With possible community transmission in Auckland we are moving to Covid Alert Level 2 for 3 days. In brief: keep your distance, wash your hands, track where you go and who you interact with.
All regions in New Zealand, except for the Auckland region, will move to Alert Level 2 at 12 noon on Wednesday 12 August 2020. [To end at midnight on Friday 14 August 2020.]
Auckland region will move to Alert Level 3
What you need to know
Alert Level 2 is not life as normal. You can still go to work and school, but you should:
keep your distance from other people in public
wash your hands
sneeze and cough into your elbow
keep a track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen
It is time to apply for a rates rebate for the 2020/2021 rating year.
Rebates of up to $655 may be available to eligible residential ratepayers.
To be eligible, you must be:
Named as a ratepayer for that property, and;
Living at that property on 1 July 2020.
Rebates are based on total household income for the tax year ending 31 March 2020 and the amount of rates for both Horowhenua District Council and Horizons Regional Council for the 2020/2021 rating year.
To check your entitlement, visit the ‘Getting a rates rebate’ page and enter your details into the rebate calculator.
Alternatively, contact Horowhenua District Council to arrange to meet with a Rates Rebates team member. Home visits can be arranged, if necessary. To make an appointment, phone 06 366 1050 between 10 August and 21 August [2020], or email your name and phone number to ratesrebates@horowhenua.govt.nz. Calls after 21 August should be made to 06 366 0999.
Further details and information are available at the page linked above.
Kia ora koutou kātoa. We’re now firmly in the second half of 2020. The days are a bit longer and we’ve been enjoying a bit of warm sunshine, though for the allergy sufferers, pollen season has begun.
It’s been quiet around the place, but we have a few items of news for you.
If you can spare an hour on the morning of Saturday 22 August 2020 to plant a tray of spinifex and pingao plants then we’d love your help! Horowhenua District Council are supplying 3,000 plants. Bring a spade and a few friends or family members if you can. Read more at: Spinifex planting 9.30 am Saturday 22 August 2020 — please join in.
The draft Manakau Community Plan affects us. Have your say by 24 August 2020. The Plan has been drawn up by Horowhenua District Council in consultation with the Manakau community. Items on rezoning land for projected population growth, roading options and even the potential supply of water and wastewater systems could affect us.
Beach access signs
New beach access signs for Reay Mackay Grove tracks have been installed recently. The bright blue poles are particularly helpful for those trying to find the path off the beach and back to Reay Mackay Grove.
Seal season
It’s the time of year when we start seeing seals on the beach, often cleverly disguised to look like bits of driftwood. Be extra cautious if you’re driving, and keep an eye on dogs and children. The law says we must keep our distance.
Tyler Gilberd shows off his catch. Photo submitted by Lesley-Anne Walker.
Determined burglars about
Up at Manakau recently burglars went to extreme lengths to remove items from a locked and protected house. Read more at Beware the burglars. Meanwhile the Waikawa Beach Facebook group had reports of firewood and water thefts. Keep in touch with your neighbours to keep an eye on the properties around you.
The Ōtaki to North of Levin highway is progressing, with NZTA about to start consulting with affected landowners. Meanwhile, the WBRA is representing the Waikawa Beach perspective. If you have comments about the O2NL project then email us at wbra.committee@gmail.com.
We have a close relationship with Manakau, which means the draft Manakau Community Plan is something we should take a look at, and possibly comment on, especially around matters to do with roading.
Consultation is open from 3 August to midday 24 August 2020.
The Community Plan creates a vision for Manakau:
Manakau is a thriving, friendly and safe rural community with a strong sense of place, a healthy natural environment and good connectivity to other places.
It also identifies four priority areas that will help deliver the vision, each with specific actions attached.
Priority areas are:
Protect the special character and heritage values of Manakau
Ensure growth occurs in a sustainable and integrated way
Improve traffic safety and provide more transport options
There are 4 projected areas for population growth around Manakau (P13). Land would need rezoning.
Council may also look at whether a small commercial area could be identified and provided for in Manakau. (P14)
Council may undertake a feasibility study on the delivery of reticulated water and wastewater to Manakau. (P14) Question: where would sewage be disposed of, and how might that affect Waikawa Beach?
All sorts of roading matters, including better connections between east and west sides of SH1 (P15 on).
Investigating public transport needs (P18).
Recreational activities, including shared pathways for cycling and horse riding, and cleaning up waterways (P19 on).
If you have opinions please have your say direct to Horowhenua District Council but also let the Waikawa Beach Ratepayers Association know either by leaving comments here or by emailing them to the Committee at wbra.committee@gmail.com .
The river has made a long lazy loop at the mouth ready for this year’s whitebaiting season start on Saturday 15 August 2020. See posts from previous years about whitebait:
Plantings from previous years have grown really well. Just look at the photos below from 2014 and 2016!
May 2016 – north track off Reay Mackay Grove. January 2014- north beach track off Reay Mackay Grove. That board walk is now under a couple of metres of sand.
