It’s a little slice of heaven – it’s green and lush; we have a view of the water, bush walks, wood pigeons…
“I grew up in reenlane, and we have lived in Remuera and
t ohns,” risty Fourie says. “ut it was getting so built up in the city, and the whole dynamic wee periencedas children knowing your neighbours and feeling part of a community was just not there any more.”
The median house price over the past three months in Laingholm is $1.25m lower than the city’s averagepriceof$1. 4m,andneighbouringTitirangi with it’s $1.4m price tag. Rents here are also lower thanthecityasawhole,averaging$5 1aweek.
“We wanted space for our kids to run around, and stumbled on Laingholm,” says Fourie. “It’s a little sliceofheaven it’sgreenandlush wehaveaviewof the water, bush walks, wood pigeons in the backyard, and a vege garden. As soon as you drive out here, you canfeelyourselfstarttorela .It’salotlessstressful.”
imon Radford, pastor of the Laingholm aptist hurch, and his wife oni ue, a part time teacher at the school, have lived here for nearly 0 years. ut their connection goes back further.
“We bought our first home here in 1982, for $2 ,000,andrenteditoutfor$25aweek,”hesays. “We walked down this pretty brick pathway to this cottage and fell in love with it. ack then Laingholm was a bit like Waiheke there was a hippy element living at arry’s Last tand on the beach common. They would drive around in old odel Ts.
“eople come here to escape they love the bush and the slower pace of life. In the 40s, land was chopped up and sections sold off to create a seaside resort. eople from Auckland came out and built Fibrolite baches. I have even heard it was not uncommon in the 50s and 0s to hear of families swapping a car for a section.”
Radford’s former cottage in Victory Rd, which the couplelatere tendedfortheirfourchildren,isnow valued at $890,000. And that’s not all that’s changed. The roads were improved, the hippies retreated, and gradually the community changed. The suburb now has fibre, but still gets power cuts at times.
The church is very active in the community, hosting a multitude of events. Volunteers edit and collate The Roundabout, a weekly community newspaper, on the premises. Other volunteers work in the op shop, and families in need will be given supplies at no charge.
The laid back vibe is evident everywhere. When the end of school bell rings at Laingholm rimary “The reatest Little chool in the niverse”, roll 250), the children pour out the gates in colourful mufti.
eputy principal eather Walsh, another long time resident who has been at the school for
0 years, says the school’s former days of tree climbing, building huts and dams have gone. “ut the community is still here, and the spirit is still here.
The staff, the children and the community are what make this school special” says school office administrator Alyson I ard 25 years).
“Over half our staff have been here more than 10 years,” says Walsh. “There are now kids here, whose parents I taught.”
Lorraine lanville the “school grandma”), has held various roles over more than 40 years, including caterer and cleaner. he has seen her children and grandchildren go through the school.
“We bought our section here for $2000 in 1971. Even 20 years ago, it really was just a dormitory suburb. eople came home to sleep and went out to jobs in the day. Working from home has changed that.”
Theyallsaylockdownwasagreate ampleof the way the community pulled together, looking out for each other and delivering meals.
onica unjabi and her husband own the Laingholm each tore their home is at the back of the shop. They have been in Laingholm 11 years and have no intention of leaving.
ut that’s not the main reason the family has stayed. “The community is very welcoming and supportive that’s why we stay. eople say how lucky we are, and we do feel blessed. We know everyone’s names and they know ours.” rime has never been an issue for the business.
Former journalist raeme ooth, now retired, is chief fire officer of the Laingholm Volunteer Fire rigade, on the hill near the school.
“We’ve been here since 1974, when we were living in a bus with a young baby,” he says. “ow we just live diagonally across the road from the fire station. I joined the volunteer fire brigade just after we arrived, so that’s coming up 48 years.”
ronwyn cott Woods, of Ray White Titirangi, has spent the past 18 months researching and writing a book about the area to give to new residents. cott Woods says the area is mainly renovated baches on big sections the
uarter acre dream is still possible here.