The map shows the zoning as applies at present — commercial centered on both sides of the present SH1, and industrial in Omahi Street and the Goodmans area on the southeast side of the railway line. Apart from developers, few people want commercial zoning west of the Expressway.

Ngarara Zone is the Maypole company subdivisions and PC 69 seems to be the Waikanae North subdivisions.

We’re not sure what the “Eco Hamlet” is; this may be the Ferndale subdivision.

As can be seen, the Waikanae North and the Maypole company subdivisions are going to add considerably to the existing number of households (about 50%) — if they are allowed to proceed as their businessmen investors want.

A photo taken by Darryl Bond in 2010 showing the evening Capital Connection train heading to Palmerston North over the Waikanae River bridge.  The scene has since been changed by the addition of the catenary masts for the electric overhead wires.

This afternoon we went along to the council drop-in session on traffic management and transport.

There is quite a lot to report on, so we will split it into a few posts.

The above picture is an artist’s impression of how the Expressway overbridge will look at Te Moana Road looking east towards the hills.  The northbound on-ramp starts on the left while the northbound off-ramp comes out on the right.

This map shows the interchange from above, the top of the map is the West (beach) side of it and the bottom is the East (hills) side of it.  South is on the left and North is on the right. Not so visible, but on the map is a cycleway planned for the east side of the southbound on and off-ramps.  This will cross Te Moana Road by the southbound on and off-ramps.

This map had vehicles per day estimates post-Expressway completion as post-it stickers, some of these figures are:

Heperi Street: 500 vehicles per day

Tutere Street: 1500

Ono Street: 600

Te Moana Road (west end) 5300

Te Moana Road (between Rauparaha and Lavina) 6000

Te Moana Road interchange: 10,000

Ngarara Farms (the Maypole company subdivisions) 1500

Park Avenue: 4000

Ngaio Road: 3000

Te Moana Road at SH1: 5000 (after the Expressway opens)

It seems officials think the Expressway will only take about half the traffic that goes over the present SH1.  It will need to be maintained to its present standard after the Expressway opens, as it is supposed to provide an alternative if the need arises (as in a major accident or incident).

Some of those who drive past the triangle of land beside SH1 at the north entrance to Paraparaumu, formed by Rimutaka and Ruahine Streets, will have noticed a couple of train carriages recently placed there.  Your roving reporters went to find out more.

The owner is Chris who hails from east London, England and works in public transport in Wellington, a subject he takes a hobby as well as professional interest in. He has been turning two electric multiple unit cars of the Wellington system English Electric stock from the 1940s, now all withdrawn, into a train-themed restaurant. (If you’re wondering about the colour, the first 6 units on the Johnsonville Line in 1938 were painted dark blue with a silver stripe along the sides, but these were repainted red after a few years, and all the EE cars after these were painted red.)

Menus are being developed based on great world train journeys such as the Orient Express and the Trans-Siberian Express.  He wants part of the space in the cars to be a mini-museum and asked if we can help, which we will be happy to do.

The two cars are on each side of a wooden platform (visible in the pic) and this space will double as outdoor seating and standing space for entertainment as required.

An opening date isn’t far away.

Kia ora tâtou

Just a reminder that on Sunday we are running the third of the information sessions arising from the issues identified in the September drop-in sessions.

This one will deal with traffic management, public transport provision and cycleways, walkways and bridleways (CWB).

Time: 2.30 – 4 pm, Sunday 29 November

Place: Waikanae Beach Community Hall, Rauparaha Street

This will be a drop-in style session so you can come when you want and engage with whichever technical area you are interested in. It’s particularly good timing for public transport and CWB. The Greater Wellington Regional Council is conducting a review of bus services and the planners involved will be there to answer your questions and receive your feedback. In relation to CWB, you may have heard that the council has received government funding to boost the provision of riding/cycling/walking tracks and the council officer responsible for the programme will also be present on Sunday from about 3 pm.

No decisions have been made on where and how to improve CWB in Waikanae Beach yet so it’s a very good chance to influence the provision if these tracks in the future for Waikanae Beach. A council traffic planner will also be present and able to tell you what is known about potential traffic impacts of the expressway and share traffic management information.

As usual, if you can’t make it to the session on Sunday, you can provide input online at www.waikanaebeachforum.org

Regards,  Alison Lash

Senior Advisor, Kaitohutohu Matua

Tel 04 296 4786

Mobile 027 452 7425

We mentioned the stoush resulting from the KCDC unilateraly declaring itself to be a White Ribbon council, to the disgust of some ratepayers and two councilors, in a earlier post.

However, this is to promote the campaign itself: say no to domestic violence. Usually it involves males on females, although not always.

We will mention more about Neighbourhood Watch soon, but the question can arise: what should you do if you think this is happening in a household next to you?  If it’s serious, call the cops, in fact it is a major part of what they do.  If it’s less serious, perhaps inquire in an as helpful and friendly demeanour as you can, ‘is there a problem that I can help with?’  At worst you’ll be told to mind your own business, but you could also get a positive response to that.

The White Ribbon NZ facebook page

NZ is a nation of cat lovers — apparently 47% of households have one, so measures aimed at restricting them are unlikely to be popular.  But a curfew between 7 pm and 7 am during which cats have to be indoors plus compulsory microchipping has been proposed as a way to protect native birds in Wellington.

Those into the Grand Designs programs on TV should find these new listings interesting; the links give a photo gallery of each:

41 Awanui Drive

64 Awanui Drive

Looking west nearer the Nikau Valley end.  The power lines spoil the view a little.

We walked this today as yesterday’s weather wasn’t the best.  We recommend starting from the Nikau Valley end which is a little way up the Nikau Valley road (take the Lindale turnoff on SH1) as the gradient is gentler than from the south entrance.   Signage on the track is inadequate, hopefully that will be rectified.

Looking south from the highest point.

Looking west over Paraparaumu from the highest point.

It has been such a depressing week following the awful Islamist terrorist attacks in Paris, and the daily news of further such plots which, so far, have been foiled.  Despite that, it is impossible to avoid a feeling of foreboding that there are more attacks to come; security forces can only watch so many suspects.

Here in New Zealand we are lucky to have been free of such problems and let’s hope that remains the case.  The above is a scene along our driveway which contains several flowering plants to remind that we can escape in both body and spirit from bleakness.