Here's a video about another street in Australia who are dreaming big and being sustainable.
YouTube 'sustainability street'
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Raumati South Station? Not on the WRC Plan, so go ahead and comment on the Plan
We received an email the other evening from the Raumati South Residents Association regarding the Wellington Regional Councils Transport plans.
Basically, get online to the WRC web site and ensure you have your say regarding a station at Raumati South.
Here's the email that explains what to do:
From:
RSRA Incorporated
Sent:
The draft programme is out for consultation, and has not included completion of the Kapiti railway i.e. the building of Raumati train Platform. Don’t stand for this! There is almost nothing of relevance to Kapiti in the draft plan!
There are PDFs of the relevant documents and below those is the Have Your Say on line submission form link.
1. the Projects GW outline; and
2. the Priorities GW outline
"I would like to see included in the Projects – the completion of the Kapiti railway line project through construction of the Raumati platform for use by commuters and to create a much needed public transport access to Queen Elizabeth Park."
Under 2. Priority Rankings, there is a Box for writing in Priorities you ‘d like to see:
2. Raumati is the only community on the Western line without a platform. Please finish the project and don’t leave things on the western line incomplete.
3. The case for Raumati Platform as a commuter station has been long established – it didn’t go ahead in 2009 as the government funds allocated for it, were used for Waikanae instead, when GW ran into trouble there.
4. Two petitions for the platform have been presented over the years with more than 3000 signatures on each.
6. In addition to the commuter population’s needs, GW’s programme should be serving the recreational needs of people using QE Park, especially as a Heritage Trail is planned with the northern (Raumati) end of the Park being a part of this, with linking walkways and cycleways.
7. QE Park has a northern entrance on Poplar Avenue; and this could be accessed by people using public transport by alighting from the train at Raumati Platform. Paekakariki station is too far from the Park to be of use, leaving private transport the only option for regional visitors to the Park.
8. The siting of a platform is entirely independent of the ongoing Expressway debate. The NZTA interchange at Lower Hutt was built around the rail system design; and this approach should be replicated in Raumati, if an Expressway ever proceeds. GW should take a leadership stance on this.
9. The platform should be sited on the eastern Railway side of SHI with an overbridge to Parking on the West side. This is the same as Paremata, Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton etc whose communities enjoy overbridges to/from their platforms over SH1. The Platform would then be a 7 day a week platform catering for commuters, transport between our villages and recreational users through also providing a long awaited public transport option for visiting QE Park.
10. Let’s just get on and do it – "it’s only a Platform" – as Regional Chair Fran Wilde once said – let’s make it happen and include the completion of the Kapiti railway line in this 2012 -15 land transport programme, with further detail to be developed in the specific Rail Plan."
For Raumati Public Transport Action Group
Basically, get online to the WRC web site and ensure you have your say regarding a station at Raumati South.
Here's the email that explains what to do:
From:
Sent:
Saturday, April 14, 2012 9:05 PM
To:
undisclosed-recipients:
Subject:
Raumati Rail Platform - help make it happen in our Regional Transport Plan
Greetings,
The draft programme is out for consultation, and has not included completion of the Kapiti railway i.e. the building of Raumati train Platform. Don’t stand for this! There is almost nothing of relevance to Kapiti in the draft plan!
Make a comment in the link set out below; then forward this email on to your networks and invite them to do the same.
Feedback on the draft can be given on line at www.gw.govt.nz/have-your-say but only up till 4th May 2012.
Open the link above and then click on the section for draft Regional Land Transport Programme.
The structured feedback form asks for overall ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ votes on supporting:
1. the Projects GW outline; and
2. the Priorities GW outline
Under 1. Projects
- there is a Box for writing in Changes you’d like to see: Please feel free to use the following summary recommendation to copy and paste into the Box; or to devise your own:
"I would like to see included in the Projects – the completion of the Kapiti railway line project through construction of the Raumati platform for use by commuters and to create a much needed public transport access to Queen Elizabeth Park."
Under 2. Priority Rankings, there is a Box for writing in Priorities you ‘d like to see:
Please feel free to use the following summary recommendation to copy and paste into the Box; or to devise your own:
" Completion of the Kapiti railway project through the construction of Raumati platform is a longstanding priority that was deferred in 2009 solely due to budget miscalculations for Waikanae. This last part of the Kapiti railway project requires Top priority so that Raumati people, like all other communities the track runs past, can use the train and also to offer a public transport access option to users of Queen Elizabeth Park who presently must use private transport to go to the Park."
3. Then there is a third box - Any Other Comments – this is a good space to copy and paste all or any parts that you support of the following section summarising the ideas that the community has presented to GW over many years; and/or add your own comments:
"BUILD RAUMATI PLATFORM TO COMPLETE THE KAPITI RAILWAY LINE
1. GW has omitted from the draft programme, the full completion of the Waikanae/Western line railway plan – on the Plan now for more than 20 years.
2. Raumati is the only community on the Western line without a platform. Please finish the project and don’t leave things on the western line incomplete.
3. The case for Raumati Platform as a commuter station has been long established – it didn’t go ahead in 2009 as the government funds allocated for it, were used for Waikanae instead, when GW ran into trouble there.
4. Two petitions for the platform have been presented over the years with more than 3000 signatures on each.
5. The case still stands – Raumati population = 8,000 +; only a 8% pick up rate on public transport by Raumati people as opposed to 21+% in Paraparaumu and Paekakariki where stations are available.
6. In addition to the commuter population’s needs, GW’s programme should be serving the recreational needs of people using QE Park, especially as a Heritage Trail is planned with the northern (Raumati) end of the Park being a part of this, with linking walkways and cycleways.
7. QE Park has a northern entrance on Poplar Avenue; and this could be accessed by people using public transport by alighting from the train at Raumati Platform. Paekakariki station is too far from the Park to be of use, leaving private transport the only option for regional visitors to the Park.
8. The siting of a platform is entirely independent of the ongoing Expressway debate. The NZTA interchange at Lower Hutt was built around the rail system design; and this approach should be replicated in Raumati, if an Expressway ever proceeds. GW should take a leadership stance on this.
9. The platform should be sited on the eastern Railway side of SHI with an overbridge to Parking on the West side. This is the same as Paremata, Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton etc whose communities enjoy overbridges to/from their platforms over SH1. The Platform would then be a 7 day a week platform catering for commuters, transport between our villages and recreational users through also providing a long awaited public transport option for visiting QE Park.
10. Let’s just get on and do it – "it’s only a Platform" – as Regional Chair Fran Wilde once said – let’s make it happen and include the completion of the Kapiti railway line in this 2012 -15 land transport programme, with further detail to be developed in the specific Rail Plan."
If you like, also go to www.gw.govt.nz for the email address of each Regional Councillor –and send them a personal copy of the points you want to make!
Let’s make it happen – after all - its only a Platform!
With thanks,
Cheryll Read
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
The Mulcher
On Friday the 6th, Daniel Cooper and a number of residents of Grange Park Ave and Raumati South met for Mulcher training.
Daniel talked us through the health and safety aspects of using the mulcher, an awesome machine capable of chewing 60mm branches up into small chips, and we were shown how to safely start, stop and use the mulcher.
All of us then had a go at starting the mulcher up, feeding a branch through it and turning it off. We were all impressed by the ease with which it chewed up stuff, and a little in awe at the power. Tim-the-tool-man-Taylor would love it!
After the training, almost everyone came back to our place for a pot-luck lunch and a chance to catch up and meet people not on the street. It was so good to talk to others in the local community who have a similar desire to see a reduction of waste, more composting and more community interaction.
I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Daniel for his time, and all those who came along to be trained. The mulcher was in use over the weekend. Once trained,
Daniel talked us through the health and safety aspects of using the mulcher, an awesome machine capable of chewing 60mm branches up into small chips, and we were shown how to safely start, stop and use the mulcher.
All of us then had a go at starting the mulcher up, feeding a branch through it and turning it off. We were all impressed by the ease with which it chewed up stuff, and a little in awe at the power. Tim-the-tool-man-Taylor would love it!
After the training, almost everyone came back to our place for a pot-luck lunch and a chance to catch up and meet people not on the street. It was so good to talk to others in the local community who have a similar desire to see a reduction of waste, more composting and more community interaction.
I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Daniel for his time, and all those who came along to be trained. The mulcher was in use over the weekend. Once trained,
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Feijoas
Sunday, 8 April 2012
After the show and Mulcher
SHOW:Thanks to all those who helped at the Sustainable show. It was great to meet some of the other streets and find out what they have been doing. Shows what can be done we we get together as a community.
Here is one of our recipes for clean green cleaner:
Dishwasher powder:
1 cup washing soda, 1 cup Baking soda,1/4 cup salt,1/4 cup citric acid. MIX.
MULCHER
During the week following our money came through from the council, so Carolyn organised buying our street mulcher, safety gear and getting the training organised.
Easter Friday about 18 people attended the first training..will leave the photos and blogg about this to you Carolyn and Robbie.
Easter Saturday the roar of the mulcher was heard in the street, first tree down and mulched with two neighbours getting together for this project. Yah Ken and Tony!
TIMEBANK
Tom and I have joined the Kapiti Time bank and encourage those in our street to join too.
www.kapititimebank.org.nz
Here is one of our recipes for clean green cleaner:
Dishwasher powder:
1 cup washing soda, 1 cup Baking soda,1/4 cup salt,1/4 cup citric acid. MIX.
MULCHER
During the week following our money came through from the council, so Carolyn organised buying our street mulcher, safety gear and getting the training organised.
Easter Friday about 18 people attended the first training..will leave the photos and blogg about this to you Carolyn and Robbie.
Easter Saturday the roar of the mulcher was heard in the street, first tree down and mulched with two neighbours getting together for this project. Yah Ken and Tony!
TIMEBANK
Tom and I have joined the Kapiti Time bank and encourage those in our street to join too.
www.kapititimebank.org.nz
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