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Central Auckland
- Cooking up a storm at the sausage sizzle.
Christmas Party
By David Vui-Talitu
Fine weather, tasty food, bouncy castles, lots of children and Christmas gifts for all were the ingredients for a great time at the Talbot Park Kids Christmas Party in December.
A welcome visitor was East Auckland regional manager Tania Eden, who drew the winner of a hamper of Christmas goodies. Over 60 Christmas presents had been donated by Housing New Zealand Corporation staff and O Le Lafitaga Trust for the local children, and these were given out to the children by Santa.
Parnell upgrade finds favour
By Linda Port
Parnell tenant John Mitchell enjoyed showing his reconfigured pensioner unit to visiting Wellington City Council project staff late last year.
- John (seated) shows his refurbished flat to Jess Denholm and Byron Roff from Wellington.
"I'm more than happy to be living in this fabulous place?.really happy with this situation," said John, as he looked around his light and airy flat.
John's unit in the Avon-Stanwell Street complex was originally constructed for the Auckland City Council in the 1960s. It was among 1,542 units sold to Housing New Zealand Corporation five years ago, when the designs and layouts were seen as outdated and unsuitable for modern living.
Work to reconfigure and redevelop the units was phased over five years at a cost of about $75 million. During 2007-2008, the 36 Parnell bedsits were gutted, and taken right back to the concrete foundations and block walls. The completed project has resulted in 26 upgraded units with modern amenities that have delighted their occupants. Interior changes include insulation, painting, new vinyl, wool carpet and new curtains along with new kitchen and bathroom fittings. Some units were also increased in floor size.
Wellington City Council is beginning a massive 20-year upgrade of its rental housing, and project director Byron Roff brought his team to view some of Housing New Zealand Corporation's upgraded pensioner sites in Auckland recently.
The Council project staff include Luan Gobie and Jess Denholm, who were tenancy coordinators in the Auckland pensioner upgrade.
Byron said he was particularly interested to view the bathroom and kitchen improvements made in the Auckland units.
John is not the only tenant to express his delight at the upgraded flat.
"I just wake up every morning with a smile on my face," another long term resident at the complex said of her return to her new flat.
Free entry for seniors at MOTAT
By Linda Port
The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Western Springs is offering free admission for SuperGold Card holders from Auckland, North Shore, Waitakere and Manukau Cities as well as Rodney, Papakura and Franklin Districts until 30 March.
Visitors are likely to recall riding on the trams and trolley buses on display, and there are vintage cars to see as well as quaint colonial cottages. There's also a blacksmith at work in the forge on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am until 3.30pm.
New Zealand's rich heritage can be seen on weekdays in short films about the centenary of flight or the history of trams in Auckland, for example.
MOTAT's museum director Jeremy Hubbard said: "This is our way of acknowledging how important Auckland residents over 65 are to MOTAT and also an opportunity for them to come and relive the good old days."
A dream come true
Adapted by Marion Humphrey from an article courtesy of Sunday News
Margaret of West Auckland has achieved something she never dreamt would be possible - home ownership.
- Margaret and her children.
Thanks to Habitat for Humanity, a global charity that helps low-income families into home ownership, Margaret and her family have left their three bedroom state house and moved into a brand new four bedroom home.
Margaret's dream began in 2007 when Habitat called to say she would receive one of three homes the charity was building in West Auckland.
"It was the phone call we were waiting for. It's everyone's dream to have a home of their own. It's a security thing," Margaret said. "I was very grateful for my state house and the roof over our heads, but we are all over the moon in our new house."
The youngest of eight children, Margaret left school at 14 with limited literacy and worked as a seamstress and caregiver before having her first child at 21. The 38-year-old was a stay-at-home mum until 2003, when she left her partner following years of domestic abuse.
"That's when I thought I can either dwell on it or get on with it. For me and my babies it was get on with it," she said. "From that time, I just wanted to better myself."
Margaret enrolled in the Waitakere Adult Literacy course and when she graduated from this course, she studied to become a teacher aide, finishing in time to start building her new home in May 2008.
Part of the conditions for a Habitat home is that families must pay monthly mortgage payments and that each family invests 500 hours of labour in the building of the house. Margaret doubled that, dedicating 1043 hours to building her new home.
"Because I had the time I wanted to be part of it," she said. Helping to build the house meant she can now do her own DIY and fix things. It also meant her home was close to her heart.
"It is more than just a house. My daughter is going to appreciate the walls better because she plastered them."
With building over and the family moved in, Margaret said there was only one thing left to do.
"My goal is to look for work and pay as much as I can off my mortgage."
