petone chronicle october 2013

The Petone Chronicle

www.petonechronicle.co.nz Issue Two: October 5 2013 562 7500

Jackson Street to light up for Christmas

Walk of Champions

Rower Peter Wear was absolutely gobsmacked when he was called about the latest plaque on Petone’s Walk of Champions.

“ T o h a v e t h e acknowledgement of the community which I’ve been involved in is quite stunning,” Mr Wear says.

“That was absolutely brilliant, and I’m thrilled, i t ’s made me re f l e c t very ser ious ly on my achievements,” he added.

The active member of the Petone Community Patrol says his teaching career and family have kept him away from rowing for forty years but he’s about to make a comeback officiating at regattas.

It was back in 1958 when Wear first joined Petone’s St James Sea Scouts before graduating to the Petone Rowing Club. But his real breakthrough came in the breakaway Hutt Valley Rowing Club. He paid tribute to coach Tony Antonievich who steered Wear to five major New Zealand championship wins, three victories

by Di O’Connell

With a flick of a switch the Jackson Street Programme will usher in Christmas next month.

JSP is embarking on a three year project to light up Petone’s main street, starting with the block from Britannia to Queen Streets.

“It’s trying to create that ambience that we are alive, we are vibrant and we are open,” JSP co-ordinator Hellen Swales says.

“You wouldn’t know Christmas is here. I have been asking the Council why we haven’t had lights up. I didn’t get much of a response so if in doubt… you (have to) be proactive,” JSP chair Leonie Dobbs says.

JSP has modelled itself on the English city of Bath, famous for its Christmas winter wonderland light displays.

Ms Swales says there will be strict controls on design and colours. The only trees on the street are Pohutukawa - New Zealand Christmas tree - and they will be a motif in the street light inserts.

“We want to do a traditional Christmas theme - we’re not into a Vegas look,” Hellen Swales adds.

They have started canvassing business owners and landlords. “We will be encouraging them to start lighting their buildings,” she adds.

“We’ve had an excellent response, really positive. They want to showcase their own building, it is their asset and their babies… and they want to share their love of Christmas with their families, Leonie Dobbs says.

More importantly is its focus to attract families, who may have to keep their children up until the lights come on because it will be

summer. And daylight saving.“That’s why we’re doing a twilight grotto

(Santa’s cave in the old jail) to encourage families on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday to come down here with their children… hopefully they’ll eat and spend the evening in Jackson Street, Ms Swales adds. Other entertainment could include carol singers from local churches.

JSP is also surveying retailers to gauge their support for late night shopping in December.

With a first year budget of $56000 the JSP is investigating sponsorship and applying for funding.

Over the next ten years JSP hopes to make it a destination event with a Christmas shop and eventually a parade.

“Everyone in New Zealand will want to come to Petone to see the Christmas festival of lights,” Leonie Dobbs says.

The lights will go on mid-late November.

Peter Wear, kneeling by his champion’s plaque, along with family and friends. Photo: Ross de Rouffignac.

over Australian crews and as a member of the championship coxed fours that was runner-up at the 1969 Royal Henley Regatta.

Petone-born Bob Arthur was also honoured. His New Zealand representative career small bore rifle shooting spanned from 1963 to 1981.

The first plaque was laid in Jackson Street in 1991 - there are now 140 at a cost Petone Historical Society member Roy Hewson, has estimated to be $70,000.

Plaques celebrate sporting success

The Petone Chronicle, 5 October 20132

by Emily Tilley

Hutt City Council voted this month to adopt changes to development rules in Petone west - but it may not all be over yet.

The changes are largely welcomed by opponents to HCC’s original proposal for the area a year ago. However, a lawyer’s letter circulated at the council meeting affirms at least one property owner in the area is unhappy with the changes.

Although the changes have been approved by council, the decision could still be contested with opponents having until November 8 to file an appeal to the Environment Court.

District Plan Change 29 allows for the area to become “mixed use”, encouraging the development of apartments and larger shops while limiting building heights to a maximum of 20m and curtailing the development of small shops.

The result could be a low rise area with people living in flats among shops, in a triangle between the station, Jackson St and the foreshore.

It is very different from the council’s original proposal of more than a year ago which included allowing small shops which were seen by many as a threat to the ongoing viability of the Jackson St historic precinct. It also allowed buildings up to 30m - around eight storeys - high.

The approved plan and accompanying design guide are “all pointing to something that might realise Petone’s potential in the way that was worked on in the 2009 published Petone Vision”, Petone Planning Action Group (PPAG) chair Pam Hanna says.

“Council accepting the recommendations could signal a positive start but a lot will still depend on new developments embracing the opportunity to enhance Petone as a special community and a unique heritage place.”

Ms Hanna says PPAG is pleased the council

approved the plan but the group is still looking at the design guide and there are one or two small things that “need to be slightly tidied up”.

“Hopefully very small changes can be made without going to mediation through the Environment Court,” she says.

Council divisional manager of environmental policy Bronwyn Little says officers are currently seeking legal advice as to whether small changes can be made outside of an appeal process.

Although passed by council, councillors Roger Styles, Chris Milne, Ken Laban and Max Shierlaw voted against the changes.

Councillor Shierlaw says he favoured the original proposal for the area.

“I thought it was a very forward piece of planning, bringing the area into the 21st century, allowing for economic development and creating jobs.”

He says that while allowing smaller shops in Petone west might have had a potential short term effect on Jackson St retailers, “the RMA can’t be used as a trade protection vehicle. It’s not the way the market works”.

“My view is that business comes and goes all the time. If one goes, another will take its place on Jackson St.”

His strongest objection to the changes is the reduction in building height allowed in some parts of the area from 30m to 20m.

A letter from lawyer Con Anastasiou was circulated at the council meeting on behalf of a property owner in Petone west stating that lowering the height restriction was a violation of his client’s property rights, and Councillor Shierlaw agrees.

“I think it’s right out of scope,” he says. “If we had gone out to consult on reducing the height to 20m then people could have had their say. The existing height was 30m and council saw no need to change it.”

Mr Shierlaw says early informal consultation

with property owners in Petone west showed “no mood” towards changing height restrictions.

However, council was aware there was opposition to high rise development in Petone west from others and that was weighed up before approving putting the plan changes including a 30m height restriction out for consultation, he says.

“I thought we should have re-heard submissions,” he says.

“It’s probably going to turn into a messy situation if appeals are made to the environment court.”

Ms Little says all Petone west property owners and occupiers were notified of proposed plan changes and given background information. The 30m proposed height limit for many properties was actually an increase in the permitted height.

She says although officers spent a lot of time putting information out, very few submissions were received from landowners.

“One submitter particularly supported the proposed 30m height limit,” she says.

From all the submissions received, some supported the plan in general, some part, with the majority specifically opposing on grounds of height.

“The major change that has been brought about is the number of activities permitted,” she says.

“It’s introduced residential activity. That has opened up opportunities for landowners that weren’t there before...that’s a pretty major offset.”

Plan 29 changes may not be the last

The Petone Chronicle, 5 October 2013 3

by Di O’Connell

A smell “like a wet ciggy” was one of the issues raised at a recent meeting called by Imperial Tobacco to get together with neighbouring residents.

The British owned plant, which dominates the skyline from Richmond Street employs about 200 staff, invited close neighbours to air any issues and to outline plans that may impact on them.

An Imperial Tobacco spokesperson says four residents turned up to its February meeting and five in September, from an invitation list of approximately seventy households. Four employees and a ward councillor were also present.

Local resident Jamie Cormack, says the meeting raised residents’ concerns about emissions odour and effects on health.

“I doubt they’re very harmful but it’s up to them [the company] to prove this and that was the point the residents were making. They should come up with the answers. Everybody there was very concerned,” he says.

One resident, further along Richmond Street and not invited to the meeting, says it’s more noticeable in summer and makes her “feel

really sick”.The company says the odour is the steam

created during the tobacco blending process. It adds in the process “the only components involved during the making of this steam are tobacco leaf and water”.

Another resident says they were surprised to learn the chimney stack’s emissions weren’t monitored and the only council regulations it’s required to meet were for location and height.

“Obviously no matter how high that chimney is it’s totally dependent on wind direction, speed and if it’s a very still, calm summer’s day then everything that comes out the top just falls straight down the bottom so all the streets around about would get it, it would not be disbursed all the way, like today it would probably go all the way to Petone beach,” Mr Cormack says.

The company says it’s taken several actions as a direct result of the meetings.

“We have recently completed some upgrade work to our facilities in order to minimise any odour issues. We have engaged a company (late September) to do further monitoring of our odour emissions to ensure that we mitigate any impact on our neighbours as much as possible. We are currently complying with our resource consent,” the spokesperson says.

After eleven years living opposite the factory Mr Cormack, a retired nuclear industry engineer, has drawn his own conclusions.

“The smoke, the smell of the tobacco, that used to concern us a bit. I’ve since convinced

myself it doesn’t do any harm at all because you have to burn the tobacco to get the tar and nicotine out of it, sometimes it’s a bit annoying if you’re in the garden and you can actually smell the tobacco fumes, but it is just rolled tobacco rather than burnt tobacco,” Mr Cormack says.

As well as the improvements to reduce the odour, the company also wanted to outline its construction plans for its boiler house.

“We wanted to alert residents so they wouldn’t be surprised by any increased traffic flow as a result of construction work,” the spokesperson says.

The site’s been a cigarette factory since 1929 and Imperial Tobacco moved in in 1999. A recent $45 million dollar upgrade, opened by Mayor Ray Wallace, has enabled it to manufacture around four billion cigarettes and 800 tonnes of rolling tobacco a year, mostly destined for Australia.

The Imperial tobacco plant.

Residents surprised at lack of emission monitoring

Contemporary fl owers

and giftware

0800 800 321Ph: 568-7088 Fax: 568-8922

fl [email protected] Jackson St, Petone

Strong, hugely experienced voice for Petone/Harbour Ward

- so necessary these next three uncertain years.

RETURN ROSS JAMIESON TO COUNCIL


Harbour Ward Councillor Michael Lulich

Any resident enquires/issues please contact me on Tel: 977-3166 Cell no: 0210304561 E-mail: [email protected]

Long time coming for EQ workby Emily Tilley

Five buildings on Jackson St and the old Petone Magistrate’s Court on Elizabeth St have been on the Hutt City Council’s Earthquake Risk Register for almost thirty years.

HCC updated the list this month and the Petone buildings are the only ones that remain. The list was compiled in 1984 and at the time owners were given time periods of between nine and 25 years to complete strengthening work on their properties, however those still on the list have well passed those dates.

Two have never had building consents for strengthening work, two have consents that have now lapsed and two have current consents.

“Council has been proactive about following up with these property owners,” HCC governance and regulatory general manager Jocelyn Foo says.

“Meetings were held with all parties who have gone over their deadlines; in some cases legal agreements have been obtained which confirm dates by which certain actions are to take place,” she says.

“There are also some cases where legal action was considered.”

Ms Foo says HCC has encouraged the building owners to have engineers check the safety of their buildings and inform council if reports show a safety issue.

“Council has not had any assessments back highlighting that there is any safety risk,” Ms Foo says.

The old Petone Magistrate’s Court was inherited by WelTec in 2004. Facing huge strengthening costs, Weltec sought to demolish the building however they were refused consent and the building has since been registered as a Historic Place.

Earlier this year, WelTec “put out feelers to the community” for expressions of interest to see whether anyone was interested in taking the building on, WelTec senior executive officer to the chief executive Caryn Ellis.

There was no response and the court house is “just sitting there at the moment… but it’s not used, is fenced and is safe”, Ms Ellis says. “We’re

working out what we will do next.”The original 1984 list was restricted to those

buildings made from unreinforced masonry and unreinforced concrete.

In 2004 the Building Act changed and reinforced concrete buildings were then put under scrutiny.

Another list was created, on which 14 more Petone buildings remain. Those property owners have been given a deadline of 2018 by which to complete strengthening work.

“Council has an officer dedicated to dealing with earthquake risk and prone buildings who provides a free advisory service to owners and negotiates with them to encourage them to complete the necessary work on their building,” Ms Foo says.

A group of third year Weltec interior design students is working on conceptual designs for redeveloping Buick St.

The class have already spent time mapping and documenting the heritage area of Jackson St and are now working as a group on a plan for redeveloping Buick St into a pedestrian precinct.

Their work is only a hypothetical project, “it’s very conceptually driven,” Mr Degoldi says.

The students will focus on Buick St as a thoroughfare to Jackson St and through the project look at how the past and present engage in design.

They will come up with models, sketches and presentation panels to illustrate their proposals.

Students cast eyes to Buick St


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Positive plans to be made for Petone Eastby Emily Tilley

A new ‘Positive Petone’ initiative will focus on building up community support and resources for Petone East.

Based on Positive Pomare, the idea for the group was first suggested by Hutt Union and Health Care Services manager Sally Nicholl.

At a community meeting to discuss the future of the clinic, Mayor Ray Wallace proposed setting up a “Positive Petone group to assist the

community to realise its full potential”. A sea of hands were raised across Te Huinga O Te Whanau hall in support of the proposal.

Local resident and Petone Community Board member Peter Foaese has agreed to chair the group and plans to have the first meeting within the next week.

Talks around the future of the health clinic have highlighted its role in the community, which extends well beyond doctor’s diagnoses. The centre which stands next to the Jackson St flats is the place locals go to with problems ranging from breathing difficulties to financial woes.

“Nothing else is based there… If the centre goes, they’ll have nowhere,” Peter says.

Peter says the attention in Petone has been on the Jackson St heritage precinct and Petone West for a long time while the east has been overlooked. “

It’s like Jackson St stops at Cuba St,” he says. “Everyone knows there are challenges, but no-one’s been working to provide support.”

Peter says there are already some amazing

people living in Petone East doing great work for their own community.

He says Positive Petone will bring agencies such as Housing New Zealand, police, Rotary and the council together with local residents so they can work together to shape a community-driven future for the area.

“It feeds in really well with the young people’s programme Whakaoho,” he says. A youth art workshop themed My Dream for Petone is currently being run and the young people’s aspirations will be used in the development of Whakaoho, a new five-year youth strategy.

Through Positive Petone Peter hopes to make the connections that can actually make the young people’s dreams happen.

Peter also hopes to make connections with people throughout Petone who have something to offer the Petone East community such as artists who might work with young people on projects or musicians who might offer classes.

“Because the area has been overlooked for so long, those connections aren’t there,” he says.

Govt funding won’t be enough to save serviceby Emily Tilley

The local DHB, PHO, council and mayor are banding together with Petone’s Hutt Union and Community Health Services to work towards keeping the Petone centre open.

Past funding cuts and difficulty recruiting and retaining doctors has left the future of Huchs Petone up in the air.

At a community meeting three weeks ago, locals unanimously supported Mayor Ray Wallace’s proposal to establish a “working group” to ensure the continuation of the Huchs healthcare service in Petone.

It was standing room only at the packed public meeting to discuss the future of the centre at Te Huinga O Te Whanau hall. The strength of feeling in the community was obvious as person after person stood up to speak about how much the centre meant to them.

A mother of six was in tears as she pleaded for help to keep the centre open, saying she would be unable to afford to take her children to another clinic.

“We ask for your help for this community. Our Pacific and also the Maori people that we have, we are the ones that suffer most,” she said. “We’re hard working. I’m a cleaner with three jobs. You want me to get another job? My quality time for the children is not there, but I have to put food on the table.”

On Monday last week the working group with representatives from Huchs, Hutt Valley District Health Board, the Te Awakairangi PHO, council and Mayor Wallace met for the first time.

“It was a constructive beginning. It was a genuine attempt to look at the issues,” Huchs manager Sally Nicholl says.

“We made a commitment to look for solutions… it’s just the first step.”

Last week Health Minister Tony Ryall announced that the government will invest an extra $16 million over four years to support general practices, such as Huchs, which provide low cost access to healthcare.

The money will be allocated to PHOs to distribute to around 300 centres nationwide over the next four years. A $1.5 million scholarship

will also be set up to fund thirty new nurse graduates to work in some low-cost practices across the country for a year.

Calculated simplistically, $16 million divided by 300 centres over four years would give each centre around $13,300 extra per year.

“We’re really pleased that the minister has acknowledged there’s an issue,” Huchs manager Sally Nicholl says. “It will have some effect. But we don’t see it as making a significant impact on the issue.”

She says an initial look shows this may mean the centre could get $5.60 extra per patient per visit.

Mayor Wallace says the working group will explore every possible option for retaining the Huchs centre. While the extra investment of government funding won’t be enough to save Huchs, it does show the Government are aware of the issue.

He “absolutely” intends to speak to the health minister about the plight of Petone Huchs. “The woman with the three jobs and six children - the minister has got to hear that,” he says.


New cop aims to improve co-operationby Emily Tilley

A new police role has been created adding an extra officer to the area and giving more support to local community constables.

This month Sergeant Bradley Allen took up the role of officer in charge of Petone, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne police stations.

The new role aims to support the community constables at the three stations. “It’s essentially like a blank canvas,” Sergeant Allen says.

Sergeant Allen will be dividing his time between the areas and helping the community constables work together.

“It’s about finding out what works and making sure it’s implemented properly,” he says.

Centralisation allows police to go where and when the need is greatest, Sergeant Allen says. It

has been successfully implemented for District Command and works on a smaller scale here.

He says that rather than just hearing a job come up on the radio and going to it, policing has become about planning more and thinking more.

Every five weeks the community constables spend two or three days working together on prevention. Not only does this enable a larger number of police to be present in one place, it also allows the community constables to share ideas about what is or isn’t working and “keeps them fresh,” Sergeant Allen says.

At times such as the recent homicide in Petone when more manpower is needed, police from all the local stations can work together.

“It’s teams working together, moving around, dealing with things effectively,” Sergeant Allen says. “I think we’re doing a particularly good job of it… crime’s down in Lower Hutt.”

By Di O’Connell Petone residents are benefitting from Police

top brass at their place. A proposal to cut opening hours at all the

district’s Community Policing Centres would’ve seen Petone Station open only two mornings.

The proposal came into effect in April for other centres but not Petone - its front desk is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.

It was spared because two high ranking police officers, Assistant Commissioner Grant Nicholls and Detective Superintendent Paul Kench and

Police National headquarters staff are working out of Petone Station.

“Some of their support staff has been able to be utilised - it’s very fortunate for Petone to have those people located there,” Acting Hutt Valley Area Commander Inspector Shane Cotter says.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to have a Police station with locked doors,” Inspector Cotter adds.

In the other centres where there’s no senior layer with support staff, opening hours have been reduced so “Police are out on the street where we

want them to be,” Inspector Cotter says.A 2010 survey saw local stations averaged

around 17 front desk enquiries a day and only seven in Petone. It’s been redone showing even fewer people used them according to Inspector Cotter.

“People have a number of ways to reach the police, like the crime reporting line, there’s a real drop in the need for people to go to a Police Station. We want to keep them open for the people who still use them, such as students or the elderly”, Mr Cotter says.

Petone police station remains open Monday-Friday


Workers rise to the challenge of job opportunitiesby Emily Tilley

Local man Jeremy Oliver is excited - he’s turning thirty soon and has a paid job he enjoys.

He has spent three months as a dog walker and now has two more contracts lined up to feed cats while their owners are away.

The jobs have come about through InsideOut, an employment initiative that recruits people with an intellectual disability.

Run by the Paladin Project Charitable Trust, the InsideOut project gives people with disabilities the opportunity to work in their communities and earn their own income, walking dogs and feeding people’s pets while they are away.

This month the project won the runner-up award in the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards, a “wonderful achievement” for an initiative that has only been running for 11 months and “on the smell of an oily rag”, the InsideOut team say.

“I’m stoked and humbled by the show of confidence so early in our development,” co-ordinator Scott Miller says.

The project has also been so successful that, having started locally, it is now being rolled out throughout greater Wellington, in Rotorua, Nelson and Auckland.

Scott has worked with people with disabilities for eight years, most recently as a vocational skills tutor at Weltec.

Scott rea l i sed that there were few opportunities for adults with disabilities to find paid employment after they had completed their education.

“Dog walking seemed a nice match,” he says. With help from Ministry of Social Development funding he set up the InsideOut project.

For Jeremy walking dogs and feeding cats gives him a feeling of responsibility and “I got vouchers,” he says. The pet-carers are paid in vouchers from a store of their choice. Jeremy

hasn’t spent his latest vouche r s ye t bu t having started up a garden, “I’m going to get plants, herbs,” he says.

Jeremy’s mother V i c k y s a y s s h e ’s watched him rise to the challenge of his new job.

The first time his pay vouchers arrived he was so excited he wanted to rush out a n d s p e n d t h e m immediately, she says.

“It’s so hard to find work for these guys. As a parent you realise that they can’t work fulltime,” she says.

J e r e m y l o v e s animals, has grown up with a long list of pets and now owns two dogs of his own.

His first contract was to walk “Charlie” twice a week, which he did rain or shine alongside his caregiver Samantha until Charlie moved city.

“I watched him and he was getting good command of Charlie,” Vicky says.

She says the job gives Jeremy a sense of purpose, somewhere he has to be at a certain time doing a job that needs to be done.

Her sentiments are echoed continually in feedback from the families of other workers, co-ordinator Sharon Heathcote says.

“Parents say they really gain confidence, they realise they can do this” she says.

Jeremy Oliver with his dogs Bo and Tess

Sharon says the work gives people with disabilities a feeling of independence, responsibility, connection to their community and purpose.

“They know people are relying on them to look after their pets.”

People who would like to find out about how to book dog walkers or pet feeders can go to the project’s website www.insideoutproject.org.nz.


by Emily Tilley

Author David McGill, Petone Community House co-ordinator Beverley Barclay and Sir Jon Trimmer, drink tea and chat at the community house’s History and Art Day last Saturday.

The open day included an exhibition of paintings by Sir Jon Trimmer, who was born and raised in Petone.

Sir Trimmer says painting has been part of his life alongside performing. He started painting as a child and went to the Wellington Technical College Art School before joining the New Zealand Ballet Company and embarking on his international ballet career.

Mr McGill read excerpts from his books, many of which reference and draw inspiration from Petone. The horrors of working 15 hour days at the old Gear Meatworks and the joys of eating pies were recurrent themes.

A former newspaper columnist, Mr McGill has written 49 history and historical fiction books. His writing all began with a diary he kept in the 1950s which he still has and references for use in his books.

The day also included readings by actress Bea Joblin and Petone history books author Gerald Davidson, double bass playing by Richard Prowse and information on local history and genealogy from Warwick Johnston.

Art and literature done the Petone way

David McGill, Beverley Barclay and Sir Jon Trimmer

Petone residents have always loved a good talk abut local issues. And now they have a new vehicle on which to discuss their concerns and observations about life in the village - Facebook.

Visit www.petonechronicle.co.nz and you’ll find our Facebook page, with links to The Petone

Petone Chronicle and community noticeboard onlineCommunity Noticeboard where you can discuss, comment, list your garage sales, post classifieds and find out about what’s going on in our cool Petone community.

Like us and you’ll be in the draw for a $50 shopping voucher in Petone, to be announced

in the next issue.www.petonechronicle.co.nz


Wearable arts competition with a cause

by Di O’Connell

Strength - that’s the theme for this year’s Bling My Bra competition - a breast cancer research fundraiser organised by Jenny Deonarain from Petone business the Sewing Depot.

Jenny was inspired by the women who come to her Fashion Workshop classes. “I’ve had heaps of people around me affected by cancer and young people die but to target cancer in one go is quite broad so I chose to support breast cancer because it resonates with my clients,” she says.

What started as a small venture four years ago has grown - Massey University is now a major sponsor donating exhibition space and mannequins, while Singer sewing machines donate prizes.

“We’ve also started attracting high schools. A few do it as their technology projects and some amazing stuff comes out of there. Both last year’s People’s Choice and the Excellence Awards were done by year Ten students,” Jenny says.

One creation was entirely hand beaded by a year ten student.

Jenny, a former fashion tutor at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts, would love to top sixty entries this year. Anyone can enter the competition by creating or decorating a bra that communicates their chosen theme or inspiration.

For more information go to www.blingmybra.org.nz or email jenny@ blingmybra.org.nz.

Anne Aitchison’s entry in the Bling My Bra competition, “Come on boobie light my fire”. Photo: Frances Oliver.


Community Listings

AA Petone (group 1): Tuesday 7.30pm 0800 AA WORKS

AA Petone (group 2): Thursday 5.30pm 0800 AA WORKS

Alice Book Club: 1st Tuesday month 7.30pm 568 7798

Alzheimers Support: Thursday bi-monthly 9.30-12.30 Annie

972 2594

Alzheimers Carers course: 4x Mondays 1-2.15pm Annie 972

2594

Acrylic Art: Thursday 7-10pm 568 7798

Baby wearing: 3rd Weds month 10am 568 7798

Bird society: Monday monthly 7.30pm 568 7798

Bluegrass Society, banjo workshop: Saturday Sunday as

required 022 583 4727

Board Games: 2nd 4th Thurs month 10.30am 568 7798

Budget Advisory Service Monday- Friday by appointment

568 8877

Constructors Car Club: 3rd Tuesday month 7.30pm 527 0335

CAB Citizens Advice Bureau: Monday - Friday 9.30am- 4pm

568 8877

CAB Justice of the Peace clinic: Monday - Friday by appoint-

ment 568 8877

CAB Legal clinic: Tuesday by appointment 568 8877

ChessNuts Chess group: Monday 7pm 938 3548

Church CCJS: Sunday 10am [email protected]

COG Bible study: Sunday 9am 021 210 6665

Craft, sewing, knitting BYO learn: 2nd & 4th Thurs 10am 568

7798

Counselling: Thursdays by appointment 021 822 002

Food bank distribution: Monday 9.30am 568 7798

French conversation: Wednesday 6.30, 7.30pm mmisovska@

gmail.com

Hutt Valley Authors and Writers: 4th Saturday month 11am

021 067 1965

Kids on Foot - after school care: Monday - Friday 3- 6pm 027

3100 161

Male Survivors: Weekly from 5.30pm 027 222 1093

Music and Movement for Children: Friday classes all day

www.musikgarten.co.nz

New Apostolic Church: Wednesday 7.30pm 568 7798

Piano practice and play: anytime when free 568 7798

Pilates: Monday & Weds 6.15pm 021 882 871.

Quakers: 4th Sunday month 11am 568 7798

Qi Gong: Monday 6.30pm Micelle 566 5076

Seniors driver refresher class: as required 10am 568 7798

Sewing classes: Monday 6.30pm [email protected].

Sewing workshops :Saturday monthly 10am - 4pm jenbob.

[email protected].

SLAA: weekly 6pm 568 7798

SPCA kitty adopt-a-thon: Saturday monthly 12- 3pm 568

7798

Tai Chi for arthritis: Monday 11am 568 7798

Tai Chi general: Thursday 1.15pm 568 7798

Te Reo Maori (Te Ataarangi): Tuesday, Weds 9.15am - 2.15

027 651 5114

Toastmasters Petone: Tuesday 6.30pm 027 276 2512

Toastmasters: Sunday afternoon fortnightly 1- 4pm 027 276

2512

Transformation coaching: Monday 7.30pm 568 7798

Violin Suzuki method for children: Tuesday lessons 3-7pm

[email protected]

Walking group: 2nd 4th Thurs month 9.45am 568 7798

Many other NGOs, AGMs, meetings and clubs as required Phone 568 7798 for more information.

Petone Community House groups


School News

Sacred Heart School2013 has been a very busy year at Sacred

Heart School Petone. Our students have been involved in lots of activities right across all curriculum areas.

Sacred Heart is a state-integrated Catholic school which is part of the parish of Sacred Heart Petone. As a Catholic school we provide an education based on the beliefs and traditions of the Catholic church. We follow the NZ Curriculum and cover all the essential learning areas as well as Religious Education. Our Special Character is an integral part of school life and is based on a set of RISE values which come from the Gospel and the teachings of the church. The values are Respect. Integrity, Sense of Community and Excellence. They influence everything we do and are the basis for our school behaviour management system and our RISE Home Learning Challenge.

Sacred Heart School is a multi-cultural community in which all cultures are valued and included. We have a Ministry of Education funded Pasifiks Study Centre called Pasifika Proud. It supports our Pasifika students with their learning.

We are very lucky to have a fantastic PTA who fundraise so that we can provide the extra things we need to enhance the learning of our children. They have provided many items but particularly in the area of ICT.A s p a r t o f o u r C a t h o l i c t r a d i t i o n we celebrate Masses and Li turg ie s , b o t h a t school and in the nearby church. We are very lucky to have Father Albano da Costa as one of our support priests. Father Albano comes to school, visits classrooms and celebrates with us. This year we have introduced class Masses in the classrooms, we celebrated Easter with an Easter Play and this term we celebrated the Year of Faith with a mini festival entitled “Doors of Faith” in which

we decorated all our classroom doors. At Sacred Heart School we are always

looking for ways to give our Senior Students leadership opportunities. They have the chance to become Team Leaders, School Leaders, School Councillors and Librarians. Our Year 6 students can be Recycling Monitors and this term Milk Monitors , as we have recently joined the Fonterra Milk for Schools programme. All our students from Year 5-8 are members of the school choir and they go out and sing for kindys and community groups.

We have a very active School Council which is led by our School Leaders. Each class has representatives on the Council and these change each term. This year our school council has organised a whole school Wacky Hair/ Discovery Day, Talk Like a Pirate Day and organised flags of all the cultures in our school to be displayed on our fence.

We are part of the Duffy Books in schools programme and we are very grateful to both Petone Rotary and Pencarrow Rotary for their support of this programme.

For the first 3 terms we have a Duffy Assembly and present the children with their Duffy Books.

Our school also has a strong tradition of participation in sports. We are constantly looking for sports to introduce our students to as well as a PE focus on things like Gymnastics, Dance, Athletics, Swimming and Cross Country. This year our children have participated in Touch Rugby, Mini-ball, Netball, Grasshopper tennis, Kiwi Volley, Football and Cricket.

We are very proud of our school and community. Our vision is that Sacred Heart School, in partnership with parents and caregivers, will develop the talents of each child. We value and encourage the spiritual, emotional and cultural identity of each child. We support and foster academic growth and physical well being. Through our influence and example our students will become caring, confident, connected, actively involved, life long learners.


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Artist’s dream comes true

by Di O’Connell

It leaks, it’s cramped and it’s not set up for the modern age of computers and the future shape of Petone’s library is uncertain.

The two storey building’s often described as a “rabbit warren” with buckets on the floor to catch the drips.

“The old Borough Building is a bad design and though it opened in 1987 it is not something that was built to last or can even be easily modified,” Petone Community board chair Gerald Davidson says.

Its future may depend on the success, or not, of the current upgrade of Taita’s Walter Nash Stadium and library merging into a community hub containing a sports venue, meeting spaces and the library. While there’s no designs to include sports in a Petone complex, Taita could be a blueprint for other combinations.

That’s unlikely to include community groups already housed across the road. In 2011 council plans to sell Petone’s Community House and move its services to the Petone Library were shelved after strong opposition from locals.

House co-ordinator Bev Barclay says it’s well used, very successful and treasured by the community who use it for groups ranging from language classes to citizen’s advice bureau.

And the house’s occupants feel its members want to retain their links with the historic 1887 building.

Mr Davidson is a qualified librarian and would rather a new building on the same site to combine the library with the Settler’s Museum currently on the Esplanade, which he is concerned is in danger of losing its collections to a weather event.

One concern with the current Petone building is the danger to the historial documents because it’s a leaky building.

Fellow Petone Community Board Member Peter Foaese believes something should be done sooner rather than later and would like to see the community decide its shape and function.

Artist Alfred Memelink will be able to watch the seascapes he loves from his new gallery and studio.

by Emily Tilley

Alfred Memelink remembers as a student visualising owning an art gallery overlooking a harbour, now many years later he is finally building a gallery and fulfilling his dream.

Construction of the Alfred Memelink Studio Gallery on the site of the former Esplanade dairy has been ongoing for several months.

Originally Alfred had planned to renovate and extend the 1930s Deco buildings, however earthquake strengthening requirements made it unviable and demolition has proved the right decision was made. “It was so poorly constructed it basically crumbled,” Alfred says.

After delays, mainly due to the engineering challenges of putting foundations into beach sand, work on the three story nautical-themed building is now expected to be completed around November.

Alfred aims to have the gallery opening towards the end of January, with an exhibition entitled Petone By The Sea.

Alfred wants the gallery to have a strong local focus and the exhibition will feature work depicting local scenes and landscapes and work by local artists, alongside his own paintings.

He hopes the gallery will draw more Petone artists out of the woodwork.

“Petone has a great sense of community which is growing year by year and it feels great to be part of it,” Alfred says.

Alfred first moved to Petone fifty years ago on his second birthday. He says he has watched the area change from a small industrial town where the sea often ran red with blood from the Gear meatworks to the bustling community with a treasured foreshore that it is today.

After training to become a marine engineer,

his career has taken him all around the world but “Wellington is still my favourite port,” he says.

“The way the city clings around the harbour, tucked in in places … there are so many views. Quaint little houses with different coloured tin roofs all reaching out. So many moods; the harbour can be dead calm and then fierce southerly gales and after there’s crystal clear, clean air.”

A well-known watercolourist, many of Alfred’s paintings are of coastal scenes and “moods of the sea”. He draws inspiration from Wellington’s temperamental weather, the harbour sparkling on a still night, storm clouds brewing and the force of the southerlies he loves. “I come alive when the barometer drops,” he says.

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Question mark hangs over library


Mason Branch

Mike FisherOur Ward needs

change at the Council table. We need to get representatives that can better reflect and communicate the views of residents; who can listen, consider and discuss issues, and then advocate and debate those opinions with

fellow Councillors.There are so many key issues facing our City

and in particular our Harbour Ward and the decisions we make on them will having a lasting impact on our communities.

From my experience as a Petone Community Board member I can see where we can do so much more.

That’s why I am standing and I ask for your vote. Thank you.

I am a naturalized New Zealander having come here as a child; As an older person I think I can bring a different approach at times. My standards m a y b e a l i t t l e different but I consider education and health to be important.

I feel that I have an advantage in having seen the Hutt Valley change over many years and

Sarah CrawfordI a m s t a n d i n g

for Council as I have the experience, range of skills, community contacts and energy to make a positive impact on our community and city.

I have been an elected Eastbourne Community Board member for six years and am proud of

what we have achieved.I have been active in ensuring historical

heritage, environmental improvement, access to Pencarrow and the harbour coastline. We have an opportunity to enhance our living environment and at the same time achieve this in a cost effective way. I will advocate for plans to improve our community structures and recreational facilities to enhance community cohesiveness.

I have lived here for 25 years, love our community and our family have greatly benefited from all that the Hutt City has to provide. The challenge for council is to take the steps to ensure a better living environment for our children and also to arrest the drift to Auckland.

I need your vote to do this.

I have spent six years serving on the Petone Community board. I am a self employed Camera operator and editor and a projectionist at Petone’s Lighthouse cinema. I like walking, good sci fi films, my compost heap and I keep bees but I don’t

Eight candidates are standing for the two Harbour Ward councillor positions in this month’s local body elections. Their profiles feature below.

Both current councillors Ross Jamieson and Michael Lulich are standing for re-election.

Four of the candidates have been on community boards for the past triennium: Mason Branch, Mike Fisher and Tui Lewis in Petone; and Sarah Crawford in Eastbourne.

All the current Petone board members standing for the Harbour Ward are also seeking re-election to the Petone Community Board.

Newcomers to local body politics are Karen Swann and Dorothy Fox.

Ms Fox is also standing for the Petone board and Ms Swan is also standing for the Hutt Valley District Health board, as is Ms Crawford.

Another newcomer is Phil Stratford, a local property developer and consultant who is the only candidate standing for mayor against current mayor Ray Wallace.

The local body elections are held by postal vote on Saturday October 12 and Eastbourne residents will also get to vote for Greater Wellington Regional councillors, Hutt Mana Charitable Trust members and Hutt Valley District Health Board members.

Our Harbour Ward candidates’ and mayoral candidates’ profiles feature over the next three pages.

Voting papers must be returned by 12pm on Saturday, October 12.

eat honey so I have a lot of honey.Protecting our different neighbourhoods

and beautiful environments is paramount. The communities and places that mean so much to us are a part of the legacy we all hope to pass on to future generations. But the future of those younger generations is important too. They need places to live and to work. They need reasons to stay.

We are lucky to have distinct areas of natural beauty, environmental importance and of heritage value that can and should be protected. We also have distinct areas perfect for development and we should.

I can serve all our communities positively, energetically and effectively. I ask for your vote.

Dorothy Fox

Election Candidates - Harbour Ward

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Election Candidates - Harbour Ward

Ross JamiesonI seek re-election as times, I suggest, cry out for an experienced councillor with a track record.T h e n e x t t h r e e years are critical. Will we have Hutt City Council or be swal lowed into a Supercity?

It’s taken twenty years to sort Hutt City from a near basket case into a business excellence Gold award winner, with a S & P AA credit rating, delivering amongst New Zealand’s lowest rate increases. Councillors and staff keep responsive and close to citizens.Why scrap this for a remote, political, likely quarrelsome, indebted Wellington Supercity because of Auckland’s yet untested experiment? It’s my privilege to have played a part in this Hutt transformation; as Finance, then Hearing and current Policy Chair.I have unfinished business. The Cross Valley Link needs embedding into plans to relieve the Esplanade congestion and the around Harbour

Tui LewisI ’ve represented

Petone strongly as a Community Board member and would now like to represent Harbour Ward residents as an Independent at the Counci l tab le . I ’ m p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t c o m m u n i t y i n v o l v e m e n t a n d d e v e l o p m e n t a n d

work well in group situations. Being a good communicator, I listen and respond to the concerns of neighbours, residents and business owners making sure I get answers for them. The rebuilding of Petone’s McKenzie Pool has been achieved by being involved and engaging the community. I am President of the Petone Rotary Club and have Chaired the successful community patrol group for the past four years enabling me to work alongside some good people; achieving great outcomes for the community. Having open communications from the Community to Council is a passion of mine and I will ensure that the Harbour Ward has a committed and productive voice at the Council table. I work with my husband in our business specialising in disaster recovery backup for technology systems.

through this experience might have a different point of view so am putting my name forward. Considering a Ward, my concerns are for the increase in crime - in spite of the statistics - where there are far too many younger people resorting to use of a weapon as soon as they do not like something. I am also concerned with the destruction of trees and plant cover which does not seem to give any advantage; trees give us many good things.

Traffic is a continual problem. There have been several improvements in this area but driving competence is something that needs continual attention.

I am an energetic Councillor who meets and assists residents, informs the community on issues, and attends local events.

I a m o n t h e Eastbourne Community Board, attend the annual

Michael Lulich

walkway meeting, and visit local resident groups. I support the work done by the Board on the Emergency Response Plan.

I am on the Finance and Audit Committee that achieved one of the lowest rates increases in the country. In my first term as the Community and Infrastructure Committee’s Deputy Chair we achieved a new playground in Bishop Park, improvements to the swimming pool and essential infrastructure funding. I am proud of the Council’s speedy clean up after the June 2013 storm. I will continue to lobby for the completion of the Eastbourne cycle way and walkway and careful management of the Pencarrow access road.

I support the Council’s Economic Growth Strategy but I will continue to ensure that any future developments in Eastbourne and the Bays preserve the area’s character.

Karen SwannKia ora, I am 45,

married to Sean with 2 boys. I have been actively involved in my childrens’ education as past Plunket President and trustee on a local school Board. My w o r k b a c k g r o u n d i s management in

manufacturing/processing and I am degree qualified in Science and Engineering. I love gardening and being outdoors and my family like to bike as well as take advantage of the abundance of areas to swim locally. My motivation for standing is to offer the community a ‘fresh perspective’ and to have representation that is in touch with the average family. I would like to see more people use our fantastic resources e.g. swimming in the river and beaches by making both cleaner and more accessible. I would also promote free pool days to encourage new family usage. I am interested in ways that Council can influence businesses to set-up here and employ local people. This area used to be a bastion for industry, how can we change the tide of decline?

cycleway finished, Earthquake and storm preparedness initiatives bolstered. As councillor responsible for arts and events - participation is moving to a new level. This needs to be kept up.

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Hutt City Mayoral candidates

From the Mayor we constantly hear a plan for this, a planned hub for that, announcement to expand housing, announcement of cycleways etc. It never happens and it hasn’t for 15 years.

They do not have the ability to perform yet suck us for nearly $1m pa in mayor and council fees.

It is just not good enough. High Street is a mess but also an opportunity. I will fix this. Plan to be announced.

Also I think it prudent to delay spending $22m of our hard earned rates on the planned civic upgrade. If the Government decide it is amalgamation, that building will not be needed. If elected I will seek an immediate delay in the upgrade.

There are other projects (to be announced). Most of them will be paid by private investment.

I am retirement age this week but would like to put three years into the Hutt. It is my home. Please back me...I will create a major change and restore us back to our “rightful place” in NZ.

I’m married to Linda and we have a home nestled in the bush overlooking the valley.

I have had 20 years of local government experience including serving as your Mayor for the last 3 years. Under my leadership, Council has worked successfully together in achieving good results with record levels of investment in infrastructure.

I have delivered on ensuring low rate increases, reducing Council debt, more safety initiatives and appointing new staff to assist with business and focus on the CBD.

The City’s future is bright. We will build on the $250 million of new business investment in our city already achieved under my mayoralty.

My vision for our City is that it continues to be vibrant and inclusive, caring for all our residents. We must maintain the heritage and village feel of Eastbourne and Petone.

A vote for my strong stable leadership will continue the positive momentum that delivers a city we can all be proud to call home.

Phil Stratford Ray Wallace

Max Shierlaw has missed the point in the proposal that the speed limit on Seaview Road be lowered.

He suggests that Council officers had proposed lowering the speed limit but you have correctly recorded that “Council Officers had not been concerned with the speed limit” and were only obliged to seek the proposal because the businesses in Seaview Road requested it.

Shierlaw’s unwarranted attack upon Mr Welch for making comments at the Petone community board at which Mr Welch was not present highlights the view that Shierlaw has of community boards. He has never supported the idea of community boards, thinking that councillors alone know everything about all communities and should decide what will happen. In my opinion, in this and in many other things, Shierlaw is wrong.

The Petone Community Board did consider safety issues.

We questioned Mr Sparey on the accidents and asked for details, but apparently privacy concerns mean we cannot be told either the age or sex of the drivers or other details and we were only given numbers of accidents.

Both Councillor Jamieson and I suggested that if the issue for the professional drivers of the heavy trucks was having to cross traffic, then perhaps these professionals could ensure that they approached their yards by always being on the left-hand side of the road. By using the roundabout at Seaview and Randwick Roads to go down Port Road and then into Seaview Road their trucks would be on the left-hand side of the road to turn into their yards without having to cross traffic.

Given the information available, the Petone Community Board and the Eastbourne Community Board came to a reasonable decision.

Richard Cole Petone Community Board Member

(Retiring)

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by Emily Tilley

An ambulance donated by the Petone Rotary Club means the sick and injured in Gizo in the Solomon Islands will no longer have to travel to hospital in the back of a ute.

Delivered by Royal New Zealand Navy ship Canterbury, the ambulance arrived in Gizo this week and followed a training course for drivers by two Wellington free ambulance paramedics.

One of those paramedics was Petone Rotarian and instigator of the ambulance programme, Mike Bolton.

Mike has been a paramedic for four years. For 38 years before that he was a car dealer. When the ambulance service realised his background they asked him to help with valuing decommissioned ambulances before stripping them down and taking them to a car auction.

Mike thought there had to be a better use for the vehicles.

Over coffee with Rotary District Governor Howard Tong a plan was hatched. Rotary would join with Wellington Free Ambulance to send retired ambulances to where they were needed.

Two years ago an ambulance was sent to Fiji and the project was so successful that when

another ambulance became available this year Rotary decided to repeat the exercise.

Another Rotarian L t Co lone l Ph i l Collett identified Gizo as being in need and suggested it would be ideal as Canterbury would be able to deliver the ambulance.

Mike was thrilled t o b e a s k e d t o join extensive care paramedic Vanessa Simpson to travel to Gizo and train drivers on how to use the ambulance’s equipment and provide first response care to patients.

Mike says the two were warmly welcomed wherever they went in the Solomons and enthusiastically received by the people they worked with.

“Medical Director of the Western provinces, Dr Gregory Jilini was absolutely passionate. A really likeable local man,” Mike says.

“He was the person that made it happen over there.”

The ambulance trainees were drivers and security guards who had no previous medical training at all. “They were really keen,” Mike says. “They were there early in the morning, had no lunch and sat down and absorbed everything.”

The only problem was the drivers lack of understanding of English technical terms.

Mike and Vanessa took a mannequin for demonstrations and mannequin wasn’t in the

driver’s vocabulary. “Vanessa came up with calling it John Key,”

Mike says. “Every time it would be, ‘what’s wrong with

John Key now’ or ‘John Key’s unconscious’. They loved John Key.”

While Mike and Vanessa were there they also helped out at a local clinic mainly treating children for malaria and tropical ulcers.

“They’ve not got the same problems,” Mike says.

“They have crocodile attacks and people falling out of trees. You get spinal injuries when people fall out of two to three storey high coconut trees.”

To ensure the drivers’ skills are maintained yearly training for the next five years is planned.

Mike also hopes to continue finding new homes in far away places for local ambulances.

“There’s one that might be coming up… possibly the Cook Islands,” he says.

Ambulances replace utes as emergency vehicles

Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic Vanessa Simpson helps at a clinic in .


by Di O’Connell

Clark Stiles is a man who enjoys a good intellectual challenge. And a touch of intrigue. Like the recent request for information about a woman named as buried in the Catholic cemetery in Korokoro.

“When we started digging around we found she was involved in an enormous scandal in the 1920s – printed in the Truth. She’d shot through, abandoned her husband and children and the divorce trial made the newspaper. But then she just vanishes - we really wanted to know what became of her,” Clark says.

Despite exhaustive efforts to track her later life the cold case remains a mystery.

“I become quite personally involved putting the puzzle together,” Clark, who’s responsible for Hutt libraries heritage services and collection, says.

And he has a bit of history on his side – after 22 years curating at the Turnbull Library in Wellington and four at Petone library.

“I get satisfaction from helping people, pointing them in the right direction,” he says.

For most, Clark and his assistant Tricia Meehan help with phone or email enquiries, although people are welcome to come in.

Clark also gets a buzz from adding something to the collection - which stands at more than 8000 photos, newspapers, periodicals and books.

Like this “gem” - an original 1936 wages book from the Ford factory in Seaview that came to light during recent commemorations for the car makers founder.

Clark sees the future, of not just libraries but his specialist subject – heritage – will be different.

A growing area is family history, which he says is usually straightforward.

“Three quarters of our queries are family

A touch of intrigue adds to job satisfactionhistory and in five years that will go almost exclusively online, with libraries providing help and holding subscriptions to major online sites such as ancestry.com and findmypast.com”, Mr Stiles adds.

The other quarter is specialised loca l h i s tory which i s more “nebulous”, and more challenging to research.

Clark has his own ideas and sees more collaboration to get the Council’s three heritage agencies – the library, city council archives and Settlers museum working more effectively together.

For libraries in general “it’s a volatile period, with e-books in particular threatening to undermine traditional library services,” he adds.

But he says while libraries are closing in the UK and USA, here they are part of the community and Clark believes local people will fight to keep them open.

“Hutt City libraries are meeting the challenge, providing free wi-fi and automating functions so users can self-serve, leaving staff free to give more value added service,’ Clark says.

One goldmine is the growth of old newspapers available online.

Clark Stiles, Hutt City libraries Heritage co-ordinator.

“It’s a fantastic resource that can turn up a lot of stuff about ordinary people. Although some families might like some stories to remain in the past,” Mr Stiles says.


by Di O’Connell

A new look and new name. Petone’s historic outdoor swimming pool will reopen on Saturday 16 November after a $2.3 million redevelopment.

And it will revert to its original name the McKenzie Baths, in keeping with the historical significance to the Petone community, according to the Hutt City Council.

“There was a plaque on the front gate covered in a creeper with the words McKenzie Baths. This was removed before the redevelopment started and will be re-installed,” the Council’s Recreation Facilities Manager Stephen Keatley says.

But the upgrade nearly didn’t happen, the pool was threatened with closure in late 2011, mobilising the local community in protest. The council then decided to refurbish rather than scrap it.

“The pool is looking fantastic with all

the new pool surrounds, splash pad, upgraded changing facilities and entrance , plus with both pools now full of water the end is in sight,” Mr Keatley says.

F o r t h e weekend of 16 and 17 November the entry fee will be just 10 cents to celebrate the pool’s 80 years of service to the community.

“You could say that the redevelopment is a fitting birthday present,” Mr Keatley adds.

by Di O’Connell Plans to slow traffic on Bracken St have hit

a roadblock with residents unable to agree on a council scheme to reduce speeds.

Resident Mike Sammons wants “the council to acknowledge that on a residential road the speed of the traffic needs to be controlled for the safety of residents and users.”

The council is sympathetic - but not everyone’s happy with its traffic calming plan or its consultation process.

“We agree that something could/should be done, and are working with residents to find an arrangement that will be acceptable to all,” Hutt City Council’s general manager city

The original pool opened in 1933 and was named after Mayor of Petone and Baths Committee chairman David McKenzie.

Residents hit bump in the road over speed planinfrastructure Bruce Sherlock says.

The issue is that Memorial Park’s new artificial turf and the lights have attracted more people, later in the evening through the short tree lined street. “We weren’t consulted on Petone’s artificial turf. It was a non-notified consent. It could easily have been anticipated lengthening operational hours would impact on significant volumes of traffic.”

So a group asked the Council for help managing the flow and after consultation a plan to install speed bumps was devised.

The Council says the plan is supported by a majority of residents, however there is an objection to one bump by a minority of residents concerned about noise.

A modified plan to replace that speed bump with road markings hasn’t gone down well.

“I just want to see transparency on the Council’s consultation process - they asked us for over 50 percent support (of the 39 households) and they got it”, Mr Sammons says.

Other residents in the street object to this compromise, believing it will reduce the effectiveness of the scheme.

The issue has not yet been resolved and the council is waiting for further feedback from the residents, according to the Council.

“I have no real objection to football, my son plays. I’m all for having a good community resource but let’s put good solutions around it to reduce the impact on residents,” Mr Sammons adds.

Work continues on McKenzie Pool.

Pool’s name a link to Petone’s past


SPORTSir Gordon gives Petone sevens playersa few tips

by Di O’Connell

“No fried food whatsoever “… legendary All Blacks sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens’ infamously tough training regime isn’t just about taking players’ breath away on the field.

Petone Club captain Mike Carroll reckoned Titch was the best person to launch its 7s programme and share his wealth of knowledge about what it takes to be successful with the Open and Colts Saddlebacks teams - all XVs players keen to extend their off season training.

And there’s no-one better, Tietjens has coached the All Blacks Sevens team to ten World Series titles, two World Cups and four Commonwealth Games gold medals.

“I want them to go away with enthusiasm to make it in the game of 7s. The real key for young kids to aim for is a professional contract and a pathway to the Olympics (Rio 2016),” Sir Gordon Tietjens says.

Above, Gordon Tietjens lays down the law for budding sevens players. Photo: Billy Weepu.

AGM / General MeetingJackson Street Programme

Fireman’s Arms, 133 Jackson St., PetoneMonday 21st October 2013

5.30pm for meet & greetAGM starts 6pm sharpLight supper provided

RSVP: 18th October939 2811 / [email protected]

Updating of Constitution ProposedAll Jackson St. Business & Building Owners Welcome


Publication deadlines

November 2013Ad booking: Wed, Oct 23Ad copy: Thurs, Oct 24Deliveries: Nov 1/2

December/January editionAd booking: Wed, Nov 20Ad copy: Thurs, Nov 21Deliveries: Dec 1/2

email: [email protected] 562 7500


SPORTPetone club home to top female boxers

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by Steve McMorran

The Petone Boxing Club proved it is home to one of New Zealand’s top female boxers when Liz White recently became a national champion at youth level.

Now it has two top women fighters as it can also claim to be the home of Rebecca Jennings, the national elite women’s champion who has chosen the club as her base while she lives and works in Wellington.

White, born in the United States and resident in Wainuiomata, showed her outstanding promise when, aged 17 and as a relative novice, she won the under-60 kilogram division at this year’s national youth championships. The national championships are looming again and White, now 17 and weighing in around 57 kilograms, will vie for a title again in the lighter weight division.

Petone’s stable of top female fighters has increased with Jennings’ decision to train at the club while away from her regular base at Kapiti.

British-born Jennings is the national women’s champion in the senior 64 kilograms class and is

also a six-time world kickboxing champion. Her arrival in Petone boosts the club’s competitive profile and has a more long-term benefit because Jennings is hoping to train as a female elite coach.

She will train at Petone under head coach Robbie Martin, a Geordie who has won national recognition for his work with young boxers.

“Rebecca will train at the Petone club as a fighter,” said Martin, who runs the Petone club with wife Angie.

“And she will also train as a female elite coach which is a role to which she can bring a wealth of knowledge and experience.”

Jennings will work with Martin for around 12 months to learn the skills of a trainer and will then apply to the New Zealand Boxing Coaches Association for certification which will allow her to work directly with female fighters. She would be entitled at that stage to open her own gymnasium but Martin hopes she will remain at Petone to work with the club’s young female boxers.

Martin, a former fighter who is incredibly fit, is currently in training for a taxing fundraising project next month.

He will work with Feilding boxing trainer Ricky Bushell to raise money for a seven year old girl currently receiving treatment for cancer at Wellington Hospital.

In an event to be staged on October 12 at the Petone club, Martin will spar for 100 rounds. He will have eight sparring partners who will each spar a total of about 10 rounds and then, in the last 20 rounds, he will box club members or corporate sponsors in the hope of raising $1,000.

Liz White.

Petone rowers’ success a double-edged swordThe selection of four Petone rowers in

32-strong Central Rowing Performance Centre squad for the 2013-2014 season is both good news and bad news for the Petone Rowing Club.

While selection for the squad, which includes Olympic and world champions, gives the Petone quartet a place beside New Zealand’s elite rowers, it takes those rowers away from the club for most of the season, stretching its competitive resources.

The Central Rowing Performance Centre is one of four regional high performance centres established by Rowing New Zealand to provide a pathway to national representation and will be based at Marlborough’s Wairau Rowing Club. They will train under New Zealand elite coach Mark Stallard who will be assisted by national coach Marion Horwell, athletes development manager Mark James and RPC manager Michele

Munro.The Petone contingent in the squad comprises

Axel Dickinson, Erin-Monique Shelton, James McAnallen and Troy O’Reilly.

Dickison and Shelton, who is also part of the Rowing New Zealand summer training squad and was a member of the New Zealand’s women’s coxless quad which competed at this year’s world championships, have previously been members of the centre squad.

McAnallen, at under-21 level, and O’Reilly, at under-22, are newcomers and their addition to the squad at the start of the 2013-2014 season taxes Petone’s competitive strength.

Petone club captain Paddy O’Reilly, who is one of the competitive rowers who will have to hold the fort while the four squad members are absent, said while the club was delighted for any members given the opportunity to develop their careers, their loss was hard to overcome.

“From a club perspective, it can make things tough,” said O’Reilly who is scaling back his work as a plumber this season to concentrate more fully on his own competitive career.

“For a club to race in red coat events - at the elite level - is more and more difficult because the RPCs take the top rowers who would be the core of those crews,” he said.

O’Reilly said Petone was fortunate to have a very strong club culture which ensured that when the centre squad members were available, they returned to the club to assist at training camps and in other capacities.


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SERVICE EXPERTSThe Petone Chronicle

Editor/Publisher: Louise GobleReporters: Emily Tilley/Di O’Connell/ Steve McMorranAdvertising: Barb ScottEmail: [email protected]. petonechronicle.co.nz562 7500ISSN 2324-5824

Are you Petone’s oldest swimmer?The hunt is on for the oldest swimmer in

Petone.The McKenzie Baths will reopen on

November 15 after a $2.3 million redevelopment and Hutt City Council is hoping one the pool’s original patrons - someone who remembers the Baths as they were in 1933 - might be present to help cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony.

“We’d love to find one of the pools original swimmers,” said Stephen Keatley, the council’s Recreation Facilities Manager.

“As well as being able to hear their stories from the pool we’d like to invite them to join the Mayor in officially re-opening the pool on Friday, November 15.”

Keatley said if you think you are Petone’s oldest swimmer, or know someone who might be, you should send your name, age, contact

details and memories of the McKenzie Baths to [email protected].

Applicants can also write to Petone’s Oldest Swimmer, Private Bag 31912, Lower Hutt 5040.

The council will need to hear from applicants before Friday, October 25 and Petone’s oldest swimmer will need to make their own way to the pool and be available for the official opening ceremony on 15 November.

The McKenzie Pool will be open to the public again from 10am on Saturday, November 16.

The facility is in the final construction stage with commissioning and testing of the pools treatment plant, heating systems and equipment happening in the next few weeks.

Keatley said all three main contractors and the project manager have done a great job

keeping the project on track.When the pool is reopened it will be go

back to its original name the McKenzie Baths in keeping with the historical significance to the Petone community.

“There was a plaque on the front gate covered in a creeper with the words McKenzie Baths,” Keatley said. “This was removed before the redevelopment started and will be re-installed in a prominent position ready for the opening.”

While maintaining a link with the past, the redeveloped pool will have modern water treatment systems and play features for the kids.

“The pool is looking fantastic with all the new pool surrounds, splash pad, upgraded changing facilities and entrance, plus with both pools now full of water the end is in sight,” Keatley said.


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SPORT

by Di O’Connell

The loss may still be painful but the America’s Cup has sparked an interest in sailing in Petone.

The foreshore’s Heretaunga Boating Club says it’s at least doubled bookings for this month’s junior and adult Learn to Sail courses and expects that to increase with additional January courses.

“It’s bought the interest level higher in something they thought they’d always like to try, particularly adults,” Learn to Sail co-ordinator John Dement says.

“The amount of New Zealand expertise on both boats (Team NZ and Oracle) is really encouraging people to have a go… the television coverage and the fact we did so well to start with.

It will benefit NZ yachting and at club level,” he adds.

It’s a world away from San Francisco and big budget catamarans. Petone sails the popular small single-handed Opti class dinghies - no technology, standardised and with a spending limit.

It’s an even playing field “winning comes down to the skill of the sailors, not technology,” Mr Dement says.

“The buzz is being able to master the boats and you can just see with speed the adrenaline rises and they come back to shore really smiling and can’t wait to come back next weekend,” he says.

“But we do face the same issue as the

America’s Cup and if you have high winds (off Petone beach) we have a fall-back plan. Seaview marina is very co-operative, allowing us to use their facilities,” he adds.

Cup sparks sailing interest

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petone chronicle october 2013

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