Blueskin Play Centre

We've had a busy month with our neighbourhood theme, visiting the
garden centre and cafe, Bland Park, story time at the library and the
Ecoscantuary, with our children learning lots about what is on our
doorstep. We also enjoyed Miss Burra bringing Room 3 to visit us at
Playcentre.
Children have enjoyed lots of messy play – cornflour, slime and finger
paints to name a few. Our swan plants have been a real hit with a
Monarch butterfly emerging from its chrysalis during a session, drying
its wings and flying away, watched by 18 children. To celebrate, as
part of our baking programme, we made butterfly cakes.
We have welcomed two new families this month: Soo with Jessica and
Natalie with Ellie. Happy birthday to Jessica who turned two and
Benedict now four!
Playcentre will finish on March 31 for Easter, reopening on Monday April 19.

Mainly Music
Mainly Music started in Waitati this month and the Tuesday morning
sessions have been well attended with children enjoying some classic
songs such as Miss Polly Had a Dolly and I'm a Little Teapot, as well
as a number of new songs.
Mainly Music runs during term times at Waitati Hall on Tuesdays
10.00–11.00am with songs followed by morning tea. Cost: $2 per child,
$3 per family.

NEWS: Climate expert to give talks in Palmerston

Dr Jim Salinger, honorary research graduate in the School of
Environment at Auckland University, and the president of the World
Meteorological Organization, Commission for Agricultural Meteorology
at Geneva (Switzerland) will present a series of lectures on climate
in the library at East Otago High School in Palmerston next month.
Organised by Hampden Community Energy Society and Waihemo
Wastebusters, the full details have yet to be arranged, but lectures
will be given over two days between Friday and Sunday May 14-16.

Waitati Volunteer Fire Brigade

Waitati Volunteer Fire Brigade Open Day
Sunday 18th April, 10:00AM - 4:00PM
Waitati Fire Station, Harvey Street, Waitati

The Waitati Volunteer Fire Brigade invites the Blueskin Bay community,
their family and friends to attend our public open day on Sunday 18
April from 10:00am – 4:00pm at the Waitati Fire Station, Harvey
Street, Waitati.
Come along and have a look around your community fire station, meet
your local fire crew, ask any questions you may have and enjoy a cup
of coffee or tea and a sausage sizzle.
The Dunedin Fire Brigade Restoration Society has kindly given us the
following displays and vehicles for the day:
Dunedin's original Command Unit now set up as a travelling museum
showing the history of the Dunedin Fire Brigade.
#16, an open 35 V8 Ford fire engine (weather permitting).
And we will also be welcoming back #20, a 1947 Ford V8, which was the
second serving fire engine in our community.
Flint and Amber had such a great day out at the recent A & P Show that
they have requested more time off to attend our Open Day. So make sure
you bring your camera to get a photo with these infamous fire fighters
and have your photo taken on the vintage fire trucks.
SOMETHING TO SEE AND DO FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE

From blueskin.co.nz and 'Blueskin News' published by Blueskin Media:
voluntary/non-profit community publishers in Blueskin Bay (Seacliff,
Warrington, Evansdale, Waitati, Doctors Point), Dunedin, New Zealand.
All material sent to or published by us is "copyleft" in the public
domain and may be freely shared, archived, re-edited and republished.
If you want to credit the source it's "blueskin.co.nz".

Coast Road Market at Seacliff

The next Coast Road Market at Seacliff is at 11am-2pm, 4 April 2010.

Liz Abbott

Blueskin Bay radio news for Friday March 19

 

Puketapu Radio presents Blueskin Bay local news in association with blueskin.co.nz

The big local event this weekend is the annual Blueskin Bay Country Fair & Clearing Sale. This will be held at Bland Park tomorrow, Saturday. Many local organisations, including Warrington School, will have fundraising stalls with local groups also selling their wares. Food is a popular feature of the Clearing Sale, and this year will be no exception. There will also be plenty of free entertainment for children. The Clearing Sales runs from 9.30am to 4pm.

Tonight the Waitati Edible Gardeners or WEGies meet at the Old Stores, to make a final decision on possible uses for a recent Lotteries Commission grant. The meeting begins at 7.30pm.

On Sunday the area will be a hive of activity with three separate events. The annual Seacliff Garage Sale runs from 10am to 2pm at the Domain in Kilgour Street, no matter what the weather. With food, music, entertainment and bargains, the sale is billed as having something for everyone.

The second of the season’s three harvest markets will be held from 10.30am, also on Sunday. Locally produced food items of all kinds will be on sale, from produce to preserves. Anyone with something to sell is welcome – stalls are free. The Harvest Market is held at the Old Stores in Harvey Street.

And for those who prefer to spend their Sunday working, there is a community weeding day at the Warrington Domain. The start time is 10am.

This coming week is Playcentre Awareness Week and a number of different activities are planned locally. One of these is an open day at the Blueskin Playcentre on Wednesday from 10-11.30 am.

And finally, the library Book Car returns to Warrington School on Wednesday with a full stock of great reads. It will be open from 2-3pm and is followed at 3.15 by the book club, to which everyone is welcome.

The Blueskin Bay local volunteer news website can be found at www.blueskin.co.nz.

 

Blueskin Bay radio news for Friday March 12

Puketapu Radio presents Blueskin Bay local news in association with blueskin.co.nz

Blueskin Bay Youth Group meets tonight at the Waitati Hall, and every alternate Friday throughout the year. Activities include table tennis, badminton, basketball, videos and music. The entry fee is $2.

If you’re in town at Mitre 10 on Saturday, make sure you support the Blueskin Playcentre’s sausage sizzle. Saturday is also the final day of the Warrington Surf Club beach patrols.

Local MP Pete Hodgson holds his monthly clinic at the Blueskin Library on Monday at 2.30pm. He is happy to hear and discuss the concerns of local residents.

It’s film night on Tuesday and the feature is the Canadian movie My Winnipeg. Described as intensely idiosyncratic and hilariously unreliable, it takes viewers into a cross section of local lives. The Waitati Film Society meets at Bill’s Place on Orokonui Rd at 8pm on alternate Tuesdays.

A Lenten study group is being held on Wednesday nights this month, at St Barnabas Church Hall in Warrington. This dynamic exploration of the Gospel stories uses bibliodrama, visualization and art.

And next Thursday night the Waitati Open Orchards group meets at the Waitati Hall at 7.30pm. Up for discussion will be suggestions for using a recent funding grant received by the Waitati Edible Gardeners, or WEGies, and administered by the Blueskin Community Resilience Trust.

The Blueskin Bay local volunteer news website can be found at www.blueskin.co.nz.

 

DCC declares total fire ban

DCC declares total fire ban

The Dunedin City Council has been monitoring the fire risk across the
city. It has now reached the point where a prohibited fire season
(total fire ban) has been imposed over the entire Dunedin City Council
area, since 6:00am Tuesday 9 March.

The coastal areas of the city are now so dry a fire ban is needed to
ensure safety. Long-range weather forecasts offer no relief, with
only sporadic, small amounts of rain forecast.

The ban covers all rural areas and all urban areas of the city.

All Dunedin City Council rural fire permits that were in force are now
suspended and no applications for new permits or renewals of permits
will be accepted until the ban has been lifted.

This means that no outdoor fire may be lit or left alight anywhere in
Dunedin City until the ban is lifted. The ban includes charcoal and
wood-fired barbecues, braziers, incinerators, campfires and
thermettes.

Gas barbecues and cookers may be used but people are urged to keep
them clear of combustible materials.

Other activities that pose a high risk of fire include:

- The use of vehicles off-road

- The use of petrol chainsaws and mowers (the exhaust systems may
ignite dry materials)

- The disposal of cigarette butts

Anybody seeing a fire outdoors during the ban is asked to call 111
immediately to report it, as fires will spread rapidly in the current
conditions.

It will take a significant number of days of rainfall to lower the
fire risk so it should not be assumed that a heavy rainfall will lead
to lowered risk and the lifting of the ban.

The status of the ban will be available from the Dunedin City Council
Customer Services Agencies on 477 4000 or at www.dunedin.govt.nz.
Public notice will be given of the lifting of the ban.

For more information

Graeme Still, Principal Rural Fire Officer

Neil Brown, Manager, Civil Defence and Rural Fires

(03) 474 3111

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Ā ā Ē ē Ī ī Ō ō Ū ū
From blueskin.co.nz and 'Blueskin News' published by Blueskin Media:
voluntary/non-profit community publishers in Blueskin Bay (Seacliff,
Warrington, Evansdale, Waitati, Doctors Point), Dunedin, New Zealand.
All material sent to or published by us is "copyleft" in the public
domain and may be freely shared, archived, re-edited and republished.
If you want to credit the source it's "blueskin.co.nz".

235 commuters take the morning train

235 commuters take the morning train

by 'Blueskin News' editors

At least two hundred and thirty-five commuters caught the morning
train from Waitati and Port Chalmers to Dunedin this Wednesday morning
in a one-day revival of rail commuting organised by the Dunedin City
Council, Taieri Gorge Railway and rail transport advocate group Get
the Train.

Final passenger numbers were still to be calculated from ticket sales,
train staff said.

Several children used the train to travel to Purakanui School, Port
Chalmers School and Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School (at Maia), while the
train was also popular with pupils of several Dunedin high schools.

Those arriving late to school were able to use the the train as an
excuse, because the outward empty trip from Dunedin was delayed by
Wellington train control, according to train staff.

There will be a return trip from Dunedin to the coastal towns this
evening, departing at 5.30pm.

'No Plastic November' campaign awarded

'No Plastic November' campaign awarded

by 'Blueskin News' editors

A campaign to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags received an
award at the Keep Dunedin Beautiful awards night on Friday 5 March.
Nancy Higgins and Geraldine Tait received the POD Award for initiation
and development of 'No Plastic November' last year.

Nancy and Geraldine are pictured receiving the award from the Mayor of
Dunedin Peter Chin.

Blueskin Bay radio news for Friday March 5

Blueskin Bay radio news for Friday March 5

 

Puketapu Radio presents Blueskin Bay local news in association with blueskin.co.nz

Tomorrow is the date set for the opening of the top tracks of the Orokonui Ecosanctuary to self-guided walkers. There will be activities for children, displays, talks and bird spotting tips. Initially the tracks open to the public will be limited to the main top track and two short side ones. The valley track will not open until the upgrade is complete, which is expected to be mid-year.

The ever-improving Coast Road Market is on again on Sunday from 11am until 2pm. Buy your fresh produce for the week, stock up on jams, jellies and honeys, buy beautifully crafted wooden items, and look at the many other innovative gifts, crafts and artwork on sale. The Coast Market makes a great day out with its relaxed, low-key feel.

It’s take the train to work day on Wednesday. This will be a further opportunity to show that North Coast residents want the commuter train reinstated. No bookings are required, and it costs just $5 each way. There will also be a bike compartment available. The train departs Waitati at 7.40am, arriving Dunedin at 8.40. The return trip leaves at 5.30pm, arriving at 6.30pm.

Those not heading to town on the train may like to take their pre-schoolers along to Mainly Music between 10 and 11am on Wednesday.

There will be 30 minutes of songs and actions, instruments and fun props. Cost is $2 per child or $3 per family. This event is part of Mainly Music International, which introduces children to the development benefits of music, dance and rhythm.

Blueskin Garden Club meets on Thursday evening; this month at the Village Potager on Doctors Point Rd. Members will tour the herb garden then hear a presentation on the making of preserves. Start time is 7.30pm.

The Blueskin Bay local volunteer news website can be found at www.blueskin.co.nz.