The first public holiday to celebrate Matariki was the perfect occasion to bring together all the community groups, businesses and other stakeholders working to make Te Hōnonga a Iwi Restoring Rosedale Park a successful project.
Kaumatua Richard Nahi and wife Pearl, Ngati Whatua O Kaipara, welcomed a large number of supporters of all ages to the site behind Hilton Brown Swimming in Volkner Place on Friday morning.
Representatives from all the groups working on the project had a chance to help plant 20 totara trees, which were grown locally from seeds from the area by Upper Harbour Local Board member Nicholas Mayne.
Nicholas was joined at the event by fellow Upper Harbour Local Board members Lisa Whyte,
Uzra Casuri Balouch and Anna Atkinson.
Also represented on the day were Little Earth Montessori, the Great Families Chinese Trust, Long Bay College, Kristin School, Rangitoto College, and Albany Senior High.
The Nature Environment Defence Foundation (NEDF), Upper Waitematā Ecology Network, Auckland Council, Watercare, engineering company Ventia and Wai Care were all there to lend support to the project.
Matt Cummings from Untangled Landscapes directed the tree planting while a number of staff and volunteers from North Harbour Hockey were on hand to direct the crowd.
Following the planting ceremony, everyone moved to North Harbour Hockey for kai and more korero.
A big thanks to local company Pioneer Pies for their support on the day and for supplying some delicious pastries to go alongside the food supplied by project volunteers.
