GAEL BALDOCK: TREE DESTRUCTION

LOCAL NEWS GAEL BALDOCK: MORE TREE DESTRUCTION IN THE NAME OF INTENSIFICATION

I look westwards towards the setting sun, past a pile of felled giant trees and stumps of where they once lived.

I can hear the hum of rush-hour traffic from the tunnel overbridge and the motorway beyond the Unitec arboretum. These trees tell a story of human history of this land from the pristine spring, ‘Te wai unu roa o Wairaka’ by the marae, that flows into Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek) where the first Maori waka landed, to the ‘Carrington Asylum’ built in 1867, until the mental health system was dismantled (including leaving a legacy of homelessness) and it became a technical institution.

Behind me is the dusk chorus of birds in magnificent trees. I’m surrounded by desolate buildings from another era. These historic brick buildings would make fabulous classrooms and student accomodation for a secondary school and a primary school in this expanding city whose heart is being intensified.

Large plots of land like this are rare. With some town planning foresight and architectural skill Unitec land and buildings should be used for the amenities required by an increasing population. The covenant placed on this state owned land stated its use “for education”. That was removed by failed Housing Minister, Phil Twyford, who in a short-term-thinking, small-minded plan, changed its use into housing.

The site is littered with warning signs, not of the real danger, the giving away of valuable land for developers to make a quick buck, and still the birds herald home time.

We need to learn from the tragedy of Western Springs Forest and protect the environment in this climate change emergency, yet without legal tree protection, the public have no voice to stop the chainsaws here. I leave Unitec via Gate 1, the once tree lined entry like a Van Gogh painting, now a row of severed stumps. Heading home along Pt Chevalier Road moving into the medium strip to give a lone cyclist plenty of road room, I turn right into Meola Road, averting my eyes left, to avoid looking at more stumps where trees once screened the houses.

I pass the native flaxes that will soon be ripped out for the cycleway without thought for hungry tui to Meola Reef where dog walkers chase dusk transforming the sky. The road narrows from soccer players from all over the region, whose cars line both sides as they play under spotlights. I think, if we really want to enrich our city, more sports fields are another amenity that could be homed on the Unitec land, along with leisure pools like ‘WestWave’ including an Olympic training and hydrotherapy for an ageing population with arthritis and joint replacements, and for the young with sports injuries, instead of high-end apartments.

I worry that we humans, who live a small time on this land, have so little respect for our oxygen producers who live longer than we might ‘own’ a plot of land, yet we cut them down as if we hadn’t damaged the planet enough already, for what... the financial ‘yield’ of developers?

My whangai brother told me mana whenua means umbilical to the cosmos; that Maori believe in connection through trees, land, water, air, everything on Papatuanuku - we are one. Where are mana whenua to protect the Earth from this rape and pillage, including from those who embrace colonialism when it suits their ‘money-whenua’? (GAEL BALDOCK, community advocate)  PN

TROWBRIDGE in association with LJ Hooker Ponsonby

37 Islington Street, Ponsonby

Euphoric Ponsonby...

When Location Counts … From the moment you enter this home, the senses are drawn to the perfectly proportioned living spaces. This tasteful three-bedroom open plan villa on offer is an entry point into one of Ponsonby’s most sought-after locations. Oversized doors lead into the private north-westerly garden. With the mature tree canopies providing a sense of escapism the mind drifts …ah. Three large light airy bedrooms, two bathrooms plus parking. With numerous transport options on offer and some of the best schooling only moments away, this home is certainly a rare offering. The vendor’s instructions are clear! TO BE SOLD…

3 2 1

Auction Wednesday 16th November, 6pm In rooms, 53 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby (unless sold prior) View Saturday & Sunday 2-2:30pm or view by appointment Jason Trowbridge 021 358 888 jtrowbridge.ponsonby@ljhooker.co.nz

LOCAL NEWS WILLIAM GREIG: DOCKLESS E-BIKE AND E-SCOOTER SHARING

Not everything can be enforced by law - nor should it be.

Etiquette noun the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group: synonyms: protocol · polite behaviour · acceptable behaviour · code of behaviour · courtesy · politeness · civility · propriety · punctilious

Etiquette around the world:

· In Aotearoa/New Zealand, take your shoes off when entering a wharenui.

· In Japan, never stick your chopsticks vertically in your bowl of rice – this resembles a funeral ritual.

· In Britain, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ for any service is de riguer.

· In the Middle East, don’t show the soles of your feet. It’s bad manners.

· In China, don’t point your finger. Instead point with an open hand.

· In Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland, when parking a shared e-bike or e-scooter…

Recognising how we get around the city is changing. Auckland Council has just awarded Beam and Lime new licences to operate in our fair city, but within an improved Code of Practice. This is good news.

E-scooters and e-bikes solve a lot of problems as sustainable, carbon neutral, affordable, efficient modes of transportation. Hiring a dockless e-bike or e-scooter is a quick and convenient way of getting around. Riding from A to B through the streets of Ponsonby and the inner city can also be a fun commute. Providing you ‘share with care’, I’m sure you’ll be in a better mood than you were before you started your ride.

But not everyone has been a fan of these new micro-mobility modes of transport as regulations surrounding e-scooters and e-bikes have up to now been confusing. However, NZTA has recently decided to clarify some of the major issues: any e-scooter can be ridden on the footpath, shared paths and on the road; e-bikes can be ridden on shared paths, separated cycleways and on the road, but not on footpaths.

Auckland Council’s new Rental Micro-mobility Code of Practice (Version 1.0) will also help solve issues of noncompliance, including non-compliant parking, as among other things, it encourages Lime and Beam to influence user behaviour and quickly resolve issues.

Nevertheless, users themselves have a responsibility too. While most users are aware that the increasing use of micro-mobility devices mean new guidelines for acceptable behaviour - a new etiquette – some users are yet to adopt this, and plain for the eye to see, after finishing their ride park without others in mind.

When I walk through the inner-city streets of Ponsonby and surrounds, I can quickly find an e-bike or e-scooter to hire. But sadly, some are lying on the ground - as if dead or dying – neglected - when they should be standing upright, defying gravity, and tempting us to go for a spin; I have to put my mind right and stand them up again.

Here’s a user guide to shared e-scooter and e-bike parking:

· Use the kickstand. Ensure that the scooter remains standing upright by using the kickstand. A fallen scooter can be a real hazard to the visually impaired and to those with limited mobility.

· Don’t block traffic. Ask yourself if your parking choice will work for everyone else. Keep roads, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian crossings free for other vehicles.

· Keep it neat. Place your scooter parallel and close to a wall, in a scooter rack, or within a designated parking zone. When in doubt, a good tip is to park your scooter next to obstacles that already exist.

· Don’t block the pavement. Be sure not to obstruct the path of pedestrians. Poorly parked vehicles are accidents waiting to happen.

· Park it proudly. You’ve just used a 21st century environmentally friendly means of transport.

In the meantime, and until more users familiarise themselves with parking etiquette, when you do see a pair of wheels lying on their side in the middle of your path and frustratingly in your way, ‘turn that frown upside down’ and stand them upright again. It’s a small thing perhaps, and you may not have solved a major world issue within the cosmos, but I bet you’ll feel just a tiny bit better. I’m sure others will too.

After all, don’t they say that if a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian rain forest, it can change the weather half a world away. (WILLIAM GREIG)  PN

JOHN WILLS: ENJOYING 20 YEARS IN REAL ESTATE

John Wills has recently joined Bayleys in Three Lamps Ponsonby. Ponsonby News asked him a few questions about his career.

Tell us a little of your history. "I am coming up on 20 years in the real estate industry, having previously had a career in the NZ Police and I’ve also done some personal fitness training in a past life.

"In 2008 I founded the real estate start-up brand Custom Residential in Grey Lynn and helped run that business for 12 years. In 2008, I also wrote a book about real estate sales coaching, which has proven to be popular and timeless over the years."

Why the change of brand? "Being busy at the local real estate coalface is what I love to do. Sales is where my heart is, and I love helping local families buy and sell, and move on to the next phase of their lives. Having twenty years’ experience in doing this, is a real asset for buyers and sellers to lean on during this process.

"Post Custom Residential days, I wanted to get alongside a brand that is proven to be very strong in the bracket of property that I specialise in. Bayleys certainly offers that strength, and proven track record. This is important for me and my clients."

What do you recommend vendors do to prepare their homes for sale? "I recommend that sellers spend the time on the ‘one percenters’ when it comes time to prepare their home for sale. More and more buyers are looking for certainty and simplicity in their busy lives. Buyers tend to be attracted to homes that have that ‘move in and enjoy’ quality about them.

"The best bang-for-buck items when prepping for sale often come from fresh paint inside and out, tidying up hedges and gardens and focussing on maximising the street appeal of the home. Thinking about how a property presents to a buyer on a first impression basis is important, but just as important is thinking about the most serious buyers coming back through the home for a more detailed second or third private viewing."

Any testimonials you’d like to share? "A lot has changed in the property market in the last year and I have been really impressed with the way you have adapted to this change. For us, this resulted in the sale being completed at a good price in a market which is increasingly seeing properties withdrawn. Thank you very much.” Herne Bay Vendor.

JOHN WLLIS: E: john.wills@bayleys.co.nz; T: 021 333 053.