Local Achievements

Ecowise awards 2014

Keep Waitakere Beautiful’s EcoWise Awards celebrate West Auckland residents who show a commitment to care for their environment through volunteer action and pride. There was a strong contingent of Glen Eden individuals; Sarah James, Allan Johnson, Shannon & Ruben Ferabend, Jocelyn Hinton. Teachers;Hannah Jones (Prospect Primary), Rochelle Johnson (Glen Eden Intermediate). Groups; Lucinda Place community Orchard, Savoy Environmental Restoration Group, Mainly Monkeez, and the Sherrybrooke Residents.

Everyone was clearly a winner. But some had to take the supreme honours and we we’re very proud of Glen Eden’s own Sarah James who took out the Kauri Award, for West Auckland Individuals making a difference. Sarah has been actively involved in Glen Eden’s environment and community wellbeing through a number of groups and initiatives like Glen Eden Transition Town and the Lucinda place Community Orchard as well as being a strong supporter of Project Twin Streams.
A big thanks to all volunteers in Glen Eden. You do a fantastic job and the community would only be a shadow of itself without your efforts.

Sarah James receiving the Kauri Award from Sharon Davies
Story and photo kindly provided by Project Twin Streams

Glen Eden Tidy Town

 

More photos on the Glen Eden Village website

Kohanga Reo

Kohunga Reo Gardens

The Te Kohanga Reo o Kakariki is a community based early child education centre based in Glen Eden. It was founded in 1982 and is one of the country’s oldest Kohanga Reo’s. Originally based in Green Bay, the facility moved to Janet Clews Place in 2009.
When they moved into the old bowling green site, it was bare grounds and the staff laid out a footpath and sandpit.  With the assistance of the makeover and some hard work, they have transformed the grounds into their vision for a vibrant, interactive forest of fruit trees, native trees and vegetables.

As reported in the newspaper article, there are now a wide array of pip and stone fruit trees, and other fruit bushes which are perfect for little fingers to pick.  The grassed play area features low-maintenance native grasses and flaxes.  The raised planter boxes are child friendly heights and the aim is use only heirloom seed collected from the whanau.  This provides a lovely connection for the children with their food heritage, linking them with their Kaumatua.

The Kohanga Reo differs from other playcentres and kindergartens. It has lesson plans with a chosen subject each term, and the learning environment is governed by whanau.  The children are learning about their whanaungatanga, whilst gaining a sense of connection about where they come from, shared experiences and a sense of belonging.

The new garden will be a great resource for the centre, staff and children in the years to come.  Kohanga Reo staff member, Rebecca Leaf, says the children are already inventive, drawing pictures with pieces of bark on the concrete bark and testing their agility walking across rocks in the new landscape.

Fruit trees and flowering natives will draw birds and insects into the garden and provide ample opportunities for observation and identification exercises for the tamariki.

Glen Eden’s Te Kohanga Reo o Kakariki was mentioned in April’s Edition of the Herald on Sunday.  Earlier this year the preschool won a Radio Live/Mitre 10 garden makeover and had a two day working bee weekend. It is for this reason that we have decided to honour the Kohanga Reo with our inaugural Community Achievement.