News

On Monday June 20th, we will host mayoral candidates at our Annual General Meeting (AGM). What would you like to ask the future mayor of Auckland?

We are inviting questions from the community and will choose four (two on general issues and two on local issues) to be put to the panel of mayoral hopefuls.

• Perhaps you are concerned about rates rises or the UAGC level – the state of Auckland traffic – or the Auckland Council I.T cost blowout?
• Will our next mayor ensure there will be adequate local links to the Eastern Path so that our kids can walk to school?
• When will the Meadowbank Community Centre receive its much needed upgrade?

Let us know what’s bugging YOU! Send your questions to by April 30, and/or then join us on May 3 at our monthly meeting* when we will create a shortlist.

* Here’s all you need to know about our monthly meetings. All are welcome.

What a great turnout for the first ever open day at Purewa Cemetery! Thanks to all who attended and especially Clifton Thomson and his team from Purewa who organised such a wonderfully informative day.

The day began at 10am and there were guided tours of the cemetery grounds at 11am and 12.30pm.

Throughout the day the Purewa team was available to answer questions about funerals and interment, and there were displays of caskets and hearses.

A large crowd gathered for the chapel and crematorium tour at 2pm. We heard about the history of the cemetery and had a fascinating introduction to the crematorium.

Some interesting things we learned from the day:

• The first burial at Purewa was in 1885
• A lot of the older graves are unmarked – especially if the family could not afford to pay. There is currently a project to identify as many people buried here as possible
• The crematorium was added in 1957
• The new remembrance lounge will be completed this year and allow two ceremonies and receptions to be held at once. See more at New remembrance lounge for Purewa Cemetery (30 November 2015)
• To date, there have been 100,000 cremations and 50,000 burials at Purewa
• Currently there are about 80% cremations vs 20% burials – perhaps due to expense as it is around $7,000 to bury a loved one vs $600 to cremate
• Families are welcome in the cremation room to watch a casket go into the cremator
• There are two cremators at Purewa and a very sophisticated computer to control them
• There is a rigorous process behind cremations: two doctors with 5+ years experience must authorise a body to be cremated, and staff must ensure paperwork is completed at all stages of the process
• The cremation process is environmentally-friendly – and it must be since there are houses nearby. After initial cremation at 750C, a second chamber at 850C burns off smoke. All that is released into the atmosphere is vapour
• Implants such as hip and knee joints can be cremated and family can request them back (we heard of a door knocker being fashioned with an old implant!)
• Pacemakers cannot go into a cremator as they can cause it to blow up!
• Money from metal from unclaimed implants are donated to charity as is NZ policy.

Photos

Hip, knee and spinal implants as they look after cremation. Cremator (with door shut) is to the left.

Wooden casket with Rangitoto theme

Taking a tour of the beautiful grounds of Purewa Cemetery

Volunteers at the MBSJRA table: Carmel Claridge and Dorthe Siggard

Kids scavenger hunt: picture by 5 year old Elsa Cooper

5 year old Elsa Cooper after completing the kids scavenger hunt

Outside the main chapel at Purewa Cemetery

A light moment when discussing cremation – it’s not all doom and gloom down here!

Yes, this is really what a cremator looks like.

One of the vintage hearses on display

Auckland Council contractors will be doing kerb and channel renewal works on Remuera Rd, starting Wednesday 16 March – end of May 2016.

Read the Remuera Road Works Notification LetterRemuera Road Works Notification Letter (PDF) for full details.

We have learned that consent for a service station-style unmanned carwash structure has been granted for 277 St Johns Rd, near the garden centre.

What has been approved?

The carwash will operate 24-hours, be 3.22m high and 54.6m2. It will require a Council-owned Ash tree to be removed. View a picture of the structure below:

Where exactly is it going?

It will be constructed on Council-owned land, inbetween 277 St Johns Rd and the road itself. View a diagram below:

Why haven’t I heard about it before now?

Auckland Council granted non-notified consent of the development, despite recommendations from Orakei Local Board for full notification. The consent document includes the following statement from Orakei Local Board Planning Spokesperson Troy Churton:

“This remains a non-complying activity. A 24 hour proposal is incongruent with planning policies for the site and surrounding sites which include considerable green field and recreational pathway developments.

Shortly before Christmas, the Council submitted an amendment to their Unitary Plan submission. The amendment results in thousands of local properties being potentially upzoned. Most people affected had no opportunity to make a submission on these changes. Read our February newsletter article which explains it more in-depth.

On February 9, Orakei Ward residents associations and other interested groups hosted a meeting to protest the amendment. As a result of mounting community pressure, on February 23 Auckland City Councillors voted to withdraw the amendment.

Last week, Housing New Zealand (HNZ) appeared before the Independent Hearing Panel (IHP) on their Unitary Plan submission. The HNZ proposal largely supports the density levels of the recently withdrawn Council amendment. Were this level of density to be supported by the IHP, this would leave thousands of people without the right to submit on changes to the zone of their homes. We will keep you updated on any new developments.

Read More

• Auckland Council rejects density changes (nzherald.co.nz, 24 February 2016).
• Housing New Zealand unveils its Auckland Plan (radionz.co.nz, 11 March 2016). Four minute audio.
• Housing NZ’s highest density plan for Auckland (radionz.co.nz, 11 March 2016).

The land forming the Pourewa Creek Recreation Reserve was returned to Ngati Whatua Orakei in 2012, and there is now a Draft Management Plan for its use.

Read the full Pourewa Creek Recreation Reserve Draft Reserve Management Plan (PDF).

You are welcome to submit your feedback to RESLocalBoard.Orakei@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz until 5pm Friday March 18.

The reserve is shown in red below (click to view a larger image).

Part of the Waiatarua and Koraha Reserves have been approved for parking use during the upcoming NZPGA Championships at Remuera Golf Course.

See:

• Parking site layout plans
• Letter drop to local residents and businesses.

Organisers of the tournament have been in close contact with us throughout preparations for the event, and we received the below communication from Aaron Carter, Tournament Director:

“The event will be held at the Remuera Golf Club, and as part of the event offering for spectators we sought use of part of the Waiatarua and Koraha Reserves, which have been granted. We are very thankful for this, and will ensure the Reserve/s are treated with respect and care at all times.

We have a well-planned parking strategy, which will see club members and signage at key points, along with cones that will delineate parking access/egress areas, we hope to minimise any inconvenience to you during the event – there are no resident restrictions in place.

The Koraha Reserve has been confirmed as a back-up parking location if required.

Please find attached the parking site layout plans, and the local residents/business mailer, which has been delivered to residents and local businesses adjacent to the course.”

If you have any questions or concerns please get in touch: email