Family day brings laughter back to street
In the aftermath of the killing of Melville father Michael Thompson, the residents of the street in which he died are galvanising against the violence and fear. Florence Kerr reports.
The gun blast that killed Michael Thompson two weeks ago in Norrie St not only stole a father from his children, but also silenced a neighbourhood.
It has been a traumatic time for the shell-shocked residents of the street in Melville, Hamilton.
While the arrests of two men allegedly involved in the slaying have dominated the news, the community have quietly gone about their day-to-day challenges, under the scrutiny of the media, police and a good portion of the rest of the country.
Many of those residents again gathered on the roadsides on Saturday. This time it isn’t the sound of gunfire or police sirens that brings them out of doors, but a fun family event intended to reclaim the street for their residents.
The occasion was organised by Aretea Pearson, as her way of giving back to the community she has grown to love like family.
In the midst of the fun, a lone police car creeps into Manor Place, just off Norrie St, and stops in the middle of the road. Children race to meet their
Norrie St residents pull together in the wake of a shooting on their street. community constable, enthralled as they get to watch him flick on the sirens – for a good reason this time.
They get to try on his police hat and pose with him, as their mums and dads snap photos on their smartphones.
While the adults enjoy a good catch-up and a yarn, the children are laughing, getting their faces painted and giving the hired bouncy castle a good workout.
The people of Melville want the wider community to not judge them by the actions of a few, Pearson says.
The fun day, which started out as a post on Facebook by her, spread to other online and off-line networks.
‘‘I thought something needed to be done. I put it out on Facebook, asking for support.’’
That support was overwhelming with local businesses and the community, including kohanga and schools, chipping in.
‘‘It has changed the atmosphere [here]. This is going to be the new talk of Melville.
‘‘We are not ghetto. This is us. This is our community we are bringing back together . . . and that’s what happened here today.’’
Watching the fun from under the shade of a tree is Manor Place matriarch Elsie Walters, or ‘‘Nan’’, as most of the neighbourhood knows her.
She was one of the first residents in the area and has seen the community change greatly through the decades.
Her grandparents bought her house 87
Children come out to play, as residents move to put recent troubles behind them. years ago, and it is a home she has cared for since.
Walters will never leave this street, and reckons the core problems facing the area are financial, not violence.
‘‘The street is all right. Durr!’’ Walters says. ‘‘But there are quite a few people here struggling. I’ve bought a few families here food and paid their rent when I can.’’
Walters says she loves the family day and having a good yack to her neighbours. ‘‘These are the sort of days I like. The kids out there playing and the neighbours talking. It’s a good day.’’
Joseph Strongman, a Norrie St resident, says the fun day is a true representation of the area. ‘‘You know what’s happening here is something . . . It’s like an icebreaker for the kids . . . It’s good to see the smiling children.’’
Pearson, meanwhile, is standing in her driveway making sure everyone gets a kai. Smiling from ear to ear, she vows to continue the campaign to brighten up street.
Tyson Te Tomo and Mana Williams were arrested last week in relation to the death of Thompson and are due to appear in the Hamilton High Court on March 17.
See more photos, P12.