This issue . • Editorial. WOW committee 2 • A dream undermined 3 • Behind the scenes 4 • Cape Coast branding 4 • A visionary walkway 5 • Media Watch 6 • How can you help? 8 NEWSLETTER NUMBER 1 ¥ AUG 09 Contact WOW 2 Call to cut red We have the mandate tape for WOW is your voice on coastal protection coastal rescue Up to 150 people attended our second public meeting and we received 92 forms back, many signed by couples and over 90 percent in full agreement with the WOW submissions proposal presented to both councils in May. Only four forms rejected the proposal and some of the positive comments and ideas written on the forms made inspiring reading. How do you prevent the erosion of New Zealand’s coastline when sea- Forms feedback sonal storms reach out and haul away • “The hurdles, cost and downstream implications especially in respect to the RMA plus Councils hereto the foundations of beachfront homes unsympathetic attitudes, will require exact plans and careful negotiations to have any chance of success.” and threaten to inundate vulnerable communities? • “Reservations about the sea wall, not enough rocks, New Plymouth's walkway is built on solid boulders available on site, but at Haumoana the sea bed consists of sand. Sea walls exacerbate erosion.” Do you blame global warming, put it Editor: Were open to suggestions of where the raw material can be obtained. Anything to help keep the in the too hard basket and let nature costs down, and make our wall look great. have its way? Do you dither around • “We feel that it doesn't really matter whether the ground is sand, rock, moving down, up or sideway. We for 30-years and when the problem feel we should urgently try the proposal and use our coastline as a test case, we have nothing to lose and reaches crisis point, try and place the Hawkes Bay and NZ have a lot to lose if a coastline with so much going for it erodes away along with a lot full burden on coastal dwellers by of land behind it. We feel we as a community with the help of the Councils can quickly build something to taxing them off their properties? make us very proud and that it will become an asset to NZ.” Or do you summon up the pioneering • “Doing nothing is not an option. WOW combats negativity and apathy. If you don't dream you can't achieve spirit and do everything you can to - congratulations. Offers: Time (mainly weekends and evenings) /Support/Letters to press, council, etc” protect people, property and commu- • “A sound proposal and great attitude to make a difference. Cautious smiles of optimism at last. Thank nities from further inundation with you”. some serious hard engineering? • “I only do not support this because it will end up costing. Sorry but if you wish to do these things as long That’s the challenge facing the WOW as there are (definitely) no cost to me, that's fine, otherwise sorry – No, ‘To whom it may concern’, pays.” (Walking on Water) group representing Editor: Our undertaking is to minimise cost of Stage One and Two to both the community and the councils. the people of Haumoana, Te Awanga Just give us the resource consent well make a difference and Clifton. We invite all Cape Coast residents to add their name to our list of supporters. Read about the WOW plan, a Forms are still available at Haumoana Four Square in Clifton Rd, or the Haumoana much more palatable option than Takeaways or Haumoana Store in Haumoana Rd. We can send them: email those proposed by the councils. ([email protected]) or by snail mail: phone Rex or Margaret Reid on 8751254, or download: www.haumoana.com. More than a seawall A competitive edge. Imagine strolling with your children or friends, with the groynes, helped bring literal stability, dignity and beauty to biking, skating, exercising or fishing along the Cape Coast walkway, an area that was starting to look like a demolition zone. knowing it doubles as a deep, secure seawall and has, in conjuntion esd design Editorial Introducing Community spirit rallies around visionary Cape Coast proposal the WOW Having a vision is one thing, gaining the critical mass of support Committee to see it through, knowing that support remains while you’re Ann Redstone Chairperson, convener thrashing out the details, battling bureaucracy and scoping Darky (Mikki) Unahi kaumatua (Matahiwi Marae) out how that vision can be achieved in three dimensions, is the true test of community spirit. Rex Mildenhall Haumoana Ratepayers Assn, technical The WOW (Walking on Water) group was greatly encouraged by the Peter Larsen technical team leader turnout at the public meeting at the Haumoana Hall on the wintry Rex Read distribution, and secretarial night of June 29, when the choppy seas were pounding the coast and ripping out the foundations of the road to Clifton Motor Camp. Margaret Read secretary and treasurer Margot Macphail graphic designer It was a perfect illustration of what we are up against. People from across the Cape Coast coming together against the odds and the Dick Frizzell artist and friend of the coast elements to say ‘we’ve had enough of being undermined by the Keith Newman writer, spokesperson ocean and our local authorities’. Linda Ward database, friend of the coast In our unity we stood firm for a creative and inspirational alternative Jack Hughes scientist, friend of the coast that focused on transforming the much neglected Cape Coast, to John Bridgeman H21 Group protect it from ongoing devastation and potential inundation and Patrick Bridgeman H21 Group ultimately to clean up and beautify the coastline. Terence (Tez) Eaton Te Awanga Progressive We rejected the options put to Association (TAPA) Chairman the community of 13 groynes Steve King Clifton Marine Club & Clifton Reserve at a cost of $18 million , 90 Society Chairman percent paid for by the local community, or a managed retreat over the next few WOW Profile: decades of over a hundred Homes and unique homes. character at risk We agreed to move ahead with Ann Redstone stage one of the WOW WOW convenor and proposal for a sea-wall walkway chairperson around the 21 most at risk homes and five new groynes Ann Redstone took the between the existing one at the initiative to send out the Tukituki river mouth and the hurried invitation for a East Rd/Clifton Rd intersection. gathering of ‘Concerned The wider plan is for the A graphic visualization of the WOW groyne Citizens’ within days of the walkway-wall and groynes to and seawall stage one proposal. esd designs. ‘official’ councils public meeting in April 4. That meeting, mostly attended extend further along the coast. by people infuriated that the local authorities WOW is asking both the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hastings should promote such impossible options, selected District Council to streamline the resource consent process and a committee to represent their views. absorb all costs with obtaining those consents. With very limited time left to present submissions We believe uniting the Cape Coast was the major obstacle in the to both councils for their 10-year plan, the Walking process of making a real difference for our local communities, it on Water (WOW) committee was pulling together certainly surprised both councils when we turned up with such a its objections and an alternative plan. Anne is comprehensive plan and so many supporters from Haumoana, Te chairperson of that committee, which currently Awanga and Clifton. includes 15 passionate individuals from across the community. Every indication is that the councils are listening to us. In fact we have been invited to send representatives to a HBRC/HDC Joint Ann was born in Taihape and has lived in Hawke’s Committee roundtable in mid August to discuss the way forward. Bay since she was 5-years old. She’s lived in Haumoana for 26-years, has three grown up We’ve done our homework, engaged a coastal engineer and together sons and a grandson, and lives in one of the with our research, and the comments gathered from the community oldest coastal residences. Her 110-year old through our public consultation process, we believe we will be able cottage, has a parcel of land that reaches down to show just how serious we are. to the coast and hosts a small lake fed by the We look forward to reporting back with what will hopefully be some fresh water spring, believed by generations of positive news. Maori to have had healing properties. – Keith Newman continued pg 3 .. P2 Contact : The Editor: Keith Newman, [email protected] AUGUST’09 Snail mail: Ann Redstone, WOW Chairperson, 11 Springfield Rd, Haumoana continued from pg 2 ...Ann ran the Haumoana Shingle Plant for several years before it closed and for the A dream undermined past decade ran Flintstonze, which she founded, to source and supply The new residents of 9 Clifton Rd had great plans for their holiday home. One wild weekend a huge range of stone supplies for while they were preparing to reinforce the foundations of their refurbished home. Waves the building and landscaping inundated the property destroying their deck and damaging their home beyond repair. That industries. She sold the company in was just 18 months ago. Now with each high sea more of no 9 is smashed up and distributed 2006 and worked for a time as sales across the beach. and marketing manager for one of her former suppliers. Ann is passionate about the Cape going ... Coast, loves its character and the people who make up this rich and diverse community, the semi rural lifestyle, fishing, canoeing, cooking sausages in a fry pan on a fire on the beach and the fresh air.