Bay Harbour: February 03, 2021

Wednesday February 3 2021
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 9
Surf lifesaving club’s new building to open on Sunday
• By Samantha Mythen
AFTER 10 years of development,
the Taylors Mistake Surf Living
Saving Club will open the doors
to its new clubhouse on Sunday.
Said club president Viv
Bickley: “It is a fantastic
achievement at the end of a long
journey. The clubhouse is a huge
asset to members and the wider
community.”
The original clubhouse had
been out of action since earthquake
damage on February 22,
2011. In its place, the club had
been functioning out of three
Portacoms on site.
Alongside allowing the club to
continue is lifeguard work, Bickley
explained the purpose-built
clubhouse would aid in lifeguard
development and training.
The new facilities include a
ASSET: The Taylors Mistake Surf Lifesaving Club’s new
building will be opened on Sunday.
patrol room where lifeguards
can monitor the beach, changing
rooms and toilets, a kitchen,
administration room, family
room and lounge. There is also
a decked out first-aid room with
a hospital bed, defibrillator and
oxygen access.
The main pavilion featured
can also be used by community
groups.
Finally, there is a purpose-built
gear shed.
“Our clubhouse has the same
footprint as the old building in
that it is small, but it has everything
we need and more,” said
Bickley.
On January 23, Māui Stuart of
Te Hapu O Ngati Wheke in Rapaki
had blessed the clubhouse
in a dawn ceremony giving
Mauri (life-force) to the new
building.
“The significance of this blessing
was to awaken the Mauri
that had been resting, and that
all those who walk the path
which we walked for the first
time that morning, may do it
with pride and dignity,” said
Stuart.
Said Bickley: “The club has
enjoyed working with Ngāti
Wheke throughout the building
process, and is committed
to doing so on an ongoing
basis. Our members and the
public that attended the blessing
found it very moving, and fitting
for the occasion.”
The opening event will feature
the gifting of a pare by Stuart.
Carved out of kauri, which has
a significant connection to the
sea, the pare was designed and
created by Damian Mackie, also
of Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke.
The club has over 350 members.
This summer, the lifeguards
have performed over 1821 patrol
hours, completing 2100 preventative
actions involving around
4000 members of the public.
All are welcome to attend the
opening.
ESTUARY MATTERS
Work continues to improve habitat for wildlife
The Avon-Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust is a
non-profit organisation formed to protect one of
New Zealand’s most important coastal wetlands.
Each week, board members will discuss matters
regarding the estuary, its rich history and what
makes it unique. This week Tanya Jenkins writes
about the islands in McCormacks Bay
SANCTUARY: Each of the three islands in McCormacks Bay
has a name and a purpose.
DID YOU know that the three
small Islands in McCormacks Bay
Reserve (inland of the causeway
and at the base of Mt Pleasant)
have official names?
In 1993 plans by the city council
were implemented to improve
the habitat for wildlife. Native
trees and shrubs were planted,
and three islands constructed
to provide safe areas for birds to
roost.
The city council agreed to allow
the then Sumner-based environment
group Friends of the Estuary
to organise a name the islands
competition.
As a result the islands are now
called Torea Island, which is the
Maori name for a commonly
found estuary bird the oystercatchers;
Rescue Island, for the
role it plays in preventing bird
decline by providing a safe area
for birds to roost; and Geoffrey de
Thier Island, to pay tribute to the
late de Thier who was a founding
member of the now defunct
Combined Estuary Association.
He was a major player in saving
McCormacks Bay from being
filled in which was being considered
in the 80s.
Six years ago, the Avon-Heathcote
Estuary Ihutai Trust collaborated
with city council park
ranger Andrew Crossland and
as a result developed a plan to
further improve the bay, providing
birds with sedges planted in
the mud to safely hide amongst
while feeding.
A group of local residents,
Ferrymead Rotary and trust
members under the supervision
of park ranger Matt Rose meet
every third Sunday afternoon of
each month between 2-4pm.
The groups weed, plant, mulch,
prune, water plants and collect
litter receive updates from Matt
and share afternoon tea.
As a reward for these working
sessions more birds can be spotted
in and around McCormacks
Bay than ever before.
Spoonbills are seen regularly on
the islands, increased numbers
of white-faced herons, pied stilts
and kingfishers have shown the
success when city council and
communities work together.