Pepuere (February) 2020 WBRA Newsletter
Kia ora koutou katoa. Cool nights; hot days. Dandelions and parched lawns. As we ease towards autumn, summer has arrived.
- Hard rubbish collection — we need you!
- Recycling station update
- Secretary's computer
- Feral cats?
- Ant problems
- Burglaries
- Waikawa Beach values
- Property news
- Subscriptions and membership details
Hard rubbish collection — we need you!
Our Chair, John Hewitson, has spent hours this month trying to organise trucks for the special inorganic rubbish collection we hoped to provide as a community service in April. However the world has moved on, Levin Container Waste has changed and he's having trouble even finding a truck that can do the work. One quote was for $1500 for a single truck for the day. In the past we've had 2 trucks, one with a hoist for the heavy stuff. And that cost around $700.
Another option would be to have a skip at Hank Edwards Reserve for a day, but we'd have to staff it all day and folks would have to bring their rubbish to the skip.
Do you have any connections that could help us? Do you know of an available truck that could come one Saturday in April to collect people's old fridges, bits of fencing, couches and sundry other inorganic waste? If so, please contact us urgently at wbra.committee@gmail.com .
Recycling station update
We are still discussing options for the recycling station with Horowhenua District Council. So far they've rejected our ideas for alternative locations because they don't meet criteria for safety and other things.
This issue will pop up on the Committee agenda to discuss our approach for next summer. We didn't ask for the station — the HDC simply supply it, as they do for other beach communities — but we can ask them to take our views into account.
If you have opinions on the recycling station then let us know. wbra.committee@gmail.com . You may have ideas for whether we need it or not, when it might be available, where it might be placed, or perhaps alternatives.
Secretary's computer
The Secretary of the WBRA needs a computer that can handle emails, store files, allow them to take Minutes and so on. People don't always have suitable equipment of their own. We'd like to thank the generous members of our community who recently saw the need and banded together to supply a suitable laptop for the Secretary to use. It's already being appreciated!
Feral cats?
Recently two or more skinny ginger cats have been roaming, especially in the Strathnaver area. If you think these may be your cats, please let us know. wbra.committee@gmail.com
If they are ferals or strays then community members are concerned that they may not restrict themselves to catching stoats, rats, rabbits and mice, but may turn their attentions to the pheasants, birds, lizards, frogs and other treasured wildlife. And if they are non-neutered cats we may soon see a surge in unwanted cat numbers.
Apparently SPCA can supply cat traps, so this could be an approach to dealing with the issue.
Note: if you own cats, it's a very good idea to have them micro-chipped.
Ant problems
There's a bit of an ant problem in these parts.
One local contacted us: We found our Bach seething with small black ants…
Our answer: Go to Mitre 10's gardening section and buy an Ant Attack parcel. It costs about $35.
We've also had reports of ants getting into the electrics, such as power points, and causing problems with shorts.
Burglaries
Although we haven't heard much from the Horowhenua Neighbourhood Support team lately, we have heard of burglaries in Manakau and other nearby spots. Please lock up your belongings, and keep an eye out for one another in your neighbourhood.
Notice vehicles that are around and report any suspicious behaviour to Police.
It's a good idea to meet your neighbours and exchange contact details too.
Waikawa Beach values
As Horowhenua grows the things we hold dearest about Waikawa Beach may be put under pressure.
In 2008 Corydon Consultants surveyed Waikawa Beach residents and learned that people valued the natural environment and the undeveloped, low-key style of development, low rates, proximity to Levin and Ōtaki and the feeling of safety.
Things people didn't like were to do with new housing development, vehicles on the beach disrupting the recreational experience for others and damaging the environment, and deterioration in environmental qualities.
Read the report for yourself at: https://waikawabeach.org.nz/2020/residents-survey-2008/ . It's available as a downloadable PDF (10 Mb). How would you respond to the questions that were asked 12 years ago? Please add your comments to that blog post.
Property news
For sale: 45 Manga Pirau Street, 3 Norna Grove, 101 Emma Drive, approx 49B Kristin Place (77 hectares). Under contract: 5 Strathnaver Drive. Sold: 61 Emma Drive.
Subscriptions and membership details
Already paid? Thank you!
It's time to pay your subs. We now use a service that allows us to send receipts if we have your email address.
We're also updating our member database. Please visit waikawabeach.org.nz/subs-form to send us your current contact details (and sub payment date) so we can make sure our membership list is up-to-date. Please actually supply the details in case what we already have isn't what you think it is.
Subs this year are the same as last year: $25.
Pay online to account 03 0667 0268929 000. Include your name and beach address so we know who's paid. There's not a lot of space on the bank form, so please also fill in the form mentioned above or email wbra.committee@gmail.com with your name, beach address, postal address, most up-to-date email address and date of payment so we can make sure our records are completely up to date.
Or, post a cheque to E White, PO Box 30309, Lower Hutt. However you pay your subscription be sure to include your beach address and name.
Whāia te mātauranga! — Pursue knowledge!
Ngā mihi nui,
Miraz Jordan