Kafa Katoa and Nuni Filiai

Teen tunes cars and turns life around

Eighteen-year-old Wetuh Tang was on the fast track to prison as a young Nelson teen. After his mother died when he was 14, Wetuh turned to crime. He would often run away from home - finding solace in the streets. Then, a failed liquor store robbery soon put him in the Youth Court and on the police’s radar. “I reached a stage where I knew my life could end up going two ways,” Wetuh says. “Either I’d end up in jail or dead.” However, Wetuh found a third option, employment. He had always had a passion for cars and dreamed of becoming a mechanic, but believed gang life was a more realistic career for him. “I thought it was a long shot,” he says. “I had been hanging around the wrong crowd, getting in trouble with police so I didn’t think I’d ever get a proper job. My dad told me I need to get on with my life. I was turning 18 and knew that I needed to make a decision quickly.” Wetuh distanced himself from the crowds that caused him trouble and set his sights on turning his

Wetuh Tang (right) is pleased to have turned his life around working alongside Tyres and Moore owner Adrian Curtis. Photo: Jonty Dine.

life around. With the support of a friend he approached Workbridge and met with an employment consultant. She connected him with owner of Tyres and Moore in Nelson, Adrian Curtis, who was happy to give the young man a chance. “Wetuh showed a real keenness and motivation to learn. I could see he had significant potential and just needed someone to believe in him,” Adrian says. He is now working towards becoming a fully qualified mechanic. “I’ve been in the news for all the wrong reasons and this is my dream job. It has changed my whole life forever, I love it, I love coming here, I’m always glad I came.” Wetuh still struggles with the death of his mother but smiles knowing she would be looking down on him proudly. “Every day since she’s passed, I’m always wondering what it would be like if she was here, if things would be different.” However, he implores young people experiencing grief not to fall into harmful patterns. “Don’t waste your time in the courts or on the streets when you could be studying or doing something better.”

Nelson Locally Owned and Operated Weekly Pop-up playground set for winter

Staff Reporter

Nelson’s first pop-up playground is on track to open this winter. Final design work for the park, situated on the site of a recently demolished building next to Elma Turner Library on Halifax St, was completed this week and work to install the park will begin later this month. The park is the result of a collaboration between Nelson City Council and Wakatū Incorporation, which owns the space. The idea for the park stemmed from the results of council’s Public Life Survey, which showed of all the measured activities taking place in the city centre, less than two percent included children playing. The park will feature a pump track for skaters, bicycles and scooters, a solar-lit basketball court, and an imagination playground for younger children. The imagination playground is made up of 105 large blue foam building blocks which children can use to make their own play structures. There will also be table tennis, planters, picnic tables, youth hammocks and colourful seating. A customised container will provide shade and secure storage overnight for the games and equipment. Council is also investigating opening up a new door in the wall of the children’s section of Elma Turner Library that would lead directly into the park. Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese says the range of elements in the park meant there was something for all ages to enjoy, making coming to the city centre and enjoying our riverside precinct an even more attractive prospect. “The added benefit of the popup park is that everything in it is relocatable, so we can reuse and reposition all of the elements in it elsewhere in future to reflect our community’s needs.” Work on the park was due to begin earlier this year but was delayed due to the Covid-19 shutdown. The park is now expected to be completed by the end of August.