Titirangi's Waima Valley Could Get Ploughed
Waima is a forested valley just to the north of Titirangi. There is an existing Watercare treatment plant there that treats and pumps water from the Waitakere dams to Auckland households. The treatment plant has been in operation since 1928. It's old, it's not able to cope with the demands of a growing city. So fair enough, something has to change.
Watercare's answer is to mothball the old plant, citing the industrial buildings are of historical significance [which, in my opinion, is absolutely ridiculous] and clear 10 acres of native bush next to the existing plant to build the new one. The 10 acres of bush, literally due for the chop, is designated as significant ecological area. It has numerous stands of big Kauri in it, as well as many other mature natives.
It pisses me off. I don't even accept that the plant needs to be bigger. At Piha we don't have town supplied water, we collect our own from our roofs and have water tanks. Why can't every new build in the city be on tank water, easing the pressure on both water needed and Auckland's noted stormwater issues. We waste water. It seems ludicrous to me that city houses literally drain away perfectly good drinking water and then pay to have treated water piped in to water lawns and wash cars. I know that high density housing in the CBD or industry can't run to this model, but surely every freestanding dwelling could?
It's just an idea, but the point is it seems Watercare's solution is a very narrow way on looking at things. Just build bigger.
The majority of Waima's 2400 residents are pissed off too. For some there'd be an element of Nimby-ism for sure [ie Not In My Backyard] but for those ones actually why not? Probably a reason they chose to make Waima their home is that it is a native bush clad sanctuary. But from what I understand the vast majority of opposition stems from the senseless decimation of 10 acres of beautiful regenerating native bush.
You can find out more about Watercare's plans on the Protect Titirangi Website
Shot in Waima this week, and destined for the bulldozer?
And me? Am I just sitting on my arse, in front of a screen, decreeing what should be done? No. I'm part of a group of creatives participating in a exhibition highlighting the Waima situation. I'll be giving you the details once the artwork is finalised, but the plan is to put on a group show with all the proceeds going to the Watercare fight.
hashtag ishootfilm hashtag shootfilmstaypoor shot this week in Waima on the 617 panoramic film camera with Extar film... bloody getting close to $20 every time you press the shutter now!
From The Galleries
Canon New Zealand love it enough to use it as their homepage for the last month, it also got used as the opening image for their professionals emailer and yesterday it was featured [as above] in the consumer email. Cheers Canon!
You want it too aye, when check it out in the gallery HERE