Auckland Council and Mayor Phil Goff pay tribute to woman who gifted Ātiu Creek Regional Park to New Zealanders
Jackie Chatelanat, who with her late husband Pierre gifted 843 hectares of their land at the Kaipara Harbour to the council in 2005, has died.
The Chatelanat's gave their farm to the then-Auckland Regional Council in 2005, so that all New Zealanders could enjoy access to the Kaipara.
The couple had always dreamed of improving the land and building a sheep and cattle station, before giving it back.
Auckland Council general manager of parks, sports and recreation said Ātiu Creek had a special place in the regional parks network, rivaled in size only by the Waitākere and Hūnua regional parks.
“Pierre and Jackie were incredibly private people who only wanted to see their property turned into a public park. They refused publicity or widespread recognition but were delighted to see their property go from working farm to a countryside park humming with visitors."
Since it opened in 2008, the council has carried out pest management, native planting programmes, established a campground and built houses available for public bookings. The park has also hosted more than 1800 people at the Earthbeat Festival and been development for a wide range of recreational activities, including horse-riding.
"Today we pay tribute to Jackie who recently passed away but also to her late husband Pierre for this vision, for their contribution, for their service to our city," Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said.
"To come to this country with a determination that you were going to give this land to the country of your adoption is a very special thing to have done."
Click below for our 2018 story on Jackie and Pierre Chatelanat.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Calling All Puzzle Masters! Can You Solve This?
When John was six years old he hammered a nail into his favorite tree to mark his height.
Ten years later at age sixteen, John returned to see how much higher the nail was.
If the tree grew by five centimetres each year, how much higher would the nail be?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
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