Lizard News March 2022 by Lizard News

Lizard News MARCH 2022

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Container depot faces RMA process By Matthew Farrell developer hoping to gain consent for a supply chain depot in Te Puna to refurbish and store shipping containers has engaged a public relations agency to tell a positive story about the facility to sceptical locals. Campaigners who oppose the plans remain unconvinced. Some are mightily disappointed with a process that has seen Western Bay of Plenty District Council staff obliged to inform the investors of resource management issues, while residents are left waiting to find out if they will be publicly notified and have any formal opportunity to be heard. Te Puna Industrial spokesperson and ContainerCo managing director, Ken Harris, says the development site at 297 Te Puna Station Road would support the region’s fast-growing primary sector and exports in line with approvals set out in 2005. Seventeen years ago, the Environment Court approved a private plan change moving the zoning from rural to industrial to enable the creation of Te Puna Business Park. Provisions of the plan change process included the need for mitigation measures to ensure a lower level of impact and adverse environmental effects on the surrounding area. “All tenants including ContainerCo will comply with the consent requirements including noise, visual and landscape mitiga-

tion, building heights, stormwater and other environmental requirements,” Mr Harris says. Opponents held a public meeting at Māramatanga Park on Wednesday 9th February, attended by approximately 95 people including various District Councillors as observers. An organiser, Sarah Rice, says the Council has forwarded the developer all the correspondence that concerned residents had sent concerning the application. “This breach of privacy is now being investigated by the Privacy Commission. “The Container Co press release bears little resemblance to the minutes of the meeting they had with Council in March 2021, where they talked of container numbers averaging 15,000 per hectare and that the height limit of 9m was restrictive. “The developer ‘cherry picks’ snippets that suit them from the Environmental Court ruling of 2005 in which Judge Smith ruled for this to be a site ‘more similar to rural than industrial’, which should make a positive contribution to the surrounding community.” Sarah Rice says the public meeting raised concerns about scope creep, honesty, environmental and cultural impact, and a history of lack of compliance at the site. “At Heartlands meetings, at Kaimai Forums, at Regional Council, we stand together to protect Te Puna from becoming an industrial suburb of Tauranga. A new In-

Some locals feel the Council has already taken sides, but Council staff say they are obliged to follow a four-step statutory process when it comes to the RMA.

corporated Society is being set up in order to deal with any legal battles that ensue,” she says. Representatives of Pirirākau and Ngāti Taka both spoke in opposition, disputing that they have been consulted, and saying they would not give their blessing to consent. Ken Harris says the 15,000 number is exponentially wrong and possibly a decimal point error as containers stacked three high would amount to a few hundred per hectare.

“The best place to keep containers is as close as possible for exporters. We are in a shipping crisis at the moment, with all sorts of freight delays and pressure,” he says. The District Council’s manager for policy planning and regulatory services, Rachael Davie, says further comment is being sought on the application from other specialist agencies. She says the statutory Resource Management Act process is being followed, to determine whether the application should be publicly notified or not.

A resident, Alison Cowley, speaks at the public meeting. PHOTO: Supplied.

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So can someone help me by advising me and others which “avo’s/avos” is the correct one? Mike Hayden, Ōmokoroa

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I am confused, perplexed, discomposed. Every time I drive around the streets of our wonderful area I see signs showing “avo’s” and others stating “avos”. Now, which is it? Many decades ago when literacy was taught in schools, I learned areas such as spelling, punctuation and grammar, and while doing this I found out that funny little squiggle that looks like a mosquito larva floating after a word meant one of two things. It either showed that a letter had been missed out, such as “it’s” for “it is” as distinct from “its” as in “The dog wagged its tail”, or “you’re” short for “you are” as distinct from “your” as in “your car”. The other use is when it showed possession such as “The dog’s tail wagged” as distinct from “The dogs’ tails wagged.” I was shown that the apostrophe, as it is called, came after the noun to which it referred. It seems that some sign writers believe that an apostrophe needs to accompany every “s” even though it is irrelevant. However, “avo’s” stumps me. Is there a letter missed out? Should it imply that the word is short for “avo is”? Avo is what? A lovely, creamy fruit, we all know, but that is not written. Or is it the possessive form? Avo’s what? Avo’s thick skin? Avo’s creamy flesh? Again – unfinished sense. The real kicker was last week when I passed a truck with “avocado’s” written on the side. This is as silly as restaurant menus where the title for a food type is “pizza’s” but inside are listed various “pizzas”. The lack of consistency amazes me. Perhaps the writers don’t know but try to cover their bases by scattering apostrophes willy-nilly like autumn leaves in the wind.

In the middle of all the rain and mist at 6.30 am on Tuesday 8th February 2022, I woke up to a beautiful dawn. Eve Grimley, Ōmokoroa As you may have heard the Boat Club has been advertising for someone to take over the catering contract. Sadly, Steve and Louise are moving on to other things and have a well-earned break after nearly six years of wonderful service to the club. We advertised for new caterers for three months and narrowed it down to three potential candidates. The one that stood out to us was Victor Wilson. Victor currently works in the kitchen with Steve and Louise. Victor comes with a fantastic resumé, excellent references and great-looking menu ideas for the future. We feel that because he is already familiar with what the club requires and how it operates, as well as having a good rapport with the bar staff and committee, he will make it a smooth transition. Victor will start at the beginning of April 2022, and we look forward to what he will bring to the table. Steve Willoughby, OBC Commodore.

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Reserve closures

From time to time walking tracks and reserves may be closed to the public for various reasons. Right now the Waihī Beach trig trail is closed for logging operations, and Puketoki Reserve in Whakamārama is closed following Cyclone Dovi damage. Delays can also be expected on the Ōmokoroa to Tauranga cycleway at Plummers Point. Check Council’s recreation alerts page for current info.

and magazines if you’re not able to come and browse in the library. Check out their online catalogue and select the books that you’d like, or staff can choose a selection of books for you. Ōmokoroa Centre grants

Library click and collect

Applications are now open for grants from The Ōmokoroa Centre Trust. The closing date is 15th April. Call in to The Centre for a form, or these can be obtained by emailing omokoroa.centre@outlook.com

Western Bay Libraries have got you covered for all your reading needs. A new contactless click and collect book bundle service is available. It means you can still get books, audio-books

Enabling works continue on Wairoa Road and Minden Road, with service relocations and tree felling taking place

Northern Link works

until mid-March. When tree felling is taking place on Minden Road stop/stop traffic management will be in place, with minor delays expected. Correction

On the front page of our previous edition (Lizard News, February 2022) we featured an article about the new destination playground at Ōmokoroa Domain. This was information and a photograph provided to us by the District Council. The article stated that kaumātua from Pirirākau hapū led a blessing of the site in mid-December. Billy Borell has informed us that he jointly carried this out with a Rātana Church minister from Matakana Island, John Toma.

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Flexible SH2 barriers and a Katikati roundabout ajor works are progressing towards constructing a roundabout on State Highway 2 at the intersection of Rea Road and Tetley Road, near Katikati. The work will be carried out in stages and will take around four months to complete. Meanwhile, SH2 between Waihī and Ōmokoroa is set to install flexible median barriers and upgrades to six intersections between Tetley Road and Esdaile Road. Waka Kotahi, Director of Regional Relationships David Speirs, says most deaths and injuries can be avoided by making relatively simple yet effective changes to this section of road. “There are many reasons crashes happen, and we need a mix of solutions that all work together to keep people safe. We need everyone to make safe choices, in safe vehicles, on safe roads, and travel at safe speeds. “Work to improve this 40km corridor has been underway since 2019, including road and shoulder widening, installing a wide centreline, roadside safety barriers in high-risk areas, and intersection improvements. The safety of the road will now be boosted further with the addition of the new safety improvements, which are part of our Road to Zero strategy. “We know there is a lot to do across this stretch of SH2, and we cannot do it all at once. This rapidly growing region is undergoing significant investment, and it will take us time to implement all that is needed. “It is great to have confirmed funding

for this additional infrastructure that will undoubtedly save lives and build on the work being done along this corridor, and we know this is already making a difference to local people,” says Mr Speirs. “The reason the flexible median barrier is important along this stretch is that head-on crashes make up 32 per cent of the deaths and serious injuries on SH2. Flexible median barriers are the safest barrier if someone hits them. If something goes wrong, flexible barriers will catch the vehicle and prevent a crash into an on-coming vehicle, says Mr Speirs. “Our modelling tells us that installing flexible median barrier will reduce these sad and avoidable events by a massive 72 per cent,” he says. Before the end of February, people will start to see activity at the Rea Road/Tetley Road intersection, south of Katikati. A roundabout will be constructed here and is part of the original project scope. This will be a four-leg, 38m diameter with slow vehicle passing bays on the exits of SH2 north and south. “Constructing a roundabout on an operational highway is a challenging task. We will keep traffic moving, although there will be some inconvenience,” says Mr Speirs. As part of this work, a section of Tetley Road, including the SH2 intersection, will be closed between SH2 and Rereatukahia Pā Road for approximately eight weeks between mid-February and midApril 2022. People wanting to access Tetley Road during this time will detour through Marshall Road in Katikati. The

A diversion will be in place while works are undertaken at the Tetley Rd/SH2 intersection. IMAGE: Supplied.

route will be signposted, and additional travel time is estimated to be one to two minutes. A second roundabout at the Morton Road intersection is in the design stage, and construction is expected to begin mid-2022. The team is now working through programming for the remaining roundabouts at Sharp Road, Lockington/Matahui Roads, Apata Station Road and Esdaile/Pahoia Roads. The inclusion of a flexible median barrier was proposed early on as a safety enhancement to the current widening

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works and has undergone several stages of public consultation. “We have heard the underlying concern from residents around journey inconvenience, as well as feedback about how much safer they now feel because of the widening works. “A median barrier will mean people may not be able to make a right turn from their driveways or side road. Yes, this is inconvenient, although safety for everyone remains our priority,” says Mr Speirs.

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Angie’s aspect

Angie and Minister Wood at the Tākitimu North Link site. PHOTO: Supplied.

By Angie Warren-Clarke List MP Bay of Plenty

ne of my biggest priorities this year is the Resource Management Act Reform, in particular, the Natural and Built Environments Act. I’m excited about this work, which fundamentally supports our country’s safety and development while balancing the needs of our environment. To succeed, this needs to be supported by a transport network with the same goal. Waka Kotahi recently hosted Hon Michael Wood, Minister of Transport, and myself on a tour of the Tākitimu North Link site, which will increase transport options to support the area’s growing population. As one of Bay of Plenty’s most significant roading projects, Stage One of the Tākitimu North Link has received $655,000,000 funding through the New Zealand Upgrade Programme. What struck me most during this visit was how complex and comprehensive the planning has been. The level of technical skill on display was impressive and I can only imagine the time spent work-

ing through the details. The team talked us through some of this, from archaeologist plans to environmental protection around the 14-kilometre four-lane corridor which will connect Ōmokoroa with Tauranga. A Cultural Mitigation Plan and Protocols have been developed with support from Te Paerangi hapū representatives, focusing on key areas such as environmental initiatives and native planting and job and training opportunities. The governments’ recently announced new employment initiative to get local people into work on transport projects will further support such partnerships. Waka Kotahi is also supporting the Government’s Broader Outcomes initiative, which has seen the Tākitimu North Link project Stage One sub-contract a small hapū-owned welding business. More discussions around employment opportunities on this project will begin soon. Thanks to the over two million people who have had their booster. Let’s keep wearing our masks, washing our hands and scanning in. We are well placed to tackle what’s to come!

Fire risk across Bay he Bay of Plenty Fire District moved back to a restricted fire season on Tuesday 15th February. District Manager Jeff Maunder says although the District is no longer in a total fire ban, there is still a real fire risk so people must take care. “You will need a permit to light an outdoor fire. Please follow the conditions on your permit,” he says. “All permits that were suspended have been reinstated, and new permit requests will be processed as normal. To apply for your permit, go to www.checkitsalright.nz. “You should also check the fire danger on the day you want to light up,” Jeff Maunder says. “If the danger is high, or if it’s hot and windy, don’t light your fire even if you have a permit. It’s just too risky. In these conditions, it’s very easy for a fire to spread and get out of control. “Reduce your risk as much as possible - it takes just one spark. Have plenty of water available, wait until the morning or evenings when the humidity is higher and temperatures are cooler, and if possible undertake the activity on cleared bare ground.”

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Jeff thanks everyone for their vigilance so far this summer. “Let’s keep it up. Everyone can do their part to prevent a dangerous wildfire in the Bay of Plenty,” he says.

Interim intersection idea Western Bay District Council has proposed to central government a $40 million interim concept to improve the State Highway 2 Ōmokoroa intersection. Council says it sees the proposal as a 10-year solution, until funding is available to build a full interchange. If the concept suggested to the Kāinga Ora-managed Infrastructure Acceleration Fund gains approval, Council says it would work with Waka Kotahi the NZ Transport Agency to further develop the design intended to tackle safety and capacity issues. The outcome of this stage of the process is expected to be made public in April 2022.

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Dad wishes to be around for his son Kobie atikati man Roy Nugter just wants to be around for his eight-year-old son Kobie and wife Debbie. However, for that to happen, he needs the drug Keytruda, a drug that could poten-

Roy is a cancer battler, hoping to raise funds to have Keytruda, which is not funded by Pharmac.

tially cure him. Unfortunately, it is not funded under Pharmac’s rules. The 59-year-old was diagnosed with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma of the lungs three years ago. The doctors believe this cancer originated as skin cancer. His prognosis was six to 12 months without treatment or one to three years with treatment. He started chemotherapy in February 2019 and is still receiving chemotherapy which at this stage is keeping it stable. He’s still alive and the chemo has worked well, however, long term it is not going to keep working. Roy says, “my oncologist, Dr Richard North, said that there is a 33% chance Keytruda could cure me, 33% chance it will give me a lot longer to live and a 33% chance it will not work.” Keytruda is funded for certain skin cancers and melanoma. Roy wrote to the head of the DHB, Minister of Health and Prime Minister in the hope they would fund Keytruda for him, but unfortunately, the answer was “no”. Roy’s only option is to raise the money himself, which costs $120,000 for 10 treatments. Roy just wants to be around for Kobie to do all stuff dads do. He feels that it’s just not fair that Kobie may have to grow up without his dad because he can’t get Keytruda. “I want to get fixed and get back to work and support my family again.” Roy and his family don’t like asking for money, but like many others in our country being denied potentially life-saving medication, it is his only hope. At some point the chemo will no longer be effective, and/or cause Roy to be so unwell he can no longer receive it. When that hap-

pens, there are no other options for him, other than Keytruda. So he has started a Givealittle page called ‘For my son Kobie’. So far he has raised just over $30,000. Thanks to some amazing friends, he has some other fundraising initiatives in the pipeline as well. He is grateful for every cent that he has received so far and hopes to reach his goal in the near future. To make a donation, visit givealittle.co.nz/cause/for-my-son-kobie Article supplied. Roy just wants to be around to do stuff dads do and has set up a Givealittle page to help fund treatment. PHOTOS: Supplied.

Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade

By Ian Blunt Chief Fire Officer he “big blow” a fortnight ago caused widespread chaos with trees blocking roads and downing power lines. As with a lot of households in and around Ōmokoroa, the fire station was without power for almost 24 hours. While this did not cease the operational capability of the station, it made life a little difficult when a call came around midnight and the station was in darkness. However, a generator and lights on the station were cranked into gear and the station continued to operate. The crews attended seven storm-related incidents on the 13th. A van rolled

on Pahoia Road, the driver and only occupant suffering minor injuries. A caravan tipped over on Bruning’s corner at State Highway 2 causing some traffic problems; no injuries were reported. A small fire in the engine of a light truck at Gull caused a couple of anxious moments for those on the forecourt and was extinguished and made safe by Ōmokoroa firefighters. Alarms sounding at Ōmokoroa Point School woke the surrounding residents and turned out to be a false alarm. Another false alarm was responded to, this time the call was in another district. Our First Responders have been busy, responding 19 times since the February report.

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Crime and Incident Report

Giving of yourself

By Matthew Farrell mokoroa woman Sam Clark says the February 4th blood drive at the sports pavilion was so succesful, a second event is being planned for late May or early June. Sam contacted NZ Blood Service to ask about an Ōmokoroa drive as a broader way to support a good friend diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, former local mum-of-three Haley Nienow. “We’d been trying to do fundraisers for Haley but I thought we had to look wider too. A blood drive here is great for people who don’t always go to town often, whereas they can just walk into the pavilion. Sometimes you can feel helpless for a friend, but you can do more than make their dinner,” says Sam. Donor Relations Co-Ordinator Scott Pearce says it’s great the community came together and 36 units of blood were collected, which will help to save approximately 108 lives.

By Sgt Steve Hindmarsh and Snr Constable James Muir

Burglaries Unfortunately, the Minimart on McDonnell Street in Ōmokoroa has been the subject of two burglaries in recent weeks. During the first incident, a café worker disturbed the offenders who were believed to be in their teens and they ran off. The second burglary involved a stolen car from Tauranga. CCTV cameras are assisting with our inquiries. Shops in the wider Bay of Plenty have been targeted by offenders using stolen vehicles to ram and force entry to the buildings. The stolen vehicle of choice is the Mazda Demio, please ensure that if you are the owner of a Demio that it is locked and secured. Rural burglaries are still occurring particularly around the Whakamārama and Lund Road areas. On the morning of 13th February, an outboard motor was stolen from a property on Pats Lane, Whakamārama. The offenders were disturbed and left the motor nearby. We are following strong leads in relation to this matter. Look out for your neighbours, and if you see something, say something. Theft Rural letterboxes have been targeted around the Minden area, please report any suspicious vehicles. Remember: lock it or lose it.

Sam Clark giving blood on the day. PHOTO: Scott Pearce.

Arrests and Apprehensions On the evening of the 10th February, a magazine stand was thrown through a Real Estate office window in Katikati. A 16-year-old local youth has been spoken to and referred to the Youth Aid Section. Fraud An elderly Katikati woman was scammed out of over $3,000 from her bank account by a cold caller claiming to be from Amazon. They were

calling from an overseas number. The line of the scam was that the victim somehow owed Amazon some money and through careful manipulation, the scammer has convinced the woman to give enough details for him to be able to empty her account. There is little prospect of recovering the money. These confidence scammers are operating all of the time, cold calling people with various excuses. Surprisingly a lot of people are falling for the scams and losing thousands of dollars from their accounts over the phone. Never disclose any details of your personal bank accounts, internet accounts, passwords or PIN codes to anyone over the phone. Legitimate businesses will not ask for these details. It’s best to hang up. General Due to the wild winds recently we were very busy chasing up on reports of damage and trees down over various roads. Power was down in many places for over 48 hours. On the bright side, I guess there will be plenty of firewood available this winter. The new CCTV camera at the Ōmokoroa skatepark is up and running, so hopefully this will stop any anti-social behaviour. Please ensure every crime in the area is reported. We often receive inquiries about offending, but some is not being reported. The 105 number is for historic or minor matters and is an easy way to report crime or suspicious behaviour. Crime and incidents can also be reported online at www.police.govt.nz/adviceservices/all-online-options (or Google NZ Police Crime Reporting and it will take you where you need to go). Anything reported on the phone or online is viewed by the Katikati Police staff and appropriate action is taken where it can be. Call 111 for serious offending, or incidents that require more immediate police attention.

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In 7 weeks you’ll be Painting this Delicate Flower...

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value of time, it seems that most other classes run for 1-2 hours and for 8-10 weeks. We prefer that our students have time to settle in and so we make sure our classes are 3 hours, with refreshments, and run for 14 sessions so that students can really take time to explore their new found skills.

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It’s A Great Way To Meet New People. One of the fantastic things about the course is that you get to meet people who have the same interest as yourself. We’ve found that it doesn’t take long for people to bond as a group and in a short time, we have teams of new friends organising to either complete assignments together or have a social trip out to art galleries and such.

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Rents up $170 per week under Labour By Hon Scott Simpson MP for Coromandel

eople living in the Western Bay of Plenty are coming are under increasing pressure to afford rent, says Coromandel MP Scott Simpson. “The latest data shows that the median rent for houses in the Western Bay of Plenty District was $350 in October 2017 when Labour came to office and in December 2021 the median rent is now $520. This is a staggering increase of $170 per week under Labour, which means people are paying $8840 extra per year just for housing. “We have a shortage of houses to rent or purchase in the Western Bay of Plenty and Labour’s failure to fix the housing crisis is making the situation worse. “Whether it was increasing the brightline test or removing interest deductibility, Labour have stumbled from one

knee-jerk policy to another. At each step, they were warned that landlords would have no option but to pass on the costs to their tenants. Labour arrogantly went ahead anyway and now New Zealand renters are paying the price. “Many Kiwis are already struggling to keep up with increasing costs at the supermarket and the petrol station, let alone the skyrocketing rents. “The Western Bay of Plenty is a region with huge growth potential and increasingly people are seeing it as a great place to live. National has sensible solutions to the housing crisis, such as reducing compliance costs that drive up the price of new housing and fixing the Consumer Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act which has cut access to bank lending. We are determined that New Zealand can once again be a place where hardworking, aspirational, everyday people can see a path to homeownership.”

Predators wreaking havoc his is a female dotterel and the parent of three dead chicks who had been killed by predators. She was killed a day or so after this photo was

taken. We suspect a cat again as one of our group managed to capture a cat hanging around the nest with a trail camera. The hard part about this is that dotterels mate for life and can breed for up to 30 years. Every time a bird dies it can take a very long time for the loss to be made up. One of the dotterel groups has had one successful chick fledging in eleven seasons. There are roughly 2500 birds left. Words and Photos by By Stuart Attwood, Waihī Beach Environment Group.

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A sea of colour

By Anne Morriss Deputy Principal Junior School atikati Primary School was a mass of colour on Friday 25th February. Thanks to Classic Builders, every child in the school was presented with a t-shirt in their house colour to keep. This is to support the promotion of our school values of Excellence, Respect, Integrity, Citizenship and Attitude.

The houses at Katikati school are Gledstanes, Mulgan, Macmillan, and Stewart, with each logo on the t-shirt having a background story linked to some of the early settlers in Katikati. The children were delighted with their t-shirts which they will wear with pride each Friday, and the range of special house events organised throughout the year.

Scott says

By Hon Scott Simpson MP for Coromandel he stark reality that inflation is now at a 30 year high will come as a serious wake-up call to most people. High inflation is remembered by many of us who lived through the 1980s as an economic curse. It’s a thief living in people’s pockets. It reduces savings and incomes, it hurts those on low and medium incomes most, it means the cost of living goes up day by day and that wages can’t keep up with it. Sadly, the remedy brings only more financial pain for those who can least afford it. The remedy is that the Reserve Bank puts up interest rates in an attempt to slow demand and that means people with mortgages end up paying a lot more interest on their loans. Higher interest rates mean less disposable income and that leads to a slowing down of spending which means a slower economy. Petrol prices, grocery prices and the day to day cost of living are all going up at rates not seen for more than 30 years. Now, some of the factors contributing to inflationary spikes are out of our con-

Students in rooms 1 and 2 showing off their new t-shirts. PHOTO: Supplied.

Year 5 and 6 group.

trol, but it certainly hasn’t helped that the Government has been loose with its spending. When governments talk about ‘free’ this and ‘free’ that, what they really mean is taxpayer-funded. We’ve been asked to foot the bill for pet projects, which will have little to no benefit to everyday New Zealanders. It’s time that they showed some restraint and made much better decisions about how hardearned taxpayer dollars are invested. It’s going to take the sensible and practical approach of a National-led government to sort out the mess Labour has created. As we look beyond Omicron and Covid, more and more New Zealanders are asking questions about Labour’s failure to deliver on the big issues facing us as a nation. It’s a question they are asking every time they fill their petrol tanks or buy groceries. Sadly, inflation is likely to go even higher this year. Please never hesitate to be in touch. If you have any issue you wish to discuss with me, don’t hesitate to call 0800 550 330 or email mpcoromandel@ parliament.govt.nz

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| Lizard News | March 2022

lizardnews.net the stream, is in fact pre-load where one of the village roads crosses the stream. These will be removed after a while. At the same time, the earthworks contractor RZG is creating the pads on which the homes will be built. Karaka Pines Villages tell us that sales interest is such that they are taking no more registrations of interest in stage 1 of the village. By Gabriella Fraser Waihī Beach is a colourful and vibrant village with a great caring community with an emphasis on the future, which can be felt and seen throughout. One of our cafes gives us a sense we have travelled somewhere exotic, and its eclectic vibe and great coffee treat us to a feeling of leaving home.

Retirement Village Our older population will have new accommodation options at Karaka Pines retirement village. The earthworks are now well underway for the new 96-unit village. The first 19 homes should be completed in the first half of 2023, and

the whole village should be completed in four to five years. The earthworks that can be seen now are creating the detention ponds that run down the nor-eastern stream bordering the village. These ponds will normally be dry but are designed to hold the water from a one-in-100-year storm. A small pipe in each pond allows the water to slowly drain so that the intent is to reduce the effect on the downstream catchment. Also visible are several mounds of earth. These are what is called ‘pre-load’. This is where a mound of earth is created to load the ground beneath and strengthen it for the long term. What looks like a dam wall about halfway up

The Sunday Market offers an array of food, produce and products. PHOTO: Kelly Moselen.

Omokoroa

Environment Society The future of our birdlife is in good hands thanks to the work of Waihī Beach Environment Society. It is focused on the eradication of pests, rats, possums, mice, stoats, ferrets, and - in particular - feral cats in our community. Removal of roadside rubbish, coastal planting and weeding are also on their agenda. Predator control is currently trapping in 14 areas. WBES monitoring focuses on outcomes rather than results and was sad to notice the much-loved dotterel numbers

went backwards this year. 20 eggs were destroyed or predated, only three chicks were successfully hatched, but were then taken by domestic cats and a dog. They are pleading for the community to keep cats and dogs locked away at night. On a positive note, they have noted more tūī, kererū and fantails since the trapping started. As Helen Clark says, ‘a lot depends on the community and volunteer support. The birds don’t have a great chance unless people want things to change.’

Menzshed The Waihī Beach Menzshed is well on the way to being an active community project. It is now fully enclosed with the old kitchen from the community centre going in as we go to print. There is strong support from within the community and they are already being asked to do small ‘fix-it’ jobs for a donation to the Shed. If you want to be involved or on the database, contact Brian Baynes 020 41280 576.

Sunday Markets Waihī Beach hosts many events focused on people. Our Sunday Market at Wilson Park is an opportunity to recharge with good coffee, food, produce and quality products available. With beautiful shady pohutukawas to relax and chat under and enjoy our community vibe.

Waihī Beach cafes offer a vibrant place to relax. PHOTO: Gabriella Fraser.

Focus Group The Focus Group on the first Wednesday of each month continues to offer interesting connections for our 65+ community. In March they are on the move to visit JB Swap’s facilities in Matamata. Contact Don Fraser 021 777 675 if you want to join this lively group.

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lizardnews.net By Mike Hayden, President he committee shown in the photo had its inaugural meeting in the shed on 18th September 2021. Since then, a motivated group of ’shedders’ have been working hard, progressing the shed into a viable workshop. Our

Working hard or hardly working? Taking a wellearned break from the renovations. PHOTOS: Supplied.

Ōmokoroa MenzShed thanks must firstly go to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council for assisting us to occupy our buildings in Prole Road. The buildings have been water blasted and painted, the windows puttied, and everything has been repainted. The electrical wiring has been done to ensure the shed operates safely, and the necessary plumbing for the kitchen and toilets. None of this could have been achieved without the support that we have received from community grants, local businesses, and the volunteer hours put in by the members. A shed brings men together in one community space to share their skills, have a laugh, and work on practical tasks individually or as a group. Men, typically, have smaller circles of friends than women, so the shed offers opportunities to foster new friendships outside the social circles their partners establish. We aim to be a destination for men and become a valued part of our community

Founding committee, back row L-R: Andrew McWilliam, Peter Smith, Geoff Davis, Denis Agate, Jerry Hale, Dick Megchelse, Paul Zeeder. Front row L-R: Bill Cahill, Mike Hayden (President), Tony Pollitt.

— doing projects for local organisations. We welcome new members — come and see us, have a cuppa, and discuss what we are doing. Bring project ideas along to see if we can help. On Saturday 2nd April, we are having a special Open Day from 9am to 2pm. Come and see the work we can and will do for our members and the community.

The day is open to prospective members, our supporters and sponsors, local volunteer organisations wanting a hand, and people wanting things fixed or made. All are welcome to come and enjoy a sausage off the BBQ! For more information, contact me on 021 247 8057 or mchayden@gmail.com We look forward to seeing you.

Exposure event at Tauranga Hospital n Thursday 24th February, a Covid-19 exposure event was identified at Tauranga Hospital’s Orthopaedic Ward involving 68 people. Tauranga Hospital has been preparing for possible cases of Covid-19 and had a number of precautions in place to minimise the risk of the virus spreading in the workplace, like wearing appropriate PPE and following the best-practice infection control processes. As a prudent measure, at 1pm that day, the hospital’s Orthopaedic Ward was im-

mediately closed to new admissions and visitors, although the risk to Tauranga Hospital staff and operations was considered low. Of the 68 people identified as contacts, 42 were staff who completed a RAT test – all tests came back negative. The staff members will monitor themselves for symptoms of Covid-19. Of the 24 patients, 21 returned negative PCR tests, and one refused a swab – this patient is in isolation and being treated as if Covid-19 positive. Two patients returned positive PCR

tests and are also in isolation and receiving treatment for Covid-19. The patients in isolation are in the new negative pressure ward recently opened for patients. The Orthopaedic Ward reopened for admissions and visitors later last night, after the results of the 68 people were known. As the Omicron outbreak grows, it’s not unexpected to see more exposure events in the community and workplaces – including increasing numbers of close contacts who need to be tested.

Dr Kate Grimwade led the investigation undertaken by Infection Control medical staff. Acting Chief Operating Officer Bronwyn Anstis says she is incredibly pleased with the speed with which the staff identified and managed the event. “We’re very grateful to our amazing staff for the work they are doing at this time to care for the people of our community and help keep everybody safe.” Bronwyn Anstis also thanked PathLab for urgently processing the PCR tests.

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Assistance Dogs on the move By Liz Farrell year has passed since we farewelled our faithful Assistance Dog Lobo. He developed a sudden illness and died on 1st March 2021, less than 24 hours after he displayed any sign of distress. It is hard to believe that was twelve months ago - where does the time go? Our whole family was impacted by this change, but it was especially difficult for Georgie, whom Lobo had helped for six years. After several months, we made the decision to take on another Assistance Dog and Willow came to live with us in July. She was such a different dog. Bouncy and engaging. She loves physical contact and resting her head on your knee or lying on your feet. She settled in well, sleeping in Georgie’s room and getting on well with our cats. She loves playing fetch and is great at retrieving a tennis ball. She loves her food! At Christmas, she had a great time staying at our family’s farm and playing with the other dogs there. The new year meant starting Year 8 for Georgie. Her final year at primary school. Planning ahead is a regular feature of our life and so we started talking about how Willow would fit into the classroom. We decided we’d start the transition in term 3, pairing this with visits to college. In January, we started noticing the odd wet patch around the house. We also thought Willow was licking herself much more than usual. During February this seemed to escalate and we took her off to the vets. Blood and urine tests ruled out infection and diabetes, but there were ‘other’ things that could be causing her incontinence. After several phone calls, Tracy from Assistance Dogs came to visit us for the six-month follow-up and the decision was made that Willow would return ‘in-house’ with her. Her medical needs required further investigation and potentially she could need life-long medication. She

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a fair way to describe the past year. We remain, however, committed to our support for the Trust and their work. We will continue to advocate for them, perform public speaking engagements when we can and fundraise for the charity. The fundraising achieved by our community reached a staggering $20,000 for Lobo and $5,000 for Willow. We could not be more grateful for this help. Even though we won’t have a dog anymore, the Assistance Dogs Trust has had a lifelong impact on our lives, and we will support them long into the future. We will continue to sponsor a puppy - that’s $5 per week we’re happy to pay - and follow the stories that other families like ours will create. You can too, at assistancedogstrust.org.nz

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could not really continue to work as an Assistance Dog with such a condition as reliable public access is an important component of the Trust’s accreditation. Willow now needs a situation where she has ongoing interaction with her human and can spend her days with someone who can attend to her health. Georgie’s needs have changed, too. No longer the little girl who is non-verbal and who runs away and hugs strangers. She has grown so much, developing her speech so well. She has recognised that Willow is a loving dog and that she helped so much during Georgie’s time grieving Lobo. But she also realises that she didn’t miss having a dog - she missed Lobo. Our family has made the decision not to have a third dog. It has been too hard. An emotional rollercoaster is

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Georgie helps ADNZ Willow up into the car watched by Assistance Dogs Trust trainer Tracy Huff who will take care of her while her health needs are fully identified. PHOTO: Liz Farrell.

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Winter swimming

By Russell Oliver f you are interested in the idea of cold water swimming in the sea, this is your chance to try it out. A few of us are planning regular dips in Ōmokoroa this winter, and you are welcome to join us. We are a casual and friendly bunch, and folk are free to do what suits them swim 500 metres, do aquacise, lie on your back and gaze at the great blue sky or just take a momentary dip in and out. We had loads of exciting fun last year. The mental and physical health benefits are well known - have a look online for a bit more information if you are interested. After a couple of minutes at the start, your body adjusts to the cool water. You will find yourself enjoying the natural environment in a way that leaves you

New suspension bridge

feeling vitally alive and with a strong sense of well-being. The easiest introduction to this glorious experience is to begin now and keep on swimming in the ocean or harbour from the end of the summer season. I send out a daily text with high tide, wind and weather (no acknowledgement required), and you can come along if you choose to. Wear your togs or a wetsuit. We mainly swim from Hamurana Reserve or Domain Beach, depending on wind and sun. No obligations and no rules. Come and join us and swim this winter for health and happiness. Contact me on 021 153 0767 or mothcork@gmail.com for more information or to be included in a daily swimming text.

The new bridge linking Pahoia and Ōmokoroa peninsulas. PHOTO: Supplied.

onstruction of a new suspension bridge across the Waipapa Stream, connecting cyclists and walkers between Prole Road, Ōmokoroa and Pahoia is near completion. The new bridge is situated just downstream of the existing railway bridge. It is 72 metres long and nearly two metres wide. Council says this allows for cyclists and pedestrians to comfortably share the trail. The bridge will allow people to ride or walk from Ōmokoroa to Pahoia, without having to navigate State Highway 2. The project is being funded by Council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. Pirirākau hapū have also supplied de-

Hamurana Reserve, below the Bowling Club, is a peaceful, picturesque location to take a dip. PHOTO: Russell Oliver.

signs for the cultural displays and design acknowledging the history of the area. Council says it thanks the neighbouring property owners, KiwiRail, Ngāti Hauā and Pirirākau hapū, whose support was crucial in getting the cycleway off the ground. The last step remaining is the trail connections on the Pahoia side of the Waipapa Stream, along the railway corridor and private property. Council expects to complete these in 2022 subject to legal access agreements. The site isn’t accessible to the public until construction is finished. The public is advised to keep to existing routes for now.

You could be sitting You ing on a section that is suitable for o subdividing - to help grow your o nest egg for the future or enable your children to achie eve their dream of homeownership. Or maybe it’s time to build a healthier ealthierr,, warmer home, without having aving to leave the location you love.

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| Lizard News | March 2022

Whatever you th hink is possible, or perhaps even impossible (we enjoy a challenge enge), all it takes is a chat with our friendly team. Because while w you’re in the business of living ving in a home you love, we’re in n the business of building dream ms and creating futures.

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Pedal into something new this Bike Month his Bike Month Council challenged riders to explore one of the Western Bay’s great cycleways they haven’t tried before. Each February Aotearoa, New Zealand celebrates Bike Month, and riders from around the motu challenge themselves to get back on their bikes in the name of health, wellbeing and getting around in an environmentally friendly fashion. “There are over 90 kilometres of cycle trails in the Western Bay,” says Scott Parker, Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Reserves and Facilities Projects and Assets Manager. “Bike Month is the perfect excuse for people to hop back in the saddle and try out one that’s new to them. We’ve got something for everyone to enjoy, from mountain bike trails to tamariki-friendly shared paths.” There are scenic cycling and walking trails around many of our towns such as the 3km path from Waihī Beach / Island View to Bowentown. Fit riders wanting a longer ride can connect trails from our District across to

Part of the 90km of cycle trails in Western Bay. PHOTO: Supplied.

our Bay of Plenty neighbours, for example, from Pāpāmoa you can ride 20km to Paengaroa, then carry on cycling 31km to Ōkere Falls.

There are even trails for our mountain bikers at TECT Park, halfway between Tauranga and Rotorua. Scott says cycleways contribute to our

communities in many ways. “Cycleways can help our communities safely commute to work and school, provide recreational opportunities, and they support economic development in our towns. “Council’s long-term vision is to create a network of cycle/walkways connecting all our communities - from Waihī Beach all the way to Pukehina. “The Western Bay of Plenty has so much to offer,” says Scott. “It’s easy to forget how lucky we are. We have colourful towns, beautiful beaches, stunning native forest and the rugged Kaimai Ranges – all in our backyard.” The latest cycleway/walkway to open in the Western Bay is the Ōmokoroa golfcourse foreshore cycleway. This trail connects the Precious Family Reserve trails to Kayelene Place, skirting around the golf-course coastline, including sea views and a boardwalk section. To start exploring some of our Western Bay cycleways visit westernbay.govt.nz/ cycleways. For more information on the Aotearoa Bike Challenge visit lovetoride.net/nz Article supplied.

Waihī Beach trig trail to close for tree felling aihī Beach’s popular trig trail and its panoramic views from the summit will be off limits while tree felling takes place in the area. From Monday 14th February the trail will be closed and blocked from the bottom of the trail, near the dam, to allow for logging operations within the trig trail summit area. The works are expected to be completed by the

end of March. However, the 1 km dog-friendly, dam loop trail remains open. Western Bay of Plenty District Council Reserves and Facilities Projects and Assets Manager, Scott Parker says while not all of the trig trail will be impacted by the logging operations completely closing the trail is the safest option. “We are sorry for the inconvenience

this may cause as this is a popular trail many have, or planned to, explore this summer or use regularly. We aim to reopen the trail as soon as we can. “For your safety, please do not enter the worksite or cross the safety fencing as works may be in operation at any time,” says Scott. The forestry harvest is helping to pay

for reserve improvements such as planting native species rather than replanting the forestry and constructing new trails. This funding, along with the Waihī Beach Cycle Trails Trust who have raised $100,000 to date, is helping create new trails in the area. The area will be monitored by security while felling takes place. Article supplied.

Your local e-bike shop since 2013 March 2022 | Lizard News |

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – WEEKLY EVENTS

MONDAYS

Homewood Park Tennis Club 9am start. 30A Park Road, Katikati. New members welcome. Email katikati.tennis@outlook.com. Ōmokoroa Playcentre Behind Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 9am-12.30pm. omokoroa@playcentre.org.nz Pilates Ōmokoroa Sports Pavilion. 9.1510.15am. Contact Claudia 021 192 7706. ‘Move It’ Fitness at Whakamārama Hall. 9am. $5 or $25 per term. Class runs for about 45 minutes. Phone Caryn 021 133 5390. Fitness Fun Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 9.3010.30am. Contact Gloria on 021 139 2448. Scrabble at both Ōmokoroa Library and Pātuki Manawa. 10am. Refreshments provided. Free. Postnatal Support Group 10am-12pm. Bethlehem Birthing Centre. All parents and caregivers of children under two are welcome. Starts back 10th Feb. Phone 549 4522. Keep On Your Feet Strength and balance classes for older adults. 11am-noon Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. Sharnie 021 1118617. Western Bay Museum Guided Tour 11am. WBOP residents and ratepayers FREE. 32 Main Rd, Katikati. Ph 07 549 0651 Justice of the Peace clinic 11am-1pm at Waihī Library, 40 Rosemont Street. Ōmokoroa Indoor Bowls 1pm for 1.30pm play Ōmokoroa Settler’s Hall. Numbers limited to 25 players - no vaccination certificate required. Contact Ruth Hamilton 571 1564. Justice of the Peace clinic 1-3pm Ōmokoroa Library & Service Centre. Ōmokoroa Beach Indoor Bowling Club Settlers’ Hall 1pm. 1st session free then $3. Equipment and tea provided. Wear smoothsoled shoes/slippers. Call Anne 027 430 4876. Scottish Country Dancing 1-3 pm. St Peter’s Anglican Church, Beach Road. $4. All ages, no partner required. Call Douglas 021 0244 6099. Bolivia Katikati Community Centre, Beach Road. 1-4pm. Some knowledge of canasta useful but not essential. Contact Gay 549 2527. Movie Matinee 1.30pm at the Arts Junction, Katikati. Tickets $10. Limited seats. 549 5250.

Bridge Club Ōmokoroa Sports Pavilion afternoons. Call Lyn Chaston 022 165 0820 lynchaston@btinternet.com Dance Fit Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 5.30-6.30. Call Kylie 022 071 2794. IGIRLZ Fun adventure and learning for girls 8 - 11. 6-7.30pm Ōmokoroa Community Church Hall. Call 548 2515. Yoga Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 6.15-7.45pm. Contact Mollie 021 177 8018. Table Tennis Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. Seniors (18+) 7-9pm. $3 per single, $5 per couple. Inc supper. White-sole shoes preferred. Call Bruce Lauchlan on 548 1741. Social indoor netball term time at 6pm. Apata Community Hall - Pahoia School. Ages 11+. $5 per night. Beginners welcome. Contact Kirsten 022 535 1530. ITF Taekwon-do classes at Te Puna School Hall. 6-7.30pm. Self defence, self confidence, fitness. First 2 weeks free. George 022 437 4403. Cards 500 7pm at Ōmokoroa Bowling Club. $3 incl tea and biscuits. Prizes/raffles monthly. Carpooling from Katikati available. Call Lorraine Taylor on 548 1404. Indoor Bowls 7pm at Waihī Beach RSA. Contact Grant on 027 475 0556.

TUESDAYS

Social Tennis Waihī Beach Tennis Club 8.30/ 9 am start. All year. Casual & new players welcome. Call Kevin 027 273 5655. Te Puna Quarry Park clearing, planting and weed control from 8am and from 1.30pm. Contact Shirley on 552 2707. Ōmokoroa Playcentre Behind Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 9am-noon. omokoroa@playcentre.org.nz Te Puna Playcentre 9am-noon term times only. 225 Te Puna Road. Contact te.puna@Playcentre.org.nz Te Puna Tennis Club casual tennis. 9am start. Casual and new players welcome. Contact Catherine tptennisclub@gmail.com or 021 506 855. Mainly Music Ōmokoroa Pavilion 9.30am in term times. $4 per family. Jena 021 052 7262. Pahoia Creative Fibre Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays at 10am. Learn to spin, weave, felt, knit, crochet and more. Call Alison 022 0849 348.

Tai Chi 9.30-10.30am Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. Trevor on 022 322 3410 or Anne 548 0763. Keep on your Feet strength & balance for older adults. 10.30-11.30am Catholic Church Hall, 89 Beach Road, Katikati. Sharnie 021 111 8617. Justice of the Peace clinic at Waihī Beach Library 11am-noon. Waihī Beach Bowls at Memorial RSA Bowling Club. Roll-up, names in by 12.30 for 1 o’clock start. All welcome. Bowls and coaching available. Contact 021 0220 4040, 027 863 1349, waihibeachbowls@gmail.com Ōmokoroa Bowling Club 12.30 to 4pm. 30 Hamurana Road. Beginners and visitors welcome. $5. Ph 021 255 6415. Mahjong Circle 1pm at the Ōmokoroa Sports Pavilion, Western Avenue. Call Denise on 548 1385 or Margaret 548 2126. Wise & Wonderful Arts & crafts, games and afternoon tea for seniors. Pick up and drop off available in Katikati area. 1.30-3pm at Katikati Community Centre. Gold coin. Contact 549 0399 or info@katikaticommunity.nz Therapeutic Tai Chi for beginners. Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 2.45-3.45pm. One free trial class then $7. Contact Karin 548 1787 or baysyoga@xtra.co.nz Teen Advisory Board Plan, promote and implement programs and events for teens. Year 7 to 13 students. 3.30-4.30pm during the school term at Pātuki Manawa. Gentle Yoga & Qi Gong at Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 4–5.30pm. One free trial class then $12. Concessions available. Contact: Karin 548 1787 or baysyoga@xtra.co.nz Ōmokoroa Tennis Club 6-8pm. Contact Sharon Parker on 027 261 9517. Ōmokoroa Indoor Bowls 6.30pm for 7pm play Ōmokoroa Settler’s Hall. Numbers limited to 25 players - no vaccination certificate required. Contact Ruth Hamilton 571 1564. Katikati Toy Library 7pm-8pm at the back of the Christian Centre on Henry Rd, Katikati. FB: ‘Katikati Toy Library’, text 027 551 5589 or E: katikatitoylibrary@gmail.com

WEDNESDAYS

Kaimai Ramblers day tramp. Good standard of fitness required, boots recommended. Call Lisa 021 044 6449, or Kevin 021 0200 6306. Homewood Park Tennis Club 9am start. 30A Park Road, Katikati. New members welcome. Phone Cushla 027 414 2587. Pilates Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. 9.15-10.15. Contact Claudia 021 192 7706. Community Tai Chi Waihī Beach RSA 9.30am during school terms. Contact Trish 021 482 842. ‘Move It’ Fitness at Whakamārama Hall. 9am. $5 or $25 per term. Class runs for about 45 minutes. Phone Caryn 021 133 5390. Knit & Natter at both Ōmokoroa Library and Pātuki Manawa, Katikati. 10am. Free. Stepping Up free computer classes at Katikati Library. Wednesdays/Thursdays. Book on 571 8008 or www.steppingup.nz Fitness League exercise, movement, dance, for posture, strengthening & stretching. All ages & abilities. 10am Memorial Hall, Katikati. Phone Pam 549 4799. Ōmokoroa Artists Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 10.45am-3.30pm. $4. Contact Jill 548 0139 or Facebook page: Ōmokoroa Artists. Katikati Bowling Club Combined Roll-up. 1pm start. Names in by 12.45pm. Coaching available. 8 Park Rd, Katikati. Phone 549 0103. Adults Dance & Move 12.30pm St Peter’s Church, Beach Road, Katikati. Many styles of fun dance. Contact Gaye on gayehemsley@gmail.com, 577 1753 or 027 274 8753. Katikati Toy Library 2.30pm-4pm at the back of the Christian Centre on Henry Rd, Katikati. FB: ‘Katikati Toy Library’, text 027 551 5589 or E: katikatitoylibrary@gmail.com Grow On Seedlings Club Katikati Community Centre 3-4pm 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of month, term time. Intro to gardening for children aged 6-10 years. Call Janet 021 0236 7038. Western Bay Museum Guided Tour 2pm. WBOP residents and ratepayers FREE. 32 Main Rd, Katikati. Ph 07 549 0651

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – WEEKLY EVENTS

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Here are some of the groups and activities which happen regularly in the area. If you have a regular group you’d like to add to the list, please email liz@lizardnews.net or call 548 1200. Ōmokoroa Athletics Club 4.15–5pm (3–6 years) and 5.15- 6.45pm (7–14 years) at Western Ave Sports Grounds. Wrestling Katikati Primary age 5.30-6.30pm, College age/seniors 6.30pm-8pm. Bring a drink bottle. A&P Hall, Major Street. Text Ross 027 256 4470. Twilight tennis at Te Puna Tennis Club. 6pm start. Contact Catherine tptennisclub@gmail.com or 021 506 855. Te Puna Community Library in the School library 6.30-7.30pm. Justice of the Peace clinic 6.30-7.30pm Te Puna School Library. Yoga Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 7-8pm. Contact Sarah 021 022 19892. Quiz Night Waihī Beach Hotel, 60 Wilson Road. 7-9.30pm. Casual Soccer at 7.15pm at Western Ave Sports Grounds bottom field. Over 12 years old. Call Hamish on 552 6427.

THURSDAYS

Katikati drop-in Community Breakfasts 7.30-8.30am. Baptist Church, 2 Wedgewood St, Katikati. Free entry. All welcome. Pick Up/Drop Off Service and shower facilities available. 549 0399. Ōmokoroa Playcentre Behind Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 9am-noon. omokoroa@playcentre.org.nz Tai Chi 9.30-11.00am. Te Puna Memorial Hall. Contact David 027 222 2824. Tai Chi 9.30-10.30am Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. Call Trevor on 022 322 3410 or Anne 548 0763. Katikati Embroidery Group 10am St Pius Church, Beach Road, Katikati. Call Jenny 549 2151. Adult Colouring-in at Pātuki Manawa. 10am. Refreshments provided. Free. Tai Chi for beginners Sports Pavillion, Western Ave, Ōmokoroa 10-11am. Call Sabine 021 1388770 or tetzlaffsabine@gmail.com. Preschool Storytime ‘Read Sing Move’ at 10am at Katikati Library. Caregivers, please stay with your children. Free to attend.

Ōmokoroa Community Garden working bee. 10-noon. Hamurana Road, south entrance to Ōmokoroa Point School. Weather permitting. Diabetes NZ Drop-in group 10-noon 177a Fraser Street, Tauranga. 571 3422 tauranga@diabetes.org.nz Justice of the Peace clinic 10am-12pm at Ōmokoroa Library & Service Centre. Scrapbooking The Old Library Omokoroa 10am and 12.30pm fortnightly. $10.00. Contact Collette 027 460 9630 for more info and to book. Western Bay Museum Guided Tour 11am. WBOP residents and ratepayers FREE. 32 Main Rd, Katikati. Ph 07 549 0651. Pilates Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. 11.30am12.30pm. Contact Claudia 021 192 7706. Rummikub at Katikati Bowling Club 8 Park Rd, Katikati. 1pm start, $3 per person. Te Puna Quarry Park clearing, planting and weed control 1-4pm. Contact Shirley 552 2707. Scottish Country Dancing Bethlehem Hall, 1.15-3.15pm. Call Heather 021 185 5747. Line Dancing Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. Beginners 1-3pm. Call Joce 021 486 265. Brick Club Afterschool LEGO sessions in Ōmokoroa Library 2.45-4.45pm. ITF Taekwon-do classes at Te Puna School Hall. 6-7.30pm. Self defence, self confidence, fitness. First 2 weeks free. George 022 437 4403. Social Dancing Ballroom, Latin, Rock n Roll, Salsa. 7pm Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. $5. Contact Angela 027 246 1624. Ōmokoroa Songsters Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall during school terms from 7-8:30pm. Contact Jan Murray 548 2452, Alison Badger 548 1544. Katikati Concert Band 7-9pm, Katikati Bowling Club. We welcome all ages and experience. Contact Mick 021 217 1780. Bridge Club Ōmokoroa Sports Pavilion in the evening. Call Lyn Chaston 022 165 0820 lynchaston@btinternet.com Katikati Toastmasters Club Communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater selfconfidence and personal growth. 7.30pm on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursdays at the Community Centre, Beach Road. Contact 544 5989.

FRIDAYS

Social Tennis Waihī Beach Tennis Club 8.30/ 9 am start. All year. Casual & new players welcome. Call Kevin 027 273 5565. Friends of the Blade direct message the Facebook: Friends of the Blade or email noelenetaylor57@gmail.com Ladies Singles Tennis 9am at Ōmokoroa Tennis Club, Western Ave, Ōmokoroa. Enjoy some competitive but fun games. Line Dancing Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. General session 9am-noon. Call Shirley on 548 1633. Ōmokoroa Playcentre Behind Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 9am-12.30pm. omokoroa@playcentre.org.nz Preschool Storytime ‘Read Sing Move’ at 10am at Ōmokoroa Library. Caregivers, please stay with your children. Free to attend. Justice of the Peace clinic 10am-noon Bethlehem Community Church, 138 Moffat Road. Justice of the Peace clinic 10am-noon Katikati Community Centre, 45 Beach Road. Ōmokoroa Friendship Club Ōmokoroa Community Church Hall 10am-12.15pm for $4. Morning tea and lunch provided. Drop in or call Barbara Walls on 548 2899. Ōmokoroa Singles over 60s meet for friendship, outings, etc. Coffee 11am at Ōmokoroa Boat Club or email Ōmokoroa.Senior.Singles@gmail.com Waihī Beach Bowls at Memorial RSA Bowling Club. Roll-up, names in by 12.30 for 1 o’clock start. All welcome. Bowls and coaching available. Contact 021 0220 4040, 027 863 1349, waihibeachbowls@gmail.com Bolivia Cards Ōmokoroa Bowling Club 12.45pm. Enquires to Janet on janetandwillie@kinect.co.nz or Linley on 218 7003. Katikati Senior Citizens Indoor Bowls 12.45pm at Katikati Memorial Hall. Contact Heather 549 1008. Cards 500 at Katikati Bowling Club 8 Park Rd, Katikati. 1-4pm. $2 per person.

Katikati Plant & Produce Market A&P Showgrounds 3.30-5.30pm. Contact Pauline Van Rijen 549 2449.

SATURDAYS

Yoga at Ōmokoroa Pavilion 8-9am. $80 for 8 weeks. Contact Natasha on 021 735 327. www.natrainwellness.com Junior Tennis Coaching at Ōmokoroa Tennis Club. Members and Non-members welcome. Visit omokoroatennis.com for information and to book. Grow On Katikati 9.30-10.30 Pick up/drop off seeds and seedlings for community food resiliency. Next to Katikati Community Centre. growonkatikati@gmail.com Ōmokoroa Toy Library 9.30-11am behind the Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. Te Puna Community Library in the School library 10am-noon. Ōmokoroa Community Garden working bee. 10-noon. Hamurana Road, south entrance to Ōmokoroa Point School. Weather permitting. Western Bay Museum Guided Tour Noon. WBOP residents and ratepayers FREE. 32 Main Rd, Katikati. Ph 07 549 0651 Ōmokoroa Bowling Club 12.30 to 4pm. 30 Hamurana Road. Beginners and visitors welcome. $5. Ph 021 255 6415. Homewood Park Tennis Club 1pm start. 30A Park Road, Katikati. New members welcome. Phone Michael 027 473 1540. Katikati Bowling Club Combined Roll-up. 1-3pm. Names in by 12.45pm please. All welcome. Coaching available. 8 Park Rd, Katikati. Phone 549 0103. Ōmokoroa Tennis Club 2-4pm. Contact Sharon Parker on 027 261 9517.

SUNDAYS

Ōmokoroa Cricket 20 overs from 1pm every second Sunday at Western Ave. BYO picnic. FB: @omokoroacricket Jam session Waihī Beach Hotel, 60 Wilson Road. 4-7pm. Everyone welcome.

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March 2022 | Lizard News |

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – MARCH

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Monthly meetings and one-off events. Every effort has been made to be accurate, but please check information with event organisers.

Winter swimming in Ōmokoroa interest you? Contact Russell on 021 153 0767 or mothcork@gmail.com for more information. You are welcome to join us and swim this winter for health and well-being. Tue 1st Book Buzz Come and share your favourite reads with other book lovers. 10am on the 1st Tuesday at Pātuki Manawa.

Wed 2nd Aongatete Forest Project working bee. Top of Wright Road. 9am12.30pm. 1st and 3rd Wednesday morning of the month. Visit aongateteforest.org/join.

Wed 2nd Waihī Beach FOCUS Group 10am at Waihī Beach RSA. Interesting speakers, interesting conversation and of course interesting people. Every 1st Wednesday. Wed 2nd Kati Chat New to town? Join us for morning tea and invited speakers. Every 1st Wednesday, 10am The Arts Junction, 36 Main Rd, Katikati. Ph 549 5250.

Thu 3rd Ōmokoroa Peninsula Club 9.30am. 1st Thursday of the month at the Ōmokoroa Community Church (excl Dec/Jan). Contact John Owens 021 822 127 or Fred Hartley 548 1939.

Thu 3rd Seniors supports, allowances and rights advisory service. The Old Library, Ōmokoroa 10am-1pm. Every 1st Thursday. No appointment necessary.

Thu 3rd Boomerang Bags Katikati sew reusable fabric community shopping bags. Txt Robyn on 021 1584038 to join or donate fabric. 1st and 3rd Thursday at Katikati College Fabric Tech Room from 3.305.30pm. Fri 4th Family Planning appointments 10am-4pm. To book call 578 8539. Katikati Midwives Rooms, 14 Jocelyn Street. Every other Friday. See familyplanning.org.nz

Sat 5th Car Boot Sale Katikati A&P Showgrounds 9am-noon. Fundraiser to build an Abbeyfield House in Katikati. $10 car/$15 car+trailer. Contact Carole on abbeyfieldwbop.chair@gmail.com or 0274 579 686.

Sat 5th Grow On Katikati Crop Swap Swap excess produce, seeds, seedlings, preserves, jams, baking etc. 1st Saturday of the month. Garden shed beside Katikati Community Centre on Beach Rd, 9.30-10.30am. Call Jizzy on 549 2337 or Marie on 07 9297906.

Sat 5th The Alpaca Social Club at Katikati Arts Junction. Music with a flavour of Arabic, Celtic, funk, soul and gypsy jazz cultures.7.30pm. Door sales only.

| Lizard News | March 2022

Sun 6th Movie: Dune At the boutique Junction Theatre. 1.30pm. Tickets $10/$7.50. 36 Main Rd, Katikati.

Sun 6th Katikati Folk Open Mic 3pm every 1st Sunday of the month. Blackboard (open mic) session at Forta Leza, 2656 Main Highway, Aongatete.

Mon 7th U3A Art Group 10am-noon every 1st and 3rd Monday at Waihī Bowling Club. $2. Bring your own materials. Contact Jose Jebb 027 457 0242.

Mon 7th Bethlehem/Te Puna Lions Club at Te Puna Community Centre Hall, Tangitū Road. 1st and 3rd Monday evenings from 6.00pm. Contact Colin 576 9110.

Wed 9th Ōmokoroa Business Network meeting. 9am on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Contact omokoroabusinessnetwork@gmail.com for details.

Wed 9th Ōmokoroa & Districts Lions Club 6pm at Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Contact Keith and Rosemary Searle on 548 2117. Wed 9th Katikati Herb Society Every 2nd Wednesday at 7pm at St Paul’s church. Contact Fiona 022 684 5178.

Thu 10th Friends of Puketoki Trapping/checking every 2nd Thursday. Meet at Leyland Road carpark. Call John Budden 548 1180 or Terry Edwards 552 6222.

Thu 10th Emergency preparedness drop in sessions every 2nd Thursday at The Centre – Pātuki Manawa, Katikati 10amnoon. Visit westernbay.govt.nz/community/ civil-defence

Thu 10th Katikati Genealogy Group meets on the 2nd Thursday at the Presbyterian Church Hall, 1 Mulgan Street at 1.30pm. $5. New members welcome. Contact Jeanette 027 348 3259.

Fri 11th Bethlehem Night Market every 2nd Friday from 5.30-8.30pm at Bethlehem Hall. Facebook: cnmbethlehem or contact Jen on 021 672 281 cnmbethlehem@gmail.com. Sat 12th Katikati Lions Moggies Market Second Saturday each month 9am to 12pm Katikati Memorial Hall. Your local monthly market. Support local, buy local. E: moggiesmarket21@gmail.com

Sat 12th Wander Dogs Waipuna Park, Welcome Bay. Joint event with Tauranga City Council. 10am.

Sun 13th Katikati Tramping Club Follow the Tuahu Track from Hot Springs Road to the Waikato. Moderate 6-hour walk. Ph Peter 027 634 4741

Sun 13th Sunday Scribblers Working on memoirs. Fun writing exercises to warm up. 2nd Sunday of each month 11am-12.30pm 73 Wills Road, Katikati. Contact Gaye on gayehemsley@gmail.com 577 1753 or 027 274 8753.

Tue 15th Book Buzz Share your favourite reads with other book lovers. 10am every 3rd Tuesday at Ōmokoroa Library.

Tue 15th Innovation Garden Club 1.303pm every 3rd Tuesday. Waihī Beach RSA. Contact 027 289 7674 or innovationgardenclub@gmail.com

Wed 16th Aongatete Forest Project working bee. Top of Wright Road. 9am12.30pm. 1st and 3rd Wednesday morning of the month. Visit aongateteforest.org/join

Wed 16th Business After Five Networking and an opportunity to learn about a local business. 5.15pm. The Arts Junction, 36 Main Rd, Katikati. Ph 549 5250.

Thu 17th Boomerang Bags Katikati Sew reusable fabric community shopping bags. Txt Robyn on 021 1584038 to join or donate fabric. 1st and 3rd Thursday at Katikati College Fabric Tech Room from 3.305.30pm.

Fri 18th Family Planning appointments 10-1pm and drop-in 1.30-4pm. To book call 578 8539. Katikati Midwives Rooms 14 Jocelyn Street, Katikati. Every 2nd Friday. See familyplanning.org.nz

Fri 18th Death Cafe 1.30-3pm at Katikati Community Centre, every 3rd Friday of the month. We talk openly about death and dying, how we experience end of life and the fear, grief and questions that come with it. Fri 18th Acrylic art class at Weekend à la mer, Pahoia 6-9pm. $70 per person, all materials included. Small groups. Book with Audrey on 022 502 1671 or email audrey.duboisnz@gmail.com

Fri 18th Thank Whakamārama It’s Friday 3rd Friday of the month from 6-9 pm. All welcome. Bring your dinner and meet the community. Whakamārama Hall. Sat 19th Katikati Artisan Market 9am1pm Chrome Cafe, 3 Wharawhara Road, Katikati. 3rd Saturday of the month.

Sun 20th Katikati Folk Club Jam sessions 5pm 3rd Sunday of the month. Informal jam sessions at Forta Leza, 2656 SH2, Aongatete.

Sun 20th Friendship Force Ōmokoroa Setters’ Hall 3rd Sunday evening of the month. Ph Jonathan on 572 2091.

Mon 21st U3A Art Group 10am-noon every 1st and 3rd Monday at Waihī Bowling Club. $2. Bring your own materials. Contact Jose Jebb 027 457 0242.

Mon 21st Bethlehem/Te Puna Lions Club at Te Puna Community Centre Hall, Tangitū Road, Te Puna (Behind the Tennis Courts). 1st and 3rd Monday evenings from 6pm. Contact Colin 576 9110.

Wed 23rd Ōmokoroa Business Network meeting. 9am on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Contact omokoroabusinessnetwork@gmail.com for details.

Thu 24th Probus Club of Ōmokoroa 9.3011.30am at Ōmokoroa Setters’ Hall every 4th Thursday of the month. Contact Wavyne 548 1233 or Jean 548 2239.

Fri 25th Movie: 2040 A Sustainable Backyards Event. Practical solutions to environmental concerns are addressed with optimism for a hopeful future. Hosted by Katch Katikati. Doors open 6pm for 6.30pm. Tickets $10/$7.50. 36 Main Rd, Katikati.

Sat 26th Katikati Lions Garage Sale 9am-noon at the containers behind Caltex, Main Rd. Indoor & outdoor furniture, tools & more. 4th Saturday. Call David 027 549 0168.

Sat 26th Katikati Tramping Club Travel to Ngamuwahine. Walk the southern part of the Kaimai north/south track. Moderate 5-hour walk. Ph Derek 021 064 3942.

Sat 26th Ōmokoroa Markets 9am to noon. Last Saturday each month except Dec. Crafts, art, produce, bbq, plants, car boot and much more. E: omokoroamarket@gmail.com

Sun 27th Pest Trap Library at the container next to Whakamārama Hall 3-5pm. Last Sunday of the month.

Sat 2nd April MenzShed Open Day 9am-2pm 7 Prole Road, Ōmokoroa. Contact President Mike on 021 247 8057 or mchayden@gmail.com

Sun 3rd April Movie: The Matrix Resurrections At the boutique Junction Theatre. 1.30pm. Tickets $10/$7.50. 36 Main Rd, Katikati.

Thu 7th April Waste Free Living Workshop with Kate Meads. Katikati Community Centre 6-8pm. $16.80 includes goodie bag. Tickets via Eventfinda.

Slotcar Club Ōmokoroa to race club class saloons. Controller and cars will be provided for all drivers. Contact Steve Wall on 021 163 2055 for dates/times.

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Todd Talk

By Todd Muller MP Bay of Plenty y team and I have been hearing concerns from the Te Puna community about a proposal to build a container depot in the Business Park on Te Puna Station Road. I sympathise with the Te Puna residents who worry about the effects of the area becoming heavy industrial as opposed to the activities envisioned in 2005 when the Environment Court made a ruling on what activities and mitigations could occur on that site. I have met with concerned neighbouring Te Puna residents to hear first-hand the issues of greatest concern. The Resource Management Act is the piece of law under which the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Western Bay District Council operate. As often is the way with planning legislation, its requirements are highly complex and often require legal and planning experts to interpret them. While it may seem like a simple case of a community expressing its opinion about local developments, your local council has to follow the prescribed process accurately. Getting it wrong leads to later problems down the track which may become quite expensive for them, and in turn, for ratepayers. I do hope that in time the Western Bay District Council opens the latest consent application to local submissions. It’s important that the Te Puna community is heard and that their concerns, which are valid, be taken on board as part of the consenting process. Increased truck movements, drainage risks, noise and air quality are key concerns that in my personal view deserve discussion. Many of these families have lived on and around Te Puna Station Road for several generations. This is not a situation where newcomers are complaining about historic use – they were there before the business park even existed and they must be considered when the development applications are heard by Council. I will be watching this process with great interest and I trust that Western Bay District Council following due process as they must ultimately incorporate the community’s concerns in their decision making around this area.

Swimming sports for Matahui By Debbie Allan sually, at this time of the year students at Matahui School attend various sporting competitions with other schools from the Western Bay and Tauranga area. Each year students look forward to attending these events and competing with other students from other schools. Unfortunately, with Covid, many of the inter-school events are not happening again this year. One of the events cancelled was the Small School Swimming Competition, an event that Matahui School students look forward to each year. Like many other schools, Matahui School doesn’t have its own pool, so twice a week during the summer terms, our students travel to Dave Hume Pool in Katikati for lessons - to learn water safety skills and practise their swimming skills. Therefore, it was only natural when it was announced that this year’s Small Schools Swimming Competition was cancelled, Matahui School students and teachers alike were disappointed that the usual competitions were not going ahead this year. So instead, a decision was made that Matahui School would organise our own event at Dave Hume Pool on Friday 25th February. This event saw all our students, from Year 1 to 8 involved with competitive and not-so-competitive events. We had some amazing bubbles and kicking with flutter boards from our younger students. While our older students swam some very competitive times in their swimming events. It was amazing to see everyone getting involved and cheering encouragement to their schoolmates and showing the Matahui way. Thank you, Mrs Burtenshaw, Matahui School Year 7 & 8 teacher for your expert organisation of the day. It was great to see our amazing teachers in their element swimming alongside our students in the pool.

Whakamārama Hall regular events Library Thursdays 9am – noon (during term), and every third Friday 6-8.30pm. Visit whakalibrary.librarika.com to see our great range of books. A real eclectic mix!

PrESCHOOL PLayGrOUP Thursdays 9.30-noon (during term time).This is a friendly, free group with a fantastic range of toys and great indoor and outdoor spaces. Email Kathleen on Kathleenfaulls@gmail.com for more information.

TWiF

TODD DD MU MULLL LLER

MP FO OR BAY OF P PLENTY Te Pun n Constitue na en n Clinics: nt Meet with To odd or od o hi his team

Re egular g Clinic ics: 3 d* Mo 3r Monday of the month th hb betw ween F bruary and Februa d November 1 .00am — 112. 10 12 2 00pm m at Te Puna Pun na Hall Next Clinic D Dates: 21 March, * 11 April.

Please get in touch h witth me e for o alternativ ve appoint a tme e times: ent en E P

Todd dd.MullerMP@p parrliame ent.govt.nz (07) 7 542 05 0 05

Authoriised by Todd Mu uller MP, 3/9 Dom main Road, Papa amoa.

Thank Whakamārama It’s Friday takes place every 3rd Friday of the month from 68.30pm. Everyone is welcome. Bring your dinner, your family and a bottle or two and enjoy a gathering with neighbours and friends. Find out what's going on in the community and meet fellow Whakamārama locals.

WHakamārama EmaiLS Community news including police reports, lost and found animals, items for sale, excess fruit and vegetables, and rentals wanted. To receive these email: rossroad@eol.co.nz

HaLL bOOkiNGS To book the hall, call Suaree Borrell, the booking oﬃcer, on 021 570 554 or email whakamarama01@gmail.com. We also have tables and chairs available at very reasonable rates.

117 Matahui Road, Katikati 07 5520655

www.matahui.school.nz Nurturing the potential in every child March 2022 | Lizard News |

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Doggy Day Out moves online ompetitions, special offers and supreme doggy cuteness will all be on show in the first ever Doggy Day Out virtual edition. Covid and the red traffic light setting requirements mean that Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Doggy Day Out originally scheduled for Saturday 26th February in Ōmokoroa, won’t be going ahead, but that won’t stop the tail wagging fun from shifting online. Council will instead host a variety of dog-related activities on our social media channels and via the website westernbay.govt.nz/doggydayout The two-week programme of digital

events launched on Monday 21st February and runs until Monday 7th March. Alison Curtis, Compliance and Monitoring Manager says, “We’re really excited that we can still bring the Doggy Day Out to life in a new format. Not only is it a key feature of our annual Wander Dogs Summer Series calendar but it’s a great community event, that brings the dog lovers of the Western Bay together and we didn’t want to cancel it”. “Switching to an online format means we can still soak up all the joy that our canine companions bring through events like our rock star themed photo competition.

“We’re all excited to see who’ll join Alfie and the Subwoofers!” Council will also be hosting a virtual market place to give doggy-related vendors an opportunity to show off their products, and Doggy Day Out special offers. Our line up for the Virtual Doggy Day Out includes Rockstar themed photo competition; Colouring competition; Virtual Doggy Day Out market; Adopt-a-dog showcase. Alison says that Council started the Doggy Day Out six years ago to connect with our dog owner community around responsible dog ownership, the positives

of dog ownership and promote services we offer dog owners. “Our team provide services that help keep people and pets safe, reconnect dogs separated from their owners, correct behavioural issues and inform puppy training. They are highly experienced and happy to share their knowledge.” To receive live Doggy Day Out updates follow Western Bay of Plenty District Council on Facebook and Instagram @westernbaycouncil and view the full line-up of events at westernbay.govt.nz/doggydayout Article supplied.

Enrol to vote - me whakauru, kia pōti o you care about how our towns grow and what features they have? How do we safely get around the Western Bay? Then make 2022 a year of empowerment and enrol to vote. October sees the next round of local government elections taking place across the motu and to ensure your voice counts on who should lead the Western Bay for the next three years, you must be enrolled to vote. Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Customer Service and Governance Manager, Barbara Whitton says, “Enrolling is simple, you can do it online in less than five minutes. Don’t wait, jump online at vote.nz and get it sorted.” Come voting time postal votes will be mailed out to enrolled voters, and they’ll be asked to choose who they want to represent their area, their community, and their values. Barb says, “Enrolling to vote is one of the

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most powerful things you can do. “You don’t have to be a ratepayer to vote. If you live here, you may be eligible to vote.” The voter turnout for the last election in 2019 for the Western Bay of Plenty was just 39.1 percent, below the national average of 41.7 percent. Barb says, “This year, we want to buck the trend and get more of our community voting. It starts now with enrolment. “Even if you’re already enrolled, you can jump online and check your enrolment details to ensure your voting papers reach you. It’s easy, there’s no log-in required, just your name and address. “If you need a little help just visit one of our libraries or service centres and our team can give you a hand.” Visit the Electoral Commission’s website to enrol, or check your enrolment details vote.nz/enrol

There are over 42,000 eligible voters registered in the Western Bay and 39,000 or so are registered to vote, with fewer still actually voting. Our District uses the ‘First Past the Post’ (FPP) voting system to determine its elected members, this includes the Mayor, 11 Councillors, and five Community Boards. In this system, the candidate with the most votes wins. The District is split into three geographic areas called wards – Te Puke-Maketū, Kaimai, and Katikati-Waihī Beach. Three or four Councillor positions are assigned to each ward to ensure all of the District’s areas are represented equitably. To be eligible to enrol, you must be 18 years or older, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, who lives in New Zealand and has lived in New Zealand for a year continuously at any time. If you’re Australian, Niuean, Tokelauan, or a Cook Islander, you can enrol after you have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more.

most frequently asked

10 QUESTIONS Question 2:

How do crowns strengthen teeth?

o understand this, we have to take a closer look at the structure of a tooth and then also into its history, i.e. what happened to it that it requires a crown.

A tooth has a very strong anatomical structure consisting of a combination of 3D arches. If you think three dimensionally, the shape is two domes. Architecturally, arches are some of the strongest structures known to humankind. So how does this compare to a tooth? The enamel, i.e. the outer white part of the tooth, is actually a dome. Tooth decay breaks up the tooth structure and eats through the enamel. Once this happens the tooth needs a filling. However, by nature fillings destroy the architecture of a tooth. They are only a satisfactory solution if the filling is small. If the damage is bigger, the proper - because durable - solution is something that mimics nature and creates a new arch: a crown. Unlike a filling that goes into the tooth, a dental crown encases and braces the tooth from outside. It creates a new dome over the tooth to replace the enamel. Full-porcelain crowns are made from a glass-like substance similar to natural tooth enamel that covers the whole tooth and thus restores it to its maximum strength. Crowning a tooth drastically reduces any chance of further damage to the tooth. And if crowns are placed soon enough, i.e. before any fractures reach the nerve of the tooth, it can be done without removing the nerve.

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| Lizard News | March 2022

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Remembrance tree raises $60,000 for Hospice ospices throughout the country have once again been overwhelmed and humbled by the support from Farmers Department Stores and their customers in the leadup to Christmas. The incredible efforts from both Bayfair and Tauranga Crossing Farmers stores, along with the generosity of their customers, saw a total of $29,322.08 raised in-store for Waipuna Hospice. “This amazing donation will help Waipuna Hospice support terminally ill patients and support their families and whānau at no cost. This support not only includes nursing and medical support, but also counseling, bereavement support, massage, physiotherapy, biography services, spiritual support, medical loan equipment, and more,” explains Waipuna Hospice CEO, Richard Thurlow. I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Farmers, for not only raising funds for Waipuna Hospice, but for also working as ambassadors for our services, helping

our community to better understand the work we do. The awareness-raising that comes from being involved with Farmers is invaluable. The enthusiasm and commitment from all staff and the people of Farmers Bayfair and Tauranga Crossing has contributed to this amazing result,” says Richard. Michael Power, Chief Financial Officer of Farmers says, “At Farmers, we are extremely proud of the amount raised during our Christmas hospice campaign through a combined effort and generous donations made by our customers, our staff, and our business. Farmers has been at the heart of New Zealand communities for over 110 years. We are delighted to make a positive difference in our communities through our longstanding relationship with Hospice. In addition to Farmers, Waipuna Hospice also ran a community-based remembrance Tree Appeal with collection sites in supermarkets, shopping centres, and markets around the community.

L-R: Ella Pollard (Waipuna Hospice Fundraising Executive), Leanne Webber, Graeme Walker, Annalise Wang, Dee Klinac, Ulene Adams, Catarina Lee, Tim Willson (Farmers Bayfair Store Manager), and Sasima Pearce (Waipuna Hospice Director of Marketing and Fundraising).

Thanks to the kindness of the community, a further $30,539.53 was donated to the appeal. For Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty, the campaign raised a total of $59,861.61 which will enable Waipuna Hospice to continue to provide the best possible specialist hospice palliative

care, enhancing the quality of life for those facing end of life and bereavement. “We were overwhelmed by the support shown by Farmers for Waipuna Hospice through the 2021 Remembrance Tree Appeal, particularly in what was an extremely hard year for many”, explains Richard. Article supplied.

Not all heroes wear capes ue to Omicron, Waipuna Hospice’s plans to host a live outdoor community superhero event have changed. Rather than cancel the event, however, Waipuna Hospice is super excited to move to an online one. “It’s the best of both worlds, really”, explains Waipuna Hospice’s Fundraising Executive Wayne Bloxham. “You get to pick what, how, where, when and with who you want to do the event. Going online gives participants the flexibility to achieve their goals while helping

Waipuna Hospice at the same time.” The concept is simple. Participants sign up online and are asked to pledge to do either 21, 42 or 84km between the 8th February and the 10th March. Once you’ve signed up, you can walk, run, hop, skip or roll to your goal, all while helping raise money for Waipuna Hospice by asking friends, family, and colleagues to sponsor your efforts. Of course, being the Superhero Walk/Run, participants are encouraged to dust off their capes and dress to im-

press while they are out counting those km’s. There are a couple of trophies to win this year. These include the most km’s achieved, the most raised in donations, the best superhero outfits, and more. These special awards are for those itching to flex their leg muscles (or fundraising muscles) to show off how unwavering they are in their heroic support of the Waipuna Hospice staff and the services they provide to those who are affected by terminal illness.

Lions’ Health Aids / Equipment Available on Loan The Lions’ Club of Omokoroa maintains a wide range of health aids equipment which is available to community residents on a loan basis when needed following illness and/or surgery.

Assemble your avengers and get the whole household caped up for a team challenge. Invite friends, family, colleagues, or teammates to join you. Registration is free; simply sign up, get friends and family to sponsor your efforts, and away you go! Be the superhero our community needs and register now at 2022-superhero-walk run.raisely.com/ or email events@waipunahospice.org.nz or call 552 4380 ext. 318 for more information. Article supplied.

today n i e om

Introducing Ollie and Kylie and their families

oﬀering personal, professional care & service

To maintain and update equipment, donations are expected on return of any loan equipment.

WeLcome to

Bed Loop • Bedside Table • Bedside supports (help out of bed) • Bed/Shower access Aid Bedpans • Chair for Rehabilitation • Chair Raiser • Commodes • Crutches Cushioned Eating Tray • Elephant Feet • Electric Fan • Exercise Cycle • Heat Lamp High Stool • Knee Supports • Knee Walker • Long Shoe Horn • Monkey Bar Moon Boot • Nebulisers • Non-Slip Shower mat • Picker Upper Protectors for Plaster Casts when showering • Ring Cushions • Sheepskins Shower Stools • Sock Putter-On • Softech Full Chair Cushion • Spenco Cushions Stroller Walkers • Toilet Seats • Transfer Board • Transfer Cushion • Urinals Walkers: Wooden/Metal • Walking Aid, 4ft • Walking Sticks • Wheelchairs

TE PUNA PHARMACY

To enquire about the equipment contact Mary Klein 548 1600

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07 262 2170 March 2022 | Lizard News |

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Ōmokoroa Community Policing Group

Neighbourhood support Rachel Millard, Coordinator iven the possible stress, confusion and frustration over the new covid situation I thought it would be timely just to remind everyone in our amazing community to check in on our neighbours. The most vulnerable are the elderly and they may have concerns about going to public places like the supermarket, chemist or library and this may be something that you can help with. Our communities are better when we get to know our neighbours. By joining our Neighbourhood Sup-

port Group you will receive a monthly newsletter outlining what is happening in Ōmokoroa, things to look out for and a report from our local Constable summarising the latest happenings in and around the community. Contact nsomokoroa@gmail.com to join now, membership is completely free and it only takes a few minutes.

Community Patrol Peter Goad, Trainer y the end of March, the latest intake of new Community Patrol recruits will have finished their induction and training bringing our number of active patrollers to around forty.

These volunteers give generously of their time to help promote the safety and security of Ōmokoroa and to keep it the happy and friendly place it is. They are there to show that we care about our community and to provide a continual stream of information to the Police, each patrol log being forwarded to our local police Liaison Officer. Imagine if we had a thousand pairs of eyes looking after our peninsula. If you live in Ōmokoroa and are reading this you could contribute to our community, just by being aware when you are driving around the peninsula, waiting for a bus or walking your dog. If you witness an incident or have information that could help the police you should communicate directly to them as soon as possible. There are various ways of quickly and easily reporting your concerns to them: Whatever it is, if it’s happening now call 111; Your call will be prioritised so leave it to the police to decide whether

it’s worth the call – if they don’t know about it they can’t react. Don’t leave it to someone else. For non-emergencies call 105; or google Police 105 for on-line reporting. You will be directed to various forms including: non-injury crashes (after the event), driving behaviour, information about suspicious activity, hate crimes, domestic violence etc. For driving behaviour and incidents you can google directly to Road Watch Report or phone *555 on your mobile when you will be put through to the Police Information Centre. This can include non-injury crashes, obstructions and breakdowns. You can also make an anonymous report by googling Crimestoppers or calling 0800 555 111. And finally, you can call 07 548 1286 for us to arrange for graffiti to be removed. We are all fortunate to live in this special community and we can all play our part to keep it that way, even if we lead busy lives.

Like a bridge over troubled times

By Alison Badger

or the past nearly two years, we have all experienced difficulties either within our own families or in the wider community. From lockdowns to traffic lights, it is not easy to navigate a way forward and maintain a sense of equanimity and positivity. Imagine then, how it would feel to have no family to turn to for support. To have your loved one enter a residential or nursing care

situation, or even bereavement, and you are left on your own, trying to keep some semblance of normality when there seem so many obstacles in your way. For our more senior citizens, there is a surprising amount of support available if only you knew where to go to find out. These are services that you have paid for over the years from your taxes and have been put in place specifically to support you to enjoy your golden years. Christine Potts is well qualified to give

Call out for carvers for Ōmokoroa installation

reative Bay of Plenty and Ōmokoroa Public Art Group (OPAG), in conjunction with local hapū, Pirirākau, are commissioning a carved/relief panel(s) to be created from a black walnut log felled at the Gerald Crapp Historic reserve in Ōmokoroa. The panel(s) will be installed inside the temporary library on Western Ave, Ōmokoroa and eventually moved to the new library once this has been constructed. Expressions of interest close at 5pm, Thursday 31st March. To register, applicants must complete the registration form and submit examples of previous work. A panel will

| Lizard news | March 2022

then shortlist a selection of artists. These artists will then be invited to view the log slabs/ﬂitches and discuss the criteria further. Artists still interested will be paid $500 each to prepare a concept design and budget, and to present their design to the panel. The panel will evaluate the concept designs and budgets and choose the successful artist/s by the end of October 2022, with the intention of the artwork being commissioned and completed in agreement with the artist. See www.creativebop.org.nz /projects/walnut-panels

you such advice and is eminently professional in her approach. Christine volunteers at the Old Library Ōmokoroa on the first Thursday of each month from 10am to 1pm. There is no need to make an appointment, just drop in. However, such has been the demand for Christine’s help, you may encounter a queue. You could use the time to browse the current display, read a book or add a piece or three to the current jigsaw. You might also enjoy a conversation with the

volunteer on duty. With a discount voucher, you could grab yourself a coffee from Running Bird to enjoy whilst you enter the colouring competition – open to all ages and surprisingly soothing! The fundamental ideology behind the Old Library Ōmokoroa is to provide a community space with appropriate resources to support our community. To find out more, why not just pop in for a look-see? Open 10am – 4pm Tuesday to Sunday. ADVERTORIAL

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Ōmokoroa Public Art Group projects By Alie Henderson he Ōmokoroa Public Art Group (OPAG) comprises a small number of volunteers who plan and develop public art projects. They seek funding from grants and the local community for these projects, then work with Western Bay of Plenty District Council, the Ōmokoroa Community Board, and the local hapū, Pirirākau, to manage their implementation. We have three projects currently underway.

Flying Godwits Sculpture If you’ve been walking or cycling through Cooney Reserve in the last week or so, you will have noticed a stunning new kinetic sculpture by local Whakamārama artist Dave Roy. This sculpture pays homage to the Bartailed godwits – Kuaka – that visit Ōmokoroa each year from October/November to March. These amazing birds fly non-stop the 12,000 Km to Aotearoa to feed on our tidal estuaries before embarking on their long journey back to Western Alaska to breed. Dave Roy comments, “I like to draw an analogy between them and New Zealanders, who, given our small population ‘punch-above-their-weight’ in so many fields around the world”. Just as the godwits embark on their remarkable journey each year, we hope that cyclists and walkers living in or visiting Ōmokoroa may be inspired to embark on their own journeys. Take a moment to watch the sculpture – the birds will move with the wind! Dave Roy would like to acknowledge Dwayne Hawkins of Hawkins Marine Ltd. for all his technical assistance with the fabrication of this sculpture. OPAG would like to acknowledge the generous grants from the Ōmokoroa Centre Trust, Creative Bay of Plenty, and the Ōmokoroa Community Board that have enabled the creation of the sculpture. We have also appreciated the support of Western Bay of Plenty District Council in the planning and implementation of this project, especially Steven White (WBOPDC Reserves Manager for Ōmokoroa). Special thanks too to John Holwerda and Russell Prout from

Dave Roy’s kinetic sculpture at Cooney Reserve. PHOTOS: Alie Henderson.

Installing the godwits in the rain on 11th February.

Sabre Construction for their help with installing the sculpture at the Reserve; their expertise and specialised equipment were invaluable.

Mural at the Domain The lovely mural on the changing sheds near the playground at the Ōmokoroa Domain is also nearly finished. We just have some ‘captions’ to add to each ‘postcard’ on the mural. The design has transformed the building and celebrates the many recreational features enjoyed by the local community and visitors to the area.

The women’s side of the Domain ablution block.

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Expressions of interest Calling all carvers, woodworkers and sculptors. Creative Bay of Plenty and OPAG, in conjunction with the local hapū, Pirirākau Incorporated Society, are commissioning a carved/relief panel(s) to be created from a black walnut log felled at the local Gerald Crapp Historic Reserve. The panel(s) will be installed inside the temporary library on Western Ave, Ōmokoroa and eventually moved to the new library once this has been constructed. The call for Expressions of Interest in this project is available online at creativebop.org.nz and scroll down to CBOP Projects & News. For further information, contact me, Alie Henderson, Chairperson, on 021 248 0173.

The men’s side of the changing sheds. PHOTOS: Sue Darke.

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March 2022 | Lizard News |

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Acrylic with Audrey Exploring the aftermath By Audrey Dubois

ould you love to be an artist? This is your opportunity! I am hosting a painting night on the 18th of March for beginners to learn how to paint with acrylics. Week-end à la mer Art Studio, in Whakamārama, is a well-equipped space designed for a small group to learn. With only seven people maximum in the class, you’ll have the confidence to have a go, ask questions and learn with likeminded people.

This month we will create a beautiful acrylic painting of your favourite animal. All materials will be provided: canvas, acrylic paint, soft drinks and nibbles. Place: 13e Sagewood Road (off Esdaile Road) Date and time: Friday 18th March from 6 to 9pm Price: $70 per person Places are limited please book and pay in advance. Please wear a mask. Contact me on 022 502 1671 or email audrey.duboisnz@gmail.com to reserve your place or for more information.

uesday 16th February saw our Ōmokoroa Playcentre Explorer session visiting Gerald Crapp Historic Reserve. This is a place that our tamariki love coming back to, with beautiful big roots to play in, walnuts and acorns to collect, hut and houses to make, and a changing landscape between high and low tide. Low tide sees us exploring the foreshore and the clay pits around the base of the cliff. However, this Tuesday was different, as we’d come to visit after the cyclone. There was significant damage with several large branches down, but our tamariki saw these as resources to be used and explored. We discussed the differences between branches that had been snapped and those that had been sawed. Lots of us had experienced storm damage at home, and because we have parents in session, it is an opportunity to continue learning between home and Playcentre. At Playcentre, parents and whānau

stay in session with tamariki, enabling a high-quality, rich early childhood experience. Come and find your village at Ōmokoroa Playcentre. We are open for play Monday 9-12.30pm, Tuesday (offsite) 9-12pm, Thursday 9-12pm and Friday 9-12.30pm during term time. Contact us on our Facebook page, on 027 700 0676 or email omokoroa@playcentre.org.nz

Paint your favourite animal. PHOTOS: Supplied.

Discovering and exploring in Crapp Reserve after Cyclone Dovi. PHOTOS: EJ Weller.

Week-end à la mer Art Studio is well set up for small groups.

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Search still on for library site he search for the final location of Waihī Beach’s new library, service centre and community hub contin-

ues. Western Bay of Plenty District Council is looking to further investigate three sites – the Community Centre Reserve (by the tennis courts and skate park), Wilson Road Broadlands Block and the Community Centre carpark – following community feedback on six potential sites in late 2021. Barbara Whitton, Council’s Customer Service and Governance Manager, says the community shared some fantastic ideas and very considered feedback last year and the project team are planning another round of community engagement on the three sites when the project has progressed further. Barb says, “We’ll be coming back to the

community to ask for their input on the three sites on our shortlist. The sites will have high-level costs information included, so the community can make informed decisions. “It’s really important that the community keep sharing their feedback throughout this process so we can design a facility that’s more than a new library and service centre– it needs to be a place our community want to use and love to visit.” At present, the Council team is compiling information and examining these sites in more detail to help understand potential costs. This detailed information will be reported back to Council for them to consider. Timing for the next community engagement will be confirmed in the coming months. Article supplied.

Lifeguards’ successful season aihī Beach Lifeguards is benefiting from a very successful group of Katikati College alumni this season. Most recently, Jess Harray was awarded her Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Driver’s Award. The exam was held in Raglan in very challenging conditions and Jess demonstrated excellent skills across the entire exam as well as achieving the top result in the theory component. At the same time, Lucy Scown and Nicholas (Nick) Wagstaff were awarded their IRB Examiner’s Awards, which is a significant achievement. Lucy is currently the Chair of the Waihī Beach Lifeguarding Committee, a Surf Lifeguard Award examiner, last year’s Coromandel Lifesaving Committee Chair and this season Nick held the role of Coromandel Supervisor for the Paid Regional Lifeguard Service after 5 years as Head Guard at Waihī Beach. Jessica Meade was awarded her IRB Instructor’s Award at the Raglan exam, having completed another year as a Senior Regional Lifeguard at Waihī Beach. Keeping it in the family, a few weeks ago, current Katikati College student Meg Harray was selected to attend the

Nick Wagstaff, Lucy Scown IRB Examiners Award achieved. PHOTOS: Supplied.

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Potential sites for a new library and hub. IMAGE: Supplied.

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L-R Lucy Scown, Rian Butler (Waihī College) Jessica Meade, Nick Wagstaff, Jess Harray at the IRB exam Raglan.

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Intermediate Lifeguard School at Hot Water Beach. Meg was awarded the accolade of Top Candidate, praised for her consistent excellence in knowledge, skill and support of the other candidates as well as achieving top honours in all the physical challenges. Of course, we have many stars amongst our team at Waihī Beach Lifeguards, however, we love to recognise achievements which also show how well equipped our teams are to look after our community at the beach. Waihī Beach volunteer patrols are now weekends only until Easter; Saturdays 11am – 5pm and Sundays 10am – 4pm. If you’re interested in finding out more about becoming involved, or in becoming a lifeguard, please contact the Club via www.waihibeachlifeguards.co.nz email info@waihibeachlifeguards.co.nz or call 07 863 5108. Article supplied.

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TECT Community Award winners to be announced our months after the finalists for the 2022 TECT Community Awards were announced, the awards winners will soon be revealed. The awards, which were due to be held at Baycourt Community and Arts Centre on 17th March, will now be announced online. They celebrate the community groups, volunteers and young changemakers who are helping make the Western Bay of Plenty one of the greatest places to live. Finalists are vying for six main awards: Event Excellence, Sustainable Future, Diversity and Inclusion, Heart of the Community, Youth Spirit and Volunteer of the Year. A Lifetime Service Award and People’s Choice Award will also be announced. The People’s Choice Award is back for 2022, with the community selecting their favourite finalist. Voting opened in February on the TECT website. The judging panel reviewed an overwhelming number of high calibre nominations across all categories. One of the judges, Carlo Ellis, says the panel were inspired by the diversity of nominations that came through. “2021 has been another challenging year, but one that has seen countless community groups and volunteers devote their time and energy to help our region thrive. “Looking through all the nominations was truly inspiring. So many people and groups work quietly away with little recognition to make our community a better place to live. “Congratulations to all nominees and finalists – your work in our community is something to be commended.” Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber thanks all the nominees and finalists. “To all of the finalists, whether they be organisations or individuals who were nominated – thank you for everything you do to support our Western Bay community. “By being nominated for the TECT Community Awards, your hard work and dedication have been

recognised by the community within which you do your volunteering.” Tauranga City Council Chair Anne Tolley says this year’s TECT Community Award finalists exemplify the diversity and depth of the Western Bay of Plenty subregion’s voluntary sector. “There’s absolutely no doubt that the strength of a community depends on the people and groups who devote their time and energy to activities which enrich us and help residents who need support from time to time. “We’re very fortunate to have so many selfless individuals and organisations amongst us, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the finalists for their contributions to our community,” Anne says. The finalists for the TECT Community Awards are: Event Excellence Award: Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival; He Iwi Kotahi Tauranga Moana Charitable Trust – Waitangi Day Celebrations; Multicultural Festival Tauranga; National Jazz Festival; Te Kete O Matariki. Sustainable Future Award: Envirohub Bay of Plenty; Friends of the Blade; Maketū Ongatoro Wetland Soci-

ety; PiPS - People, Plants, School; Youth Search and Rescue Trust. Diversity and Inclusion Award: English Language Partners Bay of Plenty; Pacific Island Community (Tauranga) Trust; RainbowYOUTH; StarJam; Tauranga Riding for the Disabled. Heart of the Community Award: Alzheimers Society Tauranga Inc; Good Neighbour Projects Team; Homes of Hope Charitable Trust; Western Bay Heritage Trust; YWAM Ships Aotearoa - Trinity Koha Dental Clinic. Youth Spirit Award: Kim Kaur; Kororia Solomon; Quinn Boyle; Ryan Kayser; Shuari Naidoo. Volunteer of the Year Award: Andrew McDowell; Bill Webb; David Walker; Maureen Paterson; Rodney Landrebe. Winners will be announced online each day from Thursday 17th March, with a showcase of all finalists also hosted online on the TECT Facebook page in the weeks leading up to the final announcements. To learn more, visit tect.org.nz/community-awards2022 Article supplied.

New leadership at Forest & Bird otearoa New Zealand’s leading conservation organisation, Forest & Bird, is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicola Toki as its new Chief Executive, as the society approaches its one-hundredth year of giving nature a voice. Toki will begin in April this year and will succeed outgoing Chief Executive Kevin Hague, who is retiring after six years at the helm of Forest & Bird. “We are delighted that Nicola will be moving into the leadership position at Forest & Bird,” says Forest & Bird President, Mark Hanger. Toki will continue to guide the independent not-for-profit organisation on

behalf of Kiwis everywhere who are passionate about protecting the wildlife and wild places of Aotearoa. She will focus her attention on improving the visibility of the work of the society and its vast network of members and supporters, as well as developing a strategic direction to take Forest & Bird into the next 100 years. “Nicola has an impressive history of conservation leadership and advocacy for New Zealand’s wildlife and wild places, including during her first role at Forest & Bird as a Conservation Advocate from 2010-2012,” says Hanger. Having worked in a range of roles across the private and public sector, Toki is a well-known champion for New

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Zealand’s natural world and has a deep understanding of the environmental management challenges and opportunities in this country. Over the past decade or more, she has worked in conservation leadership roles in the agribusiness industry, the Predator Free New Zealand movement, as the Department of Conservation’s Threatened Species Ambassador, and has represented New Zealand at international biodiversity science and policy meetings. Currently, she holds a senior leadership role in the Department of Conservation as the Operations Director for the Eastern South Island. “As New Zealand recovers from the

global Covid-19 pandemic, supporting the resilience of our natural environment and fostering our enduring connection to nature is vital,” says Hanger. “With Forest & Bird about to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, public engagement with and concern for Aotearoa New Zealand’s native species and environment is the highest it’s ever been. “With her wealth of experience, we are delighted to have Nicola lead Forest & Bird into our centennial, and we are confident she will add significant volume to the chorus of our thousands of members and supporters giving nature a voice across Aotearoa.”

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Pahoia School

By Juanita Meder Office Administrator e have had a great start to the school year, with everyone adapting well to the restrictions and regulations in place to keep us safe. Early in February our Year 5 and 6 group enjoyed their first camp for the year, staying at Waitewheta Camp, near Waikino. They visited the Waihī Goldmine Education Centre, the Victoria Battery Museum and Bullswool Heritage Farm. Year 6 students also took part in a Leadership Day here at school. While enjoying shared challenges, they demonstrated existing, and newly learned, skills. Our theme for this term is based around Tangaroa, the kaitiaki of the ocean and the creatures within. We will be investigating all things marine and water, and weaving science through our literacy and maths programmes. With this in mind, our Ignition Day involved lots of investigative water activi-

ties, including bubble making, origami whales, learning about Archimedes’ principle and exploring floating and sinking. Nathan Pettigrew, a Tauranga kayaker and marine conservationist also paid us a visit and talked about his amazing ocean experiences with sea creatures.

Years 5 and 6 visit Karangahake Gorge.

Exploring the science of water. PHOTOS: Supplied.

Household emergency T preparedness oes your family have a plan in the event of an emergency? Western Bay of Plenty District Council is helping whānau across the District to start a kōrero and discuss what their family will do in the event of an emergency. Council’s Community Resilience Advisor, Jo Lynskey says, “Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, but we can all take steps now to get prepared.” That is where Jo’s new monthly community drop-in sessions can help. “Beginning in February, we’ll be hosting community drop-in sessions at Te Puke Library, and The Centre - Pātuki Manawa in Katikati. “We want to help get the kōrero started so you and your whānau know what to do in an emergency and what you need to get through. “It’s much easier to have those conversations now, and not during an emergency when you’re worried or rushed. “It’s good to think about what you and the members of your household would do if you were separated during a disaster without any means of contacting each other. Having a plan will help you work through where you will meet, who will pick up the kids from school, etc.” Jo’s planning tips for household pre-

paredness include: A household emergency plan – what would you do, how would you communicate, what would you do if you have no power, no water, no internet; Emergency Items – do you have some of the basics to get through? A grab bag in case you need to move in a hurry – think about any medications, kids snacks, pets and pet food. Templates and checklists will be available for free at the community drop-in sessions. The drop-ins sessions are an opportunity to continue growing community resilience in the Western Bay, and for Jo, a newcomer to Council, to introduce herself to the community. “From what I’ve seen, the Western Bay community has done a great job to band together and help one another when needed,” says Jo. “I’m really looking forward to getting out and meeting more of the community.” The first sessions are in February and will repeat on the second Thursday of each month starting Thursday 10th February, 10am – 12 noon at The Centre – Pātuki Manawa. For more information visit our website westernbay.govt.nz/community/civil-defence Article supplied.

Lack of lifejackets big concern

he lack of lifejacket use continues to be the biggest reason the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Harbourmaster team has to interact with boat users. Since Labour Weekend at the end of October, patrols have spoken with more than 11,000 people on 3,500 vessels and Harbourmaster Jon Jon Peters says there’s no excuse not to wear a lifejacket. “Research shows that about two thirds of recreational boating deaths might have been prevented if people were wearing their lifejackets,” Mr Peters says. “Make sure that lifejackets are the cor-

rect size, in good condition and suitable for the type of boating you do.” Mr Peters says the warm summer and largely settled weather has seen a nearly 50 percent growth in on-water users compared to last year. Speeding craft and vessels that weren’t registered were the reasons for most of the breaches being issued. Boats must not exceed 5 knots within 200 metres of the shore, a structure or dive flag; and within 50 metres of another boat, raft or person in the water. Article supplied.

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Bay of Plenty Regional Council Harbourmaster Jon Jon Peters. PHOTO: Supplied.

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Seeking conservation champions ird surveyor, ecological restoration officer, conservation dog handler, kiwi husbandry, pest controller – these are just some of the roles Bay Conservation Cadets have gone on to secure after their 12-week employment and training programme. Bay Conservation Cadets – Tauira Mahi is an employment and training programme under Jobs for Nature, aiming to grow the capability and conservation skills in the Bay of Plenty and support adult cadets on their career path in conservation. Launching in January 2021, the fourth successful intake is currently underway, with a total of 41 adult cadets now experiencing the unique programme. “The real difference in this programme is the significant ‘hands-on nature’, the cadets get to experience on a daily basis,” said Bay Conservation Chief Executive Michelle Elborn. “While there is of course time spent in the classroom understanding rationales and methodologies, an incredible amount of time is spent in many amazing landscapes across the Bay of Plenty.” The programme provides training around core areas of conservation management. This includes understanding the context of New Zealand’s unique flora and

cations and an online application form are available on the Bay Conservation Alliance website: www.bayconservation.nz then click on Bay Conservation Cadets – Tauira Mahi “Funded by Ministry for Environment, we feel privileged to be able to deliver such a valuable programme here in the Bay of Plenty. The reward is immense as we watch people with a passion for supporting the Taiao, grow their confidence and direction in life. If you hold the passion required to give this programme 110%, we’d love to see an application from you,” said Michelle Elborn. Article supplied.

The next intake is currently underway for new Bay Conservation Cadets. PHOTO: Supplied.

fauna. It grows knowledge around bird and plant identification, predator control ethics and techniques, water quality monitoring, species monitoring techniques, the use of technologies such as GIS and GPS, Rongoa and cultural values and much more. Many of the sites that cadets spend time at are member groups of Bay Conservation Alliance (BCA). BCA plays a role in supporting community groups (many volunteer-led), working towards conservation outcomes. The cadet programme provides a fantastic opportunity to support the work of these volunteer projects, whilst also getting valuable real-life insights and experience. The programme also facilitates a range of certificates that aid the employability of each cadet. These include Outdoor First Aid, bush navigation, high-performance predator control, light utility vehicle driving, wasp control, Growsafe and controlled substance handler. Applications are now open until the 28th March for the next intake starting on 16th May. Criteria for appli-

TECT Park wins international recognition he people of the world have voted TECT Park as a top 10 winner in the Green Flag International People’s Choice Award. The awards see Green Flag Awardwinning parks from around the world entered into a people’s choice contest, and the top park from each nation claims a coveted spot in the top 10. As the highest-voted park from Aotearoa New Zealand, TECT Park carries the mantle for New Zealand, in company with some international big hitters, including Presidio of San Francisco (USA), which was visited by 12.4 million people a year (pre-Covid). Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber

says the award is well deserved, “TECT Park has only been in existence 11 years and in that time it’s won award after award. Now it sits among the world’s most loved Green Flag award-winning parks. I’m thrilled to see the park and the management team’s hard work recognised.” TECT Chairperson Bill Holland says, “TECT Park is the flagship park not only of our region, but of our country and the world, and it is fantastic to see it recognised with this award. To win the People’s Choice Award for New Zealand is an astounding achievement, one that goes to show the level of time, work and funding that has gone into making it what it

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is today – a place everyone can come to enjoy nature and get active. “We are incredibly proud to be a longtime supporter and key funder of the park. Congratulations to all those involved in helping make the park one of the best in the world – we’re lucky to have it right on our doorstep.” TECT Park Manager Bill Wheeler says, “Little TECT Park is hanging around in some pretty illustrious company. We are doing well to even feature on this kind of list and that’s all down to the support of the users from all over the Bay. “This really was the people’s choice, they have supported us and shown how

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much they really appreciate the work that both Councils have put into providing the Park facilities by taking time to vote. They will continue to be far stricter judges than Green Flag will ever send but they are also our greatest ambassadors.” The top 10 status puts TECT Park on an international stage among parks from North America, Australia and Europe. The awards were presented at a virtual ceremony on 9th February and can be watched online: youtu.be/kqZJAbscUUs To find out more about TECT Park visit www.tectpark.co.nz Article supplied.

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SH29 works rescheduled Exploring local pūrakau oad works continue in early March over State Highway 29, the Kaimai Range. Due to poor weather conditions, a fortnight of work which was due to commence on Sunday 13th February was postponed for a week. Recent works on SH29 have seen the introduction of one-way closures, with specific windows for travel in each direction between Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, to allow contractors sufficient space to work efficiently. From Sunday 27th February through to Thursday 3rd March, there will be two, three and a half hour windows each night to allow traffic to pass through in one direction only. The timetable for these nights is as follows: 8pm to 9pm - SH29 will be fully closed to all traffic while the site is being set up. 9pm to 12.30am - SH29 will be open to traffic from the east (Bay of Plenty) to

the west (Waikato). 12.30am to 1am - A full road closure will be in place to allow for the change of traffic direction. 1am to 4.30am - SH29 will be open to traffic travelling from the west (Waikato) to the east (Bay of Plenty). 4.30am to 5:30am - Final closure to allow the site to be made safe for the resumption of two-way traffic during the day. Waka Kotahi says one long window for traffic in each direction rather than more frequent, but shorter, windows helps to avoid lengthy queues of vehicles waiting for their turn to cross the Kaimai Range. With a longer window, drivers, especially those in trucks, can plan their journey with greater certainty as the detours are significant. During the day, the road was to reopen to two lanes, and there will be reduced speeds through areas that had been recently resealed.

School sustainability projects funding ickstart your school’s sustainability or resilience project through a new, innovative fund offered by Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Regional Council’s new $30,000 Sustainability and Resilience fund opened for applications on 31st January. Regional Council Director Strategic Engagement Kataraina O’Brien said the fund is open to all education providers across the Bay of Plenty including schools, early childhood education providers, kura, kōhanga and tertiary institutions. “We’re offering funding of up to $5,000 to education providers for them to get sustainability and resilience projects off the ground,” said Ms O’Brien. “This could include edible gardens, compost setups, tsunami evacuation signs, new bike racks – really the possibilities are endless.” Ms O’Brien said the fund was innovative for Regional Council as, instead of council staff allocating the funding, the public will. “Projects will be put up for the public to view on our Participate platform and the public can then vote for which projects they would like to see funded. It’s a really fun way for the public to engage with projects they fund through their rates.” Those who do not get selected by the public will then go through to Regional Council’s Youth Involvement Project team. The rangatahi on this team can then

select which projects they would like to see funded. The public will have $20,000 to spend and the YIP roopu will have $10,000. Climate change is one of Regional Council’s top three priorities and Ms O’Brien said the focus of sustainability and resilience aligns well with that. “With climate change, we are going to see more extreme events and unpredictable weather in the Bay of Plenty, so, the more we do to cut emissions now and build resilience the better off we’ll be in the future,” said Ms O’Brien. “We know young people are often at the forefront of climate change activism and we hope this fund can target that to help them build sustainable practices and resilience in their educational institutions. “Rangatahi are also often changemakers at home so many will bring their learnings from their projects back to their whānau.” Applications are open until 31st March. Public voting opens on 18th April and will run until 14th May. Successful applicants will be announced at the end of May. To apply visit www.boprc.govt.nz and click on ‘living in the bay’, then ‘community funding’. The school sustainability and resilience fund button is at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, you may email SSRfund@boprc.govt.nz for more information. Article supplied.

ver the past few weeks, the children have been involved in an art project – creating the art for a book made by us. Our local pūrākau (legend) is Te Pura the taniwha. The children love this story and we have a beautiful costume of Te Pura that was donated to the kindergarten by a whānau that used to attend. The children use this costume a lot, but the teaching team realised that we don’t have a storybook about Te Pura. We looked and looked for a book, however, we couldn’t find one. As a few children were making storybooks about the holidays they had, we decided that making our own Te Pura the taniwha book would be a great resource to have. We found the text, cut it onto ten different pages, then the children got busy listening to the words on the page. They then decided what needed to be drawn and designed. What a team we had! Kurt had drawn the most amazing tani-

wha, so we used technology like the photocopier to make different sized taniwha for the pages in the book. We had a team of artists complete different sections using great concentration and attention to detail. In the end, we will have a beautiful book created by our kindergarten children, a resource for us to learn from and share with everyone. Feel free to come and visit our amazing kindergarten where our teachers are all fully qualified. We are a rural kindergarten based at 17C Minden Road, Te Puna in a beautiful natural learning environment. Our kindergarten promotes sustainability and we value our strong relationships with our local community. The ages of our children start at 2 ½ years to 5 years old. We are very whānau/family orientated and encourage your involvement. Come and visit us at 17C Minden Road, Te Puna. Ph 552 5736. The kettle is always on.

Lots of collaboration on creating the artwork for our book. PHOTOS: Supplied.

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lizardnews.net matically. Autumn and winter is the time to work towards our goal of a secure breeding season in the coming spring. Regular bird monitoring along the Pā Kererū track over the last five years is showing an encouraging increase in native bird numbers, particularly in the spring. Bird counts take place four times a year and, since 2016, spring each year has shown a jump in numbers and variety of species heard and seen. The hero is the chatty little robin, seen and heard in increasing numbers at every bird count, but spring and summer are their peak times. This year the volunteers are stepping up their support for the cavity-nesting birds that are too easily killed by treeclimbing predators. Six rūrū nesting boxes have been built, to a DoC blueprint, and are now ready to be installed in March. Rūrū can be tempted to investigate by having a solarpowered light installed nearby to attract insects, thus making a desirable neighbourhood for raising hungry chicks. We also believe we may have a new addition to the existing bird population around The Blade; an experienced bird monitor is sure she has seen some rifleman but as yet there are no photos to

Rūrū boxes for The Blade

confirm the sighting. As these tiniest of birds are able to cover four kilometres distance, they could migrate from Aongatete Forest Project where they have been seen for nearly ten years and are now breeding happily in nest boxes installed there. Volunteers are building rifleman nesting boxes to offer a safer home for the even tinier chicks and these will be installed around The Blade later in autumn. These projects are among several planned for the year by the leadership group of Friends of the Blade to make our work more effective. However, we were sad to accept the resignation of our chair, Craig Bettjeman, at the beginning of 2022. We remain indebted to Craig for all his hard work. Meanwhile, we are without a chair and have been trying hard to recruit new members not just to the group, but to our leadership group in hopes of finding a replacement for Craig. Anyone who is interested in joining a small and enthusiastic management group or our larger pool of equally enthusiastic predator control volunteers is very welcome to contact us for more information by emailing friendsoftheblade@gmail.com

Planning for Wilson Park Rūrū boxes ready to be installed at The Blade. PHOTO: Colin Hewens.

By Noelene Taylor

hroughout the New Zealand bush, from late March through April is the period called the Roar; the busiest time for deer hunters because the stags are competing for hinds. The deer hunters are happy but the predator hunter volunteers looking after The

Help bring back our native birds

Blade, in the Kaimai-Mamaku Conservation Park, will take a break from going in to clear their traps to avoid any risk to their safety. However, the reprieve for predators is short-lived. Data from our trapping results show that the number of predators caught in May, when volunteers go back to the bush after the Roar, rebounds dra-

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hat do you love to do at Wilson Park in Waihī Beach? Stroll through the Sunday market? Linger over a picnic? Western Bay of Plenty District Council is reviewing plans for Wilson Park and want to know what the community uses Wilson Park for, and what could be put in place to ensure it continues to be one of our favourite places. Katy McGinity, Council’s Senior Recreation Planner says, “We know Wilson Park is much-loved. We’re really eager to learn what people use the space for now, and how they want it managed for the future. “We need as much community input as possible, so we can ensure the park continues to have something for everyone,” she says. The most recent plan for the park was completed in 2006. At that time the community wanted to add amphitheatre seating and steps, a drinking fountain, outdoor lighting, and a retaining wall to

promote the site as an events space. Budget constraints at the time meant these plans weren’t developed. Council is asking if this plan is still fit-for-purpose, and how locals want Wilson Park developed in the future. Katy says, “it’s been 15 years since the community last shared ideas for this site. We need to check in with the community to see if aspirations have changed. “It’s really important park users get in touch and share their feedback, so our plans can reflect the current and future uses of the park.” A Council team will be at Waihī Beach Market on 6th March. Paper forms are available at Waihī Beach Library and you can email comments to haveyoursay@westernbay.govt.nz A draft concept plan will be developed before a second opportunity for community feedback. The initial round of feedback closes on 27th March. See haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/wilsonpark

Ōmokoroa Community Tennis Club

By Therese Temple ur membership has been steadily increasing and we are seeing this reality at our club days. Tuesday night had twenty-six members along to play, so ten were sitting out waiting their turn. Not all bad, as there was lots of chat and those sitting out got to watch some good tennis. It highlights the need for the new courts to come to fruition and I’m sure there will be lots of discussion at our committee meetings. Cardio tennis Still very popular. The sessions are as follows, on Mondays at 6pm. February 14th to March 7th. March 21st to April 11th. The cost is $42 for members and $63 for non-members. Please book via the OCTC website, as numbers are limited. Ōmokoroa CTC and Te Puna Seniors tournament Men’s and Women’s (30+) doubles and mixed doubles, March 12th-13th. Prizes and raffles. If you wish to participate,

please go to our website to enter the draw at Ōmokoroatennis.com. This will be a great weekend. If you are not playing, come down and watch some great tennis. Club champs Enter our Club Champs. It will be competitive and fun, so I look forward to receiving your entries. Text Therese on 027 404 7087 if you wish to register. Mixed doubles: March 27th. Singles: April 2nd. Doubles: April 3rd. Ball machine Don’t forget to book our ball machine. $20 a month gets you all-you-can-use. A few sessions with the ball machine will improve that backhand or the smash you’ve always wanted. Or you can pay $10 per hour. Book using our “Book a Court” system, via our website. If you’d like to introduce new members, bring them along to one of our club days and introduce them to a few players. We look forward to seeing you on court.

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Across 1. Trial (4) 3. Vital (8) 9. Knowledge, expertise (4-3) 10. Concur (5) 11. Multitude (5) 12. Religious ceremony (6) 14. Personify (6) 16. Dozen (6) 19. Operational (6) 21. Proportion (5) 24. Terrible (5) 25. Sure (7) 26. Dead centre (5,3) 27. Otherwise (4)

Down 1. Pay attention, listen (4,4) 2. Rub hard, scrub (5) 4. Gift given in appreciation (6) 5. Characteristic (5) 6. Restrict (7) 7. Ogle (4) 8. Astute (6) 13. Accuse (8) 15. Shy (7) 17. Battle slogan (3,3) 18. Irritable (6) 20. Globes (5) 22. Lag behind (5) 23. Clothing (4)

Last week

Across: 1. Test, 3. Critical, 9. Know-how, 10. Agree, 11. Horde, 12. Ritual, 14. Embody, 16. Twelve, 19. Usable, 21. Ratio, 24. Awful, 25. Certain, 26. Bull’s eye, 27. Else. Down: 1. Take heed, 2. Scour, 4. Reward, 5. Trait, 6. Curtail, 7. Leer, 8. Shrewd, 13. Denounce, 15. Bashful, 17. War cry, 18. Tetchy, 20. Balls, 22. Trail, 23. Garb.

Across: 1. Setback, 5. live, 8. A ricot, 9. Tying, 10. Haste, 11. Longing, 12. Surety, 14. Titled, 17. Admirer, 19. oint, 22. lain, 23. Terrain, 24. utty, 25. Solvent. Down: 1. Smash, 2. Terms, 3. Ancient, 4. Kettle, 5. ften, 6. nitial, 7. Engaged, 12. Shar en, 13. Remnant, 15. m eril, 16. Gratis, 18. Rangy, 20. mage, 21. Tenet.

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atikati raw milk cheese pioneers Chris and Jill Whalley are looking forward to an afternoon of cheese fun and frolicking as part of the inaugural Flavours of Plenty Festival. Taking place from Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th April from Waihī Beach to Ōhope, organisers say the festival will celebrate the Coastal Bay’s world-class food scene. The Mount Eliza Cheese Rolling Competition on the final afternoon is a local highlight for the lucky few who score a $30 ticket, with only 30 entries being made available and 20 of those already sold online by eventfinda. Participants will chase a cheese down a hill, enjoy a tour and tasting at the factory, then revive with a cuppa and a famous Red Leicester scone. There are four prize categories. Participants are advised to wear gumboots. “A few from the farm will take part, but there won’t be hundreds hurling themselves down a ravine. It’ll be a lot tamer than the hill chase in Gloucestershire. We did it a few years ago to celebrate our first year and it was sponsored by Epic Brewery. We’re looking forward to doing it again and being part of Flavours of Plenty,” says Jill. This year’s festival theme is plentiful produce, showcasing local horticultural heroes and weaving a powerful connection from their place to our plates. The programme features mouth-watering workshops and demonstrations, degustations and pop-ups, restaurant nights and themed in-house menus, cultural and māra kai (food garden) events.

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KINGFISHER TRUSTLAW Is a small firm with experienced trust lawyers who can set up and review your Family Trust to comply with the newly enacted Trusts Act. Call for a complimentary appraisal. Jacques Vannoort LLM Te Puna 021 830 308 kingfishertrustlaw@gmail.com

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ŌMOKOROA COMMUNITY BOARD GRANTS

The Ōmokoroa Community Board is seeking applications, from within the Ōmokoroa community, to their 2021/2022 Community Board grant funding. Consideration will be given to applications received from individuals or community groups who volunteer their services for the beneﬁt of the community of Ōmokoroa. Application Forms, and the Criteria for applications, are available from the Ōmokoroa Library and Service Centre, or www.westernbay.govt.nz [Community/ Grants and Funding/Community Board Grants] website, or alternatively please contact the Senior Governance Advisor on 0800 926 732.

Applications should be received by the Ōmokoroa Community Board, Senior Governance Advisor, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Private Bag 12803, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga 3143, no later than 12 May 2022. John Holyoake Chief Executive Officer

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WE E BUILD D ON YOUR LAND With over 200 pre-designed d architectural plans, there’s bound to be one to suit your land and lifestylle.

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