Minutes from November 2008 meeting

Transition Point Chevalier - Meeting notes

18 November 2008

Agenda - Marketplace, library feedback, Mission Statements, Subgroups, UNITEC sanctuary issue, Xmas party, Next monthly meetings, communications, DVD

Chair - Guido

Minute Taker - Niki

Present - Guido, Walter, Keren, Niki, Deryn, Jenny, Vivianna, Francisco, Adrianne, Ellen, Bruce, Heidi with Arthur, Jeff, Finn, Yolanda, Suzanne, Ruth, Jo

1. We started with a waiata.

2. Next was a round of introductions.

3. Feedback on the library group session - Niki, Yolanda and Deryn talked about the display that will run until Nov 29, and the talk that was on last Saturday and attended by approximately 40 people. The library was great to work with and we are keen to do a further display. If anyone has any ideas for new books, please let someone on the library group know. We hope to have a permanent collection of books at Point Chevalier library that relates to transition town's values and goals.

4. Sub-groups - the garden group met at UNITEC, about 20 people attended, 13-14 were new people. The garden group meets at a different person's garden each meeting. The garden group has committed to helping out at the UNITEC sanctuary over the summer to maintain the gardens.

5. UNITEC meeting - in 1999 two staff Brendan Hoare and Richard Main started developing a sanctuary, 1.5 hectares that are fully organic and include a hothouse and a food forest. UNITEC has cancelled the horticulture programme and department and they have been talking with MIT about carrying on the horticulture programme and the sanctuary. Brendan has been talking with people internationally about the sanctuary, and UNITEC recognise it is a very valuable resource (with first class soils) but are unclear about what to do with it. An ongoing dialogue exists about what to do with it from here. A number of people are now talking about future plans, and Finn is happy to be the contact point for Transition Point Chevalier. They are not only looking at it as a gardening venture but as a bigger sustainability centre. A meeting was held and attended by people from all the city councils, but the highest representation of people was from Transition Pointt Chevalier. A steering group has been formed to move plans forward. We thought working on it might be possible for a WWOFER - willing worker on organic farms.

6. We watched the DVD given to us by James Samuel to celebrate a year of transition towns and a clip from Campbell Live on Transition Towns.

7. Mission statement - Guido tabled the mission statement and we discussed various elements of it and its construction. We agreed to the name of Point Chevalier, publicly posting the mission statement and including the words from the process with a description.

8. Supporting shops on Point Chevalier Road was discussed. In particular the organic shop, possibly with a market place on Saturday mornings that featured ‘certified spray free Point Chevalier produce'.

9. Christmas Party. We agreed to have a public party at the Coyle Park/Point Chevalier beach at 5pm on Friday December 12. Tide in Point Chevalier Beach, Harbour View end, Tide out playground at playground.

10. Next meeting Tuesday 10 Feb 7.30 Point Chevalier Primary resource room, will be on the second Tuesday of the month. Chair Jo (Elvidge).

11. Communications: Ruth reported on a meeting with Eva Lawrence from Auckland City Council, she is there to help community groups with advice and put groups in contact with each other. There will be a networking meeting in February next year.

Other initiatives she mentioned: Some people are wanting to make the Point Chevalier shops look more appealing. Others are trying to set up a project to improve the Point Chevalier shopping area. David Bowden from Auckland City Council is very keen to support fruit trees in the community. They are wanting to encourage more ownership of Meola Reef in the community including water testing, bird counting and rubbish collecting and people being guardians of small plots of land (unsuitable for fruit trees and vegetables).

Rochelle from Auckland Regional Council wants a piece for their newsletter to go out in January. Ruth will write that and run it by someone from Transition Point Chevalier and James Samuel.

Ruth posted the library event on eco-events website and reminded people a couple of times about it.

Also mentioned the Going Green seminars at the University of Auckland on Nov 29 - please register if you want to attend and there will be a Transition table if you would like to volunteer, please contact Ruth.

Talked about a group in Wellington that will send you any DVDs you want to borrow or link you to articles related to sustainability.

Transition Kingsland showing The Power of Community on Dec 1, 7pm, 8a Mt Eden Rd, Baptist Church.

Eco Store orders in by Friday to Ruth please.

<back to TPC home page>