Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

 Sunday 18th December 2pm

St Columba, 92 Surrey Crescent Grey Lynn

2pm – 4pm

Once again it is the delight of St Columba, Grey Lynn to host a community garden party celebrating summer and the Christmas season. This is a great opportunity to meet others from the community in a relaxed and friendly environment.

It has been the custom over recent years for St Columba to host a strawberry feast in the beautiful garden at St Columba, 92 Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn, with local choirs offering Christmas carols for our enjoyment and heaps of strawberries and meringues to share.

Win a prize for the best decorated hat (a children’s and an adult’s prize!).

Bring strawberries to share

Enjoy the music and the garden

Meet others

(photos by Fionna Hill)

Saturday 1 October  12.30 – 6pm

 St Joseph’s Catholic School, Great North Road, Grey Lynn

• Food, beverage, craft and community stalls
• Organised activities for the children
• Performance and entertainment

The event is free and all are welcome

The Shout for Samoa Community Festival is the last of the Grey Lynn Business Association’s Adopt-a-second-team activities. Grey Lynn  adopted Manu Samoa for the Rugby World Cup and has hosted a number of events to celebrate. The Community Festival will promote Grey Lynn’s support for Manu Samoa and our diverse cutural and artistic heritage.

In the June Issue

SAVE the Grey Lynn Post Office campaign
New Energy Focus Group
Winter Series at the Farmers Market
Waste Away update- food waste
Grey Lynn Business Association- next event and news
Green Screen presents Mondovino
Conscious Consumer

If you would like to receive the monthly Grey Lynn Community news directly (including the calendar of events) email greylynn2030@gmail.com

Come and join this annual community celebration

18 June, 6pm…. till….

In the Hall and garden at St Columba, 92 Surrey Cres,  Grey Lynn

As we approach the shortest day and turn once more toward the light is good to get together and celebrate.
This turning of the seasons is marked by the return of Matariki to our southern sky signalling the time for planting and the lengthening of the days once more.

All welcome… stay as long as you are able. There will be:

• An acknowledgement of the season
• Lighting lanterns
• Music : Soul Samba Circus
• Kail, our local DJ  more entertainment to be confirmed….
• Dancing: You and …..Samoan youth

Please bring food to share.

This event is organised for you by representatives of the Grey Lynn Community

For further information contact St Columba 376 4229
Or office@stcolumbas.org.nz

Community engagement

The first year of the new Auckland Council involves the drafting and delivery of a daunting number of plans. It is a huge challenge for any community group to keep up with the opportunities to engage with these plans that will significantly shape the city.  Grey Lynn 2030 is actively trying to keep on top of all the Council’s plans with limited resources and reliance on volunteers.

In April Grey Lynn 2030 submitted on the Council’s draft Annual Plan for 2011/12. This plan brings together the services and projects for setting the annual budget which determines our rates.

In appearing at the hearing on the Annual Plan, Mandy McMullin for Grey Lynn 2030 asked the Council to reprioritise the budget to support initiatives and projects that contribute to the Mayor’s vision of making Auckland the world’s most liveable city and that build community resilience, vibrancy and connectedness (for example by spending less on roading projects). This refocus is particularly important if Auckland is going to become an Eco-City and achieve significant carbon emission reductions.

Throughout April local boards have been undertaking early engagement on their Local Board plans which go out for consultation in July. These plans set out the community’s aspirations, priorities and preferences for the next three years and beyond. Grey Lynn 2030 is particularly interested in the Waitemata Local Plan as this is where we hope to achieve support for our community initiatives.

The big plan of 2011, that most people will be familiar with, is the Auckland Plan also known as the spatial plan or Auckland unleashed.  The Auckland Plan presents an exciting, once in a life time opportunity, to influence the direction of our city as it brings together the 30 year vision and strategy for the Council.   EcoMatters Environmental Trust, with support from Grey Lynn 2030, is making sure community groups working on sustainability solutions are able to make a meaningful contribution by hosting a “local learning” event on 11 May at Ellen Melville Hall (if you are interested in attending email carlc@ecomatters.org.nz). Feedback on the Auckland Plan discussion document is due by 31 May.

The Auckland Plan will be adopted by the end of 2011 in order to give a basis for the 2012-2022 Long-Term Plan  (if you have been counting that is 4 plans without even mentioning the Unitary Plan which is the amalgamation of all the District Plans into one plan!).

Grey Lynn 2030 welcomes support for engaging with all these plans. Please get in touch by emailing greylynn2030@gmail.com.

Information covered at the Grey Lynn 2030 meeting in March 2011 led by Mandy McMillin of the Wilton Street Community Garden

1.    Goal

To create a beautiful and diverse urban landscape that supports a rich mix of flora and fauna; where nature is visible and celebrated; with streets where people, plants, birds, bees and insects flourish.

2.    The Plan

To create continuous gardens on the roadside berms along both sides of the streets in our neighbourhood.  Each person participating takes responsibility for planting and maintaining the berm garden outside their own house.  It is hoped that over time, other neighbours will see the benefits and join in, so that eventually the gardens will form a continuous corridor in any street.  In the same way as the Franklin Street Christmas lights, each house will have a different garden but together they will form a congruous whole.  The gardens combined will be visually stunning and create a cohesive landscape that is pleasant to walk and play in.

3.  Environmental and community benefits

• Beautiful streetscapes
• food and habitat for birds, bees, native invertebrates (such as lizards) and other insects
• improved pollination rates for local plants
• support local bee populations
• reduction in stormwater runoff and soil erosion
• streets become a more pleasant environment for living in
• attract visitors to our neighbourhood
• improved environment for passive recreation including walking and cycling
• co-operation and connections between neighbours
• the streets are reclaimed for living in – not vehicle traffic (David Engwicht)
• cleaner air and stormwater – plants filter air and water
• shade in summer and shelter in winter – bulk vegetation can moderate temperature extremes
• reduced maintenance costs to council/ratepayers (no mowing)

4.   Recommended species to plant
Hardy, low maintenance, flowering perennials and small shrubs.  Native plants as habitat and food for native flora and fauna. All year round flowering plants for bees.  Non-weed species, non invasives..
For example; Lavender, hebe, native grasses, pohuehue (muehlenbeckia) manuka, swan plants, wild flowers, borage, nasturtium, comfrey.

5.         Guidelines

Auckland Council owns the roadside verge or berm. Grey Lynn 2030 supports planting by residents who are willing to take ongoing responsibility for the planting.  If you are unsure about the best approach ask for permission from the Council and stick to the following guidelines for planting on berms:

• Only low-level planting should be used. This should not impede pedestrians, restrict visibility or create a safety hazard for motorists or cyclists.
• The planting (eg. tree roots) must not affect the operation of utility services.
• The planting should be maintained regularly.
• Trees, large boulders, shells and similar, harder landscaping measures must not be used.
• Growth must be kept clear of the roadside and any roadside structures or furniture.

6.    Funding and assistance
Grey Lynn 2030 will consider applications for a contribution of $50 to anyone who would like to do a planting and needs financial assistance.

Berm bombs away The Aucklander, 24 March 2011

If you have any more queries contact project leader Mandy McMullin at greylynn2030@gmail.com