Letters 8 January 2009
The new integrated medical facility
What a difficult choice regarding the site of the proposed integrated medical facility! Three sites and each potentially suitable.
The Rototai Road site is close to Takaka township and geographically attractive but exposed to potential flooding and needing elevation. The community hospital site is glorious with beautiful gardens and such an incredible atmosphere of caring, but the nurse manager is the first to say that the present design has big difficulties and the disruption to operations during building would be hard. Then there is the Park Avenue site, away from flood danger and the most favoured area for the future development of Takaka. This site offers a retirement village so a new medical facility nearby would give great security to elderly people living there, especially when one partner is in the hospital.
Whatever the ultimate decision is there will be a large portion of the community in disagreement.
Jo-Anne Vaughan
Garden Competition
The Golden Bay Community Board acknowledges and thanks all who entered the 2009 Garden Competition. Without entries there can be no competition. All entrants are “winners” with the produce and beauty their gardens provide. Two full days of judging gardens in 24 properties from Ligar to Bainham with 40 entries in the various categories revealed the wonderful efforts being made across the Bay. There is a wide variety of property size, garden age, soil type, topography, available water supplies, shelter, sun and shade to be taken into account. Each garden is unique.
The judges have a standard score sheet for various set criteria in order to make judging possible.
Thank you to fellow judges Jenny Borlase and Claire Webster for giving up their time, to Claire (who is also the TDC Environmental Education officer) for her great organisational skills and TDC and the Golden Bay Garden Centre for generous sponsorship.
Best wishes to all gardeners and to all residents and visitors to Golden Bay for a happy holiday season and a great 2010.
Joe Bell Chairperson, Golden Bay Community Board.
Places still available
There are still places available on the Boredom Buster School Holiday Programme. There’s kayaking, motorcycle riding, archery, craft, action days and much, much more. Some places are also available in the Summer Times Festival art workshops. Check out Hummin’ In Tasman and the Boredom Buster magazine. For further information ph 525 8876.
Dave Myall, GB Recreation co-ordinator
Joan Whiting Rest Home
As Joan Whiting trustees with Mums who are dependent on the care they receive as residents at Joan Whiting, we are deeply concerned when we hear that some people in our community believe the rest home is over-staffed. We have all read appalling stories of elder abuse occurring in rest homes and this is largely due to high demands and not enough time.
Cutting the care budget would have consequences. For example, reduced staffing levels could mean residents are forced to wear nappies because there are not enough staff to help them to the toilet. They could lose the independence of dressing themselves because carers don’t have time to assist. They could lose their mobility because no one is available to help them safely out of bed and walk beside them as they exercise. This is not the level of care we want for our mothers.
If you are interested, visit Joan Whiting, talk to staff, residents or families and see first hand how hard these wonderfully dedicated carers work to provide security and quality of life for our elderly family members. Caring for elderly people respectfully is a specialty area which requires time and patience as well as expertise, and Joan Whiting staff work incredibly hard to maintain a high standard of care with minimum staffing levels.
Kristeen Campbell and Heather Cole
Helicopter tourism at the Naked Possum
It was interesting reading your recent article on the helicopter tourism at the Naked Possum. It was stated that Friends Of Golden Bay had submitted against this tourism venture with a group submission on behalf of its 81 members.
Over recent years this group has made many submissions opposing varying applications throughout the Bay. Eighty-one members; who are they all? Many of us know their more vocal members such as David Morgan and Alan Vaughan, but who are the rest of their members? Would it be possible through The GB Weekly for Friends Of Golden Bay to publish a list of their members? There are sure to be many interested members of this community who would like to know just who these members are who continually oppose various activities in Golden Bay. I look forward to some transparency from this group and for them to stand up and name their members. I think this is only fair seeing how vocal this group has become.
Matt (Hika) Rountree, also a friend of GB
Santa Parade
Golden Bay can congratulate themselves on the success of the Santa Parade. Everyone was surprised at the number of floats (which was about 40) plus those walking or riding bikes. A big thank you to all those clubs, businesses and individuals who took part, especially the Motueka Highland Pipe Band. Once again a number of businesses, local and from over the Hill supported the organisational aspect of the event. Their skills and resources make the Santa Parade possible. Thank you to all those involved, including TDC (Grants From Rates). Now, how about your business or club building a float for the next one?
Dave Myall, Santa Parade organiser
Steam Up Day
The Collingwood Museum Society would like to thank everyone who came along to our very successful Steam Up on Sunday. As members, we enjoy putting on these days, and it is the enthusiasm and enjoyment that we see on visitors’ faces, and also the positive comments that we receive that make it all the more worthwhile. Lastly, but certainly not the least, thank you again to Diddley Squat for her outstanding performance and tolerance at milking time.
Pam Gardiner, treasurer, Collingwood Museum Society
Little blue penguins
A reminder please to ALL dog owners that little blue penguins live along many of the Golden Bay beaches. Already this year I have seen two dead penguins and statistics suggest that these were probably killed by dogs.
If your dog likes to scavenge above the high tide mark, keep a very close eye on it; that’s where the penguins live.
A year ago there were regularly five penguin tracks on one beach. This year there are none. The foreshore here has been grazed by goats, and although they don’t attack the penguins they do nevertheless destroy their nesting areas.
So please, spare a thought for what’s left of our penguins.
Peter Blasdale
Survey
Thank you to the readers who sent us a message about the problem with our survey on our website. We’ve decided to continue it for another week, so feel free to have a vote and share your opinion. Topic: Slowing traffic in Takaka’s central business district is an important issue.
Marg Braggins, Manager, The GB Weekly
Correction
Kirsty Richmond attended coaching sessions in Wellington, not Kirsty van dem Bemd In our article on the Takaka Amateur Athletics Club on 18 December.
