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Grey Lynn 2030 April Community News
| 9 April 2010 In This Issue:
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 There was a delightful mix of local creativity, enterprise, learning and entertainment on offer during the inaugural Grey Lynn 2030 Week. The overwhelming feedback we have received is that the Week should happen again as it was such a good way to highlight all the local happenings that are working towards our vision of a sustainable community. The Week was also a wonderful opportunity to discover new things and to start new initiatives such as the twilight market which we hope will become a regular event. Thank you to everyone who helped make the Week happen.
Will your networks like to know about Grey Lynn 2030 or enjoy reading this month’s community news? Please forward it on. |
| Grey Lynn 2030 Week Here are just some of the events from the Grey Lynn 2030 Week. More photos and updates from each day are on our website. Ooooby Berm Bomb Flashmob Tapped the Movie Grey Lynn 2030 and EcoMatters have been able to make a modest donation to Oxfam from the ticket sale proceeds. However, our supporters may wish to do more especially if you missed World Water Day on 22 March. Please consider making a donation online to the Oxfam Water Appeal or by calling 0800 400 666. The DVD can be rented from EcoMatters. More details about the movie are on our website. Art Studio Tours If you missed out but would like to take a future tour please contact Jan-Claire. Many thanks to all the artists involved. And to Nextbike for making available rental bikes for free. You can see more photos from the tour here. Also if you missed the Introduction to Meditation Classes at the Auckland Buddhist Centre there is the opportunity to join new classes starting in April. Urban Garden Tour Kelmarna Organic City Farm The Week provided an excellent opportunity to visit an urban oasis that has been tucked away on the boarder of Grey Lynn for almost 30 years. Adrian Roche, who shared his extensive knowledge on the tour, extends an invite to drop by anytime – even if the gate is shut (it is amazing how many locals have never been there). Thank you to Adrian and Kelmarna’s bee keeper Carol Downer. You can find Carol and Lynn at the GLFM each week selling their Grey Lynn honey. West Lynn Street Party & Twilight Market “There was a party going on around here last night. What a great evening it was! People were out in force on the streets of West Lynn enjoying the lovely autumn night. The Harvest car parking was taken over and turned into a street lounge. The bunting was up and the shops looked great.
The kids loved the Easter Egg hunt at the GL Neighbourhood Law Office Thanks, thanks for those who got involved and made this such a special community event.” Check out the video of the Street Party by Pascal and the official photos taken by Diya on Facebook. |
| Grey Lynn 2030 Monthly Meeting – Community Gardens |
| Wednesday 14th April 7.30pm at the Grey Lynn Community Centre |
We are delighted to have as our guest speaker this month Richard Main, project manager Gardens4Health. Find out about the benefits of community gardens and planting for health. The aim of the Gardens4Health programme is to make growing your own fruit and veg the normal thing to do. The programme is starting with community gardens in places like the Marae, schools, churches, public open spaces etc., so people can re-learn how to grow fresh veg – and enjoy eating cheap veggies. From that it is hoped they will go home and plant a few in their own back-yard We will also be hearing from from our local community gardens at St Columba, Wilton Street and Grey Lynn Presbyterian Church and Kelmarna Organic City Farm. All welcome. Entry by koha. |
| Grey Lynn Farmers Market |
| Sunday 9 – 12.30pm |
| The Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market is on this Sunday, 11th April at the Grey Lynn Community Centre.
Come along and get some fresh autumn produce, sample the market goodies, and treat yourself to some delicious pastries and a steaming cup of coffee. Why not make it a proper picnic while you’re there?
If you have any excess produce from your garden, drop it off at the Ooooby stall and they’ll display it for sale. Remember to bag and label it! See you there! Please bring your shopping bag. |
| Waste Away |
 The Grey Lynn 2030 Waste Away group was on hand at the Street Party on 25th March, and, with the kind cooperation of the local businesses, ensured that there were plenty of recycling bins available on the street for party goers to dispose of their glass, plastic, paper and cans. Our stall also had a bokashi bin available for food waste – although we found most people enjoyed the fabulous food on offer so much that there wasn’t much in the way of scraps! There was a lot of interest in the information at our stall on worm farms and the bokashi system as well as our new t-shirts!
The Waste Away group is present at the Farmers Market each Sunday (except the last of the month) with information on worm farms and bokashi and you can also contact us via email for more information or to express interest in joining the group – greylynn2030wasteaway@gmail.com and on now also on Facebook |
| Local Government |
| Feedback on Local Boards |
| We have almost reached submission fatigue for the year but we did manage to get in our feedback on Auckland Transition Authority’s discussion document on Local Boards in the nick of time. You can read our submission here. |
| Wilton Street Community Garden |
| Walking tour of local henhouses |
 30 people met at the Wilton Street Community Garden on Saturday 27th March on the final day of the Grey Lynn 2030 Week for the hen tour led by Mandy from the Community Garden and Susie from Chickens at Home.
Altogether, we visited 5 henhouses – in Stanmore Road, Richmond Road, Browning Street and Sackville Street.
Thanks to the hosts, those who attended and especially the hens for making the event such a great success! You can check out more of the tour photos here. If you missed out and would like to go on any future tours please contact Susie. Grey Lynn Community Garden – find out more details here. ‘Growing Together’ every Sunday afternoon 4pm~6pm in Autumn. |
| Not only but also…. |
| BioBlitz: Finding Nature in the City
BioBlitz is a scientific race against time. It is educational. And it is heaps of fun! Everyone is welcome to participate. BioBlitz is a free event and is a rare opportunity to meet all sorts of scientists and experience the astonishing array of nature living in our city. Saturday 17 April, 10am – midnight
First Tuesday Sustainability Speakers Series Interested in living more sustainably? Then come along to the “First Tuesday” sustainability speakers series and hear from a stunning line-up of experts on environmental sustainability in the urban environment. This series aims to highlight the ways that people in the city can still have a positive impact on the environment. Where: The talks will be held at CCS Disability Action, 14 Erson Avenue, Royal Oak. |
| Roof Top Gardens |
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Hire things We recently found out about a website where you can hire what you need and hire out what you don’t need. A sustainable way to share resources. Plus discounts for community groups. Visit http://www.hirethings.co.nz/ |
The guerilla gardening event that unofficially kicked off Grey Lynn 2030 Week. A flashmob (ie a group who responded to the call to just turn up) transformed a weedy new section of berm on Richmond Road into a handsome vegetable garden that continues to be tended. A small symbolic act of gardening to raise awareness about land use, local food production and Grey Lynn 2030’s intention to plant local berms with fruit trees and bee friendly flowers. 
We were very fortunate that EcoMatters Environmental Trust, Oxfam and TAPAC all came on board at late notice to ensure were were able to screen Tapped on World Water Day. As an introduction to the movie, Katherine Mason from Oxfam gave a moving presentation about Rosita and her family in East Timor whose lives have been transformed through the introduction of a clean, regular water supply made possible from donations to Oxfam’s Water for survival programme.
What a treat to visit the studios of our many talented local artists on two days during the Week. We were generously invited into their work places to see firsthand an impressive range of creative styles.
Thanks to GLFM supporter and NZ Gardener editor, Lynda Hallinan opening up her urban garden to a large group during the Week we raised $110 koha. This money will be put towards future berm planting and community gardens.
Suzanne posted her thoughts the next day:
Bring along the kids to Phineas Phrogg’s Storytime Show at 10.30am in the Oval Rom. It’s only $3 per child ($2 for members)!
All the owners were very gracious in giving their time and answering our many questions. It was very interesting to see the variety of hens and setups that people had in their backyards. Many were homemade and quite informal, the hens all looked happy and healthy and the owners reported that they had no problems with rats, cats or dogs.
It was lovely walking around the neighbourhood together with people having time to enjoy the day and chat to each other while walking between hen stops..
There’s an innovative new community gardening venture being set up in Auckland. It aims to establish communal gardens on the rooftops of buildings in the central city so that people who live and work there can connect with each other to nurture some green space and grow their own fresh, healthy produce. They’re keen to hear from anyone who is interested in what they’re doing, and especially people with experience in garden design, community gardening and organic gardening. If you’re interested in finding out more about the venture, or if you know of a building that you think would benefit from a rooftop garden, contact Emily Harris at Harris.Emily@yahoo.com.