Everything Kāpiti

Ngā Pitopito kōrero mai i te Kaunihera o Kāpiti

Kia ora Kāpiti

Last week's rumbles caught most New Zealanders by surprise but it was awesome to see impacted communities respond so quickly to the warning signs of a tsunami.

This week, we have a good refresher on what to do when you feel an earthquake that's long or strong, an update on the Blue Bluff slip and a week full of awesome community events in celebration of Parks Week 2021!

Ā tonā wā!

  What's new this week

Long or strong, get gone

Last week's earthquakes off the Kermadec Islands were a reminder to us all that as a coastal community we are at risk of tsunami.

Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) has some great information about why we don't use tsunami sirens in the Wellington region.

International research, especially from Japan, shows that sirens create a false sense of comfort with the public in that they expect to be warned by the siren, rather than making a decision to respond to the earthquake itself.

The time it takes for scientists to determine whether an earthquake has created a tsunami threat and then send out official warnings is often longer than the time it takes for a local source tsunami to reach the coast. A tsunami could arrive in as little as 10 minutes.

Don’t rely on others to tell you want to do. The best and most reliable warning system is the natural warning itself – the ground shaking for longer than a minute, or so strong that it’s hard to stand up.

WREMOs position on tsunami sirens: https://www.wremo.nz/hazards/tsunamis/sirens/

  Our people and communities

Parks Week is go!

Find your wild this Parks Week 2021 and explore Kāpiti's beautiful bridleways, trails and parks!

Parks Week is an annual celebration of the important role parks play in creating liveable towns and thriving communities. We've got lots of free events on this week, including Tamariki Time at Mahara Place, 'It's a Dog's Life' in Ōtaki on Wednesday evening, our final Acoustic in the Park event on Saturday night, and Park to Path on Sunday morning at Otaraua Park.

COVID-19 Alert Level 1 is not Alert Level None

Have you met your neighbours yet?

Coastlands Aquatic Centre temporary closure 19/03-06/04

  Work updates

Movement continues at Ōtaki Gorge Rd slip site

A recent update from our geotechnical experts shows the Otaki Gorge Road slip site has continued to move over summer, shifting by 500mm between 5 November and 5 February.

The site is monitored with fortnightly detailed survey. Drone photography is also providing visual information, helping create a fuller picture of what is happening.

We have established there is an ongoing risk of the road dropping out. The significant tension cracks throughout the site are continuing to grow.

Our next phase is to begin intensive investigation with core holes and geotechnical risk assessment in preparation for the design phase to re-establish access beyond the slip.

A-door-able step in the Ōtaki Civic Theatre renovation

 Get involved

Thanks for your feedback and ideas!

A big thank you to residents who jumped online and posted their ideas and comments on our Have Your Say forum for the review of the Keeping of Animals, Bees & Poultry Bylaw (2010).

We received a wide range of feedback which will be considered as we write a draft proposal for an updated Bylaw. The next step after that is formal public consultation on the revised Bylaw. Sign up below to keep updated!

Community Grants 2021 - applications close Friday!

  Dates to remember

  #shareyourkapiti

We want to see your Kāpiti snaps!

Do you have beautiful Kāpiti Coast photos? If so, follow us on Instagram and use the hashtag #shareyourkapiti for the chance to feature in Everything Kāpiti. If you don't use social media, you can upload your images to our website, at #ShareYourKapiti. Get sharing!