Think Helensville

The old KDC property

2011-11-18T10:53:00.002+13:00

Almost five years ago today (Nov 22nd, 2006 to be precise) I posted here about the old Kaipara Dairy Company property in Mill Road. It had just come up for sale, and I asked locals for ideas for the property's future.
Well, the property was sold to a developer, and has basically just sat there slowly disintegrating over the intervening years.
Now, it's up for sale again - at auction on December 7th. The realtor says "it must be sold". The property is valued at just over $2 million, but I suspect it is unlikely anything like that amount will be reached.
I had a very interesting wander around the property a few days ago; it's dilipidated state and colourful grafitti made it very photogenic. I had no idea there were so many separate buildings - about a dozen in in all - of such variety, from the beautifully-tiled original factory buildings to the enormous, high-stud iron shed about the size of a football field.
So what's going to happen to it this time?
There is a dedicated band of locals keen to see the site developed as, among other things, an arts centre and market. Auckland Council does have some funds for this sort of thing, but a whole lot more cash would be needed. Working with the existing buildings would be a very costly exercise.
One prospective purchaser is apparently in the film industry, interested in using the solid concrete buildings as a soundstage. Just think what a boon to the local economy it would be if we could get the movie industry here - maybe we could become the Weta of the north?
Oh, and yes, I realise it's been a fair while since I posted anything here. But then the heading at the top does say "occasional" comments...

Super City? We're a Super Town!

2009-05-18T11:28:00.002+12:00

So, what's in it for Helensville when we become part of the new Auckland Super City? Not a lot, I suspect.

It's a fairly common feeling around these parts - and arguably justified - that we are already something of the 'poor cousin' within Rodney District (in a Helensville website poll in 2006, 94 percent of respondents said Helensville wasn't treated fairly compared to other Rodney communities for civic amenities and design, while in another in 2002 75% thought the area was treated either only averagely or poorly).

I don't see our treatment improving once we are lumped in with every other town all the way down to somewhere in the nether regions of South Auckland (will that become South Super-City I wonder?).

But am I worried?

No, not really, because we already live in a super little town - and while the benefits of belonging to the super city may prove to be thin on the ground, the detriments probably will too. Perhaps the best thing would be for the super city powers to largely ignore Helensville, and let us keep our historic little town pretty much the way it is.

My dream would be for the 'super council' to set up something like a new 'heritage zone', designating a town like Helensville as an area where 'big box' chain stores like The Warehouse and fast food outlets like McDonalds aren't allowed. I realise it's already too late for that, what with Placemakers, Mitre 10 et al already lining Mill Road. But maybe we can keep the town from losing any more character.

My opinion on the super city may be a minority one, however - judging by the (so far small) number of votes on the current Helensville website poll ("Will Helensville suffer when Auckland becomes a single 'Super City'?") almost 80 percent of respondents think Helensville will be worse off once the super city comes into effect.

Is that just natural pessimism? Time will tell, I guess.

Extreme Engineering!

2009-04-01T16:34:00.002+13:00

No, it's not a new reality show - but perhaps it should be.

Imagine it - Extreme Engineering!, where contestants representing local government organisations compete to over-engineer even the simplest of structures.

On our left, the first entrant - Rodney District Council, with its entry: "Parakai Entrance Road Signage".

Seriously folks, what were they thinking?

Parakai now has two 'lovely' (and I use the term loosely) "Welcome to Parakai - Please Slow Down" signs at its Southern entrance. In itself, that's not a bad idea. But these signs took a team of workers more than a week to put up - and the work isn't finished yet.

Because of the fall-off either side of the road, they build gigantic retaining walls butting out each side of the tarmac, filled with earth. On the footpath side, this then meant a drain had to be piped, and the footpath realigned around the retaining wall. Then, six enormous wooden poles, three per sign, were installed in the dirt-filled retaining walls. Now, each pole on its own is hefty enough to support the weight of a small fishing vessel, and stout enough to deflect a minor meteor strike. And there are three per flimsy sign!

As I say, this involved a whole team of workers, plus heavy machinery, for at least a week (not to mention, I am sure, visits by engineers, planners, architects etc, plus all the attendant office work). Then, over the past couple of days, more workers have turned up to paint the road red between the two signs. No doubt more workers will turn up soon to plant the bare earth under the signs - at least they had better, or else!

That's the one bright light in the whole affair - it would appear we are to get some gardens at last. For a long time I have bitched about our ugly red tar seal roundabout at the end of SH16, while every other area in the district gets nice planted ones - so it's nice to see our extreme signage is to be planted beneath. Nice bright flowers would be both welcome and welcoming, though we'll more likely get miniature flaxes (nicely sculptural and still attractive) or, worse, boring old coprosma (but even the ugliest plant is still vastly preferable to concrete!)

What have these signs cost the ratepayer?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those whingers who moans everytime the council spends a cent on anything other than sewerage, water supply or roads. On the contrary, I love seeing local body beautification, and money spent on 'non essential' things like parks, libraries, etc. Those are the things that make a place liveable, rather than just somewhere to exist. But when spending those rates dollars, there needs to be a justifiable reason for the expenditure, value for money and an easily perceived benefit resulting from the expense.

Were these signs really the best thing the council could spend it's cash on?

I'll be honest - the structures don't look too bad. Once gardens are growing beneath them, they should look moderately attractive. But they just seem such overkill, and really rather unnecessary. We had 50 km/h signs there before - what was wrong with those? If motorists won't slow for a 50km/h sign, are they more likely to do so for a sign supported by three mammoth kauri trunks?

And did they have to use those ugly, standard blue road signs on them? When I saw the poles going up, I had a brief hope Parakai was going to get some form of really attractive entrance way - maybe some nice Maori carving, or painted signs welcoming visitors. They could have still had the "slow down" message. I'm sure motorists aren't too stupid to misunderstand something like that, just because it's in a slightly different form to usual - in fact, they would probably be more likely to notice them if they were something special.

What we got, of course, is an adaptation of a standard design. Nothing special for Parakai, as usual. I presume these massively-supported signs are going to be a fixture around the district; I see they have gone in at one end of Waitoki already - though they make more sense there, as they didn't require all the retaining work, drain filling and path realignment - just bang in the poles and put up the signs.

So, what's the next entry for Extreme Engineering? Send in your suggestions ...

Helensville Christmas Parade

2008-12-10T15:46:00.002+13:00

Well, another Christmas Parade has been and gone (Sat, Dec 6).

This annual event is a real tribute to all those involved in organising it and running it on the day - the Business Association, all the groups and organisations who create the floats and displays, and of course the public who turn up year in and year out to watch it.

This year we were blessed with beautiful weather again; I can't remember a wet parade actually, though I guess over the years there must have been one or two!

I think it's the variety that makes the parade so great. It's not just traditional floats but kids on horses, clowns, classic vehicles - even dogs! And of course recognising faces on the floats makes it all the more fun and really gives it that community feel. Once again Oikoumene Forest had, in my opinion, the stand-out float - Don, you really look like a good old-fashioned ooh-arrr pirate!

The number of schools taking part was fabulous. In fact there were so many small children taking part, from schools, the Pony Club, River Valley Kindy, Sunny Days Preschool etc that it's amazing there were enough left to be spectators! I think it's these kids who deserve the REAL thanks - they pretty much give up the chance to watch the whole parade and enjoy the rest of the festivities so that the 'show can go on'.

I do have one small word of advise for the organisers - there should be a rule somewhere that floats must get into the festive spirit. There were two or three with the bare minimum of tinsel, and one - yes, I'm naming you, Parakai Wholesale Liqour - that made absolutely no effort at all, not so much as a sprig of holly or strip of tinsel, just a huge advertising billboard. Even the little kids on the back were without so much as a Santa hat.

The Helensville Christmas parade is a family, community festivity - NOT a vehicle for blatant advertising. I heard several people in the crowd around me muttering about that particular float, so the chances are their "advertising" has backfired anyway.

You can check out some of my photos from the parade here.

Helensville Passenger Rail Trial

2008-07-15T16:35:00.001+12:00

Have you ridden on the new passenger rail service to Auckland yet?

Are you going to?

For the first time in 28 years, Helensville residents can take the train to work (or play) - but the skeptic in me wonders just how many actually will.

Rail is probably the most relaxing way to travel on land, but spending more than three hours of your day getting to and from work (96 minutes each way, not counting the time to get to and from the station) may be more than most people can handle.

Sure, petrol prices are awful, and bound to get worse (though fuel costs will likely push up rail fares in future, too) - but for many people it's going to be a choice between two evils - wasting money on gas, or wasting the additional time over a car trip (say 45 minutes on a good day, 75 with bad traffic).

Proponents of the new rail service point out that commuters can use the rail travel time to work, and I'm sure some will get out their laptops and make good use of their time. I suspect most, however, will read a book, leaf through the paper, snooze or just stare out the window, mesmerised by that lovely clickety-clack sound trains make. That's what I'd do!

The rail service is a trial at this stage, and it will be up to locals (and those at the other new stops, Huapai and Waukauku) to get behind it if they want it to continue.

I'm not sure starting the trial in the middle of winter was a good idea. People are going to less inclined to use a train if they have to walk to the station in the cold and dark - maybe they should have been eased into it with a summer start?

Perhaps I'm being fussy - after all, I spent several years in London trudging through snow and ice to catch the 'Tube'. Then again, I didn't have a car...

So, will the rail trial be a success? I believe there will be a hard core of people who will use it to the max, but a lot of other people will try it for a while, then slide back into their comfort zone of pedalling their car to work.

Personally, I hope the trial succeeds. Better public transport has got to be good for everyone, and anything that clears some vehicles off the road to make way for my car has got to be good! ;-)

Traffic signs

2008-01-28T07:38:00.000+13:00

Yeah, I know - another long break!

So, has anyone else noticed the new speed signs by the roundabout at the Mill Rd/Parkhurst Rd/SH16 roundabout. Whose clever idea were they?

Driving from Helensville to Parakai you are in a 70km/h zone on Mill Rd. Right before the roundabout, that changes to 100km/h - great place to speed up, right? But then, the minute you get through the roundabout, it's now an 80km/h zone on Parkhurst. So, 70km/h along the straight, 100 round the roundabout, then 80 along the next straight!

Going from Parakai to Helensville is the opposite - 80km/h along Parkhurst, with a 100km sign right on the roundabout, then drop back to 70km/h entering Mill Rd.

The situation was of course different until very recently - Parkhurst Rd used to be a 100km/h zone, so the signage made sense. But with the drop to 80km/h, it seems no-one thought to rethink the signage.

Now, I'm not a complete idiot (I hope) - I realise that the 100km/h applies to SH16. So why not put the 100km/h sign at the start of SH16 instead of before the roundabout on either side? Obviously, no-one's going to go through the roundabout at 100 (I've tried: it doesn't work - just kidding) - but it seems unneccessarily confusing signage.

I guess the reason is probably some silly jurisdiction thing - the roundabout is probably the responsibility of Transit NZ (ie considered part of SH16) whereas Mill & Parkhurst Roads are probably looked after by the Council. I'm just guessing here, but that seems to be par for the course in matters like these.

Maybe a little common sense in future?

New Councils and Road Repairs

2007-11-22T21:14:00.000+13:00

I'm back! Apologies for the brief (four month!) absence - who new it would be so hard finding time to put fingers to keyboard? Being self-employed, though, it's nice to know I've been so busy!

The big news in the interim - our new council.

It was nice to see that Rodney had one of the highest voter turnouts in the country, though it's still appallingly low at just 45 percent. People tend to bitch and moan about their local council year in and year out - but when it comes time to vote, more than half can't even get off their bums and have a say. Guess they get what they deserve.

Anyway, the newly elected council seems to be quite a nice mix of experience and new blood, so it will be interesting to see what happens over the next three years. Mayor Penny Webster has already put Eastern Ward councillor Wayne Walker on notice to work in a team effort; with a tenuous one-vote hold on his seat, I'm guessing he won't be rocking the boat too much!

And my prediction for the next three years? More of the same.

I really don't anticipate anything changing. The council will still be generally well-meaning as it goes about its day-to-day running of our district, but hopelessly inefficient at many things. There will still be miles of red tape whenever someone wants to get something done. And there will never be enough money to do all the things the council - and the ratepayers - want done.

If there's one generalisation about ratepayers, it's that most of them don't like paying their rates. A significant proportion also believe their council should only be spending their rate money on the basic necessities of running the town/city/district/region - the nuts and bolts stuff. I'm always amazed at the people who begrudge rate money going to the zoo or museum, or to parks or other cultural amenities.

Personally I'm all for rate money going to those sorts of things - they are the elements that make where we live "civilised".

But I do hate to see rate money simply wasted.

A case in point - road repairs. So much money gets tossed at substandard repair work it's enough to make you weep.

About six weeks ago, a large part of the bottom end of Fordyce Road was resealed. The asphalt was badly potholed, and the workers spent several days spreading, grading and rolling metal over the existing surface, then tar sealing over it. It looked like they were doing a good job, but it was really only a quick cosmetic patch-up, and already the council has been forced to patch a number of potholes that have reappeared.

Why don't they do a proper job? Yes, it'll cost more initially, but at least it will last and ultimately save money.

Perhaps they just aren't interested in what might happen during the next 3-year term ...

The Great Waitakere Takeover

2007-07-05T15:43:00.000+12:00

So once again, Waitakere City wants to take over Western Rodney.

What's in it for us? Not much that I can see. Sure, we would be part of a bigger city, but I have a strong feeling after the initial honeymoon that we would still end up the poor cousins in the deal.

It would appear that the main benefit would be reaped by Waitakere - namely an increase in land area and an increase in ratepayers - although perhaps it could be argued that Waitakere's "green" philosophy is perhaps more suited to our area.

Waitakere first mooted this idea back in 2001. At the time, I ran a poll on the Helensville Website - and 74% were against the takeover. There's another poll on the site at the moment, and it's pretty consistent with that from six years ago - currently 80% want our area to remain in Rodney District.

While I agree with those figures, they are strangely at odds with other polls in recent years: in September 2002, 44% of respondents said we don't get a fair deal from RDC, with another 33% saying we only get a 'fair' deal. And in May last year, when asked if Helensville is treated fairly compared to the rest of Rodney in terms of amenities and civic design, a whopping 94% said we weren't.

I can only take from these figures that most people think we would be even worse off with Waitakere.

I guess it's all pretty moot anyway - can anyone imagine RDC willingly parting with thousands of ratepayers? I think not.

So Bob Harvey, looks like you'd better go poaching elsewhere!

Finally, apologies for the lengthy break in posts. I haven't been ill, absent or anything dramatic like that - just too damn busy!

Helensville Traffic By-Pass

2007-04-24T16:05:00.000+12:00

Is Helensville to undergo by-pass surgery?

Once again, the possibility of a traffic by-pass has reared its head, and this time it looks as though the council may actually be serious.

I'm all for a way to keep heavy traffic from Commercial Road. Helensville has the potential to have a really nice, 'quaint' shopping precinct, especially with the riverside developments currently underway. But at the moment, it's ruined by the constant thunder of enormous trucks belting down the road.

Many of these trucks seem to show little sign of slowing for pedestrian crossings too, so unwary shoppers can be taking their lives in their hand at times.

In the Helensville-Parakai Structure Plan October 1998, the council mooted four possible by-pass options.

Three of those go straight ahead from the SH16 roundabout, taking slightly different routes across the river until they emerge on Railway Street at various spots opposite the Helensville Showgrounds. The other option goes straight ahead at the second S-bend just before the roundabout, then cuts across Parkhurst Road before crossing the river and joining up to the Kaipara Coast Highway well past Pipitiwai Drive.

The plan estimated traffic volumes would double in the 20 years to 2018 - not a nice thought when you see how busy Commercial Road gets now.

Other than a bypass, about the only option to help ease traffic is to widen Commercial Road - but let's forget that idea straight away! Apart from the fact there really isn't any room to widen the road, imagine the effect on the town if Commercial Road became four lanes! That would just encourage even more traffic, and would probably kill the current shopping precinct.

The council admits as much, with the plan stating that widening Commercial Road would "severely negate the effective performance of a small town Mainstreet precinct".

While a by-pass will undoubtedly be expensive, it's the only way to go if we want to preserve - or even enhance - our lovely town.

The Helensville District Business Association is currently trying to guage public opinion about a by-pass - questionnaires are available, or you can vote on the Helensville Online web poll.

The Helensville A&P Show

2007-03-11T18:40:00.000+13:00

Well folks, I'm back!

I finally moved into my extended/rebuilt office last week, so things are almost back to normal, and hopefully I'll have more time for this blogging business...

I DID managed to find time to go the the A&P Show the other weekend (actually I'm a steward, so there's no getting out of it!).

As is often the case, it was a fantastic day - perfect weather, big, friendly crowd and lots happening.

This year's show had one noteable difference to previous years - no large carnival rides. Gone were the Ferris Wheel, Super Trooper et al.

What do you think of that?

I don't think they were missed by many people. The show did perhaps lack a little "street presence" for people driving past without the big rides sprouting above the fence, but not many of those on the grounds seemed to care.

In fact many people seemed pleased, as it meant the kids' money went a bit further, spending smaller amounts on lots of different things, rather than a lot on just a couple of rides. If anything, it made the event seem even more of a family affair.

And it's not like the kids were missing out - the "big rides" were replaced by a number of new attractions, mostly grouped together in a new "Adventure Paradise" area (which was perhaps a little removed from the rest of the action).

The A&P Show is the largest one-day event on Helensville's calendar. This year's was the 105th show - it's a real testiment to a relatively small group of people who put in a lot of generally unsung time and effort to keep it going.

My bet is that 99% of the people who turn up on the day, year in and year out, never even give a thought to just how the show actually happens - perhaps if some of you are reading this, you could put your hands up to help next year!

Apologies, apologies ...

2007-01-18T16:44:00.000+13:00

Boy, time flies when you're not having fun....

I know I promised to write soon, but I've been up to my armpits in sawdust, struggling to finish my office extensions before too many clients wonder why their work isn't getting done!

The job is progressing well, but has left little time for anything else - blogging included.

It's a shame, as I have a head just FULL of opinions ;-)

I promise (picture me on my knees) to get back to blogging proper soon.....

Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T17:38:00.000+13:00

Merry Christmas everyone. Apologies (again) for the lack of blogging action - I haven't run out of opinions, just time! And I've got a building project on starting tomorrow, so it may be a week or two before you hear from me again.

Take care everyone and have a safe and happy holiday break.

It's Christmas Parade Day!

2006-12-01T07:25:00.001+13:00

Tomorrow (Saturday, 2nd December) will be one of those great Helensville community days.

It is, of course, Christmas Parade day, always one of the most popular days on the town's calendar. I've been to pretty much every one for the past 15 years or so, and it never ceases to amaze me that it seems almost the entire town turns up to watch.

What's great about it is that it's still such an amateur affair - and I mean that in a nice way.

Some of the floats are really wonderful, and a huge effort goes into organising and making them, but they are all still patently home-made. The kindergarten float - in recent years usually one of the winners on the day - has obviously been made with plenty of input from the kids, for example.

Others are less flashy - often just a truck nicely washed up and with a bit of tinsel dangling here and there - but the point is, the people make the effort. They don't get anything for all their time and effort, other than knowing they are helping keep a local tradition alive and kicking, and providing a bit of fun for the local children (and adults too, I guess).

Combined with the various stalls and other happenings in the main street - including this year an exhibition in the War Memorial Hall of more than 800 Barbie dolls by a local collector - it makes for a fun day with that small town feel.

Christmas Parade day has grown into much more in recent years, of course, with the addition of the PACKS (Performing Arts Kaipara South) variety performance at the Parakai Domain, Christmas in the 'Ville. I think tomorrow will be its fourth year, and it's always a huge family affair, with locals picnicking on the grass while local talent takes to the stage to perform or take part in the big production.

The slickness of the production has improved notably over the years, and I suspect will be even better tomorrow. True to its local nature and the fact almost anyway can have a go, the quality of the performers can vary quite a bit. But once again, that's what makes it fun.

I recall last year hearing a couple of disparaging remarks about the quality of some of the acts. Gee guys, it's FREE for heavens sake - it's not like you paid to see some flash show. The whole point is that it's local people performing for locals. At least they have the guts to get up there and have a go.

Just take the whole day for what it is - a home-grown affair keeping local traditions afloat, nothing flash, nothing fancy, just good old-fashioned fun.

The Old Dairy Factory

2006-11-22T17:48:00.000+13:00

Hands up anyone with a good suggestion for the old Kaipara Co-op Dairy Factory building, now up for sale.

It's a prime spot, right smack bang on the town's Southern entrance (although admittedly right on the rail line and much of it down in a bit of a hole).

Just let me just get my tongue firmly in my cheek ... maybe it could be the site for the new World Cup stadium - after all, it is right on the rail line, which seems to be a major consideration for the Government (despite the fact no-one seems to use the trains...) It's even waterfront, if not in quite such a glamorous way as downtown Auckland ;-)

It would be a shame to see the building re-used as a factory, considering it's location.

My wife is all for knocking it down and creating a park on the site - quite a nice idea, I thought, though I can just see the council falling over itself to fork out money for something like that!

Most of the building is pretty much just an ugly old eyesore, although the main entrance part is sort of art deco-ish, with its curved walls and glass blocks. Perhaps that bit could be retained and used as the basis for something a bit more attractive.

There was talk a few years back of creating an arts centre in the building, and I still think that's a good idea considering the wealth of artistic talent in the area (see my previous post). Those sorts of things often work quite well, with artists practising their crafts in a rabbit-warren sort of old building.

Whether there's enough of a market to keep something like that running full time in Helensville is a bit doubtful though; it would probably work well as a weekend-only affair, but the setup costs probably make that financially unviable.

So, what else? Come on locals - put your thinking caps on, and get your wallets out!

The Arts in Helensville

2006-11-15T18:11:00.000+13:00

Apologies again for the lack of blogging of late - work is driving me crazy!

Am I the only one that's constantly surprised by the amount of artistic talent in our little neck of the woods?

I know there are artists throughout the country, but it does seem there are an awful lot (and I mean 'awful' in the nicest sense!) just around the Helensville area.

There are obviously the particularly well-known ones - like painters Fiona Whyte, Rosemary Parcell, Sarah McBeath, and sculptors Diane McGarvey and Geoff Thompson. But there are literally dozens more working quietly away, which is very encouraging.

Perhaps they're more noticeable now because things are getting more organised. There's the Art Kaipara group, the Art Stop Cafe which has a gallery and organises all sorts of artistic endeavours, and various annual events like the Dimensions exhibition at Waitoki and Sculpture in the Garden at Nestlebrae.

It's not just the visual arts either.

Just look at the huge growth in the performing arts over the last couple of years, thanks mainly to the formation of PACKS (Performing Arts Kaipara South), driven largely by Kaipara College teacher Nick Roberts.

This group of like-minded people brings us an annual variety showcase, Christmas in the 'Ville, plus regular performances at places like the Grand Hotel and the Riverview Restaurant and other one-off events.

A large focus for PACKS (can't say the acronym does much for me - 'Focus on ART' would be more memorable; think about it!) is in encouraging the area's young talent, and it's doing a great job too. Geez, we've even had out own NZ Idol - well done Emilie Harwood for going so far in that competition.

So come on everyone - dig out your paint set or dust off the piano accordian and have a go too.

A Brief Note

2006-10-19T15:50:00.000+13:00

Apologies for the big gap between posts. Things have been VERY hectic at work, and on top of that I've had to copy with the death of my father, which while not unexpected was none-the-less a very sad occasion.

I promise to come up with something worthwhile for you all to read in a few days!

Community Spirit - That's the Spirit!

2006-09-24T18:04:00.002+12:00

Helensville, like most small towns in New Zealand, relies on community-minded people to get a lot of things done.

It's hard to imagine where we would be without all those good souls. Look at the wonderful resource the town now has in the Riverside Walkway - organised and built (with much hard work over a considerable period) by volunteers.

The walkway of course links the middle of Commercial Road with the Riverside Reserve and the newly re-located Pioneer Museum. That's another perfect example of a community asset that we simply wouldn't have without the numerous volunteers who give their time, brainpower, and often goods and materials to keep projects like this alive.

Take the Helensville A&P Show. It's been running - on volunteer power - for more than 100 years. It's one of the largest shows in the Northern District, and on showday (the last Saturday in each February) literally hundreds of people give up their day to help run the show - whether they be stewards, judges, parking attendants or plain dogs bodies.

For most it's not really too onerous. I've been a photography steward for around 20 years now - it's one afternoon, one evening and show day. But without all those stewards chipping in together, the town would lose the largest event on it's annual calendar.

The list of community benefactors is huge - think of the contributions over the years of the local business people who have been members of the Helensville Business Association. Who organises our annual Christmas Parade? The business association of course.

All those sports clubs that give our children (and adults too) something to do on a Saturday morning - they're run by volunteers. There's the Lions Club of Helensville, the Women's Institute ... I'm going to stop there, because if I try to list them all, I'm bound to forget someone and cause offence!

So come on people - if you aren't already involved in something to help make our town run that little bit better, now's the time to pitch in. Organisations like the A&P Association are always looking for new members - some of the current ones have been there for 50 years and need a rest!

Helensville and the Super City

2006-09-15T09:56:00.000+12:00

With all the talk at the moment about amalgamating the various councils that make up the Auckland Region into one "Super City" (or three "semi-super cities" if Auckland, North Shore, Waitakere and Manukau cities get their way), where will that leave Helensville?

Under the the mayors' proposal, Rodney District will be swallowed by North Shore City.

A significant percentage of Helensville area residents already feel a bit like second-class citizens in Rodney.

Asked in a recent poll on the Helensville Online website: "Is Helensville fairly treated compared to other Rodney communities in terms of amenities and civic design?", 94 percent of respondents voted "No" and only six percent said yes.

It seems the more affluent areas to the east (Whangaparaoa, Orewa etc) get a better shake of the stick than us when it comes to provision of amenities. One example - the big roundabout at the end of Highway 16. Over in the East, they get lovely gardens in their roundabouts, whereas we get a ginormous blob of red chip seal.

We are already a small part of a large district; can we really expect our situation not to be even worse if we become a tiny part of an enormous city? If Eastern Rodney currently receives preferential treatment (which of course the Council denies), surely it's safe to assume that Takapuna, Milford et al will be top of the heap if we become part of a greatly expanded North Shore City. You can guess who will be bottom of the pile.

And if the whole region is turned into one giant Super City, where will that leave the small towns like Helensville?

The Riverside Walkway - a Not-So-Hidden Gem

2006-08-25T15:46:00.000+12:00

When is a hidden gem not a hidden gem - when it's the Helensville Riverside Walkway.

There has been heaps of local publicity about this wonderful new town asset - yet I wonder how many locals have actually walked along it.

Running from the Riverside Reserve to the carpark beside the chemist in Commercial Road, it's a credit to the hard-working volunteers of the Helensville Riverside Heritage Trust.

The Trust has toiled away on the 1km stretch of walkway beside the Kaipara River for five years, planting around 4000 native trees and shrubs and spending approximately 3500 hours weeding, clearing, and planting. Particularly impressive are the structures at the Commercial Road end of the walkway, with viewing platforms, stairs and boardwalks.

It's true, the Kaipara isn't the most scenic river in the world, but the walkway still shows a wonderfully different aspect of Helensville. And the river was, of course, of utmost importance in the original development of the town.

The walkway is still under development, with plenty of work planned in the future. It's a great way for people staying in the township to reach the new historical Pioneer Village at the Riverside Reserve without having to walk along the busy main road.

So come on locals - get off your butts and go for a stroll. It only takes a few minutes, and you will see a side of Helensville you won't have seen before.

At What Rate Progress?

2006-08-07T15:52:00.000+12:00

Property rates - now there's a subject guaranteed to get people hot under the collar.

Every year, when councils up and down the country set their annual rates, property owners are up in arms at the ensuing increases. Rodney homeowners are no shrinking violets when it comes to lambasting council spending.

And yes, Rodney District does, this year, have one of the largest average rate increases in the country. But when you stop and think for a moment, it's hardly surprising. Rodney covers a large land area, yet has a relatively small population - but one that is growing fast and thus putting a rapidly increasing load on local resources. The council still has to provide the same essential services as elsewhere, but spread over an enormous area. Just look at the huge percentage of roads in the district which are still unsealed, and you can see that huge expenditure is required.

I live at the end of an unsealed road, and have been known to wonder aloud on occasion what exactly my rates are being spent on. My road gets graded maybe four times a year (if we're lucky). Footpaths and street lighting - forget it! We have no reticulated water, nor a sewerage system.

Yet when my daughters have to go to the Helensville library for a school project, or play soccer on a Saturday morning at one of the local parks, my rates bill doesn't seem such a burden.

I used to work in the public relations department of Auckland City Council, and was constantly astounded at the small-mindedness of ratepayers who would phone up to complain about their rate bill, especially when it came to "non-essential" services - which pretty much meant anything other than water, sewerage and roading.

Just forget libraries, art galleries, theatre, public artworks. Forget about future generations. Forget about what makes an environment livable.

These people were adamant their rates should not be used for anything other than the absolute necessities. But surely it's all those other things which make living somewhere pleasant and fulfilling? I realise that rates bills can be a burden for some people, however I suspect the most vocal opposition are just pissed off at having to spend money on something they don't really want to spend on - and over which they have little control.

These people seem to think the council's sole purpose is to take as much money off them as possible. They seem to conveniently overlook the fact that councils are (generally) trying their hardest to improve the quality of their residents' environment. Sure, there are inefficiencies, and I too am disheartened when I see money wasted on shoddy road repairs which need to be re-done every few months. But on the whole, councils do have our best interests at heart.

Helensville Cemetery - a Hidden Gem

2006-07-29T09:43:00.000+12:00

Hands up anyone who has been to the Helensville cemetery recently - and I mean just for pleasure. I consider it to be one of Helensville's "hidden" gems.

On a lovely day (like today) you get the most astonishing views - way better than from the mostly overgrown Wishart Rd lookout. You can see the whole Helensville township spread out below, along with Parakai in the distance. The oxbow curves of the Kaipara River really look something from up here, and you get a great view across to the Kaipara Harbour.

But the cemetery itself is great.

Perched on top of a ridge, with gnarled old trees everywhere, there are some wonderful old headstones. Much of it is pretty rundown, at least in the older section up at the top, with headstones leaning at all angles and old wrought iron fences falling down - but that just adds to the atmosphere. Keen photographers can have a field-day up here.

The newer sections lower down aren't nearly as interesting, of course - well kept and no view, but that's to be expected.

I recommend a jaunt up here on a fine day for any visitor to the town - it'll give you a good birds-eye view of the pay of the land, plus you can spend some time with many of the old identities of the town.

Saving Our Town's Character

2006-07-19T17:13:00.000+12:00

How can we protect the natural character of our town?

Helensville is a lovely place, still on the quiet side with many beautiful old buildings and a "small town" feel. What adds to this charm is the fact the town is only a 35 minute drive from the centre of Auckland, so we get the best of both worlds.

However, the beginning of the end has already happened.

It's progress (of a sort), and I'm not knocking it, but it is rather a shame too. Already the main southern entrance to the town is dominated by a massive Mitre 10. There's also an ITM building supply store, and in the middle of the main road what used to be Helensville Video is now chain Video Ezy. And of course there's the huge Woolworths supermarket, dominating the main shopping area.

How long will it be before there's a McDonalds, KFC or Pizza Hut? Or worse - the dreaded Red Shed?

It's going to happen eventually, probably sooner than later, and unfortunately Helensville will go the way of many other small towns around New Zealand (and around the world for that matter) - the locally owned shops will be swallowed by national chains, and one day I'll drive into town and wonder exactly which town I'm in.

Because that's the problem with progress - everything starts to look the same. There are towns all over New Zealand that have very little of their own character left. Some are luckier than others, but generally the faster they grow and more popular they become, the quicker they turn into what the people who moved there were trying to get away from in the first place.

You can't blame the commercial property owners for selling out to the big chains.

I heard someone moaning a few months ago because they had heard The Warehouse was making overtures about buying a block of commercial land in Mill Road. This person was quite indignant that the owner would actually consider selling to a big chain. But I bet if it was them who had the chance to land a big payday they would leap at it - loss of town character or not.

Is there anything we can do? The commercial land and buildings are all privately owned, and the owners are quite within their rights to sell to whoever they want. I'm sure many of them would prefer Helensville to stay the way it is, but I guess faced with the option of either going slowly broke or earning a nice healthy payday through a sellout, I know which way they will go.

I suppose Rodney District Council could impose stringent design rules that mean chains have to adhere to a specific look. A couple of years ago I was in the "Old German" town of Leavenworth in Washington, USA. There's a McDonalds in the main street, but you'd hardly know it - apart from some discreet signage, it looks like a traditional German building. Admittedly the whole town is themed, but it's an idea.

Maybe that would just scare the big chains away and stunt the development of Helensville.

Maybe that would be a nice thing...

Sunny Sunday in Helensville

2006-07-09T09:52:00.000+12:00

A sunny Sunday in Helensville.

It was nice to hear the TV3 weatherman (local lad Michael Hall) advising Aucklanders to take their mountain bikes up to Woodhill Forest today, then stop at the Helensville bakery on the way home! Nothing like a bit of national promotion for the town.

The Helensville Pioneer Museum reopened recently, so that's another worthwhile attraction for out-of-towners to visit on their way through (not that we want them to "go through" - we'd prefer them to stay a while).

Helensville has become something of a cafe destination, with four of them in the main road and almost always busy.

People driving through will be interested to see the development going on - construction at both ends of Commercial Road, with the new medical centre and new physiotherapy centre. And of course coming from Auckland, even before you hit Commercial Road there are all the new buildings that have gone up recently in Mill Road. A boom town for sure!

Heritage Helensville

2006-07-07T06:06:00.000+12:00

I spoke recently with local physio Kath Long. Apparently some people have criticised the lovely new physical therapy clinic she is building in Commercial Road (read article) because it isn't "heritage" in design.

No, it isn't - instead it's a very modern, and great-looking, building.

What's with the "heritage" deal anyway? Helensville does have some wonderful old commercial buildings, the Old Post Office being the prime example, while others like the Allsorts building are very nice too - and the old Screatons building is currently having a facelift which will give it a nice heritage appeal.

But take a look at the rest of the Commercial Road buildings. Many so-called "heritage" ones are simply plain, ugly old buildings with no real architectural merit. The rest - and probably the bulk - are much more modern: the Helensville Pharmacy, Kaipara Tavern, Library and Hall, Vets, Kaipara Court ... the list goes on.

The Kaipara Medical Centre is a rather neat-looking art deco style building - "heritage" surely, but not really Helensville's heritage. When it was built, was there an outcry that it didn't match the rest of the town's architectual style? And the new clinic, being built right alongside, is modern (and attractive) in design.

Now don't get me wrong - I'm not knocking Helensville's heritage appeal. History is very important, and it is something that most towns in New Zealand have lost. And unfortunately it's happening in Helensville too.

However, building new buildings to look like old ones isn't the answer - a fake heritage building is just that.

Preserving the remaining worthy heritage buildings (not just anything that's "old") is important, and fortunately, if we step away from commercial buildings for a moment, Helensville is blessed with many beautiful old (read heritage) residential homes - and the town does have a good record of these being preserved.

Rather than bemoaning the arrival of attractive new buildings, perhaps we should be more worried about the town's loss of character through the arrival of large national chains - but that's a subject for another posting.

Welcome to Think Helensville

2006-07-06T16:23:00.000+12:00

Hi

First post on Think Helensville, the new blog for everything to do with Helensville, New Zealand.

This blog is brought to you by the Helensville Online website, www.helensville.co.nz. It will be a series of (probably infrequent) notes, jottings and thoughts about our great town.

Don't be shy in posting any comments - your views are welcome!