Minutes August 2024

Meeting held at Avebury House

Tuesday, 27 August 2024

Present:
Murray James (chair), Rachel Crawford, Liesbeth van Bruchem, Hayley Guglietta, Andrew
Sutton, Nick Hughes, David Duffy, Kate Palmer, Ross Skinner, Gavin Sole, Chris Carter, Ali
Greening, Patrick Gledhill, Craig Given, Lena Tiebosch

Apologies
Reuben Davidson, Pauline Cotter, Stacey Holbrough, Ewout van Bruchem
We started the meeting with introductions and a welcome to our new committee members:
Nick, Andrew and Gavin, who received a name badge to wear at We Are Richmond events.

The minutes from the previous meeting (25 June ‘24) were moved as true and correct by
Hayley and seconded by Andrew.

Correspondence
There had been a lot of correspondence since the last meeting, mainly by email.

The mayor emailed a summary of the 10 year longterm plan and the key outcomes were as
follows:
– 9.25% rates increase for residents, lower than the 12.4% increase which was
proposed. Achieved by charging parking at Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park.
– Investments will be made in communities for clean drinking water, to develop
stormwater & flood protection networks and to improve wastewater treatment
facilities.
– $1.6 billion for transport
– $1.8 million for climate adaptation work
– $51 million to restore heritage items
– $110.000 strengthening communities funding
– $500.000 annual grant to Orana Park
– $6.4 million for events
– $140 million for libraries
– $64 million on recycling and transfer station improvements

We received an email from Steve Jones-Poole regarding opportunities for networking and
community led development workshops, which cost money.
Kate mentioned there will be a get together with Steve at Delta, which is free for us to attend.
Rachel will attend.

We had a brief discussion regarding alcohol and the licence renewal for New World and
Bottle-O after an email received from Paul McMahon, from Community Action on Youth and
Drugs.

New World is selling single alcohol cans for cheap. This is a nationwide worry.
Bottle O is open till 11pm. The alcohol licence lies with the business, not the person.
12% beer can only be sold in single cans.
Murray and Rachel will have a talk with Kerry from New World.
You can submit before 5pm today (28 August)!
Tinyurl.com/saferrichmond

There was an email on the law changes for societies.

Murray and Rachel are going to get together and file the annual return by the 30th of Sept.

The council emailed a Life in Christchurch survey. You can fill it in till the 8th of September.
There are prizes to be won!
See link: www.ccc.govt.nz/chchlife

There’s also a survey about play:
https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/Playspaces/play-spaces-network-plan-full-survey

The council, the Richmond Community Garden and We Are Richmond will get together to
discuss being a hub for Civil Defence. Maybe Delta can be included too.
It could look like a container at the back of the new carpark in Eveleyn couzins with
equipment in case of an emergency and an action plan developed.
Hayley to action this.

We have submitted our ideas for the Walking Festival to be held between 12 and 27 April.
It will be a repeat of what we did last year and the kids from nature ave (Paraewa Banks Ave
School) will co-host it.

Lena from Redzone dogs asked if she could also be involved and Hayley sent her the link.

Hayley has been in touch with the council regarding the planter boxes on Stanmore Road.
Some of the planter boxes have been neglected and our proposal was to move them closer
to shops that are occupied and can look after them.
Rachel has successfully contacted the other shopowners who will look after ‘their’ planterbox
close to their shop.
For the council to move the planterboxes, it would cost $15.000! The planterboxes have now
(miraculously) been moved and will be looked after by the new music/coffee cafe near Bin
Inn.

Outwards correspondence was Murray’s letter to the Combined Residents’ Association
stating we won’t sign their letter to council regarding Plan Change 14, because we haven’t
interviewed all our residents and don’t have a community mandate.
This letter was also sent to council members and their response was: we won’t be
presenting this letter, to the elected members, since they can’t be influenced.
Update from the Chair

Murray indicated it had been a busy month.

He meets twice monthly with Rachel, on a Monday.

He has attended community group meetings and was impressed with the mayor and the
deputy mayor who presented well at the parks meeting.

Treasurer’s report

Hayley presented the Treasurer’s report.

There are usually not a lot of transactions in or out a month.

Ali asked what normally discretionary funds were and it was explained that they are for
example costs to repair the Richmond Village Sign, or costs relating to clean ups.
The soil testing refers to Petrie Park which used to be a bowling green and the land is
contaminated. But in stead of removing the soil, we are remediating it using plants.
Hayley presented an idea to get the community engaged by putting up a landscape plan for
Petrie Park and 3 token boxes where people can put wood rounds in to indicate their
preference.
It was suggested by Patrick to just have 2 token boxes (less choices).

The forest planting is not going ahead this winter, it has been postponed till next winter.
There is a draft design for the pavilion (an area to provide shelter and connection).
Hayley is seeking authority to make applications for funding to 3 organisations: DIA lotteries,
Mazda Fund and Rata Foundation.
Moved by Murray and accepted by all.

Update from our Capacity Builder

Rachel presented an overview of the various things she does and the events We Are
Richmond is involved with.
A few examples: Petrie Park BBQ, Spring Fair, Richmond Gala, Matariki, RCAN meetings,
Working bees, social media.

Rachel takes lots of photos at events, which help with applying for funding.

At the upcoming Spring Fair, on the 19th of October, WAR will have a stall, but will also
organise the kids play area near the pool.

Put your thinking cap on if you would like to help.

Redzone dogs can be involved with a treasure hunt (prizes for dogs to be won), Crossway
Church can somehow be involved too.

Working groups

We can all think about the different working groups. Do we want to keep them? Do we want
to add some/change some? Which working group do you want to be a part of?
Roading

David and Craig (if possible) will be attending a council transport meeting.
Nicholls Street is now finished. A lot of money has been spent on moving bark around.
Dudley Street will be finished mid to late September.

Clean ups
A lot of rubbish has been left/dumped near Paraewa Banks Ave School.
Rachel to follow up with the contractor.

Dudley reserve is overgrown again. Rachel to contact council to do maintenance.

Arts & Parks

Nick the artist, who painted the heron on the wall of the tattoo shop on Stanmore Road
would like to do a mural on the wall at the entrance of the car park to the Richmond Village.
Hayley to follow up with him to get a design.

We also would like to spruce up the yellow wall at the Richmond Village and add history
panels so people have something to read while they wait for their takeaways and/or laundry.
Hayley/Rachel to contact landowners to ask permission.

Update from Council
Of interest on Thursday the Board will receive a presentation about the Slater Street renewal
– this will be live streamed. Agenda of Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board
Information Session/Workshop – Thursday, 29 August 2024 (infocouncil.biz)

Constitution

We will discuss the proposed amendments to the constitution at our next meeting.

Charities Register
Updating of the register with the new constitution and the new committee members to be
done after the next meeting.

General Business

Hayley proposed a Warden Street Alleyway Project Plan.
The Alleyway between Warden Street and the old Shirley Boys school site has been fenced
off since the closure of the old school. Pareawa and the local community wish to reopen the
Alleyway and make it safe for the tamariki to walk to and from school along with easier
access to the Avon Hub.
Currently the Alleyway is overgrown and a dumping ground for rubbish.
This will be a community led development. A letterbox drop is proposed to get the
community involved. Hayley does regular Friday planting sessions with the school and can
use those to beautify the space.
We may need to do a weed wacking session before we involve kids.
Some history signs could also be installed in that alleyway.
The plan was unanimously accepted and Hayley is to inform the school board.
Murray outlined the Shirley community pool project. He has estimated the costs to be less
than 1 million ($790.000). This is to fix the 2 leaking pools, make them waterproof (Murray to
supply material), upgrade the filtration system, put new fencing up, upgrade the changing
rooms and do landscaping.
A lot of community groups are behind this project.

The Dudley Stream needs a clean.
We Are Richmond to provide plants.

Ross from Rotary talked about his involvement with the peace train in the Botanic Gardens.
https://ccc.govt.nz/parks-and-gardens/christchurch-botanic-gardens/gardens-events/peace-tr
ain
He has suggested having twilight rides during the week (by invitation) to groups like Hohepa,
Delta, autism NZ etc.

This idea was welcomed with enthusiasm by WAR members, so hopefully it will be accepted
by Roslyn Kerr at council.

The meeting closed at 9.08pm.

Next meeting to be held on the 1st of October ‘24 (postponed with a week because of the
AGM for the Otakaro Orchard).