Another post from the new Spotlight on Paraparaumu and Raumati FB page.  Perhaps ‘food depository’ is a better term than library — which actually derives from the Latin for ‘book’ and also implies items will be returned.

Little free book and food libraries which are popping up in Raumati and Raumatu South must be supported and encouraged says Community Board members Guy Burns and Bernie Randall.

The individuals and community groups like Greenown that have installed them are doing a wonderful job and bringing the idea of community sharing closer. The free book library has some beautiful hard covered books which remain untouched while unfortunately the food library is occasionally raided and all food taken.

Changing times! These grassroots initiatives can be become community hubs.

Would the pavers and ornaments look better with the moss removed? Each to their own.

Actually a little loo a.k.a. “restroom” or in Canada, “washroom” (which sounds like a laundry room!)

This relates to a post on a new FB page, “Spotlight on Paraparaumu and Raumati,” that Bernie Randall has set up following his dumping by Jonny Best as editor of the Paraparaumu-Raumati Community Board FB page (which will now probably go the way of the WCB one, which has had only 9 posts this year, 5 of them reposts from the KCDC site.)

“Community Board member Bernie Randall is urging the community to support iconic toilets at Maclean Park.

“The current toilets are a local and national disgrace. He believes if the toilets were iconic they could become a tourist attraction like the Far North Hundertwasser toilets.

“In the meantime, he suggests hiring a local artist to paint them. Look what Benneydale, population 200, managed to achieve.”

Like bus stop shelters, it’s an opportunity to create both public amenities and public art.  Local volunteers can do that for minimal expense to the ratepayer.

Seen sitting in the Paraparaumu railway station yard awaiting use.  Until the railway electrification was extended to Waikanae from Paraparaumu in February 2011, commuters had to change to a bus at Paraparaumu which at Waikanae then did the circuit to the beach and back.

The bus is a 1979 Bedford NFM.  (Daniel Matata pic)

Waikanae is known for its gardens and it’s safe to say that the vast majority will have at least one camellia bush (we have five), which are in flower presently.

Although primarily for society members, about 50 visitors had come to look at the large number of flower exhibits at the Kapiti Camellia Society show in the Community Centre when we paid a visit at 2:30.

In 2020 the National Championships will be held in Waikanae and the big Memorial Hall will be needed for it.

“Hang loose” (presumably). 🙂

‘Waikanae Flame’

California is poised to become the first state to restrict the distribution of plastic straws at restaurants under a bill approved today by lawmakers.

The legislation, which would prohibit full-service, dine-in restaurants from offering plastic straws to customers unless they are requested, now goes to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature.

Full story on the L.A. Times website

A story on the NZ Herald website and unfortunately it’s a scenario that elderly people are susceptible to. As the cabbie says, the Post Shop would likely have alerted the woman to the scam, but it was good to stop it early on. We’ve lost count of the number of such calls we’ve had.  In the early days we used to have fun with them, but nowadays we just hang up.

A vigilant Paraparaumu Taxis driver has helped prevent an elderly woman from being scammed.

Florence Haines went to the Parkwood Retirement Village in Waikanae after a taxi request from a resident.

The resident, an elderly woman, wanted Florence to take her to 14 Mahara Place, Western Union.

“I said to her Western Union was actually the New Zealand Post Shop and that the Western Union was where you receive or accept money.

“I asked her if she was going to be receiving some money and she said ‘no I’m going to pay my computer’ and she explained that she needed to pay someone some money to get a number released so her computer could work.

“I said ‘it’s a scam’ and she should use local if she was going to get her computer fixed.

“She said ‘no they will reimburse me’ and I told her they wouldn’t.”

Read the rest