Our AGM is Thursday, 20 October 2011, 7:30 pm in the Ngaio Town Hall, followed by supper. All welcome! We expect a short meeting with lots of time afterwards to chat informally over tea and biscuits. Some of our local councillors and Mayor Celia Wade-Brown will be there, so you can catch up with them too.

The issue of the day is changing our name from Ngaio Progressive Association to Ngaio and Crofton Downs Residents Association. We represent the residents of both suburbs, so want a name that says so.

Come and find out more about us. You may like to:

• Become a member of the association.
• Join our committee. We just do the things that most interest us, such as taking part in planting bees, designing pamphlets, helping with the website, writing submissions to council, or organising local events. No-one does everything – or too much.
• Offer to help with one or two specific events such as the junk drive or a planting bee.

Read our 2011 newsletter to see what we achieved during the year.

As the weather gets warmer, the plants and trees in Orleans-Makererua Reserve are getting active.  If you just walk along the track it looks much the same from one week to the next. But if you look carefully, you will see that a lot is happening…

Read more on our Green Scene blog…

Spring growth

We aren’t holding a junk drive this year so your old toasters and broken chairs are safe for a while. Our next junk drive is this time next year. Let us know if you want to help!

The spring flowers are out all over Ngaio – but winter still had a sting in its tail!

It started snowing in Ngaio on the afternoon of Sunday 14 August. Soon after, the valley was filled with the sound of laughter. Then it got colder… Next day, the hills were beautiful.

Snowing in Ngaio, 14 Aug 2011

Snow in Makererua St, 14 Aug 2011

Towards the Crows Nest, 14 Aug 2011

Snow on Crofton Downs hills, 15 Aug 2011

Snow on Ngaio Hills 2, 15 Aug 2011

Snow on Ngaio Hills 3, 15 Aug 2011

The snowy roofs of Ngaio, 16 August 2011

The kids have been out and having fun in the snow.

Snowmen of Ngaio 16 Aug 2011

Snowmen of Ngaio 16 Aug 2011

Its 20 years since community volunteers banded together to help rescue Trelissick Park from years of neglect.

Long term park campaigner, Frances Lee, features in this WCC news release.

The Christchurch earthquake reminded us how important it is to know our neighbours and community.  We are determined to become the best-connected community in Wellington.

With this in mind we held an evening recently for local organisations to connect with other local groups.

Network Ngaio supper, July 2011

The attendees were enthusiastic, the food excellent, the networking opportunities appreciated.

Ngaio School gala 2011

Ngaio Progressive Association had a stall at Ngaio School Gala on 13 March. We met lots of locals and enjoyed the fun.

Ngaio's war memorial plaque

The carpark opposite Ngaio’s town hall has a small memorial to local soldiers killed during the two world wars. Ngaio Progressive Association donated the two plaques in 1959.

Several weeks ago a resident discovered one plaque had disappeared, presumably stolen. Wellington City Council has now cast and installed a replacement.

NZ History has more about the memorial.