In this issue e e e e e e e
enews 9 September, 2012
e e e e
Come to OBA’s AGM 25 September Long-overdue Mall upgrade to start soon Get your business listed in the Onehunga Guide! Second chance to sign up for Community Patrol B2B networking at The Landing event a huge success Onehunga Heritage Festival on 29 September Get a float together for Christmas Parade on Nov 24th Father’s Day fun: ‘You’re a Star Dad’ Onehunga Security Update: Scam alerts Onehunga Event Calendar Rubbish collections: Don’t put bins out Monday morning! www.onehunga.net.nz www.facebook.com/onehunga
Come to Onehunga Business Association’s AGM! Tuesday 25 September at The Landing Restaurant & Bar
The Onehunga Business Association (OBA), representing 450 local businesses, will hold its 2012 Annual General Meeting (to include Notice of intended Special Resolutions) from 6pm – 7.30pm Tuesday, 25th September at The Landing Restaurant & Bar, 2 Onehunga Harbour Road, Onehunga. Light refreshments will be served from 5.30pm. All members are welcome . Please RSVP by Thursday 20 September to Briar Millar at events@onehunga.net.nz or phone 636 8535.
Information for Onehunga Business Association Members online Onehunga businesses are encouraged to find out more about the OBA and its activities on our new website. Go to www.onehunga.net.nz/category/onehunga-business-association for comprehensive information on the OBA, services offered to members and other information to assist local businesses. We love getting your feedback, so please tell us what other information you’d like to see there.
Join the OBA Committee! Nominations accepted to September 25th
If you’re passionate about improving Onehunga’s town centre and creating conditions that enable businesses in the area to prosper, we’d like you to think about joining Onehunga Business Association’s committee. We need between five and nine full members on the committee. The OBA’s Committee approves strategies and budgets and ensures that management meets agreed performance objectives as they work towards improving the area for local businesses. Eleven meetings are held each year. Meetings run approximately two hours and are generally held after work hours. Additional time may be required as various situations arise requiring action from the business association. Beyond this, energetic, well-considered extra input from committee members is always welcome to help Onehunga advance its strategic goals.
Long overdue Mall upgrade to start soon
Nine-year delay on promised upgrade between Arthur & Grey Streets It’s been a long time coming, however the Maungakiekie Tamaki Local Board (MTLB) will be starting the process of consultation shortly for the upgrade of the streetscape on Onehunga Mall between Arthur and Grey Streets. The background to this is a long and sorry story:- the OBA (YOU), in partnership with the then Auckland City Council (ACC) paid for Onehunga Mall to change from a walking mall to its current configuration. The agreement was that ACC would finish the Mall’s upgrade and attached entrances in the following years. Budgets were assigned and the upgrades were scheduled to start in 2003. The 2003 start was then deferred to 2005, then to 2006/2007 and then it was dropped off the schedule completely and its budget disappeared. Thankfully the MTLB placed in their Board Plan budget to scope out the upgrade. Auckland Transport has been confirmed as the project manager for Stage 2 of the mall upgrade from Arthur Street to Grey Street. The main drivers of the project will be pedestrian safety, slower speeds and increased amenity. A brief will be put together for discussion that will highlight opportunities and difficulties before any concept plans are developed. Watch this space. We will send out information from MTLB for you to comment on shortly.
The 2012 AGM Agenda will include two special resolutions: 1. That the OBA adopts and signs the Auckland Region Business Improvement District (BID) Policy (2011) Partnering Agreement. 2. That the OBA adopts the amended Onehunga Business Association Constitution dated 26 September 2012 replacing the existing constitution. View AGM materials, including the 2011/12 Financials here: www.onehunga.net.nz/obaabout/oba-meetings
Get your business listed in the 2013 Onehunga Guide! As a member, you get a FREE listing in the Guide
The deadline for putting your business in the 2013 Onehunga Guide has been extended to October 1 to allow all interested businesses to confirm a listing or ad in this brilliant local resource. Please don’t delay - get your form back to us TODAY!! OBA members get a FREE listing BUT we still need confirmation of your address and contact details! Application forms have been distributed widely including in the August Onehunga Community News. If you’ve lost yours please download another at www.onehunga.net.nz/featured/2013-onehunga-guide. 17,000 copies of the 2013 Onehunga Guide will be published in January and distributed to all local businesses and residents. In addition the Onehunga Guide is included as an online publication on www.onehunga.net.nz where it’s very well used (+3,900 views in 7 months!). 1. Business Listings = Business name + address + phone number. Listings are FREE for OBA members. f you’re not an OBA member, a listing costs only $60 +GST. A listing in the Guide also gets your business a listing on www.onehunga.net.nz. 2. Display Ads. Various sized display ads are available. Contact Sheryn Werner on 021 975 002 or see www.onehunga.net.nz/featured/2013-onehunga-guide for details.
Second chance to sign up for Community Patrol!
Next meeting: 6pm Wednesday 12th September , Onehunga Community Centre Onehunga’s Community Patrol is well underway following an excellent first meeting in July that attracted more than 40 concerned locals. A second meeting is coming up on Wednesday 12 September at Onehunga Community Centre, from 6-7pm to discuss next steps, assign suitable patrol tasks for various members and establish training schedules. If you’re keen to sign up and haven’t joined yet, come along to this second meeting to learn more!
www.communitypatrolsorg.nz
A community patrol is made up of a group of a volunteers who give some of their time to help Police make their community safer. Anyone from 18 years old and on can join the patrol. Community patrollers act as 'eyes and ears' for police. They patrol their community in pairs, noting anything that could be suspicious and inform police immediately of incidents requiring urgent attention. Patrol members patrol once a month. For more info, please contact Onehunga Business Association. We’re working closely with local Community Constable Don Allan and local Police to get Onehunga’s Community Patrol up and running. Phone 636 8535.
B2B at The Landing a huge success
More than 40 businesses represented at networking event Almost 80 people came along to our networking B2B evening, held at The Landing on Tuesday 28th August. The event was a huge success as representatives from almost 40 Onehunga business came along to share ideas, make new connections, and cement old ones. Many took the opportunity to check out The Landing's freshly renovated interior and meeting facilities and owner Mark Alsen was also delighted with the turnout. Onehunga Business Association will be holding these events regularly throughout the year so keep an eye out for the next one. B2B Network events are free for OBA members and are designed to bring local business owners together to share business referrals, recommendations, experiences and ideas.
Debbie Leaver from The Library Café with Cecele Fleming from LJ Hooker
Join the OBA and join in future B2B networking events! Onehunga Business Association welcomes Onehunga businesses to join the Association. If your business is located within the OBA area (see a map showing membership area here: www.onehunga.net.nz/category/oba-about) you’re already and automatically a member! Businesses in Onehunga’s industrial area (all businesses located on or south of Church Street to Captain Springs Road to Mays Road to the Neilson Street intersection, but excluding those within the OBA’s current boundaries) can join as Industrial-Commercial members. Other Onehunga businesses outside both the industrial area defined above and outside the OBA’s current boundaries are eligible to Associate membership. Membership application forms are available at www.onehunga.net.nz/onehunga-business-association
Sheryn Werner (Onehunga Community News) with OBA President, Peter Gibson
Onehunga Heritage Festival 2012 Saturday 29th September, 11am to 2pm
September is going to be a HUGE month for Onehunga with the annual Onehunga Heritage Festival being held on Saturday 29th September. Our local festival is part of the wider Auckland Council-run Auckland Heritage Festival (29th September to 14th October) and is being promoted throughout Auckland, in suburban newspapers, brochures, radio, NZ Herald, online and through the website www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/ heritagefestival. Celebrating Onehunga’s heritage promises to be an exciting day for all ages. The day will include horse and cart rides, music, entertainment, vintage toy demonstrations, a maritime display, heritage crafts, face painting, a bouncy castle, and guided heritage walks. Live music includes Blast From The Past and the Sisters Of Swing (Andrews Sisters Tribute Band) as well as a fantastic pirate show from Captain Festus McBoyle and Fungal Finnegan. The Festival programme went out this week in the latest Onehunga Community News, and printed copies of the programme will be delivered to stores next week along with posters for window displays.
Onehunga’s 3rd Annual Santa Parade & Party Saturday 24th November, 11.30am to 2.00pm
The Santa Parade & Party preparations are under way and registrations have opened for this fantastic day coming up at the end of November. This event is all about the community and we’ll have the usual line up of local performers plus some old favourites keeping everyone happy. If you’ve been involved before we’d love to have you back, and if this is your first time, go for it! You’ve got nothing to lose and our families really appreciate our local event. The parade will begin as usual at 11.30am, with entertainment and a mini fair to follow from 12pm to 2pm. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor please contact Briar Millar on 636 8535 or email events@onehunga.net.nz. To register your interest to take part on foot or on a float, please fill out our registration form (attached with this newsletter or find one online at www.onehunga.net.nz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2012-Onehunga-Santa-Parade-RegistrationForm.pdf )
Father’s Day fun: ‘You’re A Star, Dad!’ Congratulations Colin!
Colin was the lucky winner of a $150 Buy Smart Brands voucher from our Father’s Day Celebration, which was held at the Onehunga Community Centre & Library on Saturday 1 st September. This event was promoted throughout Onehunga Mall and Dress-Smart in the week prior to the event as well as at local schools and on our Facebook page. We were very happy with the turnout and the children were thrilled to be able to make their Dad a card, a world’s best Dad certificate, a unique gift, or an iced biscuit or cupcake. Huge thanks to the Buy Smart Brands for sponsoring the prize voucher and the great team at Onehunga Community Centre & Library (there they are, below left) for working with us on this event.
Colin came in with wife Dong and daughter Maysa to collect his prize from OBA Events Manager, Briar Millar (at right).
Maysa made Colin special Father’s Day gifts at Onehunga Community Centre!
For Security Help
Onehunga Security Update SCAM Alerts
Mon – Fri 10.30am - 6pm, Sat 10am - 3pm
Scammer saying he’s from Auckland Council’s “tax department” A small number of Auckland ratepayers have received a phone call from a man claiming to be from Auckland Council's "tax department". The man states that the resident has overpaid their rates and that, in return for a payment, they will receive a rates refund. He then asks for a cheque or bank account details. In one case, the man offered to visit a ratepayer's home to pick up a cheque. The ratepayers realised that these calls were not from Auckland Council and suffered no financial loss. However, the council is concerned there may be victims of this fraudulent activity in the future. Auckland Council encourages anyone who has received a call of this kind to inform its call centre by calling 09 301 0101. The council has contacted the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and has also briefed its customer services staff on the subject.
Scam “charity” collectors Last week a man was in Onehunga going from store to store collecting for a “children’s group”. We suspect this man was not collecting for a legitimate charity and was probably collecting for himself. If you’re suspicious or uncomfortable about a person or the charity or cause they say they’re collecting for, please call the OBA straight away on 636 8535. Collectors are required to carry a license issued by Auckland Council. The big, well-known charities advise the OBA when they’ll be in the area and they generally station themselves in one spot. Most collectors do not go store to store seeking donations. Occasionally volunteers for legitimate charities will come calling and you’ll recognise their causes: Daffodil Day, SPCA and RSA to name a few. If there are bogus collectors trying to scam in Onehunga, we want to hear about it and quickly so we can ask them to leave the area.
Fake Community Directory Suspected Scam - it’s NOT The Onehunga Guide Here’s a scam that keeps happening - a company sends a proof of an ad for a community directory publication. It looks like it's something someone else at the business has already discussed and all it needs is your sign-off that the artwork is OK. It all looks pretty legit. EXCEPT this will be the first time you’ve actually been approached, the ad is often scanned from somewhere else your business has advertised and, by signing and returning the form, you’re committing yourself to an unexpected advertising fee for a publication with very little or no value to your target market. Coming at this time, we’re concerned that Onehunga businesses may confuse communications from Outlooknz for The (official!!) Onehunga Guide, as detailed on page 2 of this newsletter! Please be alert to this potential scam. Outlooknz sends an email titled "Community Directory Proof". This is NOT the Onehunga Guide! If you sign the proof you’ll be committing to $490. This has all the hallmarks of a scam and we advise caution!
Onehunga Event Calendar
See more events at www.onehunga.net.nz/whats-up/ onehunga-events Tell us about your event! Friday 14th September Toni Fonoti at Community Centre Saturday 29th September Onehunga Heritage Festival Sunday 30th September Daylight Savings Starts Labour Day Public Holiday Monday 22nd October Santa Parade & Party Saturday 24th November
call Onehunga Town Centre’s ICON Security Guard
Satia Sami
021 426 603 Or contact the OBA office ph
636 8535 Outside business hours, on Sundays & Public Holidays please call Police Dial 111
Rubbish collections
Red bins are emptied every Tuesday morning; Blue bins every 2nd Tuesday: NEXT on September 18 & October 2. Please put your bins out ready for Tuesday collection on Monday nights after close of business and remove bins off the footpath and back onto your business property
first thing Tuesday morning!
Cheers
Amanda, Debbie & Briar OBA Committee Peter Gibson, President (Parkinson & Bouskill) - 636 3300 Debbie Leaver (The Library Café & Function Venue) - 636 7292 Denise Jukes (Jukes Espresso) - 636 6614 Chantelle East (Urban Streetwear Clothing) - 636 0226 Teresa Jacques (Westpac) - 634 8555 Ross Mudafar (Onehunga Family Pharmacy) - 622 2865 Bridget Graham (Deputy Chairperson, Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board) - 301 0101 This e-news is sent to you by Onehunga Business Association, because you are either a member, or you have an interest in the organisation or the area. If you do not wish to receive these communications, please let us know by phoning 636 8535. Please note: If your business lies within the Onehunga business precinct you are automatically a member of Onehunga Business Association - paying a part of your rates to fund the OBA.
Onehunga Business Association Amanda Kinzett, Manager Briar Millar, Events Debbie Harkness, Communications 212A Onehunga Mall (upstairs) P: 09 636 8535 F: 09 636 8542 E: business@onehunga.net.nz W: www.onehunga.net.nz Onehunga Onehunga1