Lizard News October 2017

Lizard News OCTOBER 2017

FREE LOCAL NEWS... IN THE COMMUNITY

AONGATETE • ŌMOKOROA • PAHOIA • TE PUNA • WHAKAMĀRAMA

More inside: Volunteers recognised

New Pahoia classroom

Beeline for thieves

PHOTO: Pete Dobson / Photo Marketing.

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t Letters to

NewS aNd adveRTISINg 07 548 1200 matthew@lizardnews.net www.lizardnews.net Matthew Farrell News & Advertising 027 549 5410

Liz Farrell Accounts accounts@lizardnews.net cIRcuLaTIoN 4,500 copies printed for:

AONGATETE • ŌMOKOROA PAHOIA • TE PUNA WHAKAMĀRAMA

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| Lizard News | October 2017

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Editor

From the Editor’s desk… ctober has arrived so hopefully some warmer, and perhaps slightly drier weather should be on the way to the Western Bay this month. Our next edition will be the sixth Lizard News, marking our first half a year in production. It seems like a good time to take stock and ask you, our readers in the community, how you feel we are doing. We’re listening.

What do you like most about the Lizard and want to see more of? Is there anything you feel we could try to introduce to freshen things up or add some additional variety? Fishing, motoring, health, beauty, fitness, nutrition… The possibilities abound. We currently pay for a custom-made local tide chart, for example. Is this a useful feature?

Liz and I have received a few questions by email as well as many positive comments to our faces since June. As our Facebook friends and supporters in the business community grow over the next few years, along with both our printed circulation and our website traffic at lizardnews.net - we will respond to constructive feedback and strive to keep your newspaper vibrant, relevant and welcome in your letterbox. We hope you want to read this cover to cover.

We are just the caretakers, aiming to write hyper-local real stories about people you know, and how issues affect the community. People love the chance to see themselves or their neighbours in the paper. Some also want their problems aired and shared, which shows the real value of print. Local triumphs make people reach for their community paper, and we see a bright future for accurate, researched and well-written news you can trust. We care about the use of the English language, and we respect te reo Māori. Our advertisements support the local economy, too. Thanks to everyone who has kindly backed our Lizard journey so far. We are humbled.

Matthew.

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News credibility

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e welcome your feedback and letters to the editor. We strive for accuracy, fairness and balance in reporting news of public interest. We request that contributors assist us in upholding standards of decency and privacy - avoiding discrimination and defamation. We reserve the right to edit or abridge submitted material and will identify scribes where appropriate, other than where confidentiality has been assured. Unless an article is marked as supplied, those without bylines will typically have been written by the editor.

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At Te Puna Estuary towards Jess Road, the access way is right to the water’s edge. PHOTO: Kelvyn Youngman.

No consents issued for bridges? was interested to read in the August edition of the Lizard News that a $1.8 million contract had been awarded for three of the bridges for the Ōmokoroa cycleway. One of these, at Te Puna, is over a channel used by various boats and I asked to see the resource consents. Except that the District Council advised me that there are none yet. A consultant is working on lodging a resource consent application, but no date was forthcoming. I was also told that the consultant expected, on the basis that the impacts would be minor, to recommend that they not be publicly notified. This is unacceptable.

At the very least the intent to make the applications non-notifiable means that the local public, DoC, iwi, and any other interested parties are denied any input.

This area has been the subject of numerous reports on the birdlife and other fauna and flora. It contains several large areas of significant biodiversity mapped in the current Coastal Plan. These bridges are totally within the Coastal Marine Environment as defined by Resource Management Act and administered by BoP Regional Council.

The bridges are a discretionary activity, and they are going to be around for a long time. The fact the District Council has let a contract before the resource consent application is even lodged implies that the expected outcome is a fait accompli.

Moreover, other work has been carried out without resource consent. The railway embankment from Newnham Road to the Te Puna estuary rail bridge has been cleared and an access way excavated along the tidal margin to the bridge. This is a significant modification of its original state. I understand that a resource consent was not sought because this is part of the KiwiRail corridor.

KiwiRail has an existing use right for

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running trains. It does not have an existing use right for running cycleways. I don’t believe the RMA allows parties to transfer rights.

As my photo shows, the access way is right to the water’s edge. The original oyster encrusted rock breakwater has either been buried or removed. The sporadic mature mangroves that dotted this shoreline have been mechanically broken off and removed. Only one or two remain. In effect, it appears that the environment has been modified to reflect how someone thinks it should look rather than as it was naturally.

You can choose your cliché, but these vital aspects of this project are now either being railroaded or bulldozed through. There is a due process that everyone else must follow, and the public seems to have been poorly informed about what is going on.

Kelvyn Youngman.

Women get down to business group is being started for business ladies, the Ōmokoroa Business Womens' Network. The meetings will be at 7 pm on the last Monday of the month at the Ōmokoroa Preschool. Vicky Scammell (Ōmokoroa Preschool), Stephanie Drayson (Affordable Office & Accounting Services Limited) and myself Deborah Rose (Alliance - Audio Visual and Electrical), will be heading it up.

The group will be a place for women to come and share and encourage one another with a monthly learning topic and free time for networking included each month.

Women with interest in business, business owners and business managers are welcome to attend and should contact me for more details on 022 1955 326 or obwn@fastmail.com Deborah Rose.

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Letters continued on page 4

INTERESTED IN HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY? The Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade requires more FIREFIGHTERS and personnel for the MEDICAL FIRST RESPONSE TEAM. Full training is given, driving courses are mandatory, full uniform provided.

Community minded? Come and join this dedicated team in Ōmokoroa.

Please call CFO Ian Blunt 0274 599 478 or DCFO Simon Priest 0274 366 265.

lizardnews.net

Ōmokoroa on fast track Vote campaign on community street corners for high-speed broadband

By Matthew Farrell ncumbent MP Todd Muller was taking nothing for granted in the Bay of Plenty electorate, holding 48 “street corner” meetings in the last three weekends of the campaign.

The final session was at Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. Shortly before, he visited the Holyoake Terrace housing development - on the farm once owned by the family of the former four-term Prime Minister and Governor General, Keith Holyoake.

Todd Muller voiced concerns about the challenging future of the health dollar concerning the growing ageing population. He trumpeted spending on highways, broadband and classrooms which brought a question about high school

facilities.

“The Ministry needs to purchase land before developers do. I think we need another secondary school west of the Wairoa River. There’s an inward migration boom here that is hugely skewed towards the younger generation,” he said.

How did he feel about the effect of Jacinda Ardern’s leadership on Labour’s prospects?

“We’re a third term government. We can't change that it’s year nine for us.

We’re just campaigning on our record. I am knocking on doors, and it doesn’t feel like 1984 or 1999 when the tide was going out for National. Voters know they have a clear choice to make.”

National have held Bay of Plenty since the 1941 by-election after Labour’s Gordon Hultquist died of illness on military service. Labour’s Anne Fraser won East Cape in 1984 and 1987 after boundary changes. National regained that seat in their 1990 landslide through Tony Ryall, who won the new electorate of Eastern Bay of Plenty in 1993. In 1996, Bay of Plenty was re-established and won by Ryall. The 1978 redistribution electorates of Kaimai and Tarawera, and 1993’s one-term wonder named Matakana, all disappeared. Todd Muller took over Bay of Plenty in Todd Muller’s final “street corner” Q&A of the election 2014 with a 15,000 vote majority campaign was held at the Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall. when Tony Ryall retired.

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ork is getting underway in 100 per cent community owned through Ōmokoroa to install high speed WEL Networks Ltd and Waipā Networks broadband, one of the first Ltd. areas to get the new technology as part The areas allocated to soon join the Ulof Ultrafast Fibre’s expanded footprint. trafast Fibre network are Ngāruawāhia, Ultrafast Fibre was awarded a further Huntly, Kihikihi, Raglan, Eltham, Ingle12 central North Island communities as wood, Stratford, Waitara, Pūtāruru, Te part of the Government’s ultra-fast Puke, Katikati and Ōmokoroa. broadband (UFB) initiative expansion.

Mr Hamilton says increasingly people The first three of these to be deployed expect reliability, consistency of perforare Ōmokoroa, Stratford and Ngāru- mance as well as speed from their broadawāhia. band. As more and more high definition Ultrafast Fibre (UFF) has already suc- TV, video and gaming content is accessed cessfully completed a 3,000 kilometre online, often from multiple devices at the fibre optic network to eight central same time, this is really only possible on North Island cities and towns under the ultra-fast fibre broadband. first phase of the UFB initiative.

Article supplied.

UFF Chief Executive, William Hamilton, says the expanded network footprint will mean a deserved boost for smaller towns.

“We know smaller centres are very keen to access the same high-speed communication infrastructure as the big cities already do. We are delighted to be part of delivering this important infrastructure,” Expect to see contractors installing high-speed broadband in the says Mr Hamilton. weeks ahead. Ultrafast Fibre has already installed 3,000 km of fibre Ultrafast Fibre is across the central North Island. PHOTO: Supplied.

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Letters continued

Environment taken for granted e live in such a stunning part of the world, and it is a shame some of us take it for granted (see photo). Please use the bins provided and keep our skate path beautiful.

Murray Grainger.

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Rubbish left at the skate path in Ōmokoroa.

PHOTO: Murray Grainger.

Give volunteering some serious thought hen I began my career as a Volunteer Fireman in Ōmokoroa in 1984, The Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade responded to 15 callouts a year. The Station was situated where the Western BOP District Council library is now; the Brigade had two fire appliances and 20 firemen. Most of the firemen worked locally in small businesses or orchards and were able to crew the fire ap-

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Mention this ad, and receive a

lizardnews.net pliance day and night.

Currently, in our Station at 335 Ōmokoroa Road, we have one fire appliance, a personnel carrier (a van) and a medical first response car responding to all emergencies in our community, both firefighting and medical. At present we have 18 firefighters and eight first responders, and to date this year, both units have responded more than 70 times. We have room for 22 firefighters and ten medical responders. WE ARE LOOKING TO INCREASE OUR NUMBERS TO 22 AND TEN respectively, and would love to hear from persons willing to volunteer; persons who live and more importantly work in our community daily.

The medical team has seven female members and one male member, and are a dedicated and fun-loving team who work well together. Full training and uniforms are provided, so pop along on a Tuesday training night and see for yourself what we do. For further information, please contact Team Leader Hannelore Kemme on 5480824 or 021 494898.

The firefighting team has 16 male firefighters and two female firefighters, who are also dedicated and fun loving. Full training and uniforms are provided. Pop along on a Tuesday training night at 7.30 pm and see for yourself. For further information, please contact CFO Ian Blunt on 5481188 or 0274 599478, alternatively DCFO Simon Priest on 5480005 or 0274 366265.

This is your community. It's a community growing at a very rapid rate and a community worth protecting. Please give volunteering some serious thought.

Ian Blunt, Chief Fire Officer, Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Small school enjoys great success ll sixteen Year Seven and Eight students at Matahui School enjoyed the fantastic opportunity of competing at this year’s AIMS Games. They prepared themselves over four months to participate in three sports; six-a-side hockey, indoor bowling and table tennis.

The results were outstanding with the hockey players finishing sixteenth out of forty teams.

The bowlers and table tennis competitors performed to the highest standard and girls table tennis representative Rose Bruning qualified for the semi-finals in the singles competition.

“It was an awesome experience, and I

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will remember it for a long time.” - Grace J. “There was some tough competition, but that didn’t stop us from performing at our best.” - Bridget.

“I was fortunate to be the goalie and the experience was beneficial for my future.” - Connor.

“It was fun competing and meeting other students of the same age group with similar interests.” - Johnny.

“It was an amazing opportunity, and we were very lucky to be a part of this event.” - Kiera.

Written by the Year 7/8 students of Matahui School.

Prime defence on the hockey turf.

Rose Bruning competing in the girls singles.

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Volunteer effort acknowledged at Trustpower Awards

By Matthew Farrell he Ōmokoroa Community Policing Group Charitable Trust, Aongatete Forest Project and Katikati Open Air Art were among the section winners at the Western Bay of Plenty’s biggest annual celebration of volunteers, the Trustpower Community Awards.

Fourteen groups from across the district were acknowledged at Waihī Beach RSA on Monday the 28th of August.

The Aongatete Forest Project is working to see the return of healthy flora and abundant wildlife to the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park. Ninety volunteers commit 250 hours each month to pest control in 500ha of native bush.

This year, the group has two special projects underway - putting up a fence to protect rare king ferns, and developing science education packs for teachers and students to use when staying at the Aongatete Outdoor Education Centre.

Heritage and Environment runner-up was Western Bay Museum. In the past year with the aid of 80 volunteers, it has held three exhibitions, run 27 educational sessions for students, hosted 12 group visits, held five special events, run two school holiday programmes and welcomed countless individual visitors through its doors.

The Ōmokoroa Community Policing Group Charitable Trust won its section and was noted for its four services of Neighbourhood Support Network, Community Patrol, Police Information Centre and Graffiti Busters.

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The Trust has 163 volunteers and paTe Puke Gymsports was named trols take to the streets three nights a Supreme Winner for the Western Bay. week. Statistics on reported crime tell It’s a not-for-profit organisation that emthe story. From 80 incidents in the last ploys qualified professional coaches but quarter of 2007 when the group was is run by volunteers. formed, down to just eight in the first The top prize for Tauranga, awarded quarter of 2017. on Monday 4th September, went to The Health and Wellbeing runner-up was Incubator from the Arts and Culture secParent to Parent Coastal Bay of Plenty. tor. 150 volunteers run the infrastrucThe team works across the district with ture developer’s Artery workshops, parents, caregivers and whānau caring for a child or family member with a disability, health impairment or special need.

Katikati Open Air Art took out Arts and Culture with volunteer hours maintainthe growing ing collection of murals, sculptures, carvings and weaving in the community.

Waihī Beach Volunteer Coastguard was named runner-up in the Sport and Leisure category. Volunteers provide the only marine search and rescue capabilities between Whangamatā and Tauranga and raised $197,000 to launch a new rescue vessel in March.

The Trustpower Community Awards at Waihī Beach RSA.

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In April, The Incubator collaborated with the Kiwicoast Lions Club and Creative Bay of Plenty to host an exhibition of altered artworks that raised $3,500 for Waipuna Hospice.

Bethlehem Pottery Club Inc picked up a commendation in the Arts and Culture section.

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Ōmokoroa Volunteer Honours night for Firefighters Fire Brigade update M

By CFO Ian Blunt mokoroa Firefighters have responded four times since Wednesday 23rd August when a reported electrical transformer on fire in Whakamārama Road could not be found. On Friday 1st September, the Brigade responded to a car fire on an orchard driveway. The engine compartment was involved; the rest of the car was saved. Thursday 7th September saw the Brigade responding to assist Katikati, but were turned back before arriving at the job.

A diesel spill on the corner of State Highway 2 and Ōmokoroa Road on Monday 11th was dispersed by Firefighters in the pouring rain.

Around 5 pm on Friday 15th, a kayaker had been paddling around Plummers Point area and was unable to make it back to Ōmokoroa.

The Brigade and First Responders were called. The Brigade co-opted a pleasure boatie who found the kayaker and returned her to dry land.

The First Response team has been rather busy responding to eight emergencies. August 23rd saw a response to a child with breathing problems, followed by an early morning call to a patient suffering from a stroke. The same day, the team responded to a cardiac arrest in Coppelia Avenue. Wednesday 6th saw a response to a person suffering chest pain in Anderley Avenue, and again to Anderley Avenue on Friday 8th to a patient in respiratory distress. On Saturday 9th the team responded to a patient suffering from lacerations in Vista Close and the following afternoon they attended to a patient suffering from fainting. In the early hours of Tuesday 12th, the team to a patient suffering from chest pains in Anderley Avenue. The team responded with the firefighters to the kayaker incident and on Sunday 17th responded to a patient suffering breathing difficulties in Waterview Terrace.

These First Responders are very dedicated and have been extremely busy serving our Community. A fortnight ago, the whole team spent four consecutive days in our Station attending a St John-run First Response course. Well done and thank you for giving your time.

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By Matthew Farrell edals, certificates and trophies changed hands a couple of weeks ago, as the Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade held its annual awards evening.

There were NZ Government awards for Senior Firefighter Gavin Roberts and Firefighter Warwick Francis, each receiving the long service, good conduct medal after 14 years.

Seven others received United Fire Brigades Association recognition for their service.

Firefighter Mornay Jacobs was presented with a 5-year medal and Firefighter Ron Shanks with a 3-year certificate.

There were gold bars for Senior Station Officer John Leek (37 years), Chief Fire Officer Ian Blunt (33 years) and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Simon Priest (27 years).

Silver bars went to Qualified Firefighter Warren Glover (17 years) and Station Officer Fergus Keith (13 years). Senior Firefighter Michael

Kingston was named Firefighter of the Year. He joined the Brigade 10 years ago and is now the Training Officer.

CFO Ian Blunt says Michael is totally dedicated to the job and very well respected.

“Despite having had a very tough year, with death in the family and his property affected by the Ōmokoroa slips earlier this year, Michael has still given 110% to his role. Nothing is too much trouble. If he is asked to do something he does it, without a grizzle or a moan - he is a fantastic fellow. He’s always kind, courteous and a pleasure to work with.”

Tauranga Bay of Plenty area commander Murray Binning says Ōmokoroa has embraced change by incorporating a first response medical unit at the station. He paid tribute to all the award recipients, saying the newer members were just as important as the older ones, in terms of providing the progression and succession vital for the future of a brigade.

(L-R) Ron Shanks received a certificate for three years of service, Michael Kingston was named firefighter of the year, and Mornay Jacobs was presented with a five-year service medal.

(L-R) Gavin Roberts and Warwick Francis were presented medals for 14 years of long service with good conduct, an NZ Government award.

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Record entries at AIMS Games he Anchor AIMS Games reached two significant numerical milestones this year with 10,139 athletes from 303 schools taking part. This is 839 more athletes and 32 more schools than last year.

There was more of an international flavour too, with entries received from Indonesia, Tonga, the Cook Islands and Australia.

The six-day Anchor AIMS Games is the premier sporting event for intermediate age students in New Zealand.

Tournament director, Vicki Semple,

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says for the first time, ten para-athletes competed - five each in cross-country and swimming. “We have seen significant growth in entries for nearly all our sporting codes, including an additional 16 netball teams. It was already the country’s largest netball tournament at any level.” Ms Semple says all conceivable accommodation venues, which include motels, hotels, lodges, marae and private homes had been booked months in advance, and some schools were billeting athletes. “One of the amazing things about the AIMS Games is that it

brings the community closer together,” she says.

The organisers decided not to add any more sports this year, suggesting they’ve got the balance right between competition and participation.

An economic impact study found last year’s tournament injected more than $3 million into the Western Bay of Plenty economy and expanded the region’s GDP by $1.98 million. This year, the Anchor AIMS Games ran from 10th-15th September and included 21 sports.

Article courtesy of Priority One.

Open days as The Garden blooms

By Rachel and Mornay Jacobs t feels like we have just finished a season on The Block NZ. Every day brought an army of tradies working together to transform our house into a home away from home. It was surprising to see how spacious the rooms looked in 'real life' compared to the plans.

There were a few moments in September where it felt like we were getting nowhere, but all of a sudden everything just came together, mostly due to the help of family and friends and the fantastic site management from our builder, Matt Saathof of Tōtara Construction.

We have especially enjoyed the last couple of weeks getting stuck into the fun stuff: decorating, furnishing, gardening, testing out the toys and getting two lovely teachers. We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kim Hooper from Ōmokoroa and Deena Jensen from Whakamārama as they jump onboard this crazy, yet amazing and inspiring journey.

We now look towards our open days on Sundays 15th and 22nd of October, and welcoming families to experience everything The Garden has to offer ahead of our planned opening in late October. We still have a few spaces left for pre-registration. Email us on info@thegarden.co.nz for an enrolment pack. Any families who pre-register will be invited for personal tours at a time that suits them.

Winter sports efore last month’s AIMS Games, a number of local schools took part in a winter sports tournament designed to encourage Year 5 and 6 children to “give it a go”.

Pupils of Matahui Road, Matakana Island, Pahoia, Ōmokoroa No. 1, Ōmokoroa Point, Te Puna and Whakamārama Schools were all invited to participate on Monday 4th September.

No. 1 hosted football, hockey and rippa rugby. OPS held the netball games, while Pahoia School played host to a roundrobin basketball tournament.

All teams were mixed schools, gender and age.

B

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Op Sun d en a y Sun day 15th O Day s c 22n d O tober 1 : ctob 1 er 1 am-3p m 1am -3p m

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| Lizard News | October 2017

Local children playing basketball in mixed teams at Pahoia School. PHOTO: Matthew Farrell.

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Before and after school care in Te Puna afe Kids in Daily Supervision, (sKids) has been operating in New Zealand for over 21 years. What was originally started by two mums who recognised the need for supervised after-school care, has grown to centres located in 18 countries around the world. The only two venues in the Bay of Plenty are in Te Puna and Te Puke thanks to Patrice Carmignani, area franchise owner, former teacher and gym owner specialising in sports rehab.

Patrice wants to make a difference in children’s health and wellbeing as well as stimulating them to learn interesting scientific matters by providing quality out-of-school care for youngsters.

The morning sessions usually begin with a few exercises outside to get their minds working. Hungry ones are fed.

“After school, the children are given

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healthy, nutritious food and taught about why their food is good for them. We help with homework and spend time outside playing games where children learn new skills. Each day offers a different activity: Monday is cooking day, Tuesday – arts & craft, Wednesday – games, Thursday – gardening and Friday is FUN day.

We take great pride in supervising children with vetted, qualified and trained staff. Our point of difference is that we are located within the school and work very closely with the principal, teachers and the local community.”

Children from other schools are also welcome.

To find out more about our services, you can email: tepuna@skids.co.nz, go to www.skids.co.nz or call Patrice on 021 454977.

Article supplied.

School bus campaign targets student safety hink before you stop or park when dropping off or picking up students from the school bus.

That's the message from the Western Bay of Plenty District Council parking team who see many instances of motorists parking and stopping dangerously around buses at drop-off and pick-up times.

During the week of the 16th to the 20th of October, you will spot posters around Katikati alerting to the dangers of parking in the wrong place around school buses.

The message is: Avoid pedestrian crossings, broken yellow lines, double

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parking, vehicle entrances and general inconsiderate parking – as this may block the view for students and other drivers.

Taking extra care may prevent a fine of $60!

During the week-long campaign, police officers will be doing speed checks, and parking wardens will be present in Katikati and Pahoia to raise awareness, check WOF and registrations and enforce the rules where necessary.

And remember – 20km/hr is the speed limit when passing a school bus.

Article supplied.

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October 2017 | Lizard News |

9

Dates for your diary October 8th

October 10th

October 16th

October 17th

Lions Market, Western Ave carpark, Ōmokoroa.

8am-noon. Ōmokoroa Community Board meeting. 7pm at Ōmokoroa Community Church, Hamurana Road.

Back to school! First day of term 4.

Boot Camp starts. Contact Karla at Active8 on 021 731001.

October 19-20th Tauranga Arts Festival. 10th Festival Celebration of local, national and international arts.

October 20th

October 21st

October 22nd October 23rd October 25th

October 28th October 28th

October 29th

Pahoia School Ag Day. Lizard Market, Ōmokoroa Settlers’ Hall 9am 1pm.

Oktoberfest. Black Sheep Bar & Grill.

Entertainment and competitions from 1pm.

Labour Day. Ōmokoroa Athletics Club season opening. 5.15pm Western Ave Sports Ground.

Mangrove Warriors - Peninsula Pride. Meet at Cooney Reserve 9.30am start (due to tide). Bring old shoes, rubber gloves and a rubbish bag.

Contact Karen 548 1454 after 14th October.

Whakamārama School Show Day. From 10am. Ōmokoroa Coastal Challenge. Fun Run/Walk or Duathlon.

Registrations online at www.runrunrun.co.nz or on the day at the Western Ave Sports Ground. Starts at 8.50am.

Aongatete, Ōmokoroa, Pahoia, Te Puna, Whakamārama - we’d love to share your events. Email your details to matthew@lizardnews.net and they’ll appear here and on our website.

lizardnews.net

To bee or not to bee: thieves hit by hive of police activity

By Matthew Farrell p to $200,000 worth of stolen beehives and beekeeping equipment have been recovered to date

by Bay of Plenty Police, following a spate of thefts in the region.

Last month, hives valued at around $35,000 were recovered in Northland.

A search warrant was carried out in the far North and 80 live hives were recovered. It’s believed they had been stolen from the Western Bay. A man was arrested at Kawakawa shortly before dawn on Thursday 14th September.

A 46-year-old Western Bay of Plenty man was charged with burglary and five counts of receiving stolen property and was due to appear in the Whāngārei District Court.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner says beehives are valued at $600 to $1,000 each, so having a large number of beehives stolen is a huge loss for the owners.

“It’s a big economic hit for the beekeepers so we are pleased to be able to find such a large number of hives. We’ve been able to identify hives stolen from

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several burglaries. We really value the public assistance we’ve received. It’s been the key to helping us find them.

“We have noticed an increase in the number of beehive thefts, so we suggest keeping hives in paddocks away from public view, as well as using pressure pads, tracking devices, and outdoor surveillance cameras,” he says.

On Monday 4th September, police executed a number of search warrants, recovering several hundred beehives at an address on Waipapa Block Road, off Old Highway in Whakamārama.

Several firearms and a large amount of ammunition were also located at the address, including a semi-automatic shotgun, a 7mm 08 rifle and two semi-automatic .22’s.

Around 80% of the beehives had their ID numbers removed, or had been disguised or repainted.

Enquiries are ongoing in relation to the thefts, and police would like to hear from anyone who may have information that could assist them with their investigation.

Anyone who notices any movement of beehives that doesn't appear to be by a beekeeping company, or other suspicious behaviour around beehives, is urged to call police as soon as possible on 07 577 4300. Information can also be provided anonymously to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

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| Lizard News | October 2017

“SMOOTH FROM START TO FINISH...” lizardnews.net

Advertorial

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hether the day brings sun or rain, hail or wind, the Acon crews are out working hard, having arrived at the depot bright and early all ready to start or complete the next project.

The company’s values are strongly evident at Acon Industries Limited, showing the drive to succeed and the determination.

In 2015, with crews working on projects in Queensland, NSW and Tasmania, Managing Director Eru decided to return home to New Zealand.

Bringing back the asset base they

had built up for themselves while in Australia, as well as a wealth of experience and expertise, Eru and Erin formed Acon Industries 2015 Limited.

This local company produces the smoothest and highest quality chip seal surfacing to homeowners, businesses and commercial construction companies throughout the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

Erin and Eru are a young committed couple raising their four children.

They have an enormous amount of vision and are employing and encouraging Māori youth and working hard

to make a success of their rapidly growing company.

“We want to increase our capacity to provide a sustainable future for ourselves and our employees, and we understand that the opportunities needed to influence their futures are fundamental for maintainable development.”

Eru is proud of his community and says, “It’s all about keeping it local.

Using local people, resources, contractors, businesses and keeping as much as we can in the community.”

At only 18 months into the firm, they

were rapt to find that they had already met their 3-year target and were growing so quickly it was a little scary.

They attribute this to their vision, determination and commitment.

They have built a solid reputation over the two years they have been in operation. The quality of the work they have completed and their commitment to customer service has culminated in excellent feedback.

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admin@aconindustries.co.nz October 2017 | Lizard News |

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lizardnews.net

Run faster, jump higher and throw further

By Ali Lawrence he summer season of the Ōmokoroa Athletics Club kicks off on Wednesday 25th October with our opening night starting at 5.15pm at the Western Ave Sports Ground, Ōmokoroa.

There will be games, a free sausage sizzle and lots of fun.

At Ōmokoroa Athletics Club we provide track and field events for 5 to 14year-olds, encouraging children to set their own benchmarks for personal achievements. For the Minis (2 to 4-

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year-olds) we have a fun filled 40-minute session with children and their parents.

The Club meets every Wednesday at 5.15pm. Children do a rotation of events from running to shot put, discus and the long jump. Afterwards, a sausage sizzle and juicies are available for purchase.

Each week children get the opportunity to gain points which accumulate towards the end of season trophies. These are awarded to the overall winner of each age group. We have ribbons nights where each child has the chance to win

ribbons for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place, for each activity.

Over the Athletics season, there are regular events such as; the Jennings Cup and Colgate Games which give our club the opportunity to compete with other teams within our region and countrywide. Not only will kids become better athletes but they will improve their skills in other sports as well.

We are a voluntary organisation with a dedicated committee and amazing parents that help every week to make sure our children get the best opportunities to improve their athletics skills. So come along on Weds 25th October to see what we have to offer and you can go to www.omokoroa.net/athletics to register online today.

End of season prize giving, trophies and certificates, for all age groups. PHOTOS: Supplied.

Loads of fun for the whole family

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| Lizard News | October 2017

pring is here so it’s time to start filling the weekends with family outings where you can enjoy fun, sun and laughter. An activity guaranteed to get your littlies smiling is the super-sized sumo suits which will feature at the Ōmokoroa Coastal Challenge on Sunday the 29th of October.

For those who experienced these at the Ōmokoroa Point School carnival earlier this year, you’ll know just how entertaining they are. For those that haven’t seen them, here’s your chance to get in on the fun. Huge thanks to our local Tall Poppy Real Estate team who are not only covering the cost of bringing the sumo suits to Ōmokoroa but will also donate all money received from kids having a turn, back to the event and therefore towards the building of the new Ōmokoroa Sports Pavilion.

Register the kids for

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our 2km fun run and then sit back and enjoy the sumo suits, face painting, bouncy castle, some delicious food and drink, plus great music from the team at More FM who are our race day MCs. Why not join in the action yourself and tackle one of our longer walk, run or duathlon options. There’s something to suit all fitness levels.

All entrants receive a goodie bag filled with treats such as a free child’s entry to Sapphire Springs, Go Healthy vitamins, Kings seeds, Avalanche coffee, Pop'n'good popcorn, Goodness Me nuggets and bars, Nourish magazine, Kiwi Conservation Club kids magazines and more!! It’s worth entering the event just to get your hands on one of these goodie bags!

We have fantastic prizes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place getters, plus loads of additional spot prizes including a prize for the best fancy dress - so get creative with your outfit! Also, thanks to the generous team at First National Real Estate, we have a Go Pro to give away to one of our lucky under-17-year-old entrants.

Register today at www.runrunrun.co.nz and start looking forward to a fantastic family day out!

lizardnews.net

The past, present and future on one day in Pahoia

By Matthew Farrell hen Pahoia School opened its newly-built classroom, two students helped National’s Todd Muller to cut the ribbon. Nothing unusual about that, you might think.

Except there was a 70-year or so age gap between the male and female pupil.

Tristan McLachlan had been at the school for a week. His teacher Carolynne Masson says he’s a very bright button indeed. “I’m just skiting, but he can count to 100 already!”

Neroli Hoskin has been around Pahoia a little longer than Tristan. That’s because the original Pahoia School was in her parents home.

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The first class was taught in 1927 at the home of Mr John and Mrs Sadie Barnett, with a roll of nine students. Colin Barnett attended before his 5th birthday.

Their sister Jewel was also a founding student and still alive aged 96, living in Hamilton.

That was not the only blast from the past, either.

“Oh hello, Todd. You are Mike and Trish Muller’s boy, aren’t you? My husband Stan Hoskin used to cart your parents’ fruit from Te Puna,” says Neroli.

The fantastic $360,000 building project is a far cry from the original classroom.

“There was no wallpaper, no scrim.

Just boards, until my brother Colin came home from the war,” says Neroli.

Neroli started at Pahoia School in 1945. Now there are 203 children on the ever-increasing roll and Board of Trustees chair Liz Flaherty says the new classroom has long been needed.

“We secured funding in 2014. Since inception, this project has involved two boards and three principals: Marcus Norrish, Sue Halsey and now Mike McKee. Huge thanks go to our project manager Brent Elton of Tectum, architect Mike Carter, contractor Watts and Hughes and all the tradies,” says Liz. Todd Muller reflected on his memories

of his brother opening a library at Te Puna School and acknowledged the principal, staff and parents for a culture of inclusiveness and also their energy, money, support and time.

Sadly while Todd was at the school, one of his parents ran out of time. Mike Muller, described by Te Puna author Tommy Wilson as a “tōtara” of the community, died aged 72.

Pahoia School’s 75th-anniversary book, which is an incredibly interesting read, incorrectly named John Barnett as Jack. We repeated this error when we wished the school a happy 90th birthday in July, but we are glad to set the record straight for Neroli.

ASL

Neroli Hoskin, Tristan McLachlan and Todd Muller opening the new classroom.

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October 2017 | Lizard News |

13

lizardnews.net

Farmer counts cost as dog owner turns blind eye

By Matthew Farrell n Aongatete farmer whose flock of Suffolk purebred sheep were attacked by dogs wishes he had shot every one of the injured animals rather than trying to save them.

Two of the original 15 are still alive, but having damaged tendons and infected bite wounds to contend with makes John Anderson feel even worse.

At $250 per lost sheep and more than $1000 to the vet, and facing a $750 excess on any insurance claim - it has made him reconsider his plans for the future.

“That’s fourteen generations of selective breeding gone; all new breeding stock that was due to lamb in November.

I was going to go from 50 ewes up to 80, but now I am down to 35, and I think I will just buy more calves instead,” he says.

The attack happened while John was away from the property for five hours at the end of August. He subsequently learned there had been local reports of large dogs roaming in the Wright Road area and he has no doubt in his mind where responsibility lies.

Without concrete evidence, animal control has been unable to act. John understands the dog owner quickly rehomed them following the attack, as he was forced to shoot thirteen sheep which had been left alive but mutilated with ripped off scalps, throats and jaws.

“The vet says this involved at least two large-jawed dogs, because of the size and shape of the bite radius. Dog owners

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must be educated about the responsibilities of living rurally. A farmer on Work Road lost 19 of his 20 sheep to dogs in July.”

John says neighbours had seen a large black dog loose on his property that day but had assumed it was his. He says the dog owner he suspects had complained to one neighbour about their dogs coming home covered in mud that day - just like his sheep.

A local who preferred not to be identified says there was a strong reaction: “Almost everyone in the neighbourhood has been pretty sympathetic. Most locals understand this isn’t acceptable behaviour.”

John Anderson says the owner that he suspects has made no approach to apologise or talk about compensation and that the police have told him it’s an animal control issue.

A Western Bay of Plenty District Council spokesman has confirmed Animal Services staff attended the incident. “We have been investigating, but as there were no eyewitnesses it is very difficult to identify the dogs in question. There are other reports of wandering dogs in the area we are looking into – however there is no suggestion that these are related. We would like to remind dog owners that if you are leaving your property, it is your responsibility to make sure your dogs are confined. This is the best way to ensure they do not roam.”

Legally, dogs must be under the control of their owner at all times.

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| Lizard News | October 2017

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A neighbour helped John to recover the carcasses.

Junction Coffee and Chat Ōmokoroa

By Matthew Farrell ’m happy to say a new mental health support group for Ōmokoroa and the surrounding area is to hold its first get-together at the end of this month.

It’s hoped Junction Coffee and Chat will take place on the last Monday each month, at the Ōmokoroa Community Church on Hamurana Road.

The initial session to assess the level of interest will be from 11am-12pm on the 30th of October. Those in nearby Pahoia, W h a k a m ā ra m a and Te Puna are also most welcome.

Come along for a free cuppa and meet others in the community who can sit alongside you as we support one another to fully live a good quality of life.

It helps to share with others - tea or coffee and friends; the perfect blend to help relax and bring some sunshine through the cloud of isolation.

The idea is to have a friendly, safe environment for peers to get together and socialise, discuss life and what is happening for them. It’s a public environment and isn’t designed for in-depth discussion of health and illness for safety reasons. It’s about having respect and understanding towards all involved and

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how they may be feeling.

There is a growing evidence base of positive outcomes from peer support services. Whether you have experience of depression, anxiety or bipolar - you are not alone.

My personal journey of learning about that side of me began almost 20 years ago. I know I have benefitted greatly from just talking with people who “get it” and to whom some of my feelings have made sense. I am optimistic we can do some good together when people join up this way - just for a coffee and chat.

Junction of Greerton offers peer support and advocacy for people with an experience of mental illness or addictions.

It is part of Turning Point Trust, which is contracted to the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and is based at the Historic Village on 17th Avenue. I wish to volunteer to facilitate an Ōmokoroa group. In turn, I appreciate the guidance of Junction in seeking to establish this local support option.

I am on matthewjfarrell@xtra.co.nz and 027 549 5410 if you have any questions or want to let me know you hope to make it along - or just pop by on the morning.

lizardnews.net

Advertorial

Matakana Island to remain a Western Bay taonga estern Bay of Plenty District Council is pleased with the outcome of the recent Environment Court decision that confirms the forested part of Matakana Island is extremely important from a landscape perspective and should be protected from development.

Matakana Island is known for its pristine beach which is 22km long with no buildings; a vista that is enjoyed by the wider community when viewed from the mainland, harbour, open coast, Bowentown Heads and Mauao.

The decision brings to a close a long process that began in 2009 when the Council sought to include in its District Plan tighter development controls to recognise the ecological, environmental and cultural significance of the Island.

In 2014, Bay of Plenty Regional Council (which is responsible for the type of activity that can take place in coastal and harbour areas and their margins) also sought to increase the level of environmental protection by notifying in the Regional Coastal Environment Plan that the whole of the forested sand barrier of Matakana Island was to be classified as an Outstanding Natural Feature and Landscape. The decision was to protect a strip along the open coast with no landscape controls on the remainder.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council lodged an appeal with the court seeking to increase this protection and have it apply to the whole of the barrier part of the island.

The court decision to formally extend the levels of environmental protection for Matakana Island from inappropriate development is important for the wider Western Bay community and Matakana Islanders.

Most importantly this decision reinforces the position of the Island as a treasure in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Article supplied.

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Why brushing and flossing isn’t enough

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o maintain the health of gums and teeth, regular visits to the dental hygienist are important. Even people who brush and floss regularly need check-ups and a professional dental clean to remove what no toothbrush can prevent or brush away: the build-up of hardened plaques, also known as calculus. These yellowishgrey deposits have a rough texture and are created by the accumulation of minerals on plaque deposits.

It only takes 20 minutes for biofilm to accumulate on clean teeth, and there are over 120 surfaces in the mouth. Even the most meticulous person is bound to miss some nooks and crannies where bacteria can hide, which can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. Therefore appointments with a dental hygienist for a professional clean are necessary to remove calculus and check gums to detect problems at an early stage.

At Ōmokoroa Dental Surgery a new dental hygienist will be joining the team in October: Nicola Fraser. She has been working as a dental assistant for nine years, seven of which were in Tauranga before she moved to Auckland to study for a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Oral Health.

She graduated in 2015 and is now a qualified oral health therapist.

Nicola calls Tauranga home. “I am excited to move back to my hometown, to be around friends and family, and to further progress in my career”, she says.

“I look forward to meeting my

new patients in Ōmokoroa, developing relationships with them, and providing quality prevention and treatment to improve their oral health.” Nicola is aware that visits to the dentist aren’t everybody’s favourite thing to do. “Dentistry can be scary for some, but it doesn’t need to be. It has changed a lot over the years, especially in practices with an intensive focus on prevention. And prevention is still better than cure.”

In her last role at Waikato DHB, Nicola worked with children in both mainstream and kura kaupapa settings. She had the privilege of volunteering to share her skills to improve oral health for people on a remote island in the Pacific. “I am very excited and honoured to be invited to visit again in December this year.”

Article supplied.

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lizardnews.net

The top three plants you don’t want in your garden this season pring is here, and for a lot of people, it’s time to get stuck into the garden, or at least think about it. Over winter a few undesirable pest plants might have established themselves in your garden, and if they’re not removed, they could severely impact our native species.

Although weed control is the responsibility of property owners, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council is keen to help owners learn what to do if they find pest plants. They are currently carrying out surveillance around Ōmokoroa, Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and Pukehina visiting properties looking for undesirable species before they seed and spread beyond control.

If you find any pest plants in your garden and want to know how to remove them, contact the Regional Council on 0800 STOP PESTS or visit

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Senegal Tea

Buckthorn

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| Lizard News | October 2017

boprc.govt.nz/pestplants for more info.

Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus) Italian Buckthorn is an evergreen that can grow to around 5m or more. It grows well in coastal areas and is a threat to dune areas where it can smother crucial dune binding native plants.

How to identify it: Leathery, egg-shaped leaves with toothed edges. Look for two small holes on the underside of the leaves and 'buckthorn' bumps on the topside of the leaves. They will produce green, fragrant flowers anytime from May to November.

How to get rid of it: Pull out seedlings and small plants.

Bigger bushes will need herbicide treatment. Cut stumps will also need to be treated to prevent regrowth.

Boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) Boneseed is a bushy shrub with daisylike yellow flowers. It favours coastal areas and will invade coastal cliffs and dunes as well as pastures and gardens. A single boneseed plant can produce 50,000 seeds a year and can rapidly crowd out other plants.

How to identify it: It can grow up to 3 metres tall with leathery, tooth-edged leaves and bright yellow daisy-like flowers. The name boneseed comes from its bone-coloured hard seeds How to get rid of it: Pull out smaller plants and cut larger plants at ground level. Stumps should be painted with herbicide immediately to prevent re-growth. Keep an eye out for seeds and remove if found.

Seedless plants can be composted or mulched, but ones with seed should be taken to a refuse transfer station.

Senegal tea (Gymnocoronis spilanthoides ) An aquatic pond plant that grows quickly, forming dense mats. It invades wetlands and swamps, rivers and streams.

How to identify: It has lush, bright green foliage and produces distinctive ‘pom-pom’ -like white flowers from November to April.

Mature stems have a distinct 6-sided shape.

How to get rid of it: Senegal tea is a pest plant that is close to being eradicated in the region.The Bay of Plenty Regional Council wants to get rid of it all. If you think you have seen this pest, contact the Regional Council to arrange its removal.

Article supplied.

Bingo and auction night success for Ōmokoroa No. 1

By Ange & Liz aturday 2nd September was a night to remember! A fantastic turn out of 135 people supported our adult social event and fundraiser for Ōmokoroa No. 1 School. We raised $8735; an awesome effort!

A few thank you’s are due as many hours of work went into this fun event before, during and afterwards.

Firstly to our bingo team; our decorations were outstanding. Our auction girls are to thanked for their amazing effort.

The bar and food were a well-oiled machine too; a big shout out to Ricky, our duty manager on the night.

Viv and Andy delivered another outstanding performance.

Thanks to our major sponsors: Harcourt's Tauranga’s Catherine & Anton van Breda and Nigel Guyot, our fabulous auctioneer who helped us to raised $5600.

To our food and table sponsors: Without you, the night would not have been possible.

Please support our sponsors where and when you can. Thanks so much to everyone who came along and supported the evening.

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DOC clarifies 1080 use

By Matthew Farrell he Department of Conservation says the only aerial 1080 operation scheduled for the Western Bay of Plenty this year, was completed as planned last month on 2549ha at Rotoehu Forest.

The New Zealand Herald’s “The Country” website section features a Bay of Plenty Times article with a misleading, factually incorrect headline stating “1080 drops in Western Bay of Plenty planned over next few months”.

However, a spokeswoman from DOC in Rotorua has told Lizard News the only other 1080 pest operation is the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust which runs a project inland from Te Puke using 1080 in bait stations. This is entirely funded and managed by the community group.

“The Department is leading another ‘Battle For our Birds’ operation at the Ōtawa Sanctuary in the hills behind Te Puke, but this is a ground trapping process with no 1080 or other poison involved,” she says.

The spokeswoman says the report also mentioned 1000ha near Waihī, which possibly refers to an operation at Hauraki-Otahu which is a collaboration between Waikato Regional Council,

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Ngāti Porou and the DOC office in Thames.

“There are several other ground pest control operations using toxins other than 1080, which are going on over the spring period in the Bay. These are mostly funded and managed by community groups with little involvement from the Department,” she added.

DOC’s ‘Battle for our Birds’ is aimed at protecting a dozen priority species of birds, bats, frogs, lizards and snails facing serious decline or local extinction.

The Department says rat, stoat and possum control also benefits many common native species and ecosystems.

The high level of seed production in beech forests caused by last year’s warm summer is providing plentiful food for rats and mice, which are in turn good food for stoats - causing a spike in the rodent population.

DOC says 25 million native birds are killed each year by predators, and without control, only one in 20 North Island Brown kiwi make it to breeding age.

The DOC website provides an up-todate interactive map of pesticide summaries, detailing where they have been laid or are planned on DOC administered land.

lizardnews.net

Family fun at Arts Festival auranga Arts Festival has launched its tenth birthday programme with plenty of family fun on offer.

The free Community Day on Saturday, October 21, sees The Strand closed to traffic and markets and entertainment set up from 10 am to 3 pm. A drawcard will be ‘Bloom’, a collection of sculptural pieces that can be put together by children and adults in a variety of ways to create organic artforms – no rules, no boundaries!

Finish the day off with a Night Owl Cinema screening at Mt Drury. The festival has obtained a copy of the 2017 docu-

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mentary, ‘Men and Wood of Foam’ which follows the story of six friends who shaped the history of surfing in Australia ($5 admission).

Family-suitable shows include ‘Pss Pss’, a comedic romp from Switzerland that follows the fortunes of two performers who run away from the circus. ‘Troll’ is a lo-fi wi-fi fable from the creative Kiwi team at Trick of the Light. The zesty and zany New Zealand dance/theatre show ‘Cheese’ comes with a warning that it includes yodelling. As for ‘Sunny Ray and the Magnificent Moon’ from Australia – expect the unexpected when our two

main celestial bodies meet.

Almost all festival activities take place in Tauranga, but Miles Calder & The Rumours, a folk-rock band from Wellington, will be lighting up the afternoon of Sunday 22nd October at the Waihī Beach Hotel.

See the full festival programme, which includes a speaker series, at taurangafestival.co.nz TECT cardholder discounts apply until October 6th, available only from the Baycourt box office in Tauranga. Tickets are also available at ticketek.co.nz Article supplied.

Tauranga Arts Festival is bringing the family show Sunny Ray and Magnificent Moon from Australia.

Craig blows trumpet for legacy event he Ōmokoroa man who founded one of the Bay’s premier summer concerts 14 years ago, has been tasked with hitting new high notes for next year’s National Jazz Festival.

Mills Reef Stars Under The Stars promoter Craig Wilson will take over from Becks Chambers. He says it’s an honour to lead a new team, planning what he describes as a legacy event for Tauranga in its 56th year.

“We’ll be working hard to build on past successes and take it to new heights with fresh ideas and a fresh approach. There are going to be significant developments to the format to enhance the festival atmosphere,” Craig says.

As part of a reshuffle, undertaken by Tauranga Jazz Society, Mrs Chambers becomes General Manager, allowing her to spend more time with eight-monthold daughter Esmai.

Other changes see Liam Ryan as Youth

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Competitions Director, Mandy Ryan as Youth Competition coordinator and Nick Chambers as Operations Manager.

The Southern Hemisphere’s longestrunning jazz festival will see the return of annual fixtures including the 41st National Youth Jazz Competition, the community day Waterfront Gala, and the high-energy Hurricane Party over a five-day Easter weekend. Craig expects to announce the festival’s headline act in December.

“This festival is truly unique, and we want to ensure this remains the case with new additions. We’ll have something everyone loves, with an exciting and varied programme of concerts,” Craig says.

Like previous years, 2018 will showcase world-class entertainment with a mix of local and international musicians, as 50 bands perform in six events.

Craig, Riley and Myesha Wilson.

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ick and Deborah are announcing the combining of their two brands “Alliance AV” and “Next Generation Electrical” into one great company, Alliance – Audio Visual & Electrical.

The Rose family moved here in April 2015 and are embedded into the community with a young son at Ōmokoroa Point School and two under 5yrs at the Ōmokoroa preschool. Their combined industry experience ranges from managing events, servicing large commercial venues like Sydney Airport through to doing stadium audio-visual work. Nick is also a qualified electrician with plenty of service experience.

Soon after arriving they took over Alliance AV, a Tauranga company with a rich 40-year trading history. Then last September they acquired Next Generation Electrical who specialise in new build electrical. They initially thought best to keep the companies separate and then feed complimenting jobs through each to the other.

This has worked but keeping up with the two brands, marketing and systems is difficult, and they are ready to

simplify.

They have extended their operating team with a couple of admin staff, a second experienced AV technician, two more qualified electricians and an apprentice. Their philosophy remains ‘do it once, do it right’ and they will guarantee their workmanship. You’ll receive the best possible service from beginning to end.

“Often we turn up to a job, and a customer will say ‘oh, do you do that, too’ when we would hope that they might know. The businesses do feed each other, as we expected they would, but it just hasn’t been clear enough,” says Deborah.

“Many electrical jobs follow on from an aerial or TV job and vice versa when people realise we can do both”.

People can now make one phone call that provides both electrical and audio visual which will make life easier for everyone. New vehicle sign writing and stationery soon to come as their new brand is rolled out. Next Generation slips away simply leaving Alliance – Audio Visual & Electrical.

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Strong sense of community at Whakamārama Community Inc AGM

By Matthew Farrell he growth in the strength and depth of Whakamārama Community Inc was most evident at its recent AGM, attended by about 50 people.

The group’s chair Neil Rogers began by giving an overview of activity updates including the planned publication of a history book, progress on the Blade loop walk including its bridges and swamp life invertebrate studies which have sparked the interest of the Waikato Botanical Society. Special mention was also made of efforts in the past year from both sides towards the restorative growth of the relationship between the European settler community and the Pirirākau hapū.

It came as no surprise when a constitutional motion was then passed to increase the size of the Whaka Inc committee from a maximum of eight people to a new high of 15.

“The committee finds itself dealing with increasingly diverse activities, and more members are required to cope,” Neil said. Thirteen names were duly elected unopposed.

Reports from the history, roading, 16 Roads/media, and cycle trail were submitted as read. Anne Mackersey spoke to an environmental report, on behalf of the jet-lagged Bob Cooper.

Friends of Puketoki announced the trapping of 18 possums in the reserve this year. That compares to twelve years ago when it was 35 per month, and just one pair of native robins were spotted.

It’s now estimated there are around 25 pairs as a result of this pest control.

Friends of the Blade have racked up at least 366 confirmed possum kills in the past year and now has 89 possum traps.

More have been caught, but leg fur trappers will sometimes empty the gas traps, and corpses may not be found. The

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Carlton Bidois, unveiling Simon Madgwick’s carved sign at the Community Hall at the end of July, returned to speak at the Whaka Inc AGM a month later.

group has also carried out three rat bait operations using six thousand baits.

The Regional Council’s Tauranga catchments manager Sarah Omundsen spoke informatively about water quality for drinking and swimming, water allocation, septic tanks and effluent - subjects which drew great interest and questions from the audience, but are simply too detailed to chronicle here.

Noel Birks then introduced Carlton Bidois who explained a couple of hundred years of local history from a Pirirākau perspective in a relatable and considered manner.

“Basically we were forcefully moved out of this area. That’s the truthful answer to why the community drifted apart. But our kaumātua enjoyed events around the pou when the Whakamārama community came to the marae, and we wholeheartedly want to see the relationship rebuilt. I have got to praise this community for the work going on here,” he said.

Western Bay’s Mayor Garry Webber cut straight to the point on high rates, saying when the District Council was formed in 1989 it had to upgrade water

Leading the charge on battery recycling estern Bay of Plenty District Council is trialling free E-cycle battery recycling for mixed batteries (not car batteries) at all Council offices and recycling centres.

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This includes the library and service centres in Ōmokoroa and Katikati.

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| Lizard News | October 2017

Lisa Myson is ready when your batteries kick the bucket.

and wastewater facilities and roading immediately and has lots of infrastructure with a 50 to 100-year lifespan, which is less than 30 years old. Garry says people get elected around the country claiming they’ll cut rates which is not deliverable. He says freezing rates is the best anyone can offer.

Garry also touched on community consultation, development for population growth, ultra-fast broadband, State Highway 2 and the Port of Tauranga. Then it was time for a cuppa.

Hall update

By Clare Green

Whaka Hall needs you!

Committee positions have become available, and we’d offer a warm welcome to anyone who may be interested in joining. Anyone seeking to be more involved in the community, please contact Mike Carter, Sylvia Birkett, Clare Green, Debbie Allen, Liz Davies, or email whakamaramahall@gmail.com AGM Everyone is welcome to attend the Hall Committee AGM on Monday 16th October at 7.30pm. Come for supper, meet the people involved and see how it works.

Library See whakalibrary.com our opening times are Thursdays from 9 am-noon, and every third Friday of the month (TWIF night) from 6:30-8pm.

TWIF Thank Whaka It’s Friday happens every third Friday of the month from 69pm. All welcome. Bring your dinner, a bottle or two and meet the community.

An excellent way to meet the locals and get to know what’s happening in Whaka.

Playgroup A free, no-pressure group for preschool children. Come and have a cuppa and let the kids enjoy a fantastic range of toys and the outdoor playground. Thursday mornings, 9.30am to 12 pm.

Whaka emails Colin Hewens informs Whaka residents of news in our community which includes: police reports, lost and found animals, items for sale, excess fruit and vegetables, rentals wanted, etc. If you would like to receive these emails, please contact Colin on col.hewens@orcon.net.nz Hall bookings Contact the booking officer Sylvia Birkett to hire the hall, chairs and tables at very reasonable rates. If you need a clean, light, spacious and affordable venue for a special function, it’s all here!

Give Sylvia a call on 578 7015.

lizardnews.net

Grassroots sandboxing for playspace design

By Matthew Farrell wo community playgrounds in Ōmokoroa have taken a substantial step forward, with the design contract being awarded to local landscape architects, LOAM. The first is to be constructed next to the skate path, perhaps by March or April next year. The second will be at the existing domain playground at the north end of The Esplanade.

LOAM’s Tim Lander is leading a consultation process, from which the draft design will be formulated: “We’ve just kicked off. It’s really exciting. The focus, to begin with, will be on Western Avenue, and we’ll also be planning towards the domain playground.”

Tim says the Ōmokoroa Point School juniors have done a neat amount of work on the subject and it’ll be fantastic to have their input.

Children from new entrants through to Room 4 have been doing playground design as their ‘Mantle of the Expert’ enquiry.

Associate Principal Dallas Townsend says each class had a design team name and considered a theoretical scenario of a child falling from playground equipment.

“Safety is an important factor, but it also needed to be fun with colourful elements and interesting shapes,” she says.

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Children wore lanyards to their roleplay company meetings and talked confidently about materials needing to be durable as well as safe. They worked in groups of two and three, enjoying preparing designs for an imaginary client, ‘Mr Butterworth’.

“He then gave feedback that designs should reflect a beach community and feature a water fountain, seats, shade, soft surfaces, pathways and challenging play equipment for a wide age range,” says Dallas.

Principal Vicki Knell has been involved in the play space project since its inception, following on from the original Ōmokoroa Community Skate Group.

The District Council’s Reserves & Facilities Projects & Assets Manager, Scott Parker, says it’s a staged approach, and the concept plans should be available next month.

“Getting the community involved means the ownership feeling is true. Once we’re happy with the concept plans, we will have a cutoff for consultation.”

Scott expects more detailed plans in January, and then we’ll be into the countdown, depending on the lead-in times of equipment suppliers and landscapers.

Right: Dallas Townsend with 3D models made by the children of Rooms 1 and 2, using straws, ice block sticks, sand, sticky tape, tinfoil cups, and egg boxes.

Meeting new kids in Whakamārama

By Matthew Farrell ew life, new beginnings. The signs of spring ranging from daffodils, blossom, courting birds and young mammals learning how to use new limbs are among life’s joys for many people, young and old.

Jeffie Botha’s herd of Saanen goats in Whakamārama will all have had their kids by the time we go to press.

The herd is a dozen strong, consisting of does of various ages, a breeding buck and his paddock mate. When I visited Jeffie, four males and five females had been born with one doe, Rose, yet to kid her twins.

“Inka was a first-time mum. She kidded on a Saturday morning, but unfortunately, she rejected the firstborn.

My suspicion is she had the first doeling which wandered away and didn’t bond. Inka then had the second one and didn’t make the connection that she, in fact, had two kids. She is looking after the remaining doeling very well and is very attentive.”

Jeffie’s friend Karma - a fellow goat lover, who helps with maintenance such as hoof care - has taken the buck kids and one doeling to hand rear.

“She also ended up with another friend’s new-born buck that was excess to requirement. Karma will be very busy over the next four months raising these kids.”

Unfortunately for Jeffie, the little doeling she had to give Karma was a Sable Saanen which she had wanted to keep, as she plans on breeding a quality genetic line moving forward.

“Not living on the same property as them and working full-time makes it hard to commit to hand-rearing.

I was somewhat gutted, but you have got to deal with things as they come up. I have enough animals that I can use to kick start breeding my line of Sable Saanens,”

Preschool swimming classes available ational award-winning swim school, BaySwim, is opening in Ōtūmoetai.

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BaySwim will be running pre-school swimming lessons on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Ōtūmoetai Aquatic Centre. These will start in Term 4 (from 17th of October) with a special opening price of $12 per lesson for ten lessons. The pool and changing rooms are heated.

Those joining will have free access to other Bay Venues pools – Baywave (including the wave pool), Greerton Aquatic & Leisure Centre, and Memorial Pools.

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Georgie Farrell and Leon Botha petting one of Jeffie’s latest arrivals.

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Jeffie says.

Two of the doelings were recently horned by a veterinarian, and after this little procedure, all of the kids are doing very well.

Jeffie says she loves educating people about goats, saying many adopt kids after under-estimating the commitment they are taking on - as well as the risks of adopting kids from unreliable sources.

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lizardnews.net

Regional Council planning for the long term

By Jane Nees very three years every council in New Zealand is required to revise its Long Term Plan. This plan has a ten-year timeframe and provides the basis for our accountability to our community by describing the outcomes we are working towards, the activities we will undertake and why, and how we propose to fund them. Once developed, it goes out to the community for consultation, and adjustments are made dependent on feedback. At the end of this process, we will have a plan for our activities for the period 2018-2028, starting 1st of July 2018.

The process is time-consuming and fraught with challenges. Because of the detail that sits in behind it, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council started earlier this year having workshops on desired outcomes, key issues, planning assumptions, and strategic priorities. We have begun conversations with our local authority partners and members of the

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community on what is important to them, to feed into the process. Public concerns about water quality and availability, loss of biodiversity, the need for better public transport and restoration of sensitive environments are real and growing.

A major problem is the changeability of our operating environment. Much of what we do is mandated by central government legislation and policy. We have seen a lot of change in this space recently and, at the time of going to press, the possibility of a significant change in government with its resultant policy shifts means we will have to be adaptable and flexible in our planning. We could see major shifts in water policy, RMA legislation and transport, to name a few.

Climate change is a reality and the impacts, while unknown, have to be forecast and a programme put in place for mitigation and adaptation. Technological change is rapidly escalating and hard to predict. There is also a lot of change oc-

curring in the co-governance space, with ongoing treaty settlements and iwi participation agreements being enshrined in law. With 37 iwi, 260 hapū and 224 marae across the Bay of Plenty, this issue is hugely significant and potentially resource hungry for the Regional Council.

Considerable growth in the Western Bay has resulted in pressure on our natural resources and infrastructure and caused

Have you overheard the bird?

By Tammy Bruce Wild About NZ educator his month the Wild About New Zealand students from Ōmokoroa Point School and Whakamārama School have been learning how to identify the birds in their neck of the woods.

We started by using photographs and listening to bird calls via https://www.whatbird.co.nz/ then headed outside to see what we could see

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(and hear)! The OPS students walked to Hamurana Reserve where they learnt how to conduct a “5-minute bird count” (a common method used to assess bird populations). During one of our surveys, we saw a total of 21 tūī flying overhead!

What an amazing sight!

The students from Whakamārama conducted their 5 minute bird count in Puketoki Reserve where we saw an NZ robin, heard several grey warblers and a noisy rooster! The students at both schools have also enjoyed making pinecone bird feeders for our silvereyes, sugar water feeders for our tūī and providing colourful strands of wool in holders for the birds to use as nesting material.

Be sure to check out the kōwhai trees in your area and count how many tūī you see!

Lia and Sarah from Whakamārama School hanging up a bird feeder.

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problems like escalating traffic congestion and declining water and air quality.

To help us plan, the Regional Council has identified four key community outcomes we will work towards. These are: a Healthy Environment; Freshwater for Life; Safe and Resilient Communities; and a Vibrant Region. To deliver on these, we are planning how to focus and achieve our nine groups of activities: Integrated Catchment Management; Flood Protection and Control; Resource Regulation and Monitoring; Transportation; Regional Development; Regional Planning and Engagement; Emergency Management; Technical Services and Corporate Services.

With escalating requirements, we need to look at prioritisation and different methods of service delivery. If you have any thoughts on what the Regional Council could do differently or better – or more or less of – please contact me on neesj@xtra.co.nz or ring me on 07 5795150.

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Belco Homes look to nationals after regional golds

By Matthew Farrell he close-knit local team at Belco Homes is looking forward to next month’s national finals in the Registered Master Builders House of the Year competition.

The builders of architectural designer homes, based on Plummers Point Road in Ōmokoroa, have again been named as Gold Reserve National Finalists as they were last year.

Belco Homes scooped two Gold Awards for the Bay of Plenty/Central Plateau region in late July, in both the $12M and $550-700k categories for new homes.

Project Manager Kerry Mear, who coowns Belco Homes with Mike and Kathy Bell, is thrilled at attaining the consistency to be going forward to the nationals again.

“Attention to detail and premium quality is a consistent focus for us in every build project. Plus we really appreciate

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the benchmark of quality the RMB House of the Year competition gives from an independent source, for homeowner assurance,” he says.

Kerry says much of the success is dedicated to the team philosophy. The core crew has been together for many years, with several of their builders having come through the ranks completing their apprenticeships with Belco Homes.

“We have long-term relationships with our subbies and suppliers, and a great team of carpenters. We are all on the same page and striving for the same level of finish, plus the homeowner is very much part of the team. It is this unity which helps ensure achieving the vision for their new home.”

This year’s Gold Awards are for two entirely different properties, which says something special about the capability of Belco Homes to deliver on creativity.

“Every owner has different needs and wants for their home to meet their lifestyle requirements and design ideas.

Through many years of building beautiful tailored homes, we have developed a vast range of experience and construc-

tion techniques and ideas, which give us the knowledge and expertise to ensure the owner’s design ideas and creativity are met - and to deliver quality results,” says Kerry.

The national finalists are re-judged by a panel who determine the overall national winners, which are announced in Auckland on Saturday 25th November.

Good luck!

Pace of change, environment and transport top issues he pace of change, building communities, protecting our environment and getting around are the key themes emerging from community conversations on the Long Term Plan 2018-2028 held by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council earlier this year.

The Long Term Plan (LTP) is the key document that Council uses to set strategy and direction for the next decade. It is revised three-yearly and tracked annually.

In May, Council set out on the It’s About You LTP campaign, visiting nine communities and holding 14 community conversations to let people share their views with elected members and Council staff about what they want for the future of the District.

Council met with more than 850 people from Waihī Beach to Maketū to raise awareness of the LTP, what it means and how the community can influence the future shape of the District. Online tools were also used.

Feedback has been analysed and key topics determined by their priority District-wide, while community-specific issues having also been prioritised.

Mayor Garry Webber was impressed with the broad range of issues that peo-

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ple brought to the table.

“Each of our communities explicitly told us what’s important to them. We listened, took people’s views into account and now it is our task to determine where they sit in our future deliberations,’’ says Garry.

While some of the community input revolved around issues outside the scope of the LTP, Garry says all would find their place somewhere in Council’s future discussions.

“The nub of the planning process is to get a feel for the things that matter to our communities in the long term so that we can do our best to set in place the building blocks to get there.’’

The next phase will be primarily focused online, with Council expanding on the key themes that came from the community conversations. They will also be discussing these with stakeholder groups.

This information will be online from early October at haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz The final phase will be a feedback process and ‘have your say’ events in March/April next year, where residents can provide direction on the key LTP proposals. Article supplied.

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All-terrain stocktake of Quarry Park

By Shirley Sparks n Tuesday, 19th September Meyrick invited me to come with him on a tour, in his car, of the main track to the top terrace of the Quarry Park. Being a Tuesday there were numerous volunteers all working in areas of their choice, almost lost to view in the luscious growth of native and exotic plantings. We heard the sound of a chainsaw being used high up on the steep slopes as wattles, small pines and dead trees were felled. Peter and Paul were responsible, I was told.

The bromeliads planted on the steep bank above the stream on the main track leading up to the Junction are doing well and will become very attractive as they mature and increase their cover. The Daisy Sculpture adds to the interest.

Then the higgledy-piggledy bank of signs at ‘The Junction’ came into view!

They badly need a tidy up and a uniformity sometime soon. It was not a good look. Meyrick drove up the steep track into the nook where our volunteers have used the backdrop of rocks left by the quarry workings of yesteryear as a landscape for showing the cacti and succulents to their best and most spectacular advantage. It is a magnificent area of quiet intimacy and interest. It is just one of the beautiful, special enclosures one finds in the Quarry Park. A small, stepped pathway leads from here through the Geddes plantings down to the Frog Pond.

Continuing up the track I see other bromeliads being cared for by volunteers who have stepped into Alec and Lynley’s shoes. My thoughts are with Alec and Lynley, who tended the ‘broms’ in the Quarry for many years. In those early days strange, exotic and amusing animals appeared from time to time, made from recycled materials, only to disappear months later after becoming weathered and worn.

The broms merge effortlessly into the orchid plantings, now coming into flower and cascading in long, colourful sprays down the banks, attracting the eyes with their beauty and looking as though they know this is exactly where they belong, where they can grow and flower and multiply in big clumps. The quarry banks and rocky supports were left just for the orchids to thrive and thrill. This is their natural, outdoor home.

Meyrick drove slowly past the entrance to the Butterfly Terrace. We will return there anon. The lovely sculpture ‘Synchronicity’ has been remounted after being vandalised. Now secured on a plinth, it stands proudly alongside the track which leads up to the ‘Great Balls of Wire’. We also will surely return to the Fuchsia garden, missed because we found Anne working alone in the natural bush area below the water tank. She

Te Puna Quarry Park News

O

showed us where a colossal rock had tumbled down from the cliff above, bouncing through the bush, and coming to rest alongside the track. More large rocks have dislodged recently, no doubt due to the frequent rain and temperature changes. Our tractor drivers have nudged them off the track or have taken them, on the front end loader, to other areas for landscaping. (There is a sign advising people of the danger of falling rocks.)

Mike McCarthy’s fantastic ‘Wind Wand’ stood out against the sky. Requested by Barbara who, with Mark, has rejuvenated the Bonsai garden, it adds a magic touch to this upper corner which has been neglected for a time.

Meyrick then took me along the top terrace, alongside Brian’s wall as far as the Lions steps. The ‘Peace Garden’ developed, planted and maintained by the Baha’i group was exactly that. Peaceful, quiet and special in its difference to traditional gardens, it occupies a special place on the top terrace. The day was sunny and clear and sparkling. There was not a breath of wind. The view was spectacular in its clarity. On the horizon of the ocean Tūhua (Mayor Island) was clearly visible and further to the east our very recognisable and special landmark Mauao (Mount Maunganui) reminded us of exactly where we were.

Directly below us, we could see many of the volunteers working in the numerous areas of the quarry development.

What a glorious day. What a wonderful, worthwhile and exciting COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS. For information about Te Puna Quarry Park, phone Shirley on 552 5874.

Fundraising begins for carving as water pump is stolen

By Matthew Farrell he good people of Te Puna Quarry Park have again experienced the highs and lows of volunteering at the popular community arts destination.

On the positive front, representative Dulcie Artus has talked to an application for funding from the arts umbrella agency Creative Bay of Plenty.

The Quarry Park is hoping to raise $13,600 for a tōtara kūwaha (gateway) to be carved by Morris Wharekawa and will be considering Pub Charity, as well as having set up a Givealittle page for the particular project.

“It’s going to be marvellous. It’s a great thing for the park to be doing,” says Dulcie.

Unfortunately, the Quarry Park was the target of thieves and vandals during the first weekend of September. The water pump needed for irrigation was stolen and the plywood housing destroyed. The Police have been notified.

Shona Purves says two more ponytail palms that had been replaced since the last theft of ponytail palms have also been removed.

“Steve Miller who installed the previous pump and Water Force of Te Puna have been looking into the matter for us.

The only upside is that we haven’t

T

The Quarry Park’s irrigation pump was stolen last month.

needed to irrigate the butterfly area lately because of all the rain. Otherwise, we might have lost plants.”

Shona asks that if anyone sees or hears of any suspicious activity occurring at Te Puna Quarry Park, to raise the alarm immediately.

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| Lizard News | October 2017

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Dredging work wraps up Turning blue for prostate cancer awareness he friendly staff at FreshChoice Ōmokoroa swapped their green uniforms for blue wigs and tutus last month, in support of the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Blue September appeal.

Local supermarket owner/operator Steve Ling encouraged his team to get behind the event, to help increase awareness of the disease, and says they jumped at the opportunity.

“It’s incredible to think 600 men die from prostate cancer every year. That’s a lot of fathers, sons, brothers, and grandfathers gone. Every word spread or cent donated adds up to help bring these numbers down.”

Steve says it’s a great cause. “Customers have helped us to support Blue September by donating at the collection boxes at our checkouts. If you bought a

T

Bad weather and issues with equipment have delayed the dredging project.

s Lizard News went to press, the Regional Council was hoping to be able to wrap up the Opureora Channel dredging project to improve low tide access for the new, larger Matakana Island ferry.

Initially, the principal contractor, Hydra-Care, expected to begin dredging in mid-July for six to eight weeks.

The operation wasn’t expected to interfere with regular boat access around the jetty, wharf or channel area.

However, the Regional Council’s Project Manager, Bruce Gardner, tells Lizard News the timeframe became extended to the end of September for various reasons.

“This is later than we originally planned, with delays mostly caused by atrocious weather and unexpectedly difficult site set-up conditions, as well as early teething problems with dredging equipment.

“Matakana Island is home to some native bird species and areas of cultural significance. Minimising any impact to

A

these species or sites has been a top priority throughout this project, and we engaged a local resident to undertake regular monitoring for that very reason.

“When planning for and carrying out projects such as this we work closely with the Department of Conservation.

They advised us early on of species that tend to roost and nest at the southern end of the spit and to ensure we didn’t impact this site, work in this area was prioritised and is already complete,” he says.

For many years, the Opureora Channel has been used as a primary accessway for boat traffic between Matakana Island and Ōmokoroa.

It’s a lifeline for island residents to access emergency services, transport goods, and conduct work or personal business on the mainland.

Sediment movement in Tauranga Harbour has caused a shallowing of the channel in recent years, limiting access to the Matakana Island wharf and jetty at Opureora, especially at low tide.

blue ribbon, painted your face blue, or even just talked about the disease, you have directly helped to raise awareness, lower the death rate and reduce the suffering. Thanks for making a difference.”

The Foundation says men don’t know how dangerous the disease is; they don’t talk to their doctor about check-ups, and they simply don’t do anything about it.

Deaths from prostate cancer can be prevented if the disease is detected early enough.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation receives no government funding and relies on the generosity of people to support men and their families who are going through the journey.

Blue September is about getting the word out and is a key fundraiser for the work the charity does. Find out more at blueseptember.org.nz

Some of the FreshChoice team kitted out in blue to support the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

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October 2017 | Lizard News |

23

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Play: the way young children make sense of their world

By Beverley Haddon Minnows Kindergarten e all learn best through doing which develops physical, social and emotional abilities, resilience and creativity. Playing is a great

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A visit to storytime at Ōmokoroa Library.

way for children to practice how they relate to and communicate with others.

Play is about having fun and can take many forms, such as rough and tumble, imaginative (make-believe), locomotive (moving in all directions) and decisionmaking around risks and challenges. It includes children enjoying a mixture of adult-led play and opportunities to be active without excessive adult interference, in all kinds of environments.

The Ministry of Health has recently published active play guidelines for under-fives “Sit Less, Move More, Sleep Well” They recommend young children be encouraged to play regularly and experience a variety of physical activities. Ideally, these activities should be in a range of different indoor and outdoor environments. Ōmokoroa has incredible reserves and parks where kids can be kids and enjoy the wide-open spaces. We are lucky that Minnows Kindergarten is so close to Cooney Reserve, local shops and the Library, and we take every opportunity to explore our community, visiting the bush, the beach, or library each week.

“For a small child there is no division between playing and learning; between the things he or she does ‘just for

Watching the paradise shelducks whilst walking in the reserve.

fun’ and things that are ‘educational.’ The child learns while living and any part of living that is enjoyable is also play.” ~ Penelope Leach.

For more information on what we do at Minnows, visit our website www.minnowskindergarten.co.nz We are open 7.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, licensed for children 3 months – 5 years.

Ōmokoroa Playcentre t’s been a massive month for the kids at Ōmokoroa Playcentre – full of new encounters and adventure. As they say, there’s no day like a snow day and our recent one was a huge hit with our very own snow peak for the kids to explore their senses. Crunchy… cold… wet… icy… frozen… melty… salty! With tobogganing, snow-angels, even a bit of snowboarding, hot milo and marshmallows, snowflake-sparkly Playdough, and

I

Mason giving snowboarding a go.

Lilah, Jimmy, Cecilia and Zdenek showing off their piloting skills.

Caleb and the friendly snowman.

nary fire on the vintage fire truck, and soared on the pedal planes. A highly recommended activity for all!

And with the arrival of Spring there’s all sorts of new sights and smells in the air – brightly coloured blooms, fresh cut grass, giant bubbles to fit a whole mum inside! Our kids are learning so much about the ever-changing world around them.

lots of visitors, it was a fantastic morning had by all – kids and mums and dads alike! Thanks to Angela and Julz for all your efforts in pulling this together... and to the weatherman for holding off the rain till the end. We hope our visitors come and see us again!

Some of the kids also got to discover their inner aviator at the Classic Flyers Museum where we watched a special demonstration from the fire rescue team and a couple of really loud air-force Texans fly in; we also rushed to an imagi-

A great turnout, with 45 kids enjoying the snow.

Omokoroa

OPEN 9am - 12pm Mon Thurs Fri Behind Settlers Hall 334 Omokoroa Rd

Stuck for ideas to entertain the kids on weekday mornings?

Come along to Playcentre for a morning of learning through FREE PLAY fun! omokoroa@playcentre.org.nz • 07 548 1343 first 3 visits free • 0-6 yr olds welcome

24

| Lizard News | October 2017

Coming up in October we’ve got our Annual General Meeting and a special movie event to raise funds for our building facilities upgrade – see our advertisement! Be sure to get your tickets today to support your local Playcentre and enjoy a fun morning out at this hilarious movie. Ōmokoroa Playcentre is located behind Settlers Hall, 334 Ōmokoroa Rd, and is open from 9.00am – 12.00pm Mon, Thurs, Fri (during school terms).

For more information, pop in during our open hours, phone 07 548 1343 or email omokoroa@playcentre.org.nz. We’d love to see you sometime soon!

SPACE runs on Wednesday mornings 9am-11.30am for first time parents. If your baby was born between end of Sep 2016 and Feb 2017 and would like to meet some other local mums with babies the same age, contact Ruth on 07 570 0085 or ruth.wboppa@xtra.co.nz to let her know you’re keen to come along.

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Intriguing new books for October Ōmokoroa Library Ph. 07 571 8008 Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Sat 9.30am-noon

Whakamārama Community Library Ph. 07 578 7015 Open Thu 9am-noon 3rd Friday 6.30pm-8pm

Te Puna Community Library Ph. 07 552 5715 Open Mon-Fri 12.30pm-1.30pm (closed school holidays) Weds 6.30pm-7.30pm Thu 3pm-4pm (closed school holidays) Sat 10am-noon

CHICK LIT

THRILLER

The Trip of a Lifetime Monica McInerney

Siracusa Delia Ephron

MYSTERY

The Good Daughter Karin Slaughter

AMISH ROMANCE

HISTORICAL FICTION

Upon a Spring Breeze Kelly Irvin

Court of Lions Jane Johnson

A sense of adventure at Te Puna Kindy

By the team xperiencing the sense of adventure at Farmer Burr’s paddocks… last week the children and teachers had the wonderful opportunity of walking across the nearby field where tamariki had a ride on Farmer Burr’s ute. He had stacked it up with hay bales for a safe and comfy ride. It was like an expedition trip as children were able to observe nature from a different angle. It was a bumpy journey filled with giggles, in beautiful natural surroundings. Nature is a tool. Children get to experience how to measure risk and learn how to take responsibility.

Sustainable learning / teaching together… the generosity and kind exchange of homegrown produce is a constant reminder of our living philosophy. Ako - a community of learners. As a

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A safe and comfy ride on Farmer Burr’s ute.

connected community, we foster a sense of belonging at our kindergarten. Rachel, an ex-kindergarten parent, brings us the surplus bread from the bakery. Gordon (Farmer Burr) shares the apples from his orchard, and today Seb shared his excess fruit - oranges from home that he picked himself (all 24 of them).

Connecting with animals… following on from our article last month our Police puppy is called “Axe”.

We are currently open for enrolments.

Please feel free to come and visit our amazing kindergarten, where our teachers are all fully qualified. We are in a rural setting with a beautiful natural learning environment. We promote sustainability, and we value the strong relationships we have within our community.

The ages of our children range from 2

Sharing fruit among our community of learners.

Preschool storytime Waihī Beach Library Every second Tuesday, 10.00—10.30 am Katikati Library Every Thursday, 10.00—10.30 am

½ years to 5 years old. We are very whānau orientated and welcome your involvement. Come and experience Te Puna Community Kindergarten. It has a

Spring clean smoothie

By Roz McIntosh fter the cold, damp, dark depths of winter, spring emerges fresh, bright and green. It is at this time of year our digestive system needs a little “spring clean”. Sluggish digestion and lack of fresh fruits and vegetables can leave us feeling low in energy and vulnerable to illness. Smoothies are a great way to kick start metabolism, clear the digestive system, detoxify the blood and flood the cells with nutrients. They are also quick and easy to prepare.

The addition of leafy greens provides essential phytonutrients to aid detoxification. Another crucial ingredient is a healthy fat such as flaxseed oil, coconut oil, avocado or olive oil. The addition of fat into the smoothie ensures that you are able to absorb all of the fat-soluble vitamins and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. A source of protein is also essential, chia seeds, nuts, egg or protein powder are all welcome ingredients to the humble smoothie.

This is my version of a detoxifying, energising spring smoothie. You will need: 1 ripe banana Juice of one lemon 1 small handful of spinach 1 kiwifruit

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Parents and caregivers please remain with your children during the session and feel free to join in

2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil Ice Water Place all the ingredients into a highspeed blender such as a Nutribullet and blitz for 45 seconds.

As a health and nutrition coach, I work with individuals and families to lose weight, overcome chronic illness, decrease stress and eat more real food. For more information and inspiration check out my website www.rozmcintosh.com or connect on Facebook – @rozmcintoshnutrition

Grandkids coming to stay but got no toys?

Or tired of buying toys that never get played with?

Ōmokoroa Library Every Friday, 10.00—10.30 am

Read, Sing, Move

relaxed, supportive atmosphere. Please feel free to visit us at 45 Minden Road, Te Puna or call us with any enquiries on 552 5736.

OPEN Saturdays 9.30 - 11am Behind Settlers Hall, 334 Omokoroa Rd

Toys for children 0-5 years from as little as 50c for two weeks* omokoroatoylibrary@hotmail.com

‘Check out’ our HUGE range of toys for hire... *Annual membership fee applies

October 2017 | Lizard News |

25

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Omokoroa Tide Chart October 2017 1 Sun Omokoroa Tides

Fishing Guide Moon Phase

Omokoroa Tides

Fishing Guide Moon Phase

4:27 10:44 17:08 23:20

2 Mon 1.6 0.4 1.7 0.5

B

5:24 1.6 11:39 0.4 18:03 1.7

0:16 6:22 12:34 18:57

B

S 4:01 R 14:34 17 Tue 0:11 6:28 12:33 18:57

3 Tue

0.3 1.7 0.3 1.8

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R 5:09 S 16:51

0.4 1.7 0.4 1.7

F

S 4:41 R 15:33 18 Wed 1:08 7:27 13:30 19:50

4 Wed

0.2 1.8 0.3 1.9

G

0.2 1.8 0.3 1.9

G

R 5:43 S 17:53

R 6:15 S 18:53

*Not for navigational purposes

0.4 1.7 0.3 1.8

2:02 8:12 14:21 20:37

S 5:54 R 17:36 20 Fri 2:52 9:11 15:13 21:28

6 Fri 0.3 1.8 0.3 1.8

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F

S 5:18 R 16:33 19 Thu 2:02 8:21 14:23 20:40

1:10 7:18 13:29 19:48

5 Thu

0.2 1.8 0.2 1.9

G

R 6:47 S 19:53

0.2 1.8 0.2 1.9

3:41 9:52 16:01 22:13

G

S 6:29 R 18:41 21 Sat 3:39 9:58 16:00 22:13

2:53 9:03 15:11 21:25

7 Sat

0.2 1.9 0.2 1.8

G

4:30 10:40 16:50 23:00

0.2 1.9 0.3 1.8

5:06 11:24 17:28 23:35

Tide chart supplied by OceanFun Publishing, Ltd.

0.1 1.9 0.1 2.0

0.2 1.9 0.3 1.8

S 8:18 R 22:03 24 Tue 5:47 0.2 12:04 1.8 18:10 0.3

G

R 7:53 S 21:48

9 Mon

B

S 7:40 R 20:55 23 Mon

G

R 7:19 S 20:51

0.1 1.9 0.1 1.9

B

S 7:04 R 19:47 22 Sun 4:24 10:42 16:45 22:55

8 Sun

R 8:30 S 22:43

G

R 9:09 S 23:37

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26

| Lizard News | October 2017

Owned and operated by locals

5:18 11:29 17:40 23:49

10 Tue 0.0 2.0 0.1 1.9

B

6:06 0.0 12:18 2.0 18:30 0.1

B

S 9:00 R 23:12 25 Wed 0:14 6:26 12:43 18:51

11 Wed

1.8 0.2 1.8 0.4

G

R 9:52

1.9 0.0 1.9 0.2

26 Thu 1.7 0.3 1.8 0.4

F

S 0:27 R 10:38

R 0:18 S 10:38 27 Fri 1:30 7:45 14:02 20:15

1:30 7:46 14:03 20:16

13 Fri 1.9 0.1 1.9 0.2

G

B

S 9:46

0:51 7:05 13:21 19:32

0:38 6:55 13:09 19:22

12 Thu

1.7 0.3 1.7 0.4

B

S 1:14 R 11:28

1.8 0.1 1.9 0.2

G

R 1:21 S 11:35 28 Sat 2:12 8:28 14:45 21:01

2:24 8:38 14:59 21:12

14 Sat

1.7 0.4 1.7 0.4

B

S 1:57 R 12:22

1.8 0.2 1.8 0.3

G

R 2:18 S 12:37 29 Sun 2:58 9:14 15:33 21:50

3:21 9:34 15:58 22:11

15 Sun

1.6 0.4 1.7 0.4

B

S 2:37 R 13:18

1.7 0.2 1.8 0.3

G

R 3:08 S 13:40 30 Mon 3:49 10:05 16:25 22:43

4:22 10:32 16:59 23:11

16 Mon

1.6 0.4 1.7 0.4

B

S 3:15 R 14:17

G

R 3:53 S 14:45 31 Tue 4:45 10:59 17:19 23:38

5:26 1.7 11:33 0.3 18:00 1.8

R 4:33 S 15:48

1.6 0.4 1.7 0.4

B

S 3:50 R 15:17

NOTE: Tauranga tides subtract 50 mins, and Katikati tides subtract 20 mins from the times shown.

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Lizard Classifieds PUBLIC NOTICES

Tickets $30.00 per person from the school office Cash Bar, Supper Provided

Kindly Sponsored By:

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1 5 7 6 3 9 2 4 8

Saturday 4th November from 7pm, Settlers’ Hall Ōmokoroa Featuring Live Music from Five O’Clock Shadow

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4 3 9 1 2 8 6 7 5

Fundraising for Ōmokoroa Point School Year 7/8 Northland Camp

We try to make the shopping experience fun and rewarding while assuring the volunteers an enjoyable shift, though we all work very hard when on duty.

Remember, tea and coffee with a biscuit is always available to enjoy while you make use of our leisure area for a chat.

There is a play area safely confined so grown-ups can browse and search out that bargain you can’t resist. Almost everything in the play area is for sale: toys, books, wall-hangings, we have an amazing selection for children.

Lastly, we have hand knitted children’s garments, crafts, plants, cards, pickles and jams, oh all sorts! These are sold ‘on behalf’ with The Centre receiving a percentage.

Come along, one and all, and enjoy our lovely shop, browsing for that hoped for bargain and treasure. Be safe, be happy!!

6 8 2 7 5 4 9 1 3

Masquerade Ball

TAEKWONDO & SELF DEFENCE

Spring plants for sale.

7 2 4 3 1 6 8 5 9

See you there!

Every third Saturday, monthly.

LATE SUMMER TOURNAMENTS doubles & singles Access to courts at other times.

New members welcome!

Call Dallas: 021 663 100

5 9 1 8 7 2 4 3 6

548 0024 • 021 181 1060

Peter Alford

THURSDAY EVENINGS ladies tennis aerobics

Word Search Solution

3 6 8 9 4 5 1 2 7

Many local references

A fabulous selection of stalls arts • crafts • music coffee • cafe • face painting clothing • BBQ fundraiser

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS (summer) – twilight teams

8 1 5 2 9 7 3 6 4

9AM-1PM

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS (winter) – casual doubles

2 7 6 4 8 3 5 9 1

Saturday 21st October

Board of Trustees Mid-term election

TUESDAY MORNINGS vets, all ages welcome

Western Ave pavilion, Ōmokoroa.

Fun classes, all ages.

Three weeks free trial for newcomers.

Mon, Wed, Thu, from 6pm. $45/month, term discounts available.

Tai chi.

Sat 9-10am, Wed 7-8pm. $3/session.

Contact Sonja: 027 548 1960 WORK WANTED

Animal Health Care Is your Animal in Pain, having Skin, Eye, Ear problems, Arthritis, Epilepsy, Anxiety or just unwell? Homeopathy and Bowen Therapy offer safe and effective treatments supporting your animal back to health.

Call Hannelore on 548-0824

9 4 3 5 6 1 7 8 2

Settlers’ Hall 334 Omokoroa Road

MONDAY MORNINGS ladies interclub

8 9 7 2 3 6 4 5

• Skilled in many trades • Workmanship guaranteed • No job too small Carpentry Leaks sourced & resolved Rot Repairs & reinstatement Bathroom fit-outs Shower installations Tiling & painting

The Lizard Market Omokoroa

Join our club in Te Puna for tennis and fun social activities

5 6 7 8 5 5 6 4 6 7 8 9 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3

Professional Handyman

Our safe play area.

TENNIS

1 2 3 5 7 8 6 9 4

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supporting new babies in Ōmokoroa.

This is a good opportunity to remind locals what ‘The Centre’ is all about. The shop is entirely run by volunteers with a wonderful coordinator, Sandra Hunt, who keeps us all in order and on track so we have a smooth running, attractive shop. Our Trustees (also volunteers) do all the official work and legal decisionmaking.

Over the years The Centre has changed its ‘face’, upgrading fittings and presentation, being infinitely fussy about keeping quality high and variety wide. Clean and in good condition is our constant, with an interesting presentation for a quick turnover. We keep prices low and put a ‘fair’ price on extra special items.

It is a very exciting marketing concept as one never knows what is coming through the door, as a donation, next.

7 3 2 6 1 4 3 2 1 1 3 4 5 4 2 6 4 5 7 8 5 3 2 6 7 8 7 6

By Marlene Mackenzie feel a touch of spring in the air – time for our sparkle and bounce to return – roll on summer with long evenings and BBQs. Grab a plant, for that summer gardening session, from our great little selection of plants always on display outside the shop. All locally nurtured so they should all love their new homes.

The Volunteers voted on their ‘suggestions of choice’ for distribution of their allocated Grant Money of $3000. This money will be shared between the following groups.

CHILDRENS PLAYGROUND FUND beside skate path FRIDAY FRIENDSHIP GROUP equipment and trip ŌMOKOROA BAPTIST YOUTH GROUP equipment LOVED FOR LIFE

PUBLIC NOTICES

2 vacancies, 3-year positions Nominations close Friday 3rd November at noon.

Contact school office for forms or more information.

Returning Officer Jim Boyes 548 0748

HELP NEEDED Peninsula Pride.

Saturday 28th October.

Meet 9.30am Cooney Reserve for an hour or so.

Help pick mangrove seedlings and litter pick on reserves. Learn how to monitor estuary health.

See you there. Thanks. Ōmokoroa Environmental Managers Inc.

PTA AGM

Wednesday 8 November at 7pm in the staff room All welcome Sarah Aldridge 027 252 6099

Ōmokoroa Athletics Club

SEASON OPENING Wednesday October 25th at 5.15pm Western Avenue Sports Ground See article on page 12 for further information

WORK WANTED

Painter

Now open locally!

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Offering 30, 45, or 60 minute Sports, Therapeutic, or Relaxation massage *Gift vouchers available*

Andrea Van Klei (Registered Massage Therapist)

Phone or Text 021 0818 4170 omokoroamassage.co.nz

Ease Pain and Discomfort with Bowen Therapy Are you suffering from Neck, Shoulder or Knee pain, Sciatica, Tennis Elbow, RSI, Migraines, Chronic Fatigue or any other discomfort?

Bowen Therapy offers a gentle and effective hands-on treatment.

Call Hannelore on 548-0824

For all your painting/paper hanging requirements, phone Gerard Quilty on 027 447 5493 or 548 1337 after hours.

Amore Omokoroa Genuine Italian cuisine available as pre-cooked meals and takeaways.

Cooking classes our specialty.

Have a special event?

Alessandra can be your personal chef.

FB: Amore Omokoroa Ph: 548 2453 or 021 183 5591 FOR SALE

FOR SALE Goat’s milk, fresh or frozen, $4.00 per litre. Phone or text:

021 297 3205

October 2017 | Lizard News |

27

lizardnews.net

The opposite of a vicious cycle

By Matthew Farrell ow. Electric bicycles are fun.

And they seem to be coming of age right now. We recently borrowed a pair of brand new e-bikes for a test ride, and it was a bit of a shame to have to give them back afterwards.

Liz and I took them to Ōhope for a particularly windswept weekend away. In between a few downpours, we rode them for about 25 kilometres, and we each learned a thing or two.

Liz learned that if you don’t ride a bike for more than a decade, a few consecutive days of cycling will still leave you a little saddle sore.

I learned that with maximum assistance from the electric motor, I could cruise past a super-fit road bike cyclist

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slogging his guts out up the crazy hill to the Kiwanis Club lookout.

On a slightly more sane level, it made an extremely challenging ride possible for Liz. “I am somewhat impressed how far up this hill I have got. I did have to pedal as well! The time the assistance kicks in is good. If your balance is wobbly, like mine, starting and stopping is the tricky part of cycling,” she says.

Then I could turn around and go back down the hill at more than 60 kph. The digital display seemed to cap out at 59.9 kph, and I ran out of courage and a clear road to keep pushing it any further than that.

When you aren’t reliving your adrenaline-filled youth, they are an in-

credibly convenient and efficient form of transport. Those gusty headwinds on the coast road became pretty irrelevant, even on lower levels of battery-powered assistance.

“It’s over ten years since I have ridden a bike, so I was a little bit nervous. It was really good fun yesterday, and I was looking forward to riding again today. I like how it’s straightforward to adjust the handlebars for comfort too. It’s quite nifty,” says Liz.

Fully charged, the models we rode are estimated to be able to provide a rider with motor assistance through the inbuilt rear hub for 60 to 100 kilometres.

Lauren Te Pairi and Keith Silkstone of Work Road are opening an e-bike shop on Durham Street later this month.

They’ll have a range of eight bikes for sale, starting at about $2500. They’ll also be offering short and long-term hire, with a pick-up and drop-off service from Waihī to Tauranga.

Native trees make way for new Katikati library ome native trees are to be removed as the construction site is cleared for the new Katikati library and community hub.

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council has already approved the development of the land on Talisman Drive.

The Council says it’s an unfortunate consequence and although staff have considered the option of trying to transplant the trees to an alternative site, they

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have been advised there is little likelihood of success.

Options for the re-use and recycling of the wood are being considered. Any useful wood will be stored for later use, such as carving.

The Council plans to plant several native tree species on Council land in Katikati, to balance the environmental footprint of having to remove these trees for the building work.

List your house for sale and receive a

$500 SPRING CLEAN SPECIAL ON US! Terms and conditions apply.

Is work around your home preventing you from selling it!

Then this promotion could be the answer to your problem.

Give us a call today and let’s talk about how we can take your home to market and achieve results that count using our FREE Proven Marketing Campaign Phone Ron and Pat today.

Ron and Pat Shanks Spring Clean Terms & Conditions: • The promotion is offered from 01 September 2017 to 31 October 2017 inclusive; • The promotion is available only to Vendors who list with Ron and Pat Shanks from Harcourts Bethlehem for a period of 90 days as an exclusive listing only; • The property is to be ‘live’ on Harcourts-One within 14 days of listing, and remain live for the duration of the listing authority or sale, whichever is the sooner; • The up to $500 incl GST offer of ancillary services is limited to Labour only, completed on or after listing date; • It is payable on provision of GST invoice for the service(s) provided to the company.

• The express purpose is to facilitate better presented and prepared homes for market; • Typical example services may include water blasting, rubbish removal, garden maintenance, window cleaning, carpet cleaning etc; • Any services selected are limited to, and must be completed prior to, either sale, or during the 90 listing period (whichever is the sooner).

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| Lizard News | October 2017

Marketing Consultants M 021 956 270 (Ron) | M 021 804 463 (Pat) F 0800 766 728 ron.patshanks@harcourts.co.nz www.ronandpatshanks.harcourts.co.nz Advantage Realty Ltd MREINZ | Licensed Agent REAA 2008