Regularly throughout the year, the Mapua Community Association monthly meetings hosts various “hot topic” sessions. At this month’s meeting on Monday May 14, we enjoyed the company of our own MDCA executive team member Naomi Aporo (Ngāti Koata) presenting with local scientist Aneika Young (Ngāti Rārua, Te Ātiawa). The presentation titled “Whatungarongaro te tāngata toitū te whenua,” was focused on our common connection through the land. It provided a summary of pre-colonial history in our area from 850 AD through to the colonisation period in the mid-1800s. It highlighted sites of significance in our area including Te Papa and Mamaku pā sites, and hot spots for occupational sites now considered “cultural precincts.”
The presentation also touched on the complexity of the Māori landscape today, but encouraged us to continue to build historical knowledge in a way that supports our ability to honour the past and reflect our unique historical story in the way we make land development decisions. We look forward to continuing these discussions as we continue to shape our community in the future.
Roads and Pathways
The Higgs Road pathway is complete as is the School refuge crossing which has greatly improved the entrance way to Mapua. The Seaton Valley Road footpath is being tendered. The Seaton Valley Stream walkway is back on the agenda and MDCA Executive Cmte member Wayne Chisnall has met with TDC staff to confirm the route and agree which sections will be prioritized. Access is available from Moreland Place onto the Moreland Reserve and this will connect with the new reserve along the stream in front of the new Aranui subdivision. A ford will be built over the Morely Drain. No progress has been made with a proposed pathway from Jessie Street to Aranui Road.
AED Support:
Memoranda of understanding are being discussed with the owners of our 4 local AED devices available to the public. Club Mapua has generously donated $450 to cover a battery and pads replacement should this be required.
Dominion Flats
Those of you who have been to Dominion Flats recently will agree that there has been fantastic growth in this reserve. This is all due to the hard work put in by so many to get the plants into the ground to begin with and then the regular help to control the weed growth. This has been helped by plenty of rain and sun with not too much wind this year.
We are excited to have received a Creative Communities Grant of $1250 from TDC for Mapua School to use towards a mural in the underpass (covering existing graffiti). We hope the school will be able to incorporate the project into their arts programme during the year.
We now are filling some bare patches in three areas which have not had much attention so we had two well attended planting weekends on 19/20 and 26/27 of May and look forward to more participation and plantings in June. If you want to know more about the Dominion Flats project, please contact Helen Bibby 035403830
Water Infrastructure Subcommittee
Bruno Lemke, MDCA member and convener of the Water Infrastructure Subcommittee, gave an oral presentation to the TDC of our submission to the current TDC Long Term Plan. At the presentation Bruno presented a first-hand experience of the personal distress people experienced (such as lost valuables) during the cyclone Fehi Ruby Bay flooding event and are still experiencing now, such as increased insurance premiums. He reminded councillors that the Tait street storm water upgrade was not completed as per the plans from years ago; that there are incomplete storm water connections from Pine Hill Ave and the seawall in front of Broadsea Ave is not up to required specifications (as per the consent).
Bruno also thanked the councillors for the excellent help council staff gave after the event, but reminded them of the inadequate warning system immediately before the storm even though the extent of the flooding had been accurately modelled previously.
Waterfront Advisory Group
This group is being dissolved and reorganized as the Waterfront Area Master Plan Working Group (WWG). Mike Kininmonth & Marion Satherley volunteered to represent the MDCA in this group with Martyn Barlow remaining as rep in the meantime.
Two motions were passed to provide feedback to the TDC on their Proposed Terms of Reference for the Group. Both motions are intended to ensure that the Working Group is a co-operative entity with TDC and community having equal rights to information sharing and input; and composed of chosen members representative of TDC and community stakeholder groups who are mandated to state and promote the views and positions of those stakeholder groups.
Waterfront Park
The TDC and MDCA have signed off on the purchase of a public BBQ for the park and a grant is being applied for with the Rata Foundation. The Mapua School has taken on the further repair of the 2 Aquarium commemorative “picture frames.”
General Business
It was sadly noted that Mapua Hall adopted cat “Tiger Lily” died recently. She was taken to a vet for her final wander around the village and big hall in the sky.
Join us at for our next meeting: 11 June, 7 PM at Mapua Hall.
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