Waikawa Newsletter February 2022
Kia ora koutou kātoa,
Miraz Jordan here from the newly set up Waikawa News. Thanks for following along. If you change your mind and want to unsubscribe just look at the bottom of the email for a link. 😀 But I hope you'll stick with us.
This year so far has been marked by quite a few days with the temperature in the high 20s and a heap of rainfall — over 300 mm since 01 January 2022. Our water tank's full — quite a change from previous years where we've been wondering when to get Reggie in to fill it up.
Things seem to have been quiet around the place now that the Christmas holidays are over and done with. I've enjoyed several walks on the beach with absolutely no-one around, and just the birds for company. Those birds have included an entire flock of Spoonbills — I managed photos of about 15 clustered around a large driftwood log, sheltering from a cool southerly in the company of a few Pied Stilts.
Those who use the vehicle entrance off Manga Pirau Street will find Horowhenua District Council have added shingle to the start of the track, but the downhill portion is still pretty steep and rather torn up by vehicles that must have struggled to get up. I believe the Council plan to shingle more of it too.
Property sales seem to have slowed, with 4 places on the market at the moment: 44 Sarah Street (asking $800,000), 58 Manga Pirau Street, 75 Strathnaver Drive (enquiries over $849,000) and 10 Arthur Street (enquiries over $709,000). Meanwhile a January 2022 news item revealed that the Waikawa Beach median house value is $756,350.
This hasn't been a good season for swimming in the river. Weekly testing for E. Coli shows poor results. According to the Traffic Lights System we have seen 8 Red, 5 Orange and only 3 Green results as at 17 February 2022. That's very likely due at least in part to all the big rains we've had.
On the other hand, the good news is about finding a Rare Lamprey in Waikawa stream, thanks to the wonders of environmental DNA.
More good news: the now 60 year old, crumbling and mightily unpleasant toilet block is about to be renovated, from around mid-March 2022. Work may take until July or so and portaloos will be available while work is carried out. Should we take bets on how long it will actually take?
Sometimes I ask questions. Recently I learned that Horowhenua District Council spent around $13,000 per year over the last 8 years to plant spinifex at Waikawa Beach. That's a big investment in growing our place.
Another question that was recently answered was about SH1 between Ōtaki and Levin. I learned that in 2021 there were 37 crashes on the stretch of road, leading to 26 delays, 5 road closures and a sad 8 deaths. The article has data for a few previous years too.
Meanwhile, Waka Kotahi are working on measures to improve safety along that stretch of road. At a recent meeting I attended via Zoom I learned about the following plans:
- extend the roadside barrier from Waikawa Beach Road to the dairy and possibly add a proper footpath behind the barrier.
- pedestrian crossing to be updated to a larger refuge style where there are extra barriers that create a more protected kind of zigzag path for pedestrians.
- at the intersection with Waikawa Beach Road: remove several of the safe hit posts, widen the lane in the middle of road so there’s more room to turn; make the northbound shoulder immediately south of Waikawa Beach Road narrower in order to increase visibility.
There's also info in that item about the O2NL Expressway which is moving along as planned.
Meanwhile, even if like me you don't care for Facebook, there is an excellent page called Traffic Updates - Horowhenua Kapiti Wellington which has up-to-the-minute info on delays and other problems with the roads. Just don't go too deep into the Comments. 😀
If you're more of the cycling persuasion, there are two interesting items: we're still on track to get bike stands by the footbridge and the toilet block, but manufacturing delays mean we don't know exactly when they'll arrive.
And it's a bit more distant, but once the O2NL Expressway is complete it will include a shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists. We'll be able to get on and off it at Manakau, so a bike trip to Ōtaki or Levin for groceries and fitness would be a possibility. One day…
That makes this a handy Māori word to know: tawhiti: in the distance, afar.
We have wonderful dark skies here (I hope we can preserve them). Look east on a clear morning just before dawn and you'll see 'brilliant Venus with Mars and Mercury nearby'.
If you know of Waikawa Beach things that would interest others or have comments on this newsletter or the website please let me know at news@wow-waikawa.nz. If you want to suggest others subscribe to the newsletter please send them to: http://news.wow-waikawa.nz/about-waikawa-news.html.
Mā te wā,
Miraz