Chaired by Celeste Donovan, the monthly meeting of the New Brighton Residents Association was held ta few days ago with a welcome to new members.
Fresh ideas for moving forward were suggested and these will be illustrated at the August training-type meeting.
Some of the conversation was around the feeling the next twelve months will be important for the greater coastal area, and the motto ‘Un pour tous, tous pour un’ (one for all and all for one) will be important in presenting a united front on some issues..
A suggestion was made for greater collaboration with neighbouring resident’s groups making up our coastal area, and the issues important to them should be explored.
Celeste Donovan says a unified front on wider concerns will help make the Council take notice.
For instance, it will be important to follow the Long-Term Plan development as it is rolled out by the City Council, and make sure the general population of greater coastal area is engaged and informed, something residents continue to complain about.
Celeste Donovan says NBRA will also continue to lobby the City Council for information, particularly around projects like Oram Av extension and the proposed new Pages Rd bridge.
Guest speaker Hayley Guglietta from the Avon-Otakaro Network spoke about local groups taking ownership of the part of the river corridor closest to them.
Ms Guglietta explained the multi-million-dollar project is looking for ideas to utilise the existing recreational and ecological resources to add to the amazing corridor linking New Brighton to the city.
The New Brighton Residents Association will have more on this in the coming weeks.
Anybody with a hankering to get involved in any capacity to contribute, please contact us via
newbrightonresidents@gmail.com
NBRA is detecting an undercurrent of positivity about this coastal paradise and the ‘big smile’ may have gone (photo) but there is more of them.