Hibiscus Matters_Issue 366_26 February 2024

Oven cliffhanger raises illegal dumping issue

An oven dumped over the cliff north of Orewa was perched precariously above the beach, presenting a risky removal job for Auckland Council contractors. On February 20, abseilers efficiently hauled the oven up the cliff, but it’s a job that, repeated all over the city, costs ratepayers. In the last financial year, collecting dumped items cost $2.1m and disposal/recycling of them added $215,000. Council also tries to determine who is responsible. Eco Maintenance is contracted by Council to collect dumped rubbish. Reg Walker, who oversaw the Orewa operation, says items are thrown down banks and cliffs so they are out of sight. Usually he would bring in specialists for this type of work around every two months, but there have been three such operations this month alone. Last year, Council cleaned up an average of 145 tonnes of illegally dumped items every month. Legal recycling and disposal options include Whangaparāoa Recycling Centre, Alexander Scrap Metal and The Tin Men. More info: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/rubbish-recycling/Pages/default.aspx

Simon Stastny, foreground, and James Croft of Total Property Services haul an oven up Ōrewa cliff.

21 Florence Ave, Ōrewa, 0931 | ph 09 427 8188

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Accusations are flying among Auckland Council staff and local board representatives as to how and why Milldale developer Fulton Hogan was able to renege on its plan to develop Waterloo Reserve for the community.

The upshot is that the reserve will be a much less impressive public amenity than originally envisaged.

sheltered seating, toilets, open green spaces, walkways and a bridge across the Waterloo Stream, flowing through the centre of the reserve.

Fulton Hogan contractors completed the 54m-long, nine-span bridge last year, at a cost to the developer of around $1m.

Along the way, a number of Council departments have been involved, including Eke Panuku, Parks Planning, and the team that works on the IFAs.

Waterloo Reserve is central to the Milldale residential development, adjacent to its first retail centre and also near Milldale Primary.

Creating it was to be a joint effort between Fulton Hogan, Council and Rodney Local Board, with Council to purchase the land and Fulton Hogan putting in the lion’s share of the money (around $4 million) and the work, while Council chipped in $1.25m.

Fulton Hogan kicked things off by presenting designs that were signed off by the local board last September and included a pump track and playgrounds, a basketball half court, kick-around area,

Meanwhile, Council’s purchase of the land from Fulton Hogan is still underway – it is unconditional and expected to be finalised early next month. Along the way, there was a disagreement about the purchase price, after Council budgets were affected by flood and Cyclone Gabrielle related repair work, but it is unclear what impact that had on Fulton Hogan’s decision-making.

The other fly in the ointment is that when a company works with Council in this way, an Infrastructure Funding Agreement (IFA) is signed that details all the arrangements between the two parties. This was not done and, had it been in place, Fulton Hogan may not have been able to pull out of the deal, as it did on January 19.

This led to an accusation by Rodney Local Board chair Brent Bailey that Council had “shot itself in the foot” because too many different departments were involved. As a result, the local board, with a budget of just $1.25million, is left having to reduce the scope of what can be provided for the community in Waterloo Reserve. Board deputy chair Louise Johnston says the whole process has been deeply concerning and disappointing.

“This was going to be a really good playground and we would never be able to afford to build that now, so how can it have gone so wrong?” she asked. “We raised community expectations and they are completely gutted.”

Hibiscus Matters approached Fulton Hogan for comment, but they were unable to respond by the paper’s deadline.

Ōrewa Library makeover long overdue

The latest images of how Ōrewa Library will look after nine months of refurbishment and repairs were unveiled by Auckland Council recently.

The existing building in Moana Avenue is almost 30 years old, has a leaking roof and the cramped interior space is no longer fit for purpose considering it is the seventh most-visited of Auckland’s 56 libraries.

Last year Council began moving forward in earnest with a project to improve and future proof the library (HM October 16, 2023).

As an upgrade was called for, it was seen as an opportunity to go one step further and build a new mezzanine floor, which will provide a flexible meeting space including for the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board.

The work is budgeted to cost $3.7 million, funded by the local board.

Tenders closed on February 14 and are being evaluated.

The work will see the library closed for around nine months and its services and resources will be relocated to Ōrewa Community Centre. At this stage, it is anticipated that this will happen soon after the strengthening and refurbishment work currently underway on the community centre is complete – around the end of next month.

Although the local board has yet to see detailed designs for the library, chair Gary

The transformation of Ōrewa Library, inside and out, is about to begin, turning it into a building site for the rest of this year.

Brown says an update is being brought to a workshop next month.

He says key concerns that the board has passed onto the Council team working on the project are the need for good acoustics in any room to be used for local board meetings, because the sessions are available for people to attend online as well as in person.

They also want to ensure the space is

Lifesavers jump to assist police

It was not the normal day’s work for lifeguards at Ōrewa Beach when police asked for their help in detaining a fleeing suspect.

The incident happened on Thursday, February 15 around 7pm. Paid lifeguards were just wrapping up patrols for the day at Ōrewa when they were alerted to the need for assistance.

A police unit in Ōrewa had earlier observed a vehicle allegedly driving in a dangerous manner along Marine Parade.

Waitematā North Area Prevention manager, Senior Sergeant Roger Small, says police signalled for the vehicle to stop, but it fled at speed.

Units quickly abandoned the pursuit while another nearby patrol unit observed the vehicle as it drove onto Ōrewa Beach. The driver then got out of the car and ran into the water, swimming quite a distance offshore.

The police Eagle helicopter kept an eye on the man while two members of the Ōrewa Surf Lifesaving Club launched an inflatable rescue boat (IRB) at the northern end of

the beach and headed for the swimmer, with two police officers onboard. Ōrewa lifesaving support officer, Bryce Pearce, just happened to arrive at the club when a request came through for a second IRB and team.

Bryce says he and a group who were training together got another boat in the water and joined the first boat – the swimmer was, by now, around 500m offshore.

After a stand-off of around half an hour, during which police talked to the man, Bryce says the alleged offender had run out of energy, and put his arms up to be hauled into the boat where police arrested him.

Bryce says if needed, lifeguards would have taken to the water with a rescue tube to bring the man out of the water.

“It was something new for me,” Bryce says. “I’ve been involved in quite a few incidents as a lifeguard for over 39 years, and our standard operating procedures when working with police helped make it a smooth process. But this is the first time I’ve done anything quite like that.”

Police say excellent work from all involved

flexible enough for multiple use by various community organisations.

Although the local board is positive about the long overdue library improvements, Brown says his preference was always to have kept the former Council building at 50 Centreway Road and to have, instead, sold the library building, which has a high-value town centre location. He says

the proceeds could have then been used to set up the library in the Centreway Road building, while retaining Council offices, space for Emergency Management and also commercial space to lease. Auckland Council sold its 50 Centreway Road building to Sustainable Property Investments in 2020 and Council vacated it last year. The site has been re-branded Nexus Business Park, offering commercial space for lease.

Record total for Rodders

Prescott, Ōrewa lifesaving support officer Bryce Pearce, Sergeant Altus Snyman and Ōrewa lifeguard Chris McCarthny. Photo, NZ Police managed to bring what was a dangerous incident to a swift and safe conclusion. A 36-year-old man appeared in North Shore District Court the following day charged with failing to stop, driving while disqualified and reckless driving.

Hibiscus Coast Rodders Beach Festival, held on Auckland Anniversary weekend in Ōrewa, raised a record $78,000 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service. Not only is this the most the event has raised in its 14 year history, but it will save many lives (equating to around 15 or 16 rescues, organisers say). The Rodders thank all the sponsors and hot rod entrants who supported the event, as well as Hibiscus Rodders members who volunteered their time to make it all happen.

Team effort: Pictured from left, Constables Bum-Jong Lee and Liam Kirkpatrick, Mt Maunganui lifeguard Quentin Rimmer, Constable Taylor Barker, United North Piha lifeguard Slayde

GHCC director suspended for misconduct

Wayne Bailey, the director who informed Gulf Harbour Country Club (GHCC) members last July that the club was closing with immediate effect, has been suspended by a professional chartered accountants’ body for misconduct, unrelated to the golf club.

A NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants disciplinary tribunal in Wellington determined that Bailey’s behaviour came close to the threshold for being struck off the register.

It stopped short of that step, but ruled that the Christchurch-based accountant be suspended for four years, and pay $63,299 in costs for the hearing.

In considering what penalty to impose, the tribunal noted that the institute had censured Bailey once before, in 2013, “for record keeping deficiencies in his documentation of a transaction for a client”. The written ruling in this case does not identify the complainants by name.

The ruling was first published by Chartered Accountants Australia and NZ (CAANZ) in October but then withdrawn as suppression matters were heard, before being republished this month, a CAANZ spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the suspension of a member does not have any bearing on their ability to serve as director of a registered

KWGS petition

By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter and staff reporter. Public Interest Journalism funded

NZ On Air.

Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces (KWGS) representatives delivered a petition to Auckland Council’s Planning Environment and Parks Committee on February 15, calling for Gulf Harbour Country Club’s (GHCC) open space zoning to be retained.

The petition garnered 4600 signatures over a four-week period, with petitioners expressing concerns about strained infrastructure and dwindling green spaces. Property developer Greg Olliver purchased the golf course in mid-2021, and last July abruptly closed operations.

Four months later, GHCC owners Long River Investments applied for resource consent to alter the boundaries of the course, effectively splitting the 89 hectare property into two, with the intention of selling one portion comprising around 42 percent of the total.

Presenting the petition to the committee,

Wayne Bailey, the accountant and Greg Olliver associate, who is sole director of GHCC.

company. Bailey is a director of more than 20 companies linked to Greg Olliver, the property developer who bought the country club in 2021.

GHCC is owned by Long River Investments which, in turn, is wholly owned by Olliver’s Phoenix Trust Ltd.

Bailey is sole director of both Long River Investments and Phoenix Trust Ltd, positions he took up on October 21, 2021.

That was the same day that the Deputy Registrar of Companies prohibited Olliver from serving as a company director for four years. In fact, according to the Companies Register, Bailey assumed sole directorships

of at least 22 Olliver companies on that same day. They include Whangaparāoa Holdings Ltd, GHCC 2016 Ltd, Gulf Harbour Equipment Ltd, Dormant Five Ltd, Leefield Vineyards Ltd, Landco Rural Trust Ltd, Leg Investments Ltd and Ollie & Co.

The future of the GHCC remains uncertain since Bailey’s letter to members in July. He told them the decision to close the club with immediate effect followed “two years of unsuccessfully looking for ways to make the running of the club financially viable”.

Later in the year, Long River Investments applied to Auckland Council for consent to alter the boundaries, effectively splitting the 89 hectare property into two. The application said that the portion of the club north of Gulf Harbour Drive, and comprising some 42 percent of the golf course, would be sold.

The move fuelled longstanding concerns that Olliver may seek to rezone the property for residential development, although an encumbrance agreed between GHCC and council in 2006 protects the site as open space for 999 years (see story below)

A council decision on whether to notify the application for public input is awaited.

Olliver’s four-year directorship ban expires on October 20, 2025.

Hibiscus Matters approached Bailey for comment.

KWGS secretary Owen Paterson said people made Gulf Harbour their home because of the protection of an encumbrance signed between GHCC and council in 2006, protecting the site as open space for 999 years.

“Council must not back away from its responsibilities to people who have relied on the encumbrance by allowing one person to pursue an entirely improper purpose, for purely personal gain, to the detriment of the community,” Paterson said.

Paterson told the committee that when Olliver purchased the property “warning

bells rang”.

As the committee may be the future decision makers over any development applications, chair Richard Hills said councillors were unable to debate the matter.

Cr Wayne Walker affirmed that the encumbrance meant council needed to act on behalf of the community.

Following his presentation, Paterson said the lack of reply from councillors was expected. He told Hibiscus Matters that if council fails to uphold the encumbrance, KWGS would lodge a judicial review with the High Court.

3 Waters down plughole

The coalition government’s plan to address longstanding issues with local water infrastructure and service delivery began on February 14 with the repealing of the controversial Three Waters legislation. In a press release, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said repealing the legislation was the first step in implementing the government’s Local Water Done Well policy. “The vast majority of councils were opposed to Labour’s Three Waters reform, and we have delivered on our commitment to restore local council ownership and control of water assets,” Minister Brown said. He said repealing the legislation will help councils complete and adopt their long-term plans. The Minister said two further bills will be introduced this year to progress the Local Water Done Well policy – the first to be introduced and enacted by the middle of this year, and the second introduced in December and enacted by mid-2025. He described Local Water Done Well as recognising the importance of local decision-making and flexibility for communities and councils to determine how their water services will be delivered in future. “We are asking councils to lead the way in developing local solutions to water services challenges. This includes requiring them to provide water services delivery plans that outline how they will deliver on outcomes for water quality, infrastructure investment and financial sustainability.” He says the policy ensures a strong emphasis on meeting rules for water quality and longterm investment in infrastructure.

Public has say on budget

Auckland Council’s draft Long-term Plan (10-year Budget), largely agreed last December (HM December 11, 2023) goes out for public input this week. The central proposal recommends average rate increases of 7.5 percent in year one, 3.5 percent in year two, and 8 percent in year three. It also includes ‘do more’ and ‘do less’ options that impact rates and service levels. Mayor Wayne Brown says the budget requires significant financial restraint and hard choices. “I urge Aucklanders to be pragmatic. My intention is to keep household rates as low as possible, especially during this cost-of-living crisis,” he said. Public consultation runs from February 28 to March 28. The feedback will be considered in April, and all decisions will be made in May, with the final Longterm Plan adopted by the Governing Body in June. Feedback https://akhaveyoursay. aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/hub-page/long-termplan-2024-2034 For feedback in person, the local board is holding a drop-in session at the Coastival event on March 2 at Western Reserve, Ōrewa, 11am-2pm.

From right, KWGS president Nigel Varey and secretary Owen Paterson presenting the petition.

Viewpoint

Wayne Brown, Mayor of Auckland wayne.brown@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Why change local board funding?

The existing funding model for local boards is broken.

The current ‘asset-based services funding’ is a hangover from the formation of the ‘super city’.

It has a narrow focus on asset management, namely renewals, based on which services were provided by Auckland’s previous councils before amalgamation in 2010.

As a result, local boards with a lot of community assets tend to receive more funding than those with fewer assets.

The lion’s share of local board funding is divided into two envelopes. Typically, more than 90 percent is allocated for asset maintenance and renewals, with less than 10 percent allocated for discretionary ‘locally driven initiatives’. There is also ‘other’ funding, which included stormrelated assistance this financial year.

To further complicate matters, funding for maintenance and renewals can vary from year to year. The asset management plan is set at a regional level, not by local boards, and funding filters down when repairs and maintenance fall due.

To address these legacy imbalances, I am proposing to accelerate fairer funding for local boards through reallocation and additional investment of $50 million over the first three years of Auckland Council’s Long-term Plan (10-year Budget/LTP) 2024/34.

More equitable funding distribution would be based on population (80 percent), deprivation (15 percent), and land area (five percent).

If we adopt this model, it makes sense that there would be winners and losers; and nobody likes to lose. For some local

boards, the initial funding percent changes may look harsh on paper, but can mostly be attributed to the aforementioned fluctuations in ‘renewals’ funding, which would occur regardless.

On the upside, discretionary funding for locally-driven initiatives would more than double for all but one local board in yearone. And, the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board stands to benefit from a 21 percent increase in funding overall.

I also want to empower local boards with greater decision-making around community assets and buildings.

We must be good kaitiaki of community assets, and renewals are essential, but only to a certain point. Too often we see ageing facilities and buildings that, even ‘as-new’, no longer serve the needs and aspirations of rapidly growing and changing communities. It is okay to drop some facilities – you don’t have to defend the existence of everything, especially those that not enough people actually use. Ratepayers deserve better value for money. It’s time to review and consolidate councilowned community assets. Some difficult decisions need to be made about what to repair, replace or redevelop, and that decision-making should sit close to those most affected.

Have your say when the LTP 2024/34 goes to public consultation, February 28 to March 28: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/ have-your-say/topics-you-can-have-your-sayon/Pages/default.aspx

Tetra Pak tips

Great article in the February 12 issue of Hibiscus Matters about recycling and the Whangapāroa Recycling Centre. However it would have been helpful to add a note to the info regarding Tetra Pak recycling. I had done what was written in the article (flattened and cleaned) only to be told upon arrival that they must have the plastic spout removed and be cut open (on three sides) so that the inner liner is easily reached. So I bought scissors and while waiting for my movie I sat in my car and cut open over 30 Tetra Paks, and then dropped them off on my way home. The gent at the centre was very helpful so now this is what I do after finishing my soy milk. A great service provided by WRC.

Chris Cooper, Ōrewa

Editor’s note: Good point Chris! We didn’t mention that you need to flatten them by slitting them open down the sides. Tetra Paks dropped at the centre are turned into a building material by Saveboard.

Six year old Sophia Good spent two hours collecting materials on Ōrewa Beach, on February 11, to make this creation. Her mum Laura says Sophia loves the beach. She spends a lot of time in Ōrewa during the school holidays as her Oma and Opa (grandparents) live there and Sophia visits most weekends for a swim.

One person’s weed…

Did anyone else prefer the “weedy” version of the reserve at Oro Lane (HM February 12)? There was a before and after mowing shot –the first was alive with flowering plants, the after was just flat grass. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if it provides food for insects and especially helps bees to flourish, I think we should all let our parks (not the sports grounds) go a little wilder.

Louise Henry, Ōrewa

Louder sirens please

We are all aware that Ōrewa is at risk of a tsunami. We have read the warning notices on the beachfront. There seems to be little preparation for this potential danger. Ōrewa is flat and has a high aged population. I would think that reinstalling a loud siren would be essential. We used to have one. It was possibly near the fire station. Not everyone has a mobile phone or may hear an alert on it. Many didn’t get the alerts when we had bad weather. Yes we briefly had some other siren. On testing day no one seemed to hear it. Surely, very loud sirens would alert us and give us time to get to higher ground? Historically, there have been many tsunamis on the east coast. A fighting chance seems essential. Loud sirens please.

Pat Coll, Ōrewa (abridged)

Editor’s note: Ōrewa has Auckland’s only two remaining tsunami sirens. They were installed in September, 2020. The sirens are on Centreway Reserve, at the western end of the carpark on Riverside Road, and at the entrance to Brunton Park on West Hoe Road. They produce a tone and voice instruction, letting people know why they are going off, and what to do. Not everyone in Ōrewa will be able to hear them. In the event of a dangerous tsunami, an Emergency

Mobile Alert (EMA) may be triggered. EMAs are sent by emergency agencies to capable phones from targeted cell towers. The message will say what the emergency is and what to do. Tsunami warnings are also published on the National Emergency Management’s website, www.civildefence. govt.nz/, and social media pages. Tsunami warnings will also be broadcast on radio, television and news media, as well as on the Auckland Emergency Management website, www.aucklandemergencymanagement.org.nz/ and its social media pages.

Tatts for cats

Hibiscus Tattoo’s fundraiser for Gutter Kitties on February 17 saw around 20 people get tattoos, and $3350 raised. With people queuing at the Stanmore Bay shop to take part, tattooists Claire and Jarod were booked out within the first 30 minutes and worked tirelessly from 10am until 9pm. Several of the tattoos were feline themed! A Gutter Kitties spokesperson says the charity relies on fundraisers like this to be able to continue its work. There is high demand for its cat rescue and rehoming services. In 2022, the charity helped nearly 1000 kittens and cats. Last year it was only able to assist half that number as it had to shut its doors for a few months due to lack of funding. “With the support of the community and fundraisers like this, we hope we can increase those numbers again this year,” the spokesperson says.

The latest Kiwi celebrity to move to the Coast is Suzanne Paul, whose face and distinctive English accent is well known to many from a series of television advertisements (she remains synonymous with makeup brand Natural Glow), her time as a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race Downunder and what she describes as “many magazine covers”. Suzanne and her husband, actor and musician Patrick Kuhtze, moved to Red Beach just a few weeks ago, because they have friends in the area, and enjoy walking their rescue dog on the beach. They were at Love Soup’s free Sunday dinner on February 19 to present prizes and giveaways, saying they love the energy and positivity of what the food rescue charity does. As well as supporting the Love Soup volunteers, Suzanne says the couple have joined Red Beach Surf Lifesaving Club and will be out and about attending events and functions.

Congratulations to the four people who each won a copy of the Healthy Kelsi Travel Kitchen recipe book by Kelsi Boocock. The winners are: Hermie Bennett, Red Beach; Pam Knoester, Arkles Bay; Robyn FrogleyCurrin and Ciska Buitendyk, both of Ōrewa. Thanks to all who entered.

Congratulations to Melissa Lee, who won a double pass to the Legacy Pro Wrestling event at Stanmore Bay Leisure Centre. Thanks to all who entered.

Cake cut at Shakespear party

An important birthday was marked with a day of cake, crafts and naturethemed talks at Shakespear Regional Park on Saturday, February 17.

Forest and Bird NZ officially turned 100 on March 28, last year, which kicked off a year of celebration around the country.

Centennial Project manager, Sarah Satterthwaite, said Shakespear was chosen to connect with the Pest Free Hibiscus

Project and the Hibiscus Coast

branch supporters and volunteers.

She said an upcoming webinar by Forest and Bird youth, Future of Conservation, will focus on what the next 100 years could bring. No birthday is complete without cake, and this one included two – the larger one decorated enthusiastically by children.

Acting chief executive Duncan Toogood said volunteers remain at the heart of the organisation, and invited everyone to spend more time in nature.

Coast

From top, Local board deputy chair Julia Parfitt cuts the cake at Shakespear Regional Park with, from left, Cr Wayne Walker, Hibiscus & Bays Local Board member Alexis Poppelbaum and Forest and Bird’s acting chief executive Duncan Toogood. The birthday bash included nature-themed talks and activities for the young ones. More photos, www.localmatters.co.nz

Unconsented sauna business steamrolled

When Cameron Mackinnon, of Torbay, started his mobile sauna business last year, the plan was to create a steamy healthy experience, with views of beaches on the North Shore and Hibiscus Coast.

In providing this, he managed to also raise the temperatures of local authorities.

Mackinnon is passionate about the power of sauna use, which he found transformative after breaking his neck 20 years ago.

Late last year he parked his sauna in Ōrewa Reserve carpark. He says he was aware that the local board is the controlling authority and had been emailing them for months

before he parked there.

“The response from customers was very positive, as they could swim, then jump into the sauna,” he says. “People came in looking miserable and left happy.”

However, the sauna vehicle takes up around four carparks and Mackinnon was told he could not place a business operation on Ōrewa Reserve without landowner approval from the local board, and the appropriate licence.

He applied for both landowner approval and a mobile vendor licence before he built the sauna, and was declined.

continued on p9

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Cameron Mackinnon built a mobile sauna and took it to the streets hoping to make a living improving people’s wellness. But the road ahead was not smooth.

continued from p8

“I went ahead anyway and I guess that annoyed them,” he says. “But I have a family and needed to work.”

Auckland Council offered Sauna Collective a couple of other options, but Mackinnon says they were not ideal as they were further from the shoreline.

“They were keen for me to use the reserve itself, but in winter I don’t want to rip it up, or get bogged,” he says.

Instead, he parked on Hibiscus Coast Highway near Ōrewa Beach where he immediately ran into problems with that controlling authority, Auckland Transport (AT).

“They told me I needed a mobile vendor’s licence and would get a $20,000 fine if I operated without one,” he says.

AT says the location is a high demand area, and as the sauna would occupy more than one parking space, it could not provide a permit.

Currently, Mackinnon is looking at other

options, including hiring local halls but says he is being blocked.

In the meantime he started an online petition (change.org) where the public can show their support for his operation. So far he has around 550 signatures.

He will make a presentation to the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board meeting on February 27 to again put his case for landowner approval.

“I’m not angry with Council – they are just doing their job. They don’t want to set precedents and I appreciate that. That’s why the petition is a big thing, and finding a way to work together. I want to make it easy for Council, by adjusting the location, hours and seasons. Ōrewa’s overflow carpark may be an option, and Red Beach next to the surf club on weekdays only. Maybe I could operate March to start of November, when parking is less in demand, reduce my opening hours and focus on weekdays rather than weekends. I will do anything I can that allows me to operate.”

Epic e-waste collection

The Rotary Club of Ōrewa-Millwater kicked off its programme for the year by organising an e-waste collection for Abilities Group on February 10. Local business Windowmakers provided their carpark for drop-off and truck packing. Three large trucks were filled with e-waste as well as polystyrene, metal and batteries. The contents will be processed and recycled by Abilities Group. People donated cash to the group according to the quantity of e-waste dropped off. Abilities Group fundraiser Katie Christoffersen said the collection was the charity’s single most successful e-waste collection. Club president Robbie Hodgkinson said they hope to do the e-waste collection again. Abilities Group, based on the North Shore, provides employment for people with disabilities. Pictured, are Abilities staff (in blue) with Rotarians and one of the trucks that were filled.

Get on board with Navy cadets

A new youth group is forming on the Hibiscus Coast – the Hibiscus Coast & Bays Navy Cadets – which will combine nautical adventures with discipline, empowering young people.

Navy Cadets are aligned with the Royal NZ Navy and this is the first time the Coast has had a local unit. Initially the group will be based at the North Shore Aero Club in Dairy Flat.

It will be led by Lieutenant Commander Sacha Belcourt who has been involved in Sea Cadets and NZ Cadet Forces since 1985. Also bringing rich experience to their roles are chair of the support committee, Graham Taylor, and Terry Creagh, who is community relationship adviser.

Creagh says the sea cadets offer more than just training.

“The mission is to empower young people

with confidence, resilience and leadership capabilities,” he says.

Cadets learn the fundamentals of sailing and navigation as well as life skills such as first aid. They take part in outdoor adventures, have the opportunity to visit Defence Force bases and camps and have time aboard Royal NZ Navy ships. Volunteering, taking part in community events, and a healthy, active lifestyle is encouraged.

They hope to work together with existing groups such as Ōrewa Sea Scouts.

The organisation already has a few cadets on board and has begun actively recruiting. People aged 13-15 (or in Year 9) are invited to enrol. Info: www.navycadets.co.nz, or email recruiting@navycadets.co.nz

There will also be an open day on Wednesday, March 13, 7pm at North Shore Aero Club in Dairy Flat.

Shout out to youth at first Coastival

Activities including sports and arts, will be the focus for the inaugural Coastival, to be held this weekend in Ōrewa.

The event is organised by the HBC Youth Hauora Network and funded by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. Network facilitator, Sara Mason, says it’s a ‘have a go’ type day, as well as a chance to connect with various local youth-focused organisations. The target age group is 10 years and older including college age.

On offer will be skateboarding clinics, roller skating sessions, basketball and Hungerball. There will be a chance to try standup paddleboarding on Ōrewa Estuary. Everything takes place in and around the HBC Youth Centre, on Western Reserve. Estuary Arts Centre will also be open with art activities to try.

The Hope Shop will have a pop-up

recycled clothing store, there will be live music from young performers, and at least 10 food vendors as well as stalls from young entrepreneurs featuring things such as 3D printed gaming accessories. The event is on March 2, 11am-4pm.

Harry Browne-Sainty, Photo, subculture skate

Youth Voice

Caitlin Watson caitewatson@gmail.com

Time called on school cellphone use

In a bid to enhance educational outcomes, the government has mandated a crackdown on mobile phones, deeming them to be more detrimental instruments of distraction than useful educational tools. By Term 2, all schools will be required to implement the new policy. Is this government paternalism an overreach or a necessary step in serving the greater good? Speaking as a former student and victim of digital distraction, I argue the latter, and here’s why.

Young people are growing up in a digital world and a social media saturated society. Kiwi kids were recently ranked fifth in the world for being distracted by digital devices. A UNESCO report highlights the immediate disruption to learning caused by technology use, as well as its long-term negative effects on physical and mental wellbeing, and academic performance.

In addition, the US Surgeon-General identifies social media as a significant contributor to teenage depression, anxiety, and other issues. With up to 95 percent of teenagers using social media platforms, and a third reporting near constant engagement, phone addiction presents a real challenge for educators.

We must remember that schools are places to learn, develop healthy study habits, interpersonal skills and physical activity. In classrooms, students should be fully engaged in education and the schoolyard is a space for play, building relationships with peers, carefree of the online world.

Furthermore, study suggests that the lowest achieving students have the most to gain from a phone ban. For many, concentrating in study can be hard enough without having the added dinging and temptation of a phone! Removing any barriers to engagement is surely a win.

But let’s be honest, the policy definitely isn’t a silver bullet. Students already have devices on hand for use in the classroom. Teachers have the seemingly impossible job of constantly monitoring screens and I’m sure many students already take the liberty of slipping in between tabs for non-educational purposes. This is an opportunity to teach students how to better manage their device use and support them in navigating a digitally saturated world. It is also important to consider that this is most certainly not the only reason why there may be underachievement – it’s just a small slice of the pie and one that is low cost – so why not try.

Ultimately, we all need breaks from our phones to focus, concentrate and ensure we are being fully present in all areas of life; this article isn’t just for young people, adults can also take note and I am certainly on the how-to-digitally-detox journey.

If young people grow up used to being distracted by phones at school, then what will happen at university, work or functioning in family life? Aristotle’s adage, ‘Good habits formed at youth make all the difference’, rings true. As a community, let’s do what we can to form and encourage those good habits.

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58 Principal (4)

59 Possess (3)

60 Befoul (4)

61 Activity (6)

62 Student (7)

63 Source (6)

65 Volcano opening (6)

66 Bread factories (8)

68 Passing (10)

71 Helix (6)

72 Charming, enchanting (9)

74 Author’s initial payment (7)

Crossword conundrum #26

76 Reduce (3)

79 Merge (5)

80 Gathering together of livestock (7)

81 Easy conquest (8)

83 Gains by work (5)

84 Secretly follow (6)

85 Eager; full of enthusiasm (4,2,7)

DOWN

2 Trade ban (7)

3 Sequence (5)

4 Frozen water (3)

5 Ninth Greek letter; jot (4)

6 Beyond belief (12)

7 Speaks (5)

8 German white wine (7)

9 Foolhardy (4)

10 Good luck charm (6)

11 Carpenter’s tool (5)

12 Anchorage (7)

13 Goods for sale (11)

14 Universal remedy (7)

20 Objectionable, extremely unpleasant (9)

23 Hairlessness (8)

24 Judge, magistrate (7)

26 Many-sided figure (7)

27 On time (6)

29 Title (7)

30 Blanket-like cloak (6)

32 Hard dark wood (5)

34 Clog (5)

36 Power cable tower (5)

38 Mexican dish (4)

43 Underworld (5)

44 Red condiment (7)

45 Eject (4)

46 Whole (6)

47 Breakfast meat (5)

48 Hypotheses (8)

49 Refused to trade with (9)

50 Publicity-attracting contrivance (7)

51 Defence of being elsewhere (5)

52 Naval officer (7)

53 Strikingly visible (11)

54 Sailboats (6)

55 Writing instrument (9,3)

64 Monotonous (7)

65 Exploding firework (7)

67 Facial hair (7)

69 Atomic (7)

70 Diocese subdivision (6)

71 Long-legged bird (5)

73 Shelf (5)

75 Approximately (5)

77 Honey drink (4)

78 Musical work (4)

82 Former French coin (3)

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New hope for Stroke Club

A volunteer coordinator has stepped forward to help run the Rodney Stroke Club, which faced the real possibility of closure after nearly 40 years, as its two long-serving coordinators stood down.

Trish Hutchings of Whangaparāoa says she read about the plight of the club in Hibiscus Matters late last year and decided to put up her hand. (HM December 11, 2023).

“Closure would have been such a shame because members really enjoy it,” she says. “Sometimes it’s the only outing they get – the only time they get to see anybody all week.”

Trish began on February 2, the club’s first meeting after the year-end break. One of the outgoing coordinators, Lillian Carde, says she’ll stay on for a while to help with the transition, after which she will have to bow out.

Trish is hopeful a second coordinator will be found to help share the load, an arrangement that worked well with Lillian and Gaye Miller for the past 15 years.

Lillian says in addition to the coordinators, the club has a pool of about a dozen

volunteers helping with everything from providing music to indoor bowls and serving tea and lunch. They include people whose loved ones have had strokes, who recognise the important social and support role the group plays in the lives of stroke survivors.

Trish moved to NZ from England in the early 1970s, worked in banking for 22 years then as a budget advisor. She and her husband Richard brought up two children, now living in Australia and Singapore. She volunteered previously with an aphasia support group – aphasia is a disorder affecting the ability to communicate, usually caused by strokes – but stopped to take care of Richard when he got Alzheimer’s. He died in 2019.

Trish keeps busy: she’s treasurer for a fortnightly lunch club for the elderly at the Masonic Hall in Ōrewa, and helps run the weekly Fellowship at the Peninsula Club, where she lives.

The Rodney Stroke Club meets on Friday mornings at the Red Beach Methodist Church. More info: contact Trish on 022 408 0100.

Health

David Cooper, physiotherapist david@kineticsrehab.co.nz

The spine: fragile or robust?

At any given time around 20 percent of adults in the workforce suffer from back pain. In addition, a survey of 3000 working-age Kiwis found a nine percent rate of absenteeism from work due to lower back pain.

According to ACC statistics, the building and construction industry has had the highest number of accident related claims year on year. As a physiotherapist we frequently see people in our clinics presenting with acute or chronic low back pain because of injury or overuse. With this in mind, it is easy to believe that the spine– specifically the lower back – is fragile and easily injured. However, this is not entirely true. As part of undergraduate training, physios attend labs at Auckland Medical School. This includes several lessons in the cadaver labs. It was in these labs that I came to realise just how stable and robust the human spine truly is. The solid, brick-like bones carefully protect the spinal cord. Meanwhile, rubbery cushioned discs in between each vertebra allow for movement and shock absorption. This is before we have even considered the barrel of muscle helping to protect and move you. We have abdominal muscles at the front, oblique muscles on the sides, a diaphragm on top, and pelvic floor underneath. The lower back is literally encased in muscle from all sides.

However, despite this the lower back has one of the highest associations with stress, anxiety, and chronic pain. It is as though

we have forgotten how amazingly robust the spine is.

Managing acute lower back pain is crucial in order to prevent it from becoming a chronic condition. The key is movement. The spine is designed to move freely, without bracing, rigidly blocking or avoiding movements. Not all pain is harming you – sometimes it’s just the body needing to be able to work back into an activity. Moving into painful ranges of movement may not be advised early on, but even simply getting out walking after a lower back injury can make all the difference.

When pain levels are more under control, strength exercises become crucial to recovery. A cartoon that I once saw on the wall of a doctor’s office summed it up well – the forlorn patient was being told, ‘Well your back’s out because your front’s out’! The best thing that you can do to ensure a healthy spine is to stay active and strong, and maintain a healthy body weight. If you are unlucky and end up with a lower back injury, just remember – movement is medicine!

Trish, centre, with outgoing coordinator Lillian Carde and volunteer Tina Mason-Riseborough.

EACH number in our CodeCracker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 11 represents A, so fill in A every time the figure 11 appears. You have one letter in the control grid to start you off. Enter it in the appropriate squares in the main grid, and solve the starter word. Fill in other squares in the main and control grids with the found letters and look for the next word. Follow the word trail through the puzzle to its completion.

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Solution Page 22

Final plans for Stanmore Bay site revealed

The development of the vacant site behind New World Whangaparāoa, on the corner of Brightside and Ozone Roads, into residential apartments is still on hold but it turns out that final plans got resource consent last year.

Hibiscus Matters obtained the consented plans last week, and they show that the owner of the site, Ozone Ltd (director Colin Craig), significantly adjusted an earlier design, increasing the number and height of the buildings while slightly reducing the number of units, and adding more carparks.

The company has owned the site since 2016 and there have been several plans for its development produced both by Ozone Ltd and previous owner Rick Martin. The designs published in Hibiscus

Matters in 2021, were for four, three-storey apartment blocks containing 57 units with 16 carparks.

Since then, the consent process has seen plans significantly revised. The application was lodged in 2021 but consent was not issued until last year.

The final design shows seven, four storey blocks on the 4012sqm site. A total of 56 apartments, and 34 carparks are now included.

The buildings frame the edge of the site. Issues raised over the years by nearby residents, and Auckland Council planners, focused on the blocks being out of scale with neighbouring, mainly low-rise homes. Public feedback was also that more than the 16 carparks that were in the earlier design

were needed to prevent local parking issues.

The consent was granted by Council planners, noting that the original proposed density was not increased and that changes to the external building design were consistent with the outcomes anticipated by the Business Mixed use zone.

“The changes provide an appropriate site layout, scale and external design, roof form and overall materiality, and achieve an overall built form and set-back from site boundaries that is appropriate to this location,” the decision states.

It also says that the design is compatible with existing or future planned buildings in the surrounding area and the overall bulk and height of buildings that are anticipated

in this location.

“The changes to the built form and external appearance will not be visually dominant, as the proposed buildings will continue to be well articulated through variations in the elevations, materiality, roof forms and the overall massing. This creates an appropriate level of visual interest whilst ensuring that they respond to the built form and residential character of this part of Stanmore Bay.”

Craig says he has no start date for developing the site in mind as yet, as he is working on other projects. However, he says he has had requests from people looking for apartments so believes there is demand.

The resource consent is valid for five years but can be extended.

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Seven blocks are consented for the Ozone and Brightside Road site.

NZ Post has no plans to deliver post to individual homes in one of Rodney’s newest subdivisions, Ara Hills west of Ōrewa – even as the community grows. Instead, it is treating Ara Hills as a rural delivery area, and will only deliver post to what it calls “aggregated delivery points” – centralised groups (or nests) of boxes. It was doing that until late last year, when the developer, AVJennings, removed the only nest of boxes, located near a playground in the heart of the development.

The situation has led to a standoff: AVJennings hopes NZ Post will review its decision not to provide home deliveries; NZ Post says it has no plans to do so.

In the meantime, apart from those who have hired post office boxes in Ōrewa or Silverdale, residents say they have not been getting post for months.

Ara Hills is a growing neighbourhood of terraced houses, standalone homes and apartments. Stage one of the 84-hectare development is already home to more than 360 residents occupying more than 120 homes. There will eventually be more than 700 dwellings. Each home has a letterbox, but they all stand empty.

Three kilometres to the south lies Milldale, another new subdivision also on the western side of State Highway 1. Unlike

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their counterparts in Ara Hills, Milldale residents have been receiving post at their homes since November 2022.

Explaining its decision to remove the nest of boxes in Ara Hills park late last year, AVJennings project director Katelyn Orton told the paper that the interim measure had not been feasible, “due to practical considerations, safety concerns, and the risk of mail theft”. She said it was an impractical idea anyway, as development of Ara Hills continues and will see hundreds more residents join the community over the next couple of years.

Orton said AVJennings would prefer that NZ Post reviews its decision, and recognises Ara Hills as an urban area as it has done with Milldale.

But NZ Post said it had no plans to review the decision, which it attributed to economics, noting that postal delivery was “a declining market”.

“Ara Hills will remain as a rural delivery service,” a spokesperson said. “NZ Post’s decisions on whether to increase its geographic network coverage are driven by the economics of delivery, in the context of its obligation to operate a commercially successful business. Key considerations include delivery point density and mail volumes.”

In a letter sent to residents on February 14, NZ Post made clear that those wishing to get mail through the rural delivery service would not be getting it at their homes: “NZ Post rural mail delivery service has not been extended to include mailboxes located at individual properties within the Ara Hills development, but at a nest of mailboxes instead.”

Since that nest has been removed, however, the impasse continues and residents are not getting mail.

Asked what was happening now to post addressed to Ara Hills addressees, the spokesperson said NZ Post would hold mail for one month and then return to the sender, “unless an alternative forwarding address is supplied to us”.

In a letter to the Ara Hills body corporate, resident Matt Ward wrote, “The crux of the matter is this: NZ Post is actively refusing to deliver our mail, and when we sought the option of picking it up ourselves, we were told this is not possible.”

“We’re left in limbo, unable to receive crucial documents such as bills, medical records, and fines, which are subsequently escalating to debt collection agencies due to residents not knowing about them in the first place due to the inaction of those responsible for resolving this pressing issue.”

If you are looking to sell your property it is important that you maximise the opportunity to get the best price. Buyers are looking more and more for properties where there is no work needed.

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Development back on track on former RSA land

Earthworks have started again at the site adjacent to the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA in Whangaparāoa.

Melia Development (sole director Yuntao Cai of Auckland) bought the 1.826ha piece of land at 20 Melia Place and 43A Vipond Road from the RSA and obtained resource consent through the Covid-19 recovery fast-tracked process to build 59 townhouses there.

The company did some initial work on the

site, before putting it up for sale at the end of 2022.

No sale took place, and recently earthworks began again. Precise Homes (also with sole director Yuntao Cai) is looking after the marketing of the properties to be built there. The company’s business development and marketing manager, Jackie Li, says they are optimistic about the market and currently looking for opportunities for more community involvement.

Challenge goes out to apprentices

Entries are open for the NZ Certified Builders’ Apprentice Challenge. The competition includes building a project – the details of which are released to competitors a week before the regional heats. Each competitor has eight hours to complete that project and their work is judged by a panel looking for craftsmanship, assembly, ability to work to a detailed plan, safe working technique and time management. The projects made by the apprentices are sold to raise money for the NZ Certified Builders (NZCB) Apprentice Trust, which supports Apprentice Network members by providing access to scholarships and grants. Network members can sign up for the challenge at no cost. For those not employed by an NZCB builder and enrolled in the Apprentice Network, there is a $50 entrance fee which also goes to the NZCB Apprentice Trust. Regional heats are on April 6, with prizes up for grabs and the winners going on to compete for the title of national champion in June. Entries must be in by Friday, March 25. Info: https:// apprenticechallenge.nz/

‘Garden Party’ fundraising luncheon held on Thursday January 18.

The development of 59 townhouses on this Stanmore Bay site is underway once more.

In Good Form sculptors, from Christchurch, set the scene for the Ōrewa sand castle competition with the work they create on Moana Reserve the week before. This one from 2019, commemorating the Christchurch mosque attacks, is one of the most memorable.

10 years of bucket and spades

To our valued guests, friends and family, we’d like to express our gratitude to both our valued guests and hard-working team members who have helped shape Due Amici into what it is today. Your loyalty and support is our greatest achievement and we count ourselves extremely lucky to have you all around us. Looking forward to many years ahead.

Svetlana and Niko, Due Amici.

| p 424 7201 Due

The Ōrewa Beach Sand Castle competition has built into a community favourite since it began 10 years ago.

This year’s event will be held on Saturday March 9.

Organised by Destination Ōrewa Beach business association, participants make sand sculptures on the beach, with the only limit to their creativity being their imagination. Prizes are up for grabs, including cash. The biggest event saw 55 teams entered, spread along a portion of Ōrewa Beach near Moana Reserve. Each has a roped off section of sand to use.

Families are the main participants, with all ages enthusiastically getting involved; along with groups of friends and individual sand sculptors. A team has come from Tauranga every year, entering the ‘experienced’ category, which they won once.

Over the years there has been a huge range of three dimensional creations with sea creatures and castles being recurring subjects. Some participants stick to using

only buckets and spades while others bring sculpting tools. Shells and seaweed are used for decoration.

Local businesses are also on board. Barfoot and Thompson has sponsored the event for seven years and the sand has come from Wyatt landscapes every year. The Goodhub café provides the visiting In Good Form sculptors with free smoothies and coffees throughout their five-day stay.

Destination Ōrewa’s Hellen Wilkins says the secret to the event’s success has been keeping it simple and focused on sand castle building.

One thing that has changed is the way the cash prize is presented. For four years, first prize was handed to the winners as a giant cheque, with a smaller one attached.

“This had to be changed as teenagers didn’t know what it was, and the prize money is now transferred directly online,” Hellen says. Registration on March 9 starts at 11.30am, at Moana Reserve, with building to begin at noon.

Crowds thronged to Ōrewa for the fun day. Arts and crafts of all types were on sale.

Boulevard abuzz with art and action

longer sets this year, which was very successful, Hellen said, with Rumpus Machine and The Waterways especially popular.

along a closed-to-traffic stretch of Hibiscus Coast Highway.

Although attendee numbers are hard to gauge, given people are coming and going during the six hour event, Destination Ōrewa Beach operations manager Hellen Wilkins estimates that around 12,000 people of all ages took part.

She says the vibrancy and energy levels of the pre-Covid era were definitely in evidence Organisers decided on fewer bands playing

St John crews offered free blood pressure and glucose checks, which were taken up in large numbers.

When Paymark figures are available for February, Destination Ōrewa Beach will be able to identify how much retail spend the fiesta brought into the town.

In addition to creating events for the community to enjoy Hellen said the aim was to pump revenue into the town centre, and attract out-of-towners to visit again in the future.

Hato Hone St John staff were on hand, with first aid demonstrations and free health checks.

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29 Drag Queen Bingo with Anita Wigl’it, Parāoa Brewing Co, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, doors open 6pm, show starts 7pm. Three rounds of Bingo, drag show, lots of laughs. Tickets from Eventfinda.

March

1 Food Truck dinner with Food Truck Collective, Manly Park Ave, Manly, 5pm-9pm. Pop up bar and wide range of street food.

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2 Summer Magic - Music in the Garden, Couldrey House, Wenderholm Regional Park, 6pm-8.30pm. Performance by Opera Factory. Rain day March 10. Tickets $45pp plus booking fees. Under 16s free. Tickets: Eventfinda.

2 Gerry Lee, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. Entry $10 members, $12 non-members.

2 Coastival 24, Western Reserve, Ōrewa, 11am-4pm. Free activities for ages 10 plus including skateboarding, basketball, stand up paddle boarding, art. Food trucks, music and more. Hosted by HBC Youth Hauora Network. All welcome. (see story p10)

3 Holy Trinity Anglican Church Open Day, 24 Wainui Rd, Silverdale, 1pm-4pm. Explore this remarkable church. Refreshments provided in the cottage. All welcome. Further Open Days March 10 and 17, same times.

6 Mark Taipari, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

7 Mockers and Greg Johnson, Summer Sunset Shows, Parāoa Brewing Co, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, 7.30pm. Tickets at www.plus1.co.nz/mockersgreg and Eventfinda.

9 Ōrewa Sandcastle competition, Ōrewa Beach and Moana Reserve, Ōrewa. Registration starts 11.30am and building starts 12 noon. Cash prizes and spot prizes. (see story p18 and ad p5)

9 NZ Dire Straits Tribute, featuring Kerry Adams on lead guitar and vocals, Parāoa Brewing Co, 719A Whangaparāoa Road, 8.30pm-11.30pm. Tickets from Eventfinda.

9 Toucan with Marian Burns, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. Entry $20 per person – tickets at RSA and on Eventfinda.

12 Want to find out more about your Irish ancestors? The Hibiscus Coast Genealogy Group special interest research group can help. Whangaparāoa Library, 10am-12pm. All welcome. Info: 021 902 715.

13 Joy Bells, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free entry.

16 Whangaparāoa Primary School Gala. Save the date.(see ad p6)

16 80’s Dance Party with Haze International Roadshow, Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, 43A Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay, 7pm-10.30pm. Free entry.

February To book an appointment: Ph 424 5632 Now at ‘Kinetics Corner’ 2/719 Whangaparaoa Rd Stanmore Bay QUALITY ACCREDITED & REGISTERED PROVIDER.

Sleep like a baby

Most of us will have memories of our childhood days, hopping in bed and falling asleep, only to seemingly the next minute, bounce out of bed in the morning awake and refreshed. The good ole days! Unfortunately as adults, getting to sleep and/or staying asleep is a huge problem for many of us. And since sleep is so important for your health, affecting your blood pressure, immunity, your mental health and much more, lack of sleep is a major concern.

There are many factors that might contribute to sleep problems that when recognised and changed can lead to a better night’s sleep. Caffeine, alcohol intake, exercise and what you do before you go to bed will be contributing.

Keeping a record of your diet and exercise as well as bedtime habits is a good start to solving a sleep issue. Using this information as a guide, a health professional can help determine why you are suffering from a sleep problem and find a solution for you. You may discover a pattern yourself. Many solutions are simple like winding down before bedtime, avoiding certain foods and drinks, wearing an eye mask or ear plugs, even a bedtime routine can help.

If you snore or have been told you take pauses in breathing at night, and are waking unrefreshed, you might need to seek medical attention. These are symptoms of sleep disorder called sleep apnoea. There are many nutritional supplements that may help you get a better night’s sleep Advanced, multi-ingredient products or “sleep complexes” are the latest in nutritional support for sleep. At Unichem Manly Pharmacy, our sleep experts can help you choose the right combination of the best ingredients depending on whether you are having problems with getting to sleep, staying asleep, waking unrefreshed or all of the above!

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Locally owned & operated, Kinetics is a physiotherapy & physical rehabilitation clinic with a friendly approach & a passion for achieving results. For further information visit www.kineticsrehab.co.nz Bookings close Friday 29th March Hibiscus Coast Community RSA | 43A Vipond Rd, Stanmore Bay Contact Reception 09 424 9026 | www.hbcrsa.org.

Formulations for sleep might include traditional Chinese medicine such as zizyphus which is thought may calm the mind or Californian poppy extract used in folk medicine for it’s sleep inducing effects. However research is limited and both need further study. Another ingredient that has proven popular in recent times is L-theanine. This is an amino acid which research indicates might promote a good quality of sleep through relaxation rather than sedation as such.

Another tool we use is that our pharmacists are now able to prescribe melatonin to people who meet certain criteria. Melatonin is a clinically researched natural hormone that promotes our sleep-wake cycle as well as consistent quality rest.

Then there are some oldies but goodies in our ingredient list. Magnesium may be helpful in providing a better night’s sleep. However not all magnesium was created equal. Magnesium oxide, for example, will not help with sleep and can actually give you diarrhoea. Studies suggest that the using the scent of lavender oil could improve quality of daytime wakefulness and a more sustained sleep at night.

Manly Pharmacy Your local health professional 53B Rawhiti Road, Manly Village Whangaparaoa Ph (09) 424 7708 Fax (09) 424 7427 www.unichemmanly.co.nz Pharmacy Talk with

Open Day airborne in Dairy Flat

The recent Open Day at North Shore Aero Club in Dairy Flat saw more than 8000 people attend to view aircraft up close and in the air.

There was also the opportunity to try a flight – 69 trial flights took to the air, in six planes.

Firetrucks from Manly and Silverdale and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter were there for the public to view, along with 41 aircraft.

Hibiscus Cricket is attracting attention this season – the Premier men made the Auckland one-day (50 overs) final, which will be played in Ōrewa this weekend.

From left, Royal NZ Navy 6 Squadron Seasprite prepares for take-off. North Shore MP Simon Watts, Minister for Climate Change and Revenue, is shown around by former Aero Club president David Saunders. Andrea Loughin from Sydney’s Utility Air with the DA42 aircraft that was part of Auckland International Pilot Academy’s display. Photos, Ethan Fagan, FGN Media.

Hibiscus Cricket makes historic final

Hibiscus Coast Cricket Club’s memorable season continues, with the Premier men’s team earning a place in the Auckland oneday final for the first time in the club’s history.

Going into the semi-final against Eden Roskill, on February 11, Hibiscus were underdogs.

There was a DC3 fly past, aerobatic flights by the Warbirds de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk, and displays by the North Shore Model Aeroplane Club.

The club’s events coordinator, Anton Ramenskiy, said the Open Day, held on Saturday, February 10, exceeded their expectations with crowd numbers double what they hoped for.

He said last year’s Open Day was postponed twice and finally cancelled due to bad weather, so it was satisfying to see it get off the ground this year.

The last one was held in 2021.

“People seem to be expecting us to hold another one next year, so we’re looking at whether we can do that,” he said.

Batting first, they got 219/8 in their 50 overs against a “fairly full-on” bowling attack, club manager Gair McSkimming says. Their innings included half centuries from Ramesh Lakmal and Umesh Ranaraja. Hibiscus then bowled well and held its catches. Eden Roskill fell 22 runs short in the 47th over, with a direct throw runout sealing the win for Hibiscus.

The final, against Birkenhead, will be played at the club’s home ground, Victor Eaves Reserve in Ōrewa on Sunday, March 3. First ball is at 11am, in what will be a hard-fought match.

“We hope the community will come and support us,” McSkimming says. “We will be giving it everything for the win.”

A helicopter’s-eye view of the busy Open Day.