www.thorndon.org.nz

THORNDON TRIBUTE

THORNDON TRIBUTE -published quarterly by Thorndon Residents’ Association -distributed throughout Thorndon Contact [email protected] for comments, suggestions or advertising

Autumn 2015 Thorndon Residents’ Association 2015 AGM Thorndon Residents’ Association holds its annual general meeting at The Thorndon Hotel Wellington, Hawkestone Street, from 6.30pm on Tuesday May 26th 2015. It’s been an action-packed year for your Residents’ Association. Here’s a taste of what to expect at the AGM. We’ll be celebrating significant achievements on behalf of our community, launching new resources to promote community resilience and connectedness, and outlining a major work programme for the coming year, which will focus on the particularly vexed issue of parking in Thorndon. We’ll also be concentrating on graffiti cleanup – still far too slow and unresponsive – and we’ll be adopting new channels for gathering and communicating the community’s views on issues relevant to Thorndon.

Community Response Plan for Thorndon Thorndon is unique – astride the region’s major fault line, an inner-city gateway suburb, through which all regional lifeline services pass – water, sewerage, electricity, road, rail and sea transport. Resilient communities plan for the real consequences of a major disaster. Neighbourliness and a post-disaster plan for individuals, households and communities are what matters most. Your neighbours will likely be the first to respond and will be your best source of mutual help and support. This year TRA partnered with Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office (WREMO) to develop a community response plan for emergency preparedness in Thorndon. Our community is uniquely fortunate in hosting many other valuable organisations besides WREMO – these special neighbours have all contributed their insights, strengths and skills to the plan.

Seeing this project to fruition is a major milestone in growing community resilience, and an achievement our community can justly be proud of. We warmly invite you to attend the AGM to learn more about the plan, and help us celebrate the launch!

Join the conversation! If you’re interested in the vital matter of emergency preparedness in your community, or simply want to know more about any aspect of Thorndon Residents’ Association, we warmly invite you to attend the AGM: The Thorndon Hotel, Wellington. Hawkestone St, Thorndon. From 6.30pm, Tuesday May 26th 2015. All welcome! Membership of the Association is open to every resident, business operator, or property owner in Thorndon, for the modest annual subscription of $15 dollars a year. You’ll find a membership form over the page. We’ll also have copies at the AGM.

Thorndon Residents’ Association 2015 AGM Tuesday May 26th | 7-9 pm (drinks from 6.30) The Thorndon Hotel Wellington Hawkestone Street, Thorndon Please RSVP to [email protected]

Membership Form for Thorndon Residents’ Association Incorporated Society No. 2174304 Subscription $15 per member Pay by: Online Banking to ANZ Account 01 0505 0380782 00 – Use Surname/Street as Reference/Particulars Or make cheques payable to: Thorndon Residents’ Association at PO Box 12587, Wellington 6144 Name: Address: E-mail: I am happy to receive newsletters and notices by email: Phone:

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Another scheme may yet be submitted on behalf of the New TRA website launched owner, which might find favour with the regulatory This year your Residents’ Association is proud to also authorities. launch our completely redesigned website – TRA supports a balanced approach to proposed new thorndon.org.nz – packed with fresh, new content. development – carefully weighing the merits of any scheme We’re confident your visitor experience will be greatly against its adverse effects– rather than blanket prohibition improved, with clearer navigation, brighter imagery and of new buildings. continuously evolving content, alongside such longTRA applauds WCC for its decision to refer the application to established favourites as our residents’ blog. Join us at the a hearing commissioner, allowing wide-ranging community AGM to celebrate the launch. submissions to be made on the impact of this particular Do visit your brand new community hub: thorndon.org.nz proposal. Comments and feedback are always welcome.

Acknowledgements Alfred Memelink, for the use of his watercolour images of Thorndon on the TRA website. Wellington City Council, Me Heke ki Poneke, for its generous financial support of this year’s community-led initiatives: the new TRA website, Thorndon Emergency Response Plan and the ongoing production of our quarterly newsletter.

Development declined On December 16th 2014 Wellington City Council’s appointed hearings commissioner declined resource consent for a proposed new commercial development on the corner of Park St and Tinakori Rd. No appeal was lodged against the commissioner’s decision. While the proposed development may have contributed useful services and facilities to the community, resource consent was declined due to its adverse effects and scale, in an otherwise residential neighbourhood. The Commissioner made the decision based on the proposal’s merits.

Tinakori Village improvement project In late 2014 Wellington City Council consulted broadly with residents and local businesses, initiating a project to improve Tinakori Village and the neighbouring area. The work has resulted in improved footpaths, laying new sections of kerbing, and two new seats have been installed – one in front of Zinc+ and another in front of the Shepherd’s Arms. Resealing part of Ascot Street, Lewisville and Upton Terraces was also included in the plan. The final stage, installation of two signs on Ascot Street and in the Botanic Garden featuring key local historical information has yet to be completed. New pavers with quotes from local artists and writers have been laid through the shopping village, along with plaques proclaiming the village’s identity. Street lighting has been upgraded to brighter, whiter LED lights.