Makererua - Heke St steps July 2010

The steps between  Makererua and Heke  Streets are now open again.   They have a new hand rail, a very smart gutter, and a new pathway at the bottom.

You can walk  along the Pukatea Track  to Orleans Street in about 10 minutes.  The track starts at the  bottom of the steps.

Planters in action, 2010

View upstream

A dog's view

Nearly finished

Ngaio Progressive Association had another working bee behind the Playcentre on Silverstream Road recently.

Armed with spades and grubbers, we planted out 100 shrubs from Wellington City Council in a couple of hours.

We planted shrubs that enjoy growing beside streams - such as flaxes, kowhai, wineberry.  Closer to the Huntleigh Park bushline we planted long term species such as  rimu, rewarewa, tawa.

We found a few bottles, car parts and an escaped kangaroo (which we lobbed back into the Playcentre.)

Earlier planting bees

This was our 5th planting bee.  Our first was in 2006.  It’s great to see that the akeake and olearia  are growing well.  Many shrubs we planted earlier struggled with rank grass and, in turn, over enthusiastic weed cutting.

Do you know where this is?

Do you know where this reserve is? What about going to have a look? The entrance is off Orleans Street.

Entrance to Orleans Reserve

The Pukatea Track goes from Orleans St Reserve to Makererua St. It takes about 10 minutes.

Makererua St steps closed for repairs

The walkway at the end of Makererua St leading up to Heke Street is having a make-over.

Contractors are building new steps and installing a new handrail. The path at the bottom of the steps will also get some attention.

The walkway will reopen on 15 May - all going well.

Nairnville Park macrocarpa hedge

Wellington City Council will remove the hazardous macrocarpa hedge from the western edge of Nairnville Park soon.  Work begins on 3 May and finishes three weeks later - weather permitting.

The trees have to go because:

• they are mature and in poor condition
• they are close to houses and the sports field
• several trees have already failed.

Council is  working on a landscape plan to replant the area this winter.

Council says the park will still be open for sport but walking tracks around the site will close during the project for safety reasons.  They will sell the useful timber and wood and mulch the rest.

A Ngaio historian wants public feedback on a proposal to give the reserve in Tarikaka Street the name ‘Carran Park’. Bruce Carran was the lawyer who played a major role in helping railway settlement tenants buy their homes from NZ Railways in 1989.  However, he was later linked with the collapse of the Druids Friendly Society.

City Life-Independent Herald ran the story this week and sent us a copy.

Scoundrel or Hero? Page 1 Independent Herald 17 February (PDF)

Scoundrel or Hero? Page 15 Independent Herald 17 February (PDF)

The paper wants your feedback.  So do we!  Send your comments to:

editorial@citylifenews.co.nz

Wellington City Council is planning to classify 37 sites around Wellington as reserves to give them more protection.  They are places that most of us already regard as reserve or wilderness  but they lack official reserve classification.

Two of these sites are in the Outer Green Belt near Ngaio.

• Awarua Street Reserves - above Awarua Street and Vasanta Avenue
• Kilmister Tops - part of the main ridge behind Crofton Downs and Otari-Wilton’s Bush

“It is all good news as far as Ngaio Progressive Association is concerned.  We feel passionate about our backdrop and skylines. they are part of our identity.”

The Council wants your ideas, and is calling for submissions by 12 February.

Read more on the Wellington City Council website.  This includes maps of the sites and brief descriptions of them.

Wellington City Council is planning to upgrade two of the tracks up Mt Kaukau -  the Northern Walkway route and the Summit Track from Woodmancote Road.

It is replacing eroded steps, upgrading sections of the track and improving drainage.  This means the tracks will be closed from time to time for safety reasons.

Council says to watch out for signs indicating track closures and alternative routes to use.

Read more: Press release, Wellington City Council, 15 Dec 2009

There is now a new dog exercise area in Ngaio’s Chelmsford Reserve, and an extended off-leash area in Trelissick Park in Ngaio Gorge.   The City Council made changes to its dog policy in early December 2009.

Read more: Press release, Wellington City Council, 15 Dec 2009

There are over 8,000 registered dogs in Wellington, according to the Wellington City Council.  And they need places to run around off the leash.

The Council is reviewing its  Dog Control Policy.   One proposal is for five new dog exercise areas - including one in Chelmsford Reserve, Ngaio.  A draft Dog Policy went out  for public consultation in June. Submissions to the Council are due in by 7 August.

Read more: Wellington City Council news, 1 May 2009

Read more: Draft Dog Policy, Wellington City Council website