Articles in ‘Community’

When the current and returning members of the Waiuku Golf club gather to play at the Club’s 100th Year centennial celebration weekend in June, they will be thankful that the hazards they encounter are not hoof marks from cattle and sheep and fences around all the greens and gullies full of tea-tree and prickly blackberries as was the case in the early years of the course. Certainly not ideal for ball retrieval! The club has its origins as far…

For over a decade Franklin’s local historical societies have campaigned to save the station building but finally they have admitted defeat. The building will be lost to the district it has served for more than one hundred years. It was the oldest publicly accessible building in the town. It became impossible to progress the plan for restoration and repurposing of the building without KiwiRail’s assurance it could be returned to the railway area…

Hang on Puke! We’re teetering at the top of a roll coaster ride called ‘progress’. On the downhill slope we’ll see our town irrevocably changed and our lifestyle changing too. In some areas, back yards and tree lined streets become a thing of the past with increasing density of housing permitted. Pukekohe has been packaged and sold as an attractive little country town, complete with heritage buildings, plenty of green spaces and tree lined…

The recent Powhiri held at Papakura High School to welcome its new principal Simon Craggs was both moving and a reflection on the proud and passionate nature of every pupil, staff member and school community member associated with Papakura High. Something that Simon felt keenly when he accepted the challenge of becoming the new leader. · He brings with him a wealth of education experience and knowledge most recently as the Principal of Onewhero…

Have you ever wanted to sand that table, build a sandpit for the kids, or cut the hedge in half the usual time but find yourself lacking the right tools or the money to buy them? Well, the clever folks at Waiuku Zero Waste have come up with the solution with the establishment of the Waiuku Tool Library. The idea is much the same as a book library but instead of a book, you can check out a jackhammer, a hedge trimmer, a few planes, a handsaw or…

You may have heard about ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and relate it to children that are hyperactive, disruptive and climbing the walls – but do you actually know what ADHD is and what it is like to have it? ADHD or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) as it is also known provides advantages and challenges to on average one in 20 New Zealanders. It is often most noticeable in young children effecting up to 5% and although up to a…

Change has come to Pukekohe. Less frequently are tractors seen on our streets, instead rows of houses march their way across the fertile growing soils which for many hundreds of years have sustained mankind in this district. Planned highways and high-rise buildings will further alter the character of this rural township, maybe beyond recognition. Historic buildings may fall victim to regeneration and the ideology of progress. Still, there is a…

Played with a simple pack of cards, Bridge is a mind sport, comparable to chess or 500 on steroids and millions of people are involved in playing it around the world. · Famous players include Bill Gates, Omar Sharif, and Martina Navratilova, who is quoted as saying, “No matter where I go, I can always make new friends at the bridge table.” · Franklin Bridge Club was founded in 1957, meeting on King Street and over the years, many other…

A series of photos from Last Night Festive Fun in Papakura on 10 Dec 2020. · Photos by Poppa G's Pictures.

Pukekohe High School senior students have again earned a significant number of valuable tertiary scholarships for study in the years ahead. The range of financial grants from many tertiary providers totals well over six figures allowing these students a sound financial start to their academic pathway. In each case they recognise the hard work and application displayed at secondary school. · One thoroughly deserving recipient is year 13 student…