What's On > News
Grey Lynn 2030 Community news – 12 March update
| 12 March 2010 In This Issue: Grey Lynn 2030 Week 21 – 27 March |
| Grey Lynn is ready for a low carbon party & community celebration
There are so many positive things going on in our community that are contributing to our long term vision of a sustainable community that we thought it made sense to showcase them together as a Grey Lynn 2030 Week. Check out the schedule and mark the date. There really is something for everyone – all happening locally. |
| Grey Lynn 2030 Week |
| Sunday 21 March – Saturday 27 March |
Here are just some of the highlights from the Grey Lynn 2030 Week:
For the full details of each event and how to make reservations that are needed for some of the tours click here. And during the week why not take the Grey Lynn 2030 pledge to go low carbon: For example:
And if you are driving in residential zones we like to think Grey Lynn 20-30kms! Contact details for the week Week organiser: Pippa at pippacoom@gmail.com/ mob 021 926 618 (not too late to include an event or get involved) Twilight Market enquiries: contact Paul at bellaespressonz@gmail.com/mob 0275 323 618 (we have tables available for stalls at the Street Party) Musicians or Performers who would like to entertain at the Street Party: contact Sam sambenge@hotmail.com/ mob 21 213 7614 (we have spots for busking) Grey Lynn 2030 Waste Away: Organising the waste recovery for the Street Party |
| Volunteers needed – can you assist?
Photographers for any of the events Please help us publicise the event – invite your neighbours, whanau, friends, work colleagues. Blog, post, forward, text, chat, facebook, tweet the details. Anyway you can would be great. The Grey Lynn 2030 Week on Facebook |
| Grey Lynn Farmers Market |
| Sunday 9 – 1pm |
| The Market is on this as usual this Sunday 9- 1pm and next Sunday the Grey Lynn 2030 week is being launched at the Market with water aware ideas for saving water and money in our urban environment.
Check out Laurie Dee’s rain harvesting demonstration at 10am and Trevor Carpenter with Autogro, a self watering kit-set garden. Eion Scott, Auckland City Council’s eco design advisor will be on hand from 10 -12pm to answer questions about eco-friendly water devices for the home. Plus as always, you’ll find lots of fresh fruit and veges, and other quality foods to stock up for the week ahead. Your excess garden produce can be sold at the Ooooby stall! Bring the kids along for Phineas Phrogg STORYTIME show in the Oval Room at 10.30am, for only $3 (or $2 for Grey Lynn Farmers Market Members) Please bring your shopping bag. |
| Waste Away |
| The Grey Lynn 2030 Waste Away group has been busy over the last few weeks, continuing to work with cafes in the local area, and now one in Newmarket as well, to help them dispose of their food waste into composting bins and worm farms, rather than landfill.
Garnet Station Café on Garnet Road will be hosting a display at the café with information and examples of worm farms and bokashi systems. We also plan to hold workshops there around the various composting systems. The Waste Away group members are playing a key role at the West Lynn Street Party & Twilight Market on Thursday 25 March (part of the Grey Lynn 2030 Week). We are working with local businesses in order to provide a means of collecting recyclables and food waste separate from general waste disposal during the party. You will also find us at the Farmer’s Market each Sunday (except the last of the month) where we are available to talk to you about methods of composting in order to keep food waste out of landfills. Feel free to drop us an email with any questions, comments, information you may have around waste, in particular food waste – greylynn2030wasteaway@gmail.com |
| Not such a super city |
| March meeting update: Local Government Group |
Grey Lynners interested in local government and wanting to know more about what is happening with the Auckland Governance legislation came together for the Grey Lynn 2030 March meeting. We were fortunate that Labour List MP Jacinda Ardern attended and was able to give us an update on the latest developments on the same day the Select Committee ended its deliberations  (Mandy snapped this photo of Pippa setting off for Parnell to give the Grey Lynn 2030 presentation to the Committee in her new pink bike poncho – luckily it didn’t last long on a humid Auckland day! )
Particular concerns were raised at the meeting about the corporatisation of the new Auckland Council functions, the transfer of control to Council Controlled Organisations and the failure of the 3rd bill to specify the powers and responsibilities of the new Local Boards. There is also the very likely prospect that the privatisation of strategic assets will be permitted from mid 2012 before voters get a chance to have a say at the 2013 local elections. Musician Kirsten Morrell brought a unique perspective to the meeting, raising the need to engage with younger voters not about “politics” or “local government” but about genuine issues of concerns like the environment and climate change and what the new Council can do for them. It was great to hear that Kirsten, who came along with her mum as a visitor to Grey Lynn, is happy to use her celebrity influence in the lead up to the October elections to get the message across. Penny Bright, anti- corruption campaigner was also at the meeting advocating more direct action in the form of a rates revolt to stop the super city. You can contact Penny at waterpressure@gmail.com Attendees agreed that it is crucial for Grey Lynn 2030 to play a role highlighting the importance of voting, debating the issues, networking with other community groups to influence the outcome and support candidates who share our vision. If you would like to be involved with the Grey Lynn 2030 local government group please email Greylynn2030@gmail.com. We will next be providing feedback on the Auckland Transition Authority’s discussion documents on Local Boards of the Auckland Council and on the Council-controlled organisations due by Friday 26 March. On Thursday (11 March ) Local Government Commission announced the final boundaries for the Auckland Council (we are in the ward of Waitemata – Gulf with one councillor and our Local Board is called Waitemata with 7 board members). |
| Community Gardens |
| A new update from the Grey Lynn Community Gardens |
| The Grey Lynn Community Gardens are nestled in the Saint Columba Church grounds in the heart of Grey Lynn. It is a Living Community Trust Project that began in 2000. The Saint Columba Church and Community have provided a safe and highly supportive space for the Community Gardens to grow.
The intention of this Garden is for it to be a place where people can build a sense of community and connection with the earth and seasons. Permaculture and organic gardening are the main approaches applied in the garden. We have about 14 allotted areas where members tend and are guardians of ‘their’ plot but we also have communal areas within which we all share gardening activities. We are very open to new members and invite people to enjoy and learn more about gardening by coming along to our Sunday ‘Growing Together’ gatherings to meet us and have a look at our gardens.. ‘Growing Together’ Sunday afternoons times are 5pm~8pm in Summer, 2pm~4pm in winter and 4pm~6pm in Spring and Autumn. This is also a special Growing Together Gathering happening on 21 March as part of the Grey Lynn 2030 Week at 4pm. Wilton Street Community Garden Our big news is that the community garden now has a water supply! John has installed the gizmo and it is working. We are now working with Thanks to Brett from the Gypsy Tea Room, Tanks Alot and John & Brenda we now have a sustainable and affordable solution to our water woes. Now all we need is some decent rain! You can check out the Garden at a special tour as part of the Grey Lynn 2030 Week. Come along 11am – midday on Sunday 21st March to meet the Gardeners. The Garden will be open for a visit on the night of the West Lynn Street Party and the meeting point for the Walking Tour of Back gardens with chooks at 10am on Saturday 27th March. We have also recently discovered there is community garden at the Grey Lynn Presbytarian Church on Great North Road created by Ioane Iosua. We hope to bring you news from this garden in the next update. |
| Also happening locally
|
| Sanctuary Picnic Wednesday 24 March, 5:30 – 7:30pm Join Transition Mt Albert in the Unitec Hortecology Sanctuary for a picnic supper. A chance to take a tour around these organic inner-city food gardens including the Food Forest as well hearing about Transition Towns and Permaculture New Zealand. Time to meet and connect with other like-minded people in our community. Where: Unitec Horetcology Sanctuary, Gate 3 Carrington Road, Mt Albert Bring: Blanket, food, drink Meet in the Western Springs College carpark at 10arn with rubbish bags from home to conserve our local biodivensity, gloves provided. This is a free family event, and all are welcome. It would be great to get some support for these students and give the creeks a clean up after the Pasifika festival. Contact:motion.ocean@hotmail.com 021 1 528294 Community garden: Fruit tree planting for our community: Connecting with our community: |
| Heard us on the Radio? |
| You can still catch David Steemson’s investigation of Grey Lynn 2030 “Auckland Story” which featured on Jim Mora’s Afternoons on 3 March in the audio archive of Radio NZ here.
Also thank you to Simon Miller for the opportunity to appear on the bFM Green Desk on 9 March to promote Grey Lynn 2030 Week. You can hear his interview with Pippa here. |
We are now just days away from the start of the Grey Lynn 2030 Week. A huge variety of events are confirmed for every day of the Week which features the now established Grey Lynn Farmers Market together with new activities and a local approach to marking the international World Water Day and Earth Hour. A highlight of the week is the West Lynn Street Party & Twilight Market on Thursday 25th March.
