Birds top billing for street names
Porirua has the racehorses of Ascot Park, the Scottish rivers of Papakowhai, and could soon have the Ma¯ ori names of native flora and fauna in Kenepuru.
The council’s city delivery committee has recommended the theme for the city’s newest streets.
Nga¯ ti Toa leader Matiu Rei said the iwi came up with the idea, which should take flight, around Kenepuru Landing, a large housing development at the former Porirua Hospital grounds.
The iwi received the land as part of a Crown Treaty settlement.
The iwi and property development company Carrus are planning to build about 700 medium-density and standalone homes across about 50 hectares. It will also become home to a Summerset retirement village which expects to lodge a land use resource consent application in mid-2018.
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana liked the idea of a Whio Place or a Tı¯eke St.
‘‘Ma¯ ori names for our new streets are most appropriate and will be enduring. It highlights how important our relationship with Nga¯ti Toa Rangitira is, and the connection this city has with Te Reo and Aotearoa’s Ma¯ ori heritage.’’
The initial suggestion was for Ma¯ ori names for just native birds but, with only about 11 not already locked down elsewhere around the region, the council had to free up its options.
Committee chairwoman Anita Baker said the city needed to embrace more Ma¯ori themes as many of the older suburbs already featured European ones.
‘‘A street-naming theme can really add to the village experience and we hope that will be created in Kenepuru Landing,’’ she said.
Traffic along Kenepuru Drive, which provides access to the development, is expected to ease once Transmission Gully is completed in 2020.
While southbound drivers on Transmission Gully could use a ramp to get to Kenepuru Drive, those wanting to travel from Wellington to Kenepuru could use the existing State Highway 1, or an interchange near Whitby.
On Neighbourly comments were varied about the recommendation for Ma¯ ori names.
Whitby resident Steve Rolston said he liked his suburb’s nautical and Captain Cook theme.
‘‘I live in Whitby and having an interest in boating and fishing, I enjoy seeing the nautical theme running through our streets.’’
Plimmerton resident Robin Patterson said most of Camborne had Cornish street names after Arthur Cornish’s company bought the land.
‘‘Pope and Lagden streets had already been partly built, named after well-known Plimmerton people.
‘‘Ascot Park was not racehorses from the UK – it was New Zealand racehorses who had won specific races,’’ Patterson said.
‘‘Using tangata whenua names of native plants and animals for Kenepuru would be fine – but avoid trees because they were allotted to the Takapuwahia Drive extension subdivision, which had its earthworks done many years ago but did not proceed, except for Akeake Grove.’’