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West and North Auckland
A neat street in Ranui
Adapted by Marion Humphrey from an article courtesy of Western Leader.
Street brawls and petty crime won't drive Anne Toia out of Ranui. Instead she would rather stay there and work to make a difference.
- Anne Toia is making her street a better place.
During 2008, Anne coordinated two clean-ups in her "beloved" Afton Place.
"My main objective is to get that community spirit back, and tackle some of the issues that we are on about, like tagging and children's behaviour," Anne says. "I am a big believer in kids not destroying something they create. If a child makes something, they will look after it."
Anne first visited Afton Place six years ago when she was friendly with one of the residents.
She saw people fighting in the street with metal bars. This didn't put her off, and she asked Housing New Zealand staff to let her move in when a house became vacant in October 2007. She didn't mind that it had been trashed by gangs.
"Housing New Zealand staff asked me why I wanted to come here when 90 percent of the tenants were wanting to move out," she says. "I told them I believed I could make a difference, my family and I." That is exactly what she's done.
Anne signed up for Neighbourhood Support and organised the street clean-ups. Residents pulled together to remove graffiti and rubbish, painted fences and enjoyed a street barbecue. Staff from Plunket, the Fire Service and other organisations were also on hand.
"I want this street to be safe for my children and grandchildren," Anne says. "I think it's a beautiful street and it has developed so much in a year. The neighbours are thrilled, so what more could I ask for?"
Neighbourhood Support works closely with the Police and other organisations in the community to reduce crime, improve safety and prepare for emergencies and natural disasters.
For further information on your local Neighbourhood Support contact your local Council or visit: www.ns.org.nz
Christmas in Cadness - Northcote celebrates again
By Emily Chen
Northcote residents joined people from Housing New Zealand, North Shore City Council, Westforce Credit Union and the local community to celebrate another great year for the Northcote Community Renewal Project.
- Children helped the Police cook the sausages.
Even though it was raining, more than 200 Northcote residents gathered at the Cadness Loop to share a picnic, and meet and chat with their neighbours. "The rain didn't affect people's enthusiasm at all," said Dude TuiSamoa, Housing New Zealand Community Development Coordinator. "And we also reinforced the message of a safe holiday to all the families."
The residents enjoyed the fun activities. Children helped decorate the Christmas tree and helped the Police cook the sausages.
"It's a great day," said Tuck, one of the many volunteers. "The kids have been wonderful too. No rubbish was left behind."
The highlight of the day, apart from Santa's visit of course, was the tug-of-war between the girls' team and the boys' team - it really made everyone laugh!
