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| 8 August, 2008 |
Parnell Train Station update The issue of the Parnell train station came before Council's Transport Committee this week – but only as a status report revealing that little progress has been made to date. A report from Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) on the preferred location was expected in March, but this has been delayed while behind the scenes discussions continue between ARTA, ONTRACK and the ARC on two alternative sites. Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) plans to develop a new station at Parnell, and they say it has the potential to become the fourth busiest on its network. According to sources, both locations for the Parnell train station are problematic - the ONTRACK land site has what is considered an unacceptable gradient (1 in 40) and the Carlaw Park would most likely require a build-out over the train bridge, at high expense. The Carlaw Park site is likely to be more viable IF it can be a co-development with the owner of the adjoining Stanley Street property. Gradient issues at the ONTRACK site could, however, be overcome if the city-side rail bridges were raised. This site, favoured by Parnell Mainstreet for its closer proximity to Parnell businesses, could therefore be viable if raising the bridges proved to be more economical than developing a station on the bridges. |
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| 1 August, 2008 |
A tough 2008, but economic growth possible for 2009 Economic conditions deteriorated sharply in the first half of 2008. Drought, tighter credit conditions, a housing market in rapid retreat, and relentless increases in oil prices have crushed confidence. Growth in 2008 will be very low. Retailers are feeling the pinch from lower consumer confidence. Costs remain a major headache from most. We are cautiously optimistic that economic growth will recover in 2009 as drought effects wane, interest and tax cuts come through, and more mining projects come on-stream. Overview Retailers can expect the current very tough trading conditions to remain through 2008 with flow-on effects to wholesale, manufacturing and freight transport and distribution. Retail Trade
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1 August, 2008 |
Not getting pictures with your emails? If this email is arriving into your email box without photos and illustrations, you're not seeing it at its best! Open Outlook and go to Tools (tab in top menu bar) then select Options, then Security. Here, the third option down is Download Pictures. Click the Change Automatic Download Settings button. Then uncheck the box next to “Don't download pictures or other content automatically in HTML email.” Click the OK button at the bottom of this box, which will close this box. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Options box and this will close it. And that should do it for you! Easy!
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25 July, 2008 ![]() |
New Flexible employment law Research has shown that flexible working arrangements can benefit most businesses. Flexibility for both employers and employees enable employers to recruit and retain skilled staff. In today's tight labour market, flexible working arrangements are an even more popular option for employers. Since 1 July 2008, when the The Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Act 2007 came into force, employees with caring responsibilities have a specific right to ask their employers for flexible working arrangements. The new provisions are another option for employees who need to balance work with caring for others. To be eligible for the right to ask for flexible working arrangements, workers must have worked for their employer for at least six months and be caring for someone. If they meet these minimum requirements, they can request flexible working arrangements that help balance their work and care. How these arrangements are worked out is entirely up to the employer and employee. Employers, in good faith, must consider and decide if the flexible arrangements can be catered for. They must also respond to employee requests within three months and employees can only apply once in any twelve month period. The new provisions will not have any effect on existing flexible working arrangements and this can be left in the hands of employers and workers to manage between themselves. For further information visit: www.dol.govt.nz/flexiworking
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11 July, 2008 ![]() |
Dedicated left turn lane requested at top of Parnell Road Following changes to light phasing introduced last September to make the crossings safer for pedestrians, drivers wanting to take a left turn into St Stephens Ave have been frustrated at the seemingly reduced opportunities to do so. This situation is exacerbated when the green arrow to turn left coincides with a red light to go straight ahead - and a car wanting to do the latter is at the head of the queue.
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11 July, 2008
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And yet more rubbish Having your recyclables collected commercially is cheap!
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| 4 July, 2008 |
Is the price of commuting getting you down? Find someone to carpool with online! With the skyrocketing price of petrol, people are finally looking at more cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways of commuting to and from work. Traffic volumes on our motorways are down considerably, so people must be taking public transport or car-pooling in to work. If you'd like to carpool (or rideshare as its also known) but haven't found anyone in your neighbourhood to team up with, there are a number of new websites which can help you. Here are a few which look good: Parnell Mainstreet knows of a Botany Downs resident looking for a rideshare into Parnell. Anyone else commuting in from the area and willing to rideshare, please contact us on 379 0606. |
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27 June, 2008 |
Census shows who lives in Parnell Statistics NZ has just released the community profile info based on the 2006 Census, so you can now get to know Parnell people even better! Statistics New Zealand divides Parnell into Parnell East & Parnell West. Parnell East is the area east of Parnell Road/St Stephens Ave, from Cowie Street in the south to Point Resolution and running down to the sea and Bloodworth Park. Parnell West is the rest of Parnell, from George St in the south and bounded by Stanley St and The Strand in the west.
The snapshot above confirms much of what we already know: Parnell East has a higher density of families, while Parnell West, with more than double the population, is where the younger singles and couples live, with fewer children. Frustratingly, the Community Profiles provided don't give actual statistics or figures for most categories analysed - most info is in bar charts. You'll have to delve deeply through the online table builders if you want the numbers.
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27 June, 2008 ![]() |
On your marks cyclists City Council has given Parnell Mainstreet the thumbs-up, in principle, to hold a very exciting new event in the Auckland cycling calendar - a 2 kilometre hill sprint challenge up Parnell Rise and Parnell Road to St Georges Bay Road. Meanwhile, if you'd like to be part of this event in any way, please contact Parnell Mainstreet (ph 379 0606) or iBike (contact Michael Glynn on 307 9400). |
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20 June, 2008
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Do you have too much rubbish for your blue bin? Rubbish collection along Parnell Rise and Parnell Road is on Thursday nights. Your blue bins will be emptied only every second week, starting July 3. Parnell Mainstreet will include a reminder of these dates at the top of this newsletter to help ensure that these exceedingly large bins do not end up living on the pavement. Commercial collections: Council's new recycling collection regime is unlikely to work for businesses that generate large volumes of recyclable waste - and dumping your boxes on the footpath each night will no longer be an option as this will incur a fine! Council advises that businesses whose paper and cardboard waste exceeds the capacity of the recycling bins provided should make other collection arrangements with private operators. There are a number of commercial waste collection options available to businesses. If you need to make arrangements for regular collection of recyclable waste here are some of the larger operators in this area:
Other rubbish contractors can be found in the Yellow Pages under:
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June 13, 2008
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Blue recycling bins bring new rubbish management regime The offer of extra bins is for businesses and residents currently paying the annual waste charge. The additional recycling bins will only be provided IF they can be stored on the premises prior to collection day. And that's the problem - the new bins are so large, most businesses will have a problem finding a place for even one of them on their premises. At yesterday's City Development Committee meeting, Council made it clear that it is not in the business of recyclables collection from commercial activities. Council advises that businesses whose paper and cardboard waste exceeds the capacity of the recycling bins provided should make other collection arrangements with private operators. Paper and cardboard must now only be put in the recycling bin for collection – not left loosely on the kerbside. Businesses and residents leaving loose material on the kerbside will be contacted by council waste officers as part of an education programme. Persistent offenders could face a $400 fine for illegal dumping if they do not comply with the council's tidy streets policy. (At present, businesses habitually dump boxes on the footpath every night of the week. This has never been legitimate! Paperchase is only contracted by Council to pick up boxes on official rubbish nights - once a week. On other nights, boxes are collected by City Council to clear footpaths. This unofficial Council service has led most to believe that cardboard waste can be legitimately dumped on the footpath every night. So, thanks to Council's generosity, we're now in for some real trouble as businesses are "retrained." )
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30 May, 2008 ![]() |
Repairs to The Ridge While work is in progress, parking spaces have been blocked from 381 to 395 Parnell Road to make way for scaffolding and parking for the project. The bus stop, previously located outside Esque at 381 Parnell Road, has been relocated just down the hill , outside Pan Asia and Murdoch McLennan Antiques for the duration. Businesses behind the scaffolding are to get some temporary signage to improve their visibility in the meantime.
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4 April, 2008 ![]() |
Parnell has a new Community Constable Introducing Constable Tai Rossi Constable Tai Rossi has been assigned Parnell as part of the newly appointed four-man Community Action Team team, and he's already on the beat in Parnell. Tai says the team's focus is on tackling ongoing issues within their neighbourhood areas and educating people on common problems so that they can deter and prevent crime, for example safeguarding employee handbags in shops to prevent theft and not leaving valuables in parked cars. The team will mostly work from 8am to 4pm, and have night patrols until 2am from Thursday to Saturday. Locals will soon see them on foot, patrolling the streets of Parnell. Their random neighbourhood patrols will increase the police visibility in the area and help deter criminal activity. Parnell residents and businesses can consult the Community Action Team to help them tackle and prevent ongoing crime issues (contact at Auckland Central Police Station ph 302 6400). However, people are advised to dial 111 for emergencies where an offender is present or where life or property are threatened and to dial 555 to report non-urgent or non-threatening situations or to report a crime that has happened. Parnell Mainstreet urges business owners and residents to report any incidences of crime, even after the event, so that a record is maintained and any patterns of offending can be spotted and tackled by the relevant police department.
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29 February, 2008![]() |
Internet access for Parnell visitors Pronto Print now offers Internet access Pronto Print has just installed an Internet facility for Parnell visitors to use. This will be a great service as Parnell's other public Internet access service is 15 minutes walk away at the Parnell Community Library at 545 Parnell Road. Pronto Print's computer station provides fast, secure Internet access with Internet time sold on pre-paid cards - so customers can come back and use up their balance. Cards are sold in 15 min/30min/60min denominations Pronto Print also offers a memory stick if any printing of internet info/email messages is required. Contact Pronto Print, at 122 Parnell Road, phone 373 5557 (opposite Mink - corner Heather St and Parnell Road).
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22 February, 2008 |
Council makes progress on Heard Park Council is well aware of a number of issues needing further attention following the recent upgrade of Heard Park - the neighbourhood park at 170 Parnell Road. Parnell Mainstreet was pleased to receive the following update from Council this morning: Park cleaning Lawn
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22 February, 2008 ![]() |
Esquires to take Gibraltar space Esquires, the fastest growing coffee house franchise in New Zealand, with 35 stores currently situated throughout the country and plenty more planned, is to open a new outlet at Gibraltar Cafe's spot on the corner of lower Gibraltar Crescent. The new cafe will be the second of a new look Esquires, following the opening of the Westfield Albany cafe, in earthy tones. The cafe plans to operate from 6.30am until midnight, offering fair trade and organic coffee, comfy couches, a range of international papers, TV newscasts and one hour's free WiFi. Esquires also offer patrons a FairShare stored value card which allows people to donate a portion of sales to local charities.
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22 February, 2008 ![]() |
DiMare hosts film wrap party Laundry Warrior stars enjoy hidden Parnell courtyard Di Mare Cafe hosted a dinner for the cast and crew of Laundry Warrior a few weeks back including stars Geoffrey Rush, Kate Bosworth, Jang Dong Gung, Danny Huston and Tony Cox. (Pictured: Rush (partially obscrured), Jang & Bosworth.) The $52m film is about an Asian warrior played by Jang, who is forced to hide in a small town in the American badlands. He meets the town drunk played by Rush, and a circus knife thrower played by Bosworth, both of whom have powerful secrets. Laundry Warrior was written and directed by Sngmoo Lee, and is being produced by Barrie Osborne who also produced Lord of the Rings. |
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