Teenagers puzzled over sloping court
Here’s a look at what’s been happening this week in Waikato community newspapers.
Tirau’s teenagers want to buck the wifi trend and get outdoors.
The problem is there is little else for them to do in the town and they feel the South Waikato District Council isn’t listening to them.
Tirau is in the midst of a major boom, with a surge in families relocating to escape rocketing property prices in Cambridge and Hamilton.
Tirau Youth Group leader Natasha Tanner said she approached the council in 2015 and asked for exercise stations (like those at Tokoroa’s Lake Moananui and Putaruru’s Glenshea Park) to be installed at Prospect Reserve.
She also asked for a new half basketball court. The existing one is on a big slope and is not very user-friendly.
‘‘They said yes to the basketball court and yes to the flat pack outdoor gymnasiums,’’ she said.
But they are still waiting.
‘‘I was really excited and I invited Mayor Jenny Shattock to come and introduce herself to the youths and she said to them that I had applied for this and that we would get it but when an email came out it said we were only getting a hoop,’’ she said.
The hoop has since been installed on the sloping court.
‘‘When I asked the youths if they were using it they said you constantly have to walk up hill because of the angle,’’ she said.
‘‘Why short-change them and give them an amazing hoop that is really not usable because of the ground?’’
Council chief executive Craig Hobbs disputed claims the council had agreed to fund a half basketball court but said it would look at how to remedy the slope of the existing court.
He said the gym station delay (delayed until 2019) was because the site was too small to accommodate them.
‘‘The Tirau Community Board decided that the Tirau Domain would be a better location than Prospect Reserve. The budget was held for the Tirau Domain development,’’ he said.
However, because of delays with the domain project, the council had now reverted to its original plan to put the exercise machines in Prospect Reserve.
He said the council recognised there were limited recreational opportunities for youths in Tirau.
‘‘The council has committed to developing a youth strategy in the 2018-19 financial year that will consider opportunities over the entire South Waikato,’’ he said.
South Waikato News
All in the family
Four serving firefighters in one family must be some sort of record.
This is the case at the Te Kauwhata Fire Brigade, where Warren Moorfield, Jason Moorfield, Tarina Moorfield and Tayla Moorfield are all members.
It was Warren who first paved the way, when he joined 42 years ago.
Followed by his son Jason, Jason’s wife Tarina and Jason and Tarina’s daughter Tayla.
Having three generations of Moorfield firefighters still active and operational in the Te Kauwhata Brigade is a pretty unique element, Tarina said.
‘‘I’m extremely proud and it helps when the whole family is involved because they get it like you do.
‘‘We’re not in it to get any reward, the reward is wanting to contribute.’’
Tarina was named firefighter of the year at the brigade’s honours night held in November last year.
Warren also received an award for long service and good conduct.
The firefighter of the year award is presented to someone who has shown courage and dedication, not only to their community but to their fellow firefighters too.
Tarina said there’s been many times she’s had to show courage.
Last year, she was called out to an accident, which involved a child from the daycare she owns.
‘‘The child I knew wasn’t seriously injured, but the child in the other car died,’’ Tarina said.
‘‘It was one of those moments where as we approached the scene, I recognised the vehicle and for a split second you’re thinking who is it going to be? How badly are they going to be hurt?
‘‘You just have to do what you are trained to do to better the situation and to get them the help they need.’’
Tarina has recently completed her senior firefighters’ qualification and has served in the brigade for five years.
Jason has been in the brigade for 17 years and is the current Deputy Chief Fire Officer.
The couple’s daughter Tayla has just graduated from her recruits course at the National Training Centre in Rotorua, making her the fourth Moorfield member serving in the brigade.
North Waikato News
School celebrations
A century ago, a strong rural community was often measured by the school in the area.
Te Puninga School on the outskirts of Morrinsville was one such rural school, which from 1920 until 2003 was the place where members of the community met to catch up and form lifelong relationships.
One hundred years of memories in Te Puninga will be celebrated in March this year when a one-day event will be held at Tatuanui Hall.
In April 2003, despite the school being shut down due to a declining roll, past students of Te Puninga School came together to celebrate 85 years of schooling in the district.
Attendance at the school reunion showed how much the small country school had meant to all those past students and teachers, who had gone through the doors.
Perfect weather marked the occasion – it was a far cry from when the school was officially opened in 1918 and the event was documented by the Morrinsville Star as being held on a ‘‘dreadful day’’.
While reminiscing about their years at Te Puninga, it was widely discussed that even though the school had been closed, those who had settled in the Te Puninga area over the years would make sure the pride residents had in ‘‘their place’’ would never waiver.
A meeting was held in 1915 to discuss the establishment of a school in what was then, the Lower Waitoa area.
It took three years for the Education Board in Auckland to accept the application. From the 17 families and 44 children in the 1915 application only five families: the Darlingtons, Manhires, Chinnerys and Watsons and 11 of their children were among the 33 first-day pupils.
The Lower Waitoa School was opened on March 7, 1918, with a roll of 40 children.
The school name was changed from Lower Waitoa to Te Puninga in July 1922.
A One Day Celebration of 100 years of the Te Puninga District is set for Saturday, March 10, at Tatuanui Hall starting at 10am.
There will be a mix and mingle with a catered lunch and wreath laying at the gates, with Tatuanui hall reopening at 6pm for dinner and more celebrations and catching up.
To register email Donna Arnold on donna.bruce@farmside.co.nz to be added to the database.