Read Bay of Plenty Article Here
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2 Bay of Plenty Times Weekend LocalNews Saturday, January 30, 2021 WEEKEND Paddle-out fitting farewell forveteran surf lifesavers INSIDE TODAY Leah Tebbutt that was the way he wanted to be "We discussed it many times before couple of kilometres across his finding him face down in the Local news .. .. 1-7 remembered. Pa¯pa¯ moa farm to go surfing — water. His neck had been What was atwist in the current “He spent his life in the ocean,” and it never stopped. damaged in awave and the pair Nation .. .. .. 9 turned into the perfect send-off for he said. he passed away because that was the Chris, along with his siblings worked tirelessly to resuscitate Opinion .. .. .. 10 two top blokes from the Omanu Swimming, diving, spear- Emma and Jared, were involved him. Beach Surf Life Saving Club this fishing, kayaking and ocean way he wanted to be remembered. He in surf livesaving since they were Arescue helicopter flew them Business .. .. .. 11 week. swimming were all on Sid’s list of spenthis life in the ocean." around 7years old. He said being out and Lester spent 10 weeks in Sport .. .. .. 12-13 Clubbies young and old hobbies. able to share their father’s hospital and aspinal unit being World .. .. .. 14-16 ventured into the ocean to say Many of Sid Salek’s peers AndySalek, son of lifesaver honoured passion for the water was “huge”. told he would never walk again. their last goodbyes to the late would struggle to walk 9.5km, let “From the early days of him “He’s abit of astubborn bugger Lester Phelps and Sid Salek with a alone swim the distance through pushing us onto waves on ...He made it his mission to prove traditional “paddle-out” on choppy seas, but that’s exactly younger people because it made through into his eighties. surfboards after we had just the doctors wrong. His goal was PLUS essence liftouts inside Thursday and the circular shape what he achieved at age 75 when him feel alive.” “Everything he did, he did it learnt how to stand up, up until obviously to be able to be back in they formed started to drift into a he took part in the Mo¯tı¯ tı¯to It was his father’s stubborn- 150 per cent.” lifeguarding on patrols alongside the ocean as well.” love heart. Mainland Swim Challenge. ness that many, including himself, Lester Phelps, alife member of him, it was something that really Traditionally a“paddle-out” It was fitting for two men who Sid was in Mount Maunganui would remember Sid by, he said. the surf lifesaving club, spent pulled us together as afamily.” was to say goodbye to old club arguably had no greater love than for agood 30 years and he had “He was stubborn, not always many years working with young Chris considers himself lucky members who had died. Contact us the one for the ocean or for their quickly fallen in love with the easy, but passionate, driven. athletes and also on the club’s to have learnt the lifeguarding Commotion and laughter filled club. Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving “His body was amedical exper- board. skills, as they came into use in the ocean as the clubbies paddled Regional Editor Scott Inglis Salek, also known as “Super Club, Andy said. iment and he was always working His son, Chris ,told the Bay of 2005 to save Lester after he back in, catching every wave Sid”, died earlier this month aged There is now even an award out how to get the best out of him, Plenty Times Weekend his suffered aspinal injury while possible. Senior News Director Dylan Thorne 90, and Phelps died in late Decem- handed to the most promising like what to do with his diet. He father’s love of the water began surfing at Matakana Island. Fitting, once again, for the two ber after ashort battle with youth in his father’s name, Andy had heart monitors right the way way back when he walked a Chris and his cousin, Issac, had who would want nothing more News Director Carmen Hall cancer. said. to pull his father in to shore after than to be joining them. It was aproud moment to be a “I think it speaks to his News Director Jo Raphael part of for Sid’s son, Andy, with passion, his enthusiasm, and con- clubbies throwing flowers and nection and his joy and inspira- Editorial inquiries and news tips splashing about after words were tion and everything that he lived 07 577 3154 shared. for really. He liked younger [email protected] “We discussed it many times people, he didn’t like older people. [email protected] before he passed away because Well, he liked hanging out with General inquiries 07 577 7770 or 0800 324 597 Classified Advertising 07 577 7700 [email protected] Subscription and deliveries 0800 001 099 [email protected] General Manager BOP Greg Murphy 07 577 3462 Advertising Matt Batchelor 07 577 7700 [email protected] New Zealand Media Council The Bay of Plenty Times is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. Acomplaint must first be directed in writing, within one month of publication, to complaints@bayofplentytimes. co.nz email address. If not satisfied with the response, the complaint OmanuBeach Surf Lifesaving Club remembered Lester Phelps may be referred to the Media Council PO Box 10-879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. (left)and Sid Salekwith apaddle-outonThursday. Or use the online complaint form at www. PHOTO /JAMIE TROUGHTON DSCRIBE MEDIA SERVICES mediacouncil.org.nz Please include copies of the article and all correspondence with the publication. House squeeze forces ‘Sickofit’:Anger at road delays more seniors to rent Residentshit out at BayLink work extensions, MP sayshe’s‘saddened’ ■ Continuedfrom p1 children both financially and with aplace to live. year, she applied for rental after “This means that they are included in the $262m total costs. freight vehicles, in particular, from rental, to no avail. Having never less able to prepare for their own Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller local traffic will greatly improve rented before, she had no refer- retirement, and so the problem believed the project should have safety and overall traffic flow.” ences, which she said increased is amplified with each genera- Kiri always had an underpass. When asked how the project the difficulty of finding aplace. tion.” He said by the time the project was future-proofed for the region’s “It was very hard ... every- McCombe said they had seen Gillespie was completed, it would not be increasing population, Wilton said body is in need, there’s alot of aspike in people aged 65 and sufficient for the amount of traffic traffic modelling was undertaken people out there.” over accessing their services. there would be. as part of the project design. On top of that, she believed She said people of all ages ews one of the Bay of “If they haven’t done four lanes, “While overall population many of the rentals were of poor were taking on properties they Plenty’s biggest roading [on the flyover bridges] it won’t be growth in the region has been more quality. couldn’t afford because houses developments has been big enough. For the scale of the significant than anticipated, design N build, they should be building it for “All Iwanted to do was try to were in such short supply, and delayed another year has of the project is still expected to keep warmer ...but some of the the struggletopay ever- been met with outrage, sadness four lanes. I’d be bloody disap- make aconsiderable difference to places Iwent to, Ithought even increasing rents was across the and resignation by the Tauranga pointed if they don’t.” overall traffic flow upon project though Idon’t have running board. community. The project includes atwo-lane completion.” water and that, maybe I’m better Food, doctor visits and social New Zealand Transport Agency flyover bridge at the intersection of Wilton said the project was off there.” activities were being sacrificed Waka Kotahi confirmed last week SH2/Maunganui Rd and Girven Rd, “only one piece of amuch bigger She now has awarm and dry to afford rents, and “even those the Baypark to Bayfair (B2B) Pro- similar to the Hewletts Rd flyover. picture” and was being built in a home in the CBD close to health that have some money set aside ject, also known as BayLink, was This will be supported by two time when there was ashifting providers. for retirement are struggling”. now expected to be finished in separated lanes on either side of focus on transport and immense “I’m in ahouse at the mo- The Office for Seniors stated December 2023 at acost of $262 the flyover to help with traffic flow. population growth across the re- ment, it’s not my own but Itreat one in five New Zealanders aged million. Greater Tauranga’s Sue gion. it like my own. Ilove it.” 65-plus was still working despite Original estimates put the cost McArthur said, in her opinion, the “Increasing the share of travel Accessible Properties chief being eligible for superannu- at $120m and the finish date in 2020. project would not deliver any by public transport, walking and executive Greg Orchard ation, and that number is pre- Most recent estimates pegged the significant benefits for Bay of Traffic lines up on SH2between Bayfair roundabout (in the background) and cycling is apriority for the Govern- expected arapid increase in the dicted to climb to one in three.