677 days ago

Little Shoal Bay boat yard licence ended

The Kaipātiki Local Board has formally ended the licence for the boat yard at Wai Manawa / Little Shoal Bay Reserve. The group's final day will be 20 June. The Local Board plan to consult with the public on the future use of this space.
Note: This decision does not affect boats moored in the bay.

Local Park Management Plan (LPMP):
The LSB Boatyard Inc's licence (which had been rolling over monthly since it expired in 2012) had become contrary to the reserve's management intentions when the LPMP was adopted in February.
The LPMP states the following intentions for Little Shoal Bay Reserve: "Discontinue boat maintenance and haulage yard activities on the reserve" and "Repurpose the boat maintenance and haulage yard area to support a greater range of recreation activities".
These intentions stop boatyard activities and were adopted following a robust democratic process with public consultation on all aspects of the reserve.
The LPMP hearing panel heard from LSB Boatyard Inc as well as supporters and opponents of the boat yard. After careful deliberation, the hearing panel concluded that the the activities should cease and recommended that to the Local Board. The Local Board endorsed this when it adopted the LPMP.

Boat Yard Remediation:
As part of the Shoreline Adaptation Plan process to plan for flooding in the reserve, the Local Board requested contamination testing of Little Shoal Bay Reserve following concerns that there was polluted material in the bay. The tests largely came back fine, except for the boat yard area which was found to be contaminated with heavy metals above the Unitary Plan discharge limits; and copper, lead, zinc, TBT and PCB concentrations above the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality sediment guidelines. The contaminants are not considered a danger to humans, but could be detrimental to the harbour.
Remediation of the boat yard area should be completed next week, with around 1,000m3 of contaminated material removed to stop it leaching into the harbour (30cm depth over 3,000m2). The area is being reinstated as gravel, but this can be changed in the future depending on the outcome of consultation. The damaged boat ramp has also been repaired as part of the project.

More messages from your neighbours

6 minutes ago

A reminder this hunting season

The Team from New Zealand Police

As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.

Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.

Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”

Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.

The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”

Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?

“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.

Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?

The Doctors

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Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.

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