Dacre Cottage Chairman’s Report June 2011
Past
The last few years have seen a considerable improvement in the area with.
The cottage kept clean and tidy with the shell path and gardens surrounding it keeping it dryer inside. A new 1914 bed was secured by Dave Adams and a new mattress has been installed.
The Lawns have been kept tidy with numerous people helping and several large 50plus working bees have seen three thousand plants planted, these are thriving. The pines along the back boundary were removed by the land owner and these have removed the risk of damage to the cottage by one falling on it.
The barn has a new floor and roof and is now solid and water proof, running water is supplied by three 1000 litre tanks.
Pest control has been working well with very few rats and only one possum this year.
A new static website has been developed and a email distribution system is working well
The number of over night stays is improving with many schools, scout and family groups using the area.
Daily visitor’s numbers are still high with most Sundays and public holidays being very busy.
Williams land continues to get permission to develop more land in the Weiti Forrest with no inclusion of the Dacre Cottage Committee by WL or ACC in this application as it stems from the 2000 District Plan and subsequent Environment Court Hearings.
This is a huge disappointment to the existing committee as we have made huge efforts to be good neighbours to the Land Developer and have worked hard to manage this area to a high standard asking little from the Council in way of financial support. The Council has made no effort to garner our thoughts and ideas on the plans and we now find the deal is done through the media.
This is an area that the new committee will need to address and the Council will have to look into its processed where areas are managed by volunteer groups are impacted by plan changes. The volunteer Committee needs to be treated as an interested party at the table or supplying local information to the council to allow a full picture and hence the correct outcomes to be achieved.
Funds held in the bank account are $4120.87
Future
We have another planting bee planned for August. This is to broaden the original planting and to help with sand dune regeneration.
The roof of the Cottage needs work. The black tar paper and the ‘shakes’ (timber shingles) need replacing along with the guttering.
The inside of the cottage needs a new or reconditioned pot belly/fire place and the walls needs paint. The porch needs the timber repaired and a lick of paint.