weka point update newsletter issue 6 april 10.pdf · weka update 2 issue 6: may 2010 not long after...
TRANSCRIPT
We would like to thank the following people / companies for there help with the developments at “Weka Point”
Newsletter: Vicky & Chris Herries
WEKA POINT UPDATE
Issue 6: May 2010
Mobile Milling: Tony Smith
Hi Everyone,
Welcome to the 6th Edition of the Weka Update. This newsletter is to keep you informed on the progress of rebuilding the Weka camp site into an exceptional outdoor centre for the youth of Hawke’s Bay.
Work is continuing on site with the cleaning up of large pine trees around the planned building area, plus cleaning and burning of rubbish around the site. The access track down to the main camping peninsular has been im-proved with the help of the Community Service workers who have been doing a fantastic job on the track.
A lot of work has been put in off site and we now have the final plans for each part of the infrastructure that needs to be built on the campsite. With the planning and costing of the project now completed we are now in full swing of the fundraising needed to make the project come together. The message we are trying to get out is
WE NEED YOUR HELP ! ! ! There is a whole range of ways that we need help and there is a range of opportunities that any member of the community may decide to give us a hand.
How could you help ?
Labour
Materials
Cash
Memories of Weka Peninsula
This article gives some of the history
behind the Weka Point huts that have stood on the Weka Peninsular over the
years.
WEKA UPDATE 2 Issue 6: May 2010
Not long after the first scout camp at Weka point in 1911 members of the original Weka patrol experimented with build-ing bivouacs and shelters of various descriptions on the Weka Peninsular.
The information about the construction of the first permanent shelter has been hard to gather, but photo #1 shows a picture of the hut in 1928 during a cub leaders training weekend. Wa-ter was collected in a simple drum from the roof. The weather vein on the roof was made by “Little John” and still remains in good condition today. The hut was destroyed by fire which left the campsite without permanent shelter.
In the late 1940’s it was decided that a new hut was needed for the campsite. The result was a substantial hut made from concrete blocks with an interesting entrance through an arch-way of timber limbs. The hut was official called the “Little John’s Hut” after John Cooksey (Little John) who started scouting in Hawke’s Bay at the Weka Point campsite in 1911. The hut was opened on the 3rd Dec 1949 by Hastings Mayor Ron Giorgi (photo #2). This official event was made extra spe-cial with Geraldine Absolom donating the 6.5 hectares of land at Weka Point to the New Zealand Scout Association, in mem-ory of her husband John Absolom of Rissington station. A man who like “Little John” gave a lot to the youth of Hawke’s Bay.
For many years the “Little John Hut” stood as the main fea-ture at Weka and remained a savoir in bad weather. Many hundreds of Hawke’s Bay youth recall Weka point and the sto-ries that came from weekend trips to the hut. The hut was maintained by the Little John Branch of Badin Powell Guild (see photo #4).
Disaster struck in the early hours of Boxing Day 1997 when a passing resident noticed the hut on fire. Nothing could be done to save the building from being destroyed. There was no evidence the fire was deliberately lit and the cause was thought to be smouldering embers or cigarette (photo #5). The campsite now sits as an empty canvas (photo #6) waiting. All the new structures planned for the site have been designed to minimise the risk of fire. Along with this insurance cover for all buildings will be in place to ensure the campsite has secu-rity going forward.
Original Weka Point hut (this photo taken in 1928)
“Little John Hut” (Photo taken 1974)
Many helpers kept the “Little John’s Hut” in top order
“Little John’s Hut” was destroyed by fire in 1997
The blank canvas of the Weka Peninsula
LEFT: Opening of the “Little John Hut” in 1949, from left Jim Hudson, Little John, Hastings Mayor Ron Giorgi, Millicent Giorgi, Jack Agnew, Archer Absolum, Major General Leslie Lockhart.
#1
#5
#4
#3
#2
#6
WEKA UPDATE 3 Issue 6: May 2010
Action at Weka Peninsula
A full working plan has now been put together. This is a huge project existing of a whole lot of individual projects that will come together to make the facility. For the whole project to come together we first need to install the infrastructure onto the site to give - access, drinking water and toilet facilities. With each component of the project we need help with LABOUR, MATERIALS & FUNDS.
Swing Bridge Safe access was quickly seen as the top priority before the site could be devel-oped. Health and safety is a big part of the project and the bridge will undergo a substantial refit to bring it up to the re-quired standards of today. The structural design is being put together by independent engineer-ing specialists in swing bridge design. The New Zealand Army engineers of the Linton Military Camp are interested in assisting us with the swing bridge as part of their community service.
Safe Drinking Water / Electricity The site needs a supply of safe drinking water and we plan to take the water from a well beside the river and pump it up to two tanks on the hill which will then supply the campsite. This also allows us to install fire hydrants beside the buildings. Originally the Weka committee was very reluctant to take electricity
down onto the site, but we are required to install UV water treatment for the drinking water. Bring-ing a 240 volt line down from the winch house to
the Weka Plateau has been the most cost effective option to both pump and treat the water. We will also use this electricity to
provide safe lighting for inside the buildings.
Toilet Block The existing toilet block was built in the day’s of BOY SCOUT’S, so the block needs to be ex-panded to cater for girls. We will also be adding shower and flush toilet facilities.
Education Facility / Dining Shelter This is going to be the heart of the project and will be used as the centre of activities on the site. The construction is a simple open sided pole shed, with a concrete floor for easy maintenance and cleaning. For cooking facili-ties there will be stainless steel benchers,
with gas elements (run off 9kg gas bottle) and a central open fire place that will enhance the atmosphere of being
in the great outdoors.
Activities Key to making this site an outdoor education facility will be the construction of on site activities. These will be based around what youth have requested for the site and will include flying fox, mudslide, group challenges, oren-
inteering, abseiling and many more. The Venturers in Hastings and Napier have been asked to assist with planning and construction of these on site activities.
Sleeping Huts
The huts are low maintenance simple construction with marae style sleeping platforms with mattress. Each hut can sleep up to 20 people with up to five huts planned depending on the funds that are available.
WEKA UPDATE 4 Issue 6: May 2010
Weka Committee
Chairman: Nathan Foster (Zone Scout Leader)
Ph: 871-0733 [email protected]
Secretary: Dave Charteris (St Augustine Scout Group)
Ph: 836-6099 [email protected]
Treasurer: Phil Crombie (Zone Treasurer)
Debbie Leahy
Greendale-Tamatea Scout Group)
Ph: 842-0046 [email protected]
Tony Harrison
Greendale-Tamatea Scout Group)
Ph: 843-3600 [email protected]
Andrew Wilton
(Rata Olsen Scout Group)
Ph: 877-3985 [email protected]
Ron Allen
(Zone Associate Member)
Ph: 878-3610
Chris Herries
(1st Windsor Scout Group)
Ph: 878-8306
Tim Nichols
(Havelock North Scout Group)
Ph: 877-1993 [email protected]
Chris Friedeman
(Havelock North Scout Group)
Ph: 877-9248 [email protected]
Ian Paterson (Associate Member)
Ph: 878-4883 To book the Weka Point Campsite please contact: Nathan Foster [email protected] Phone 871-0733
Newsletter:
Vicky & Chris Herries
FINAL PLANS OF MAIN BUILDINGS
Dining Shelter
End View of Huts
Huts Design