Don’t like it? — then come to Waikanae instead!  Thanks to reader PollyWallyDoodle 🙂

The mostly tree-lined Manu Grove is one of the nicest streets in Waikanae and properties on the west side of it adjoin the Nga Manu bird sanctuary (manu means bird).  The garden of 39 Manu Grove is one of the best, not just in Waikanae, but in the country (see a post from January 2016).

These particular trees and bushes are mostly exotic, but there is a totara in the middle of this view.

This is a general information website which is still being constructed, but much of it is now ‘live’ — you’ll find us under the Local Directory section

There should be lots of interesting things you may not have been aware of to discover on the Kapiti Coast.

“More than 90 per cent of passengers on the new Levin to Waikanae bus route are pensioners.

“Startling statistics released about the service reveal 91 per cent of users are SuperGold Card holders.

“Horowhenua residents pushed for the service, which started in March, as they were adamant it would be well used.

“The latest numbers from Horizons Regional Council show that it has been tracking better than expected, with more than 370 passengers taking the twice-weekly service.”

full stuff article

Assuming they stay in Waikanae for the 4 hours 40 minutes and spend their money, Destination Waikanae should be chuffed about this. 🙂

by Martin Warriner

How very worthy of Mayor Gurunathan to “think it’s a good opportunity to stand out” for Otaki township gaining bilingual status. I encourage the Otaki residents and all New Zealanders to insist our Mayor and Councillors ensure that bilingual Signs are correctly portrayed.

As a starting point would be the large, prominent road sign on SH1 heading South into Otaki which needs to show the District in both te reo Maori and NZ English.

If our misguided Council believe that the place Kapiti has a macron over the “a” then, for correct bilingual spelling, the sign must also show “Cabbage”. According to various Maori dictionaries, this is the only English translation. The identical sign, heading North into Paekakariki, also needs updating.

Mayor Gurunathan says “we need to be unique”. This would certainly put Kapiti on the map both Nationally and Globally. What a boost for tourism!

Fortunately, I am not so gullible and will continue spelling Kapiti Island (it’s full name in Maori is “Te waewae Kapiti o Tara raua ko Rangitane”) correctly without a macron.

For those who are interested in NZ cultural heritage, “Te waewae Kapiti o Tara raua ko Rangitane” translates in NZ English as “the boundary between Tara and Rangitane” and Kapiti is an abbreviation of that full Maori name. Tuteremoana, a famous tino ariki or high chief of the Ngai Tara, Rangitane and Ngati Awanuiarangi tribes has a peak at the northern end of Kapiti named for him, and his wife was buried in “Te Ana-o-Wharekohu”, a cave named after her at the southern end of the Island.

Mayor Gurunathan and Councillors should put their skills to better use in doing research and stop insulting us by incorrectly insisting we live in CABBAGE.

The macron over the vowels a, o and u in the Polynesian languages is something which has appeared in the last 3 decades and is a pronunciation guide — it means the vowel is long rather than short.

Its introduction into “Kapiti” was instigated by the Rowan council in 2010, despite the Maori Language Commission telling the KCDC it didn’t need to change anything as Kapiti is okay without a macron.

Is the a in Kapiti pronounced long?  We’ve never heard it so pronounced. — Eds

During the last election all five candidates for the position of Mayor were asked the same set of questions by Grey Power and published in its magazine Super People.

Question 3 was: “Will you recommend an independent review of KCDC salaries (currently 1 in 10 over $100,000) and the number of staff positions?”

Gavin Welsh (who sought the mayoralty, but did not seek re-election as a councilor) replied as below:

Angela Buswell (who was elected as a councilor) also answered in the affirmative; she said: “I would also recommend an independent review of KCDC salaries.  Expenditure on staff in the last triennium has risen to a concerning level and this should be looked at as soon as possible.”

This is the basis of my Annual Plan submission that I made on 16 May 2017.

“To elected Councillors

You are in an unenviable situation, some inheriting the actions of others who have walked before you.

Last November we reported on a photo op for Michael Scott showing him and Dougherty with a signed amendment on the building of a new gallery to house the Trust’s collection.

The Kapiti Independent now has this article to the effect that if matters are not finalised and a start made by the end of June next year, the paintings could go elsewhere.

“Field Collection Trustee Kay Brown says when other arts institutions approached them over the years about housing the collection they never responded.

“She says they want the collection to stay in Kapiti but are pessimistic about the project going ahead.

“Brown’s comments are in a message to the chairman of the Mahara Gallery Trust Board Professor Les Holborow.

“They were released when Kevin Ramshaw from the board made a submission  on the KCDC’s annual plan and budget.

“When asked, Council CEO Pat Dougherty could not give details about delays in the Waikanae redevelopment, including the gallery.

“The original plans were for a new two-storey gallery, to cost $5.3 million – with two thirds coming from the trust itself and the final third from the KCDC and Waikanae Community Board.”

“The trust is now looking at the option of extending the existing building to two storeys.

“The KCDC had set a target of June 30 2018  to come up with its share of the proposed development.”

A third of $5.3 million is $1.8 million and the latest Annual Plan includes an allocation of $2 million for the Paraparaumu and Waikanae town centres — if it all went to Waikanae, this could happen.  As we have commented more than once, Paraparaumu town centre has already had more than its fair share of council expenditure.

But has the Trust come up with the rest?  That’s not clear from the article.  Last November the thinking was that the central government would contribute a third of the total cost.