Nick August 10th, 2008
Hi,
STEPS has received requests from Wai Care and Metrowater to become involved in three weekend planting days alongside the new boardwalk (which some of you may have already seen). We’re hoping to put approximately 1500 plants in the ground each weekend.
We’d love it if you could come along and join in - and bring your friends!
The details for the first of these planting days are as follows:
Date: Saturday August 16
Time: 1pm (till about 4pm, plus tea break)
Place: Alberton Ave end of the Roy Clements Treeway [32 Alberton Ave]
***Please note that a talk will be given beforehand regarding the project, planting techniques, plant species and spacing, and the planting plan for the day, plus health and safety issues. Therefore, please plan to be on site by 1pm***
All volunteers need to bring: SPADE, GARDENING GLOVES, WARM CLOTHES, SUITABLE WORK BOOTS/SHOES OR GUMBOOTS, WET WEATHER GEAR (COATS), PERSONAL MEDICATION IF NECESSARY (eg EPIPENS), A COLD DRINK, AND A SNACK IF SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Rain date: Sunday August 17
Time: 1pm
meolacreek June 12th, 2008
Date: June 19
Time: 7pm
Venue: Alberton House, 100 Mt Albert Road, Mt Albert
ALL WELCOME
It has been a busy and very successful time for the Society recently, and annual reports will be presented and discussed at the AGM.
The AGM will be followed by five presentations of 5-10 minutes on issues involving or affecting the Society and a Question and Answer forum. Details of the speakers are provided in the agenda.
Downloads:
agm-flyer-june-2008
steps-agm-agenda-2008
meolacreek May 14th, 2008
Stuff.co.nz is running a story on Mt Albert Grammar School head Dale Burden’s request for Metrowater to fence off the section of Meola Creek that runs through the school grounds. He says the water is so contaminated that rugby balls kicked in from the school’s nearby sports fields have to be retrieved with gloves on. Pat Prescott of the St Lukes Environmental Protection Society is quoted in the article:
“We’re hoping they’ll take some action now instead of waiting for another 20 years,” she says. “It’s filthy and full of bugs and really Third World.”
Pat points out that the creek has become polluted because the sewer system was built between 1900 to 1920 and cannot cope with the volume of people using it now.
Mr Burden of Mt Albert Grammar is quoted as saying that the problem is not the schools responsibility and that the authorities need to step in.
“I’m not interested in waiting 20 years for sewer separation to happen,” he says.
“They say they are a community friendly organisation but this is about as community friendly as the bubonic plague.
The full article can be accessed here: Action Call On Polluted Creek
meolacreek May 13th, 2008
Auckland City Council
Media release
9 May 2008
A programme of works is to be developed to help mitigate the impacts of sewer overflows into Meola Creek. The City Development Committee heard that a long-term solution under consideration by Watercare, the installation of a new interceptor main, is not likely to be operational for about five to 10 years. In the meantime, the committee has asked the council, Metrowater and Watercare to move ahead with initiatives to minimise the problem.
Works would be aimed at:
- protecting the health and safety of the community as far as possible, with fencing, signage and public warnings
- raising the footpath along Meola Creek between the two overflow sites
- roofing over the Lyon Avenue overflow
- improved screens at overflows to reduce the quantity of clearly visual material
- diversion of some stormwater to ground soakage where practical
- improving the creek habitat.
A report to the committee noted that 80 per cent of the overflows came from Watercare sewers, with most from sewers at Lyon Avenue and Haverstock Road.
About 40 per cent of the Meola catchment is served by combined sewers. Currently, Metrowater is conducting sewer separation works in the Motions catchment and this will take nearly all Metrowater’s sewer separation budget for the next three years. Committee chairperson Councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga said that all the agencies were acutely aware of the unpleasant side effects of sewage overflows. “The trunk system was installed about 100 years ago and our population has simply outgrown its capacity,” he said. “The issue is not just to accommodate the existing need but to future proof the system for new growth and that is a hugely expensive and time consuming process.”
For further information, please contact:
Councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, chairperson, City Development Committee
ph 927 209 7562
Email: cr.lotu-iiga@aucklandcity.govt.nz
Nick March 20th, 2008
New Zealand has lost approximately 95% of its wetlands to agriculture and urban expansion. Unfortunately, it’s taken us a while to realize the importance of these systems in terms of the biological and economic services they provide, e.g., flood attentuation, water filtration and purification, etc. It sobering to think that nearly all of St. Lukes and Sandringham was once a large wetland – in fact, Sandringham used to be known as Cabbage Tree Swamp. STEPS would like to recreate some of the past in our own backyard. We’re proposing to construct a small wetland in an area that is periodically fed by clean spring water. Our plan is to remove the weeds and plant the area with wetland species such as flax, sedges and raupo. As well as dramatically enhancing the visual amenity of the Kerr-Taylor Reserve, a wetland would provide excellent habitat and food resources for watefowl and terrestrial birds such as tui and silvereye. The designated area already has an impressive stand of young kahikatea and cabbage tree, and seeing their submerged trunks gives us an idea of what an intact swamp forest should look like (see Photos). The project is very much in the formative stages. For a start, we need to gain permission from Mt Albert Grammar, since the proposed wetland is on school land. A feasibility study also needs to be carried out. If we get the green light, then we’ll need to get funding for things such as engineering works and plants. We envisage the project being a partnership between STEPS, Mt Albert Grammar and the local community. We’ll keep you posted on progress. If you have any thoughts, comments or opinions, feel free to post them on the blog.
Liz January 24th, 2008
Hearings were held in November 07 - decision due soon.
Liz January 24th, 2008
Hearings were held in November 07. Decision due soon.
Peter January 24th, 2008
A lone black shag has been visiting in past week. Also one heron.
Liz January 24th, 2008
41 new units planned - you can make a submission by 18 February
See the information in City Scene - 19 Jan 08 http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/news/notices/200801/19/n01.asp
meolacreek December 12th, 2007
We are just starting out so expect more content very soon. For the moment please take a look (and edit if you want) the Wikipedia page we have started on Meola Creek: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meola_creek
