The next meeting of the TRA Vibrant Tawa is on Monday 16 June 2025 at 7.30-9pm upstairs at the squash club Main Road Tawa. This will be our AGM. All welcome. The meetings are bimonthly.
Please find below our report for the past year.
President’s report to the AGM
Monday, May 8th, 2023
To the Members of the Tawa Residents Association, it is my privilege to once again present this report on the affairs of the Association for the year to 31st March 2023
Your Committee meets on the second Monday of each month at the Tawa Squash Club, Main Road starting at 7.30pm – the community is invited to attend.
What have we done during the year
Our principal activity is Spring into Tawa held this financial year in October 2022 after missing out due to Covid in 2021. The Committee are hugely grateful to Stacey Richardson and her team who work tirelessly during the year to mount an event that is growing in success year after year.
In 2020 the Tawa Technology Education Trust in conjunction with Wellington City Council facilitated a refurbishment of Wall Park at the junction of Bell and Tremewan Streets in Linden. A community celebration of the refurbishment had been deferred due to Covid but in January 2023 the Association mounted a successful afternoon BBQ for the community. It is intended to install an electric double cooker BBQ to complete the refurbishment and the Association Committee are currently fund-raising accordingly.
During the year Robyn Parkinson regrettably resigned from the Committee and also the coordination of the Community Garden in Oxford Street. We were delighted when her role at the garden was picked up by Alison Bayley and her report is attached to this report.
Once again Richard Herbert has managed the renewal of the hanging baskets in the Main Road which continue to bring colour and vibrancy to our shopping precinct. Each renewal of the baskets costs about $1,500 so contributions from supportive residents are greatly appreciated.
As mentioned last year, the Association, through the untiring efforts of Monique Lubberink, has continued to promote and publish Tawa News, a monthly electronic newsletter of activities in Tawa. Monique has added new features to the newsletter and the distribution list continues to grow with a distribution to over 1,400 email addresses.
Your Committee have initiated a project to install street signage of 12 AED’s (defibrillators) available in the central area of Tawa. Altogether there are at least 27 AED’s in Tawa (excluding Kenepuru and Grenada North) and the owners of 12 of them were approached and agreed to the signage being erected. We are currently finalising Council requirements with the intention of erecting the signs during 2023.
The Community Liaison meetings facilitated by Mandy Russell have continued on at the Community Centre every 6 weeks and this one hour update sessions for all interested groups in Tawa provides a valuable conduit for various community groups such as the Community patrol, the Community Board, the Residents Association, the College, the Intermediate School, the Primary Schools and many other groups to share information about their activities and signal any support they may require.
The monthly ‘governance’ meeting between the Chairs of the Tawa Community Board, the Tawa Business Group and the Tawa Residents Association looking at collaboration on issues of strategic importance to Tawa continues successfully with several community projects being examined.
Looking ahead
Our Constitution includes the objectives of the Association as being meeting the Recreational, Social, Cultural and Service needs of the Tawa Community (includes Linden, Grenada North and Takapu Valley). There’s no shortage of ideas about activities we could undertake to fulfil these objectives but we would like to broaden our connections within Tawa to tap into other groups who may be doing activities that build the enjoyment of Tawa or who are keen to engage in such activities.
To help develop those connections we are on the lookout for new members for the Committee. If you or someone you know would be interested in joining our Committee we’d be very keen to talk to you.
Communications
In addition to Tawa News, we also seek to reach the community of Tawa through the Vibrant Tawa, Tawa Community News and the Linden Appreciation Society Facebook pages.
Financial
Our treasurer, Peter Bowers, reports monthly on the state of the finances and the financial report for the 12 months ended 31st March 2023 is attached and forms part of this report.
Your Executive Committee
Your Committee has again been enthusiastic and diligent in considering and acting on activities designed to improve the vibrancy of Tawa. For all their contributions and hard work, my sincere thanks to the wonderful team we have. In the past year it has consisted of:
Peter Bowers (Treasurer), Susan Cottle (co-Secretary), Jill Day, Richard Herbert, Robyn Parkinson (resigned during the year) , Jackson Lacy, Monique Lubberink, Elizabeth Werner and Janryll Fernandez.
We were very sorry to lose the experience and contributions of Robyn Parkinson who resigned during the year. It was a great pleasure to again periodically welcome Ohariu MP Greg O’Connor, Northern Ward Councillors Ben McNulty, John Apanowicz and Tony Randle and Community Board members, Miriam Moore, Rachel Allan, and Tim Davin.
Tony Hassed
President
Next meeting 13 March 2023, upstairs in the Squash club, 67 Main Road 7.30-9pm.
Meetings are every second Monday of the month
General agenda for meetings
- Welcome
- Health & Safety housekeeping
- Apologies
- Future direction:
– Spring into Tawa
– Business group
– Council updates
– Tawa Link/Tawa news/Vibrant Tawa
– Community gardens
– Potted Colour
– Community Board
– Tawa Communities liaison
– Pest Free Tawa
– Current projects - Financial
-Financial report
-Grant applications
– Membership and Levies - Minutes of last meetings
- Anything else that comes to table from members and guests