Monthly Archives: November 2016

Keep Newtown Clean

Keep Newtown Clean
3rd December, 9am-12noon
This is our quarterly Newtown clean up morning!
Volunteers are needed for painting out graffiti, cleaning and gardening. This is a great way to get involved with the community – just come along between 9 and 12, and meet at the SB Maintenance van outside Newtown New World.  Wear old clothes, all equipment will be provided.  Free BBQ sausages for all volunteers!
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Rotary Club of Wellington South “Pride of Workmanship Awards” 2016

 

Congratulations to Dave and Liz O’Sullivan of SB Maintenance.  We nominated them for this award in recognition of all they do for Keep Newtown Clean, and we were very happy to see them receive their awards on Wednesday 23rd November.

Pride of Workmanship awards

Pakize Sari (co-awards presenter) Rhona Carson (Newtown Residents Association – nominator) Liz and Dave O’Sullivan (SB Maintenance Limited – recipients) and Geoff Atkinson (guest speaker and awards presenter)

Since July 2013, SB Maintenance, owned by Dave and Liz O’Sullivan have supported the Keep Newtown Clean project, a voluntary project initiated by Newtown businesses/residents. For 18 months, KNC volunteers met on the first Saturday of the month from 9 – 1pm. SB Maintenance scoped out areas requiring attention prior to the event, prepared the necessary resources (graffiti paint out, graffiti removal, rubbish collection, gardening) and coordinated the volunteers on the day.

Dave and Liz declined to receive any payment from council for the work they were doing, stating, “If the Newtown community are volunteering their time, we will do the same.”

The commitment by the Newtown community/volunteers and SB Maintenance has restored pride in the community and beautified Newtown. As a result, volunteers and SB Maintenance now only need to meet quarterly.

Dave and Liz live and operate their business in Petone. They are committed to the communities they work in and have an ‘attention to detail’ ethic, which provides Wellingtonians and WCC with a professional/quality and timely service.

 

 

November meeting minutes

Notes from the Newtown Residents’ Association Meeting
Monday 21st November

See the full minutes of the meeting here.

Annual Accounts
These were presented to the meeting and accepted – at the time of the AGM in September they were still with the auditor.
Submissions
WCC Draft Playspaces Policy – NRA submission made
Airport runway extension S274 Notice – ready.
Introducing Ray Tuffin
Ray is the Newtown Community Liaison Officer employed by Wellington City Council, and has been in the job 3 weeks. Ray is the link between Community and Council – you can contact him on ray.tuffin@wcc.govt.nz if you have anything to report or discuss concerning WCC services.
He outlined his role and some current WCC projects coming to Newtown –

  • Blindsquare – an app helping blind people navigate around business area and shops based on verbal directions.
  • Eyeson – Retail security program to link businesses with other support to prevent shoplifting.

An office at 8 Constable Street will be Ray’s base, and also available for other community use.
See the full minutes for more about what Ray has been doing.
Emergency Response
Ray and Bessie were among the WCC staff on duty at the WREMO centre 24/7 since the earthquake on 14/11.  They described how this unfolded and the many tasks WCC were involved with in helping people .
Issues for the 2017 WCC Annual Plan
We have started thinking about what we might include in a submission to WCC next year. Please contact us if you have any comments or anything to add!
Suggestions

  • Carrara Park facilities – drinking water and toilet
  • General beautification – particularly trees
  • Support laneways project – currently in CBD, extend to Newtown?
  • Perhaps include signage too
  • Query about whether WCC ‘Placemaking’ project is still current
  • Love the Bay has found people want spaces to rest and watch
  • Reclaiming poster bollards
  • Sculptures about the place – would Wellington Sculpture Trust operate in suburbs?
  • Working with Newtown School on plans for the swimming pool

This was the final formal meeting for 2016 – next meeting Monday 20th February 2017.

November meeting notice

November meeting: Monday 21st November, 7.30 pm at the Newtown Hall, 71 Daniell St.  All welcome!

This will be a great opportunity to meet Ray Tuffin, the newly appointed WCC Newtown Liaison Officer, and hear about what he can do to help all Newtown residents and business people in their dealings with the Council. In his two weeks in the job he has already been following up complaints about weed growth, flooding, and other issues that have been plaguing us. He has been out and about, meeting people and getting to know the community, and is very enthusiastic about his new role.  NB – working with WREMO on facilitating a Newtown Community Response Plan is among Ray’s priorities.

Also, the November meeting is the last formal Residents’ Association meeting for the year and a good time to discuss any issues we would like to see included in the 2017 WCC Annual Plan – the call for submissions will come out before our next meeting in February, so lets be prepared!

Prince of Wales Reservoir – Public Information Afternoon

Thursday 24 November, 3:30 – 7:30, venue: Massey Executive Suite

Improving emergency water supplies for central Wellington should be very much in everyone’s thoughts at present! Wellington Water is holding a public information afternoon on 24 November, as part of the resource consent process. See their Q&A Sheet and a Timeline/Roadmap for more about the project.

Executive Seminar Suite, Gate A, Massey University, Wallace Street, Mount Cook. Parking Available through Gate E, Tasman Street