Tuesday 14 February 2017
Present: Iain McLean, June Penhey, Kate Dreaver, Brian Sullivan, Jonathan Harker, Paul FitzGerald, Beccy Davis, Jenny Brash (GWRC), Rebecca Jackson (Wellington Regional Emergency Office).
Community: Peter Roach.
Apologies: Pauline Morse, Jonathan Harker, Dale Williams, Justine McDermott.
Approval of previous minutes
Take June’s name off attendees. See: December 2016 minutes.
Motion: adopt the minutes (with amendment) from the previous meeting. Moved Brian, seconded Paul. Carried.
Matters arising from previous minutes
See: December 2016 minutes.
Erosion at the beach
People are reading and commenting on the minutes and information on the website. Some netting has been put up, and a sign, but not all areas are covered.
Iain spoke to Tamsin Evans. They have the report and promise they will meet with us. Iain has asked Justine McDermott to follow up. The concern is that this will not be regarded as a priority, given the other storm repairs required around Porirua.
Community garden and food forest access agreement
Jonathan and Claire Giblin are following up on this. Don’t have an agreement to sign, but do have the access license from Kiwi rail. Iain and Jonathan met with Bill Inge over this and confirmed that we’re keen to progress.
Boat ramp
In progress. Probably held up by weather events and need for emergency repairs at other sites.
Beach bash
The event went ahead. We need to pay Steve the balance on the loss. (Note for next meeting – we need to figure out how we can fund expenses, including when there are demands for public liability insurance as per this event and the community garden).
Financial Report
Balance: $2,895.62 ($1500 for the trails)
Paid: Church hire and printing for Beach Bash.
To pay: This year’s Beach Bash expenses of $175, Brian’s printing expenses of $11, out of the $1500 for the trails.
Motion: Reimburse Brian. Moved Kate, Seconded Iain. Carried.
Motion: Reimburse Iain. Moved Brian, Seconded Kate. Carried.
Muri Road safety measures
Iain and Pauline walked this route with Bill Inge (PCC). On the whole, seems a good deal that will be safer for pedestrians. Bill has spoken with residents about keeping vegetation back off the footpath. PCC will prune vegetation around lights.
Pauline & Iain feel some of the vegetation pruning is excessive.
Action: Committee agreed that Iain will lead a walk along the road to identify vegetation that could be spared. We will feed back to Bill and he will incorporate this in his proposal to residents.
Ara Harakeke path
$40,000 of PCC Village Planning money allocated to that this year. The work may not be done, due to the cost of repair and the cost of other projects that have arisen with the storms. A possibility is to use this money to replace the lights on Muri Road.
Discussion that Ara Harakeke has been on the books for over 10 years. Situation is critical and we’re being bumped again.
GWRC Update
Report from Jenny Brash (GWRC). Jenny has been working with a new community adviser on transport. There is a public meeting on 3 March regarding the Paremata roundabout and station, a joint GWRC and NZTA presentation. Intention to make movement easier at peak hours.
Mackay’s Crossing to Pekapeka expressway is about to open, with an opportunity to walk it on Thursday. The official opening day is on Saturday.
There is a “meet the manager” event at the Porirua Railway Station tomorrow morning with David Boyd, Customer Experience Manager. Brian and Paul are intending to attend. Will talk about a lack of space for bicycles on the train, and a lack of shelter for people waiting for bus replacements.
GWRC have discussed the unreliability of the train replacement train timetable over January. Why can’t they do improvements at night like NZTA? Bikes on buses are working well in Wellington.
PCC update
- Green and Gold Heritage Trail: GWRC has assisted with installation of the timber sign frame (sign no. 1) on the rail platform. Kenepuru Engineers are finalising the design and cost of the associated stainless steel support frame. It is great that the PBRA is able to contribute up to $1,500 to this project.
- Muri Road safety work: Version 2 of the Downer road safety plan to address lighting, walkability and speed has been received. It incorporates feedback from the PCC roading team, PBRA committee members and a few changes identified during a recent walk-over. We are developing an approach for community consultation on the draft plan and possible timing of the work, and will seek your input before embarking on the next step.
- Community Garden (access): Payment of the licence fee (for year one) has now been made to KiwiRail. We are seeking advice on connection of the water supply, and two further costings for widening the platform access.
- Community Garden (food forest): The licence for use of Council land is yet to be signed by the PBRA. We will make sure you receive a copy of the simplified summary of the Council’s draft lease agreement to help with interpretation of the associated conditions and requirements of the licence. Olivia Dovey, PCC Parks Manager, has clarified that the PBRA will need to revise the garden plan yearly, for Parks sign-off. We are currently seeking alternate (and hopefully cheaper) annual premiums for the required public liability insurance.
- Te Araroa way-finding signage: This project was placed on hold in late 2016 and will be re-ignited in the next few weeks. A good first step would be to survey walkers about what signage is needed and where it should go.
- Ara Harakeke Extension (shops to Wairaka Road footpath): The outcomes of NZTA’s crash reduction study and safety improvement proposals were presented to the committee late last year. There is now further uncertainty surrounding this project as a result of the large slip affecting the SH1 footpath. NZTA is proposing to construct a retaining wall alongside the footpath, which would also require widening and resurfacing of the path (and might also affect the existing barrier). While we are unsure of the timing of this work, we’ll continue to liaise with PCC Roading to confirm this. We are conscious that timely decisions will need made to be made around reallocation of the $40,000 Village Planning funds in the event this project cannot proceed in the 2016/17 financial year.
Community Response Plan
Presented by Rebecca Jackson (Wellington Regional Emergency Office). Developing plans of how the community would look after itself in an emergency, working with the local Civil Defence group. Civil Defence Centres will become community hubs to reflect the fact that they are not staffed by officials. Have created guides that will sit in the hub so anyone can be involved in the implementation, and there is general information plus specific information for each community (e.g. resources, where needs are).
Discussion regarding marketing the water tanks through the school.
Information gathered from last year’s school gala and from the local emergency management plan needs to be further updated. There is also a need to activate the hub, and open it for the community and check that people can operate it. Students from the school are being trained in operating the radios.
Agreement that we will work with Justine, the local group and the school on the activation day. She may also attend the school gala.
Review of village plan – test of review process template
Kate provided a summary of the progress against the themes and actions in the 2011 Village Plan for discussion. The committee agreed that they would hold discussions with small groups to get ideas we can consult with the community on for a new plan.
Action: Paul and Brian will discuss with the heritage group.
Action: Becky to hold a discussion with young mums.
Action: Iain with discuss with the soccer captains.
Action: Kate will somehow connect with Pukerua Bay School.
Action: June will connect with some of her own friends.
Action: Kate to update document and email to everyone.
Green and gold heritage trails
Presented by Brian and Paul. The frame for the first sign is in place, with a purpose to generate discussion. Have met three times and built the frame. Have arranged through Bill and Richard Noakes to substantially reduce the cost as part of the station build – to tune of $2300. Had been priced at $4500!
Moving to next stage. Having timbers shifted to Ted’s place. Deciding on number of signs and preparing a submission for the next village plan budget round.
Met at school – visited their museum. Paul spoke to Richard Noakes and got the old station signs donated to the school. School’s 90th commemoration is coming up.
There will be a presentation at the School Gala, set up a classroom as per the time. Brian and Paul will dress up. Margaret and Ashley Blair are driving this, to pass heritage onto local children.
Pou is not on the Council asset list. Needs to be protected. Trying to establish ownership to ensure maintenance (e.g., oiling). Ted Coats and Hermann Salzmann involved in this.
Meeting with Ngati Toa – goal for them to write their history and for this to go up in a later cycle. Ashley is brokering these connections.
We’re starting our history from the former Winston site. All information to go on the RA website.
Pukerua Bay Community Café & Hub
Presented by Beccy Davis. Core group of seven has been working on the vision, and the online survey got well over 600 responses. Overwhelming support for concept of a café and community hub.
Have found a local friendly lawyer and are forming a charitable trust, Ahu Charitable Trust. About to submit to the Charities Commission under pillars of community and education.
Business modelling: as a social enterprise. A limited liability company owned by the charitable trust will provide income to fund the activities. Putting a business plan together. Group itself doesn’t have experience in hospitality, but lots of people who do are prepared to help.
Have met with the parish vestry twice, there is agreement on common goals. Would need to present it to them again and have it affirmed at the AGM. Parish states that they need an income from the building.
The next community engagement will be at the Pukerua Bay School Gala, in March.
Other Business
Toilets at Brendan Beach: they’re supposed to be being demolished, but this hasn’t yet been done.
NZTA survey: Iain spoke to Steve James, Wellington Regional Office Safety Engineer, about NZTA’s proposals for crash reduction in Pukerua Bay. NZTA has decided to investigate three pieces of work:
- A pedestrian refuge by the shops, but positioned further north than originally proposed in order to retain the right turning lane into Teihana Road
- Two speed indicator devices, one at the southern end of Pukerua Bay, and a replace for the one on the hill just north of the shops
- A new sturdy fence at the top of Pukerua Beach Road to replace the one that has been destroyed by vehicles several times in the past 2–3 years.
Meeting finished: 9.03 pm.
Next meeting: Tuesday 14 March 2017.