead of fighting the current, being able to remind ourselves that like the awa, the river, life is always moving, constantly changing and that these low times will pass is important,” says Chrissy Diamond, spokesperson for the group.

The vocals for the track are supplied by Debbie Toko-Stevens, with harmonies from Chrissy Diamond and Jason Slade. With its electro synths, and fluid bass of Mitch French, Walk to the River keeps swimming in the mind long after listening.

Listen at https://snd.click/THKW2tR or visit https://www.thehumankind.net/ to find out more.

18

The Fringe OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2021 2021

>> This

The band often follows the same songwriting process, as Chris explains.

“Matt (H) usually creates instrumental tracks that get passed to me to add vocals and give feedback, then the rest of the song is tuned in the practice room with the rest of the band. Most of the songs haven’t changed much at all from how they were in the practice room to how they were in the studio which is great because, with the singles, we were aiming for that live, aggressive sound.”

The band’s plans for a future album depend on Covid. At this point it doesn’t Neo Lee, Chris Webb, Matt look like anything will be recorded until Photo by Chontalle Musson. Auckland’s alert level changes as Neo still lives in Coromandel.

White Noise Mafia has had a presence in Auckland’s music scene and is getting to know fellow local bands. ”My favourite band in the local scene currently is Melanie: everyone should check out their album 42 Losers You won’t regret it,” says Matt H. “The favourite spots we’ve played so far are Ding Dong Lounge, Tuning Fork and Whammy Bar. But we really want to get out and play at venues all across New Zealand.”

Matt H is also kept busy as guitar tech for Alien Weaponry. “I’m not currently touring with them for family reasons, but I’m hoping to get back on the road as soon as possible.” Matt describes the job as busy and challenging. “My roles within Alien Weaponry’s crew include setting up/restringing the guitars and basses, mixing their in-ear monitoring, and setting up and micing the backline (guitar amps, bass amps, etc).”

White Noise Mafia’s progress as a band has been affected by Covid.

“This lockdown has caused quite a few gig cancellations,” says Matt H. “It has also made rehearsing impossible, but on a positive note it has given me a lot of time to work on lots of new music.”

The band’s plans include getting this new music out there, as well as making their live presence better known. “We’re wanting to get back into the studio soon, and back on stage as soon as this pesky deltavariant allows us to. We are dying to get back out there, bring people together and have some fun.”

You can follow and check out White Noise Mafia here https://www. facebook.com/WhiteNoiseMafia and look out for them playing live again just as soon as they can.

too will pass: Let’s dance Continued from page 3

Monica surprised herself walking past the shops in Green Bay. “I saw the reflection of a woman in a shop window and she appeared to have a poodle on her head.

Giggling into my mask I thought, ah well, it takes all sorts. But when I moved, she moved, and I realised Mrs Poodle Head was ME! “I actually wept with laughter as I’m so fussy about keeping my natural curls tidy and cute. It was the best laugh I’ve had in months and gee, it felt good. Now I’m wondering if any dog groomers will take the overflow of human customers when hairdressers and barbers open again. A poodle cut anyone?”

The late American writer Kurt Vonnegut was big on giving meaning and shape to his life. Even going out to buy a stamp gave him a buzz. “...I meet a lot of people. And see some great looking babies. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And I’ll ask a woman what kind of dog that is.

And, and I don’t know. The moral of the story is – we’re here on Earth to fart around.

“Computers will do us out of that. And what the computer people don’t realise, or they don’t care, is we’re dancing animals. We love to move around. And it’s like we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.”

So let’s dance. Sing. Laugh. And grow some pot plants on the deck.

– Moira Kennedy

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

dream machines

The most British of motors

Notwithstanding the fact that carbon-fuelled cars are becoming less popular due to their emissions and contribution to climate change, they remain a source of inspiration and fascination to many.

DAVID THIELE, ‘car guy’, introduces us to his dream machine: I got my driver’s licence on the very day I turned 15, in my mother’s burnt orange Mini Clubman.

It was 1100cc with a four speed all- synchro box.

Passed first go. Well I had been driving since I was 11 years old and was taught by my mother who, back in 1924, rode a clydesdale horse to and from school. Aah, the good old days when the local copper knew every family by name.

He overlooked unlicensed, sober, under-aged kids who had, yet again, been waiting to drive their dads safely home as they staggered out of the pub on the dot of six o’clock.

“Straight home laddies. You can pick up your Friday night fish and chips orders on your push bikes once you get the car home. Safe and sound now.” I recall it cost 40 cents to fill the Mini’s tank. How I loved the freedom in Mum’s Mini. Away from everyone. Going anywhere.

Over the next 50 years, I must have clocked up millions of miles.

Punching the gears on Bedford furniture trucks out of Dargaville or dropping Aussie diggers home safely from their nights on the pokies at the RSL clubs in an XB Falcon taxi-cab in Sydney. Cars became transportation. Roads, a battleground. Traffic, the enemy. I just wanted to get there!

And then I bought a Jag. A 1971 Jaguar XJ6 Series 1 finished in French blue with the aphrodisiac aroma of a full leather interior in dark blue.

Power steering. Four wheel disc brakes. Independent suspension.

Four coil over shocks in the rear.

Limited slip diff. Need I say more?

She glides down the road with effortless road-holding grace and always that wonderful sense of occasion. I go for a drive. No other reason than to go out. “I’m just off for a drive. Back later. Need anything while I’m out?” I catch her reflection in shop windows. A bit too Hollywood blue? A bit flamboyant with her white walled tyres? Retro? Stylish? Camp cool? All I know is I get a wonderful thrill every time I insert the key into the ignition and the side exiting exhaust howls into life. The shiny bits sparkle because it’s chrome over brass. Brass!

And then there’s the engine. Oh, what an engine. The heart of it all. An inline 6-cylinder, dual overhead camshaft engine produced between 1949 and 1992. At the end of WW11, the engine designers

William Haynes, Walter Hassam and Claude Bailey built this engine to have a ‘much higher than normal output’ but not need constant revision. It produced 265hp when a Morris Minor produced 19.25hp.

Vee-opposed valves operating hemispherical combustion chambers. Alloy heads to save 70lbs in weight. In 1949!

Under the watchful eye of the genius Jaguar founder, Sir William Lyons, this XK engine was in the XK120 (120mph). The XK150 (150mph). The C-type. The all-conquering D-type. And the E-type, voted the most beautiful car, ever, by Enzo Ferrari. It was later called the XJ engine and stroked out to 4.2 litres.

Of course, many Jaguar saloons had a detuned XJ6 race engine fitted including the 120mph getaway driver’s first choice, the 3.8 ltr MK2 Jag. My Jag’s engine was built by Dave Silcocks in Christchurch. It has D-type cams. Triple carbs. Tom Walkinshaw exhaust headers. I never take her to the 5500rpm red line because I’d be going 180mph but at 3500 rpm I’m howling down the Le Mans’ Mulsanne straight with Stirling Moss in my mirrors, braking before the bend as it sucks in a roar as only naturally-aspirated engines can, then easing on the power and glancing at the classic Smith gauges. Whew, 40lbs oil pressure.

Both tanks full.

I love driving this Jaguar. She is so well mannered. In 1971 she cost a mere $400 more than a vinyl bench-seated Holden with three on the tree. That same Holden is now over 50 grand? This Jaguar is under 20?

I guess Jaguars were always considered to have pretensions to gentility.

The most British of motors. Who does he think he is? What ever. It’s one hell of a waka. See you down the road.

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

please support our advertisers – they support us

The The Fringe FringeNOVEMBER OCTOBER 2021

19

naturally west with fiona drummond

Listen out for boomers – a national citizen science project

Matuku are a rarely seen occupant of our wetlands and will often adopt their infamous ‘freeze’ stance (below).

Photos by Imogen Warren.

John Sumich, a trustee of the Matuku Reserve Trust wants to find out where and when the “booms” of the male matuku are heard in spring and early summer.

“By taking part in this citizen science survey, and logging any calls you hear close to your local wetland on our website, you will be helping build a picture of this rarely seen species,” he says.

Over 90% of the wetlands that were here before European colonisation have been drained or filled, meaning that many wetland bird species have become extinct with the loss of their habitat and the presence of predators brought in by the colonists. A remaining icon of wetlands, and a sign of a healthy wetland is the matuku (Australasian Bittern). This bird is dependent on the presence of high quality and ecologically diverse habitats and rich food supplies.

The most important site for matuku nationally is the Whangamarino Wetland in the Waikato, but they can also be found in other wetlands in Northland, Waikato, the East Coast of the North Island, and the West Coast of the South Island.

Bethells/Te Henga has Auckland’s largest mainland wetland and the Matuku Link reserve adjacent to the wetland was named after this rare inhabitant. Although the Forest & Bird project, Habitat te Henga (initiated in 2015) has been successful in helping to change the status of pāteke (brown teal) from Nationally Endangered to Recovering, the status of matuku remains Nationally Critical.

Numbers may even be lower than estimated due to the bird’s mobility (some have a 140km flight range) and the possibility of repeat counting. In the breeding

season however, they have a more fixed locality and this is the time to determine populations at individual sites.

Bittern occasionally show themselves in the open along wetland edges, dykes, drains, flooded paddocks or roadsides, often adopting their infamous ‘freeze’ stance, with the bill pointing skyward, even when caught out in the open. They feed mainly on fish, including eels, but they also take spiders, insects, molluscs, worms, freshwater crayfish, frogs and lizards.

Matuku are important to Māori. They appear in legends, stories, early pictures and metaphors and there are numerous place names referring to them. It was thought the matuku boomed from loneliness and sorrow and that hearing its call could help people express grief.

A lament sung by a grieving person describes the singer as a matuku. They were also important for food and their feathers were used for ceremonial decoration.

From spring into early summer, male matuku advertise their presence to attract females and to deter potential rivals. Their deep boom is heard most often very early or in the late part of the day and can travel up to a kilometre in calm conditions.

The distinctive calls, often three – five in a sequence, may be the only time we become aware of matuku, as they are well-camouflaged and rarely seen. The booming indicates a breeding territory where, hopefully, the next generation of bittern will hatch and grow.

It’s easy to take part in the OK Boomer! Survey and add your bittern observations to the database.

• Record the time of day when you heard a boom • Make a note of the location (include GPS co-ordinates if possible) • Add more observations in the following days.

Encourage friends or locals who are close to a wetland to take part. The more information, the better.

The survey form can be found at https://matukulink. org.nz/ok-boomer/ and the bittern’s booming sound can be heard at https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/sites/all/files/ NIA%201343%20Australasian%20Bittern.mp3

Despite the recent disruptions The Fringe is building up to a bumper December/January issue.

(We don’t publish a separate magazine in January.) This issue is a great opportunity to promote your Christmas and holiday season specials and we will be giving advertisers the opportunity to present the gift ideas and products and services that our tens of thousands of local readers need. Editorial space and discount rates are available (conditions apply).

Have you ever thought you could be a good writer? The Fringe is always interested in hearing from those who have articles to share ... Feel free to get in touch.

The booking deadline for advertising and editorial submissions in our December/January issue is November 12 with artwork due by November 16.

Please get in touch as soon as possible.

Contact us at info@fringemedia.co.nz.

20

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

sustainable solutions with fiona drummond

See the Light with LEDs - Saving on Electricity and Emissions

As we have all been stuck at home for an extended period of time, we will have noticed an increase in our power bills over the last few months.

We have all been using more lighting, more flushing, more heating, more cooking and more computer time over this lockdown period. Even more so if you are a family with children.

Now that we're in daylight saving, we will have reduced our electricity usage with more outdoor and daylight hours at the end of the day but there are many other ways to save on electricity.

Small things like drawing curtains to keep your home warmer and switching your lights off when you're not using them will make savings, and it’s good to encourage those good habits in children. One day they will be faced with paying the power bill.

If you are not currently using energy efficient LEDs, think about switching to them, especially in the rooms you're using the most, such as your kitchen or lounge.

LEDs can cost a bit more upfront but they use up to 85% less electricity than traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs. This could save around $100 a year. LEDs will also last around 15 times longer.

And it’s not just about cost saving: if every New Zealand household installed LED lighting, we’d avoid 82,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year – the emissions of almost 34,000 petrol cars.

A small initial investment in LED lighting will not only save you money, it could also help save the planet.

LEDs come in many different types including standard light bulbs, spotlights, candles and recessed downlights.

You can choose dimmable or non-dimmable bulbs.

Some can change their light colour or brightness even without a dimmer switch. You can order LEDs online for click-and-collect or delivery from most hardware stores or supermarkets.

To choose the right LED bulb, consider: • The base: For standard bulbs, check if you need a bayonet or screw fitting. To replace halogen spotlights, check if you need a low-voltage (12 V) MR16 (also called GU5.3) bulb with two sharp pins, or a mains-voltage (240 V) GU10 bulb with two studs.

• Brightness: LED packaging shows light output in lumens, usually with the equivalent wattage of an incandescent bulb. Chances are the LED will actually appear brighter.

•

Colour: Warm white is more comfortable in homes while cool white works best where contrast is important, such as workshops, garages and the kitchen.

Other considerations: LEDs shouldn't be used in enclosed fixtures where the bulb is fully encased in plastic or glass, such as some porch lights.

LEDs need good ventilation for a long life – if they get too hot, they may fail.

For recessed downlights, it’s best to replace the whole fitting rather than just the bulb.

With LEDs costing a bit more to buy, keep your receipts in case you happen to buy a dud.

Reusable cups at lower Covid alert levels

We all need to try to offset the extra PPE waste generated under Covid and keep to our reusable habits as much as possible. It is too easy to let good habits slip at these times.

During the Covid alert level 3 in May 2020, the government confirmed that businesses can accept customers’ reusable cups and containers and/or operate reusable cup and container schemes under alert levels 2 and 3, provided food safety risks are managed.

There is however, an etiquette to be followed when using reusable cups or containers at hospitality outlets.

1. Not every outlet will allow reusables, their decisions should be respected.

2. When ordering your takeaway online, on an app or over the phone, let the outlet know you’ll be bringing your own cup or container or would like your order in a reusable one (if the outlet offers that option).

3. Your BYO reusables must be clean.

4. Sign in using the Covid tracer app.

5. When it is your turn in the queue, place your cup/container on the counter and hold onto your lid.

6. Wear a mask, stay outside and queue 2m away from others at all times.

7. Be patient and kind. Hospitality is having to adapt very quickly to operate under difficult and differing alert level requirements.

You can find the mug pictured above, as well as other humorous and topical reusable mugs at whatthemug.co.nz.

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

please support our advertisers – they support us

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

21

live @ the lounge

A god-given knack for not over-thinking things Yeah gidday. How are ya? Thought I’d take Whitevan for a wee tiki-tour round the coast and, if I kept my head down, maybe crash on the mattress in the back by a beach some place. Maybe for a few nights if I was in luck. My own private bubble.

“Where are you going Dad?” asked Junior.

“Not too sure son. The thing about destinations is you should never over-think them.”

“Your father's got a point there," piped up Shaz."He’s always had a god-given knack for not over-thinking things. Clearing the table. Taking out the empties. A career.” She winked and told me to be careful.

Speaking of careers, after getting into a bit of bother with the tax man, years ago, I’d given a random address in the Philippines capital city of Manila. All my correspondence since, has been sent there. Sorted. Off the grid. No Big Brother watching me, man.

[Little did Lizard know, but the tax demands went to a fishmonger in Carlos Palanca Sr. Street and were used to wrap tiger prawns and octopus.]

I’ve been letting Whitevan choose the road songs lately. As we headed out past the dam I was tapping my fingers on the steering wheel to some Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Ahhh. Whitevan sure loves his Western Swing.

We were approaching dusk when I pulled off the road just beyond Parau. I stepped out for a slash behind a bush when a man's voice said “Is that Julio Inglesias?”

“Yep. Sorry about that mate. I’ll turn it down. Whitevan often gets the ‘melancholy' around nightfall. If we keep our social distancing, would you fancy a bottle of me home-brew? It’s not too bad this time.”

When the stranger stepped a little closer, I saw he was a bit unusual looking. To say the least. For starters, he was wearing a long floral dress. Doc Martins (they're cool), but on top, a black cowboy shirt with a priest's collar. A rather filthy priest's collar if I’m being honest and I felt like being honest, him being a priest and all.

“Yep, I’d love a drop. Much appreciated.”

I knocked the caps off a couple of bottles and as we began what I’d planned to be a night of it, I casually said, “So, you’re a priest then? A man of the cloth?”

“Nope. I only became a priest to keep my father happy. A family tradition. Haven’t been near a church in 50 years. I’m what you

might call an active non-believer. I keep the collar on because it really helps me getting waved through those random police stops and the dress just seems to make sense. In a comfort sort of way.

Not in a ‘I wish I was wearing a bra’ sort of way.”

Fair enough I thought. I told him my name was Lizard and I sometimes deliver The Fringe. His was Peter. Pastor Peter. The wandering ex-priest. In fact, currently, Pastor Peter of Parau.”

I said to him,”Surely it’s a bit tricky being a pastor that doesn’t believe in God.” He replied, “Well Lizard. You’re a man that rubs shoulders with the power players of publishing.”

Blimey. I’d once shared a bottle of red with the editor of The Fringe but he didn’t really strike me as any kind of powerhouse.

More a like a happy hippy if I’m still being honest. Which I was because the pastor was still present.

“You’d appreciate this Lizard, being a scholar of literature, it all went astray when I read the new version of the Bible.” New version? I didn’t know there were a few versions.

“Oh yes indeedy, my big bellied generous friend. [A bit cheeky I thought. No need.] The latest one, or NEW one they call it, was unquestionably written long after Jesus’ death. It crossed my mind, if there was a man who could walk on water, help the lame to walk, drive demons from man to pig, create wine out of water and then walk around after being dead for three days – surely if there was such a man, or woman for that matter, wouldn't someone have bothered to write about all that that man had done?”

I’d once drunk two big bottles of Lion Red in under a minute and no mention of that in the papers I thought, but chose not to say.

“The gospel according to John was at least 100 years later. That’s rewriting history. It would be like you publishing that 'Māori stole their land from the Irish’, and historians saying, ‘well, we never would have guessed'. Go figure.”

I then cracked another couple of bottles and said, “So, I’m thinking you’re an anti-vaxxer then?” To this he replied “The only chance of ever finding out whether we ought not to have done what we were about to do is to do it.”

Not sure I understand that, or, anything he said over the next two weeks. Good company though. Clever fisherman.

Thanks everyone for not dobbing me in. Stay safe. Have fun.

Later, Lizard.

weather by the moon Ken Ring’s predictions for November November may be drier than average, with normal sunshine and below average temperatures.

The first week has the most sunshine, the second week looks the wettest with lowest atmospheric pressures, the third week may have highest pressures and lowest overnight temperatures, and the last week may have the least sunshine. The barometer should average about 1016mbs. Most rain may be around the 14th. The 20th/21st could be the best weekend for outdoor activities.

For fishermen, the highest tides are around the 6th. The best fishing bite-times in the West are around noon on the 2nd-5th and 17th-20th. Chances are also good for around dusk on the 10th-12th, and 25th-27th.

For gardeners, planting is best between the 6th-8th (waxing moon ascending), and pruning is best between the 20th-22nd (waning moon descending). For preserving and longer shelf-life, pick crops or flowers on neap tide days of 13th and 29th.

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

22

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

Reach 70,000+ readers... ...for as little as 0.005c each.*

Something to advertise?

Email info@fringemedia.co.nz *based on the discount rate for a classified display ad

Proud to be a Westie T-shirts

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

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers

directory

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

APPAREL

COMMUNITY

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

ART & CULTURE Corban Estate Arts Centre, Summer School ...... 11

HOUSE & HOME

Auckland Council................................................ 24

Axent Audio.......................................................... 8

The Trusts: Your West Support Fund ......... 15 – 17

Susannah Bridges, ceramics and lighting ............. 8

Titirangi Community House, AGM ..................... 12

FOOD & WINE

AUTOMOTIVE Ken Turner Automotive and Auto Electrical ...... 19

BUILDING & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Drain Ranger ...................................................... 23 Ray Percival & Son, painters and decorators ..... 23 Turners Drainage & Contracting......................... 23 Watkins Plumbing Services ................................ 23

BUSINESS, FINANCE, INSURANCE 09 Design ............................................................. 4 GSI Insurance ....................................................... 5 Itera, PC Repair .................................................. 23

LEGAL & POLITICAL Bill Korver, lawyer .............................................. 23

Super Value supermarket, Titirangi ..................... 3

Deborah Russell, MP for New Lynn.................... 21 Linda Cooper, Councillor for Waitākere ............... 6

GARDENS & LANDSCAPE Gordons Nurseries ............................................. 23 Stihl Shop ........................................................... 19 Tree Culture ....................................................... 21

Presland & Co, barristers and solicitors ............... 4 Thomas & Co, lawyers........................................ 14 WestWards ........................................................... 7

THEATRE & ENTERTAINMENT

HEALTH & WELLNESS Anne Maree Gardens, rest home ........................ 6 Hunt & Gaunt Optometrists............................... 23

Piha RSA: November Gig Guide ......................... 13 Titirangi Theatre, auditions ................................ 13

HOSPITALITY Tobys Restaurant & Bar ...................................... 12

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

Quality plants at reasonable prices Open 7days

ITera

Your Local Drain Repair Experts, We Offer Solutions For All Your Drainage Needs

021 709 783 hello@drainranger.co.nz www.drainranger.co.nz

‘your eyecare centre’

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

159a Scenic Drive, Titirangi 817 3498 --- 021 113 0987 www.gordonsnurseries.co.nz

Ray Percival and Son

Painters & Decorators

WE DO IT ALL! • Virus Removal Phone (09) 212 6098 • IT Networking 3/402 Titirangi Road, Titirangi (above the Titirangi Shop) • Business ITWine Support For a Free Quote: www.cnzitera.com/contact-us/ • iPad and iPhone Repair • Trade In and Recycle Program

WE DO IT ALL!

Phone (09) 212 6098 3/402 TITIRANGI ROAD, TITIRANGI (ABOVE THE TITIRANGI WINE SHOP)

For a Free Quote: www.cnzitera.com/contact-us/

Ph 817 4380 Fax 817 4383 MT EDEN 3 Walters Road Ph 630 3785 Fax 630 3746

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

All work guaranteed Free Quotes

mobile: 021 436 900 • a/hrs: 814 9124 PO Box 60526 Titirangi, Auckland

• Computer and laptop repair • Data Recovery • Virus Removal • Computer andITLaptop Repair • IT Networking • Business Support • iPhone, iPad and Mac Repair Trade In and Recycle Programme • Data• Recovery

TITIRANGI VILLAGE 517 South Titirangi Road

Specialists in all aspects of painting & decorating interior & exterior • domestic & commercial

email: Rayperci@xtra.co.nz

Hydro Jett & CCTV services available

PCREPAIR

Localone-stop one stopIT solution IT solution Local

West: 818 4683

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

please support our advertisers – they support us

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.

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

23

Environment rates getting to work in Waitākere, say Councillors

Upcycling project making digital waves for West Auckland youth

Auckland’s targeted Environment rates are making a difference to Waitākere, say Ward Councillors Linda Cooper and Shane Henderson.

Introduced in 2018, the targeted Natural Environment and Water Quality rates are funding projects, community organisations and infrastructure required to improve water quality and enhance the natural environment.

The Natural Environment rate will raise $311 million over 10 years and is currently funding projects such as control of feral goat and pigs in the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park as well as pest plant management.

It also funds community groups to help protect local ecosystems – such as Karekae Landcare and the South Titirangi Neighbourhood Network. With a significant amount of funding (36%) dedicated to Kauri dieback management, several tracks, such has the Cutty Grass Track, have been opened.

Councillor Cooper says that this work is invaluable. “Without the targeted rate, so many of these projects simply wouldn’t be happening. There is significant value in protecting the ecology of the Waitākere Ranges, and we know that the work that is being done to reduce pest plants, upgrading tracks to kauri safe standards, and controlling wild animal populations will make a positive difference.”

A group of fourteen students from Prospect School are creating a unique digital footprint, turning old and broken Chromebooks into working machines in West Auckland thanks to initial funding from Waitākere Ranges Local Board.

The year five and six students started the West Tech Project in 2021, which aims to bridge the digital inequality gap, providing opportunity for students and whānau to learn technical skills, and reducing waste going to landfill.

It has already turned 20 broken Chromebooks into 14 working machines and has been awarded a $200,000 contract to scale across West Auckland.

Fourteen students took part in the programme and kept the devices once they had been upcycled. The students are now mentoring a new student cohort to upcycle a collection of old Chromebooks.

Board support

Waitākere Ranges Local Board Chair, Saffron Toms was delighted to be able to support the project.

“We saw that there was a lot of potential in this project and that it definitely could be scaled up with the right support.

All it needed was funding which the board was happy to provide. It’s fantastic to see that the initial idea is turning into something that will make a huge difference for local young people.”

Janelle Saili Naiteitei, Andrew James and Tyrone Doran from the West Tech Project. (Photo taken before level 4 lockdown.)

Upgraded track in Waitākere Ranges.

The Water Quality rate, which will raise $452.4 million over 10 years, is funding the significant Central Interceptor project, which will reduce overflows into the Waitematā Harbour, but is also funding water quality programmes in Waitākere.

These include investigations at Te Henga / Bethells Lagoon, Huia and Fosters Bay, as well as Wood Bay, Titirangi Beach and Laingholm Beach. Several contaminant reduction projects are also underway, as well as septic tank and onsite wastewater inspection and maintenance regime to increase compliance in properties with onsite wastewater systems.

Councillor Henderson says that increasing compliance and regular testing are the keys to improving water quality.

“If we can reduce the amount of contaminated water entering our streams and lagoons, it follows that water quality will improve. Many projects, from educational pieces at schools through to increased compliance inspections, will help to improve the quality of our watercourses.

“Without doubt the rates are making a difference, and leading us toward a cleaner, greener more sustainable environment that we all want.”

24

The Fringe NOVEMBER 2021

West’s resiliency praised by Waitākere Ranges Local Board West Aucklanders are being praised for their resilience and can-do attitude, following one of the toughest months in memory.

Waitākere Ranges Local Board Chair, Saffron Toms has paid tribute to the Waitākere community following a combination of events that have put incredible strain on the community.

“Not only are we all having to deal with the impacts of lockdown, but the devastating storm in August that saw more than a months’ worth of rain hit in one evening, bringing widespread flooding and multiple slips across the ranges, rendering roads, paths and houses unusable,” she says.

“It’s certainly been a challenging period, and on behalf of the board I want to acknowledge the mahi and aroha shown by so many of you during this time. From helping during the storm damage to doing the hard yards in lockdown, this community has really come together, which has been so great to see,” she says.

Advertisement

advertise with the fringe & reach 70,000+ readers