AMERICA'S CUP - PETER BURLING - RECALLED BY GARY SMITH

George Stewart’s Studio Guest this week was a former Commodore of the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club, Gary Smith.    The subject was the remarkable career of the America’s Cup winning skipper, Peter Burling from Tauranga. Gary recalled the very earliest days when Peter and his father Richard would be down at the Welcome Bay estuary, with a little gaff rigged Optimist yacht, teaching Peter how to sail and tack.    From winning races in NZ and around the world he progressed to the Harry Highet designed P Class, when at the age of 13 he was winning more cups and trophies. Then it was to the larger Starling Class. Two years later the 15 year old and fellow crew member Carl Evans won the 2006 420 Class World champs in the Canary Islands. There were many more wins in NZ and around the world in much larger and faster skiffs, including the scary trapeze balancing 49er’s.  Gary also told our listeners how the super fast Americas Cup yachts managed to stay upright, with the special wing foils, while blasting along at up to 100 kilometres an hour, with just limited vision for the skippers in their confined cockpits.   Photo Gary Smith

TAURANGA MAYOR MAHE DRYSDALE

George Stewart’s Studio Guest this week was Tauranga’s new Mayor, Mahe Drysdale.   The former Olympic gold medal rowing champion won the Mayoralty race, with over 6,000 more votes than a former Mayor, Greg Brownless.   In a wide ranging interview he told the listeners of his vision for Tauranga to be the “Best City in New Zealand,” while acknowledging that it is now described as one of the most expensive cities to live in.   Mahe said he was very aware of the huge traffic delays for people coming in from Welcome Bay and Council is working to complete the design of a “Tidal Traffic Flow” across the Hairini Bridge, but that will require removing some footpaths to construct an extra lane, plus building a “clip on” to the side of the bridge for cyclists and pedestrians.  He said he was very pleased with the different skills provided by the newly elected councillors, who were working well as at team.. Mahe also said he was very supportive of the plans for a ferry to be operating between Mount Maunganui and the CBD , to reduce the traffic on the roads, and hoped that one day such a service could be expanded to Maungatapu, Otumoetai and even Omokoroa.

THE TAURANGA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT INTERVIEWED

George Stewart's Studio Guest this week was the President of the Tauranga Historical Society, Julie Green.  Julie grew up in her grandfather's home, The Elms and still remembers sliding down the banister of the stairs, as a child.   That Grandfather was Duff Maxwell.  She talked about one of the City's oldest buildings, the Brain Watkins House, on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Cameron Road.  The house was built by a Tauranga boat builder, Joseph Brain in 1881 and is now a NZ Historic Place Trust Category 2 listed building. It was donated to the Tauranga Historical Society, by it's previous owner, Elvira Brain and is kept in pristine condition, fully furnised as it would have been over 140 years ago, thanks to donations and grants from various charitable organisations. 

BON VOYAGE KATIE HENDERSON

Earlier in the week we  farewelled our energiser Katie with  chocolates and  coffee cake.  Katie visited our studios in February and before  long said she was keen to become an announcer.   It was perfect timing as  Penny another announcer ( made the delicious coffee cake) was heading oversees to visit family in Ireland. So Katie  jumped into the vacancy and through herself into putting together fabulous  programs playing pure nostalgia.  Katie will be dearly  missed by our volunteers and listeners.  Thank you Katie, enjoy your trip to the Northern Hemisphere and you can leave with the knowledge there always  be a position for you if you return to Tauranga.

NEIL WALSH ANNOUNCER RETIRES

Neil Walsh has been a Volunteer with Village Radio for more than 18 years and he has now decided it's time to resign and relax.    He worked with the NZBS in Gisborne as a technical trainee.  He then spent three years at Gisborne and another two in Wellington. When he qualified he took a job in Hamilton as a radio serviceman and later started with TISCO for seven years. In 1970 he went to NZ Forest Products Ltd at the Kinleith Mills.   On his 65th Birthday he was offered redundancy when the maintenance systems were contracted out and saw him retire to Papamoa Paradise. After a short rest he was accepted by Village Radio as an Announcer/Panel Operator. He will be missed by both his fellow Volunteers and listeners. Photo:- Neil with fellow Volunteer Peter Donnelly in Studio One.

GREG McMANUS - DIRECTOR OF THE TAURANGA MUSEUM

George Stewart’s studio guest on Monday was the recently appointed Director of Tauranga’s future Museum, Greg McManus. He told George that he is presently leading the development of a World Class, “state of the art” Museum, that will be part of the $303 million dollar city project, Te Manawataki O Te Papa. At present he is working with the Centre architect, to design the 3 level building. When the Museum opens, in four years time, visitors will be able to see how Tauranga developed, from the arrival of one of the first migratory canoes, where the very first settlers lived, including the battles staged at Pukehinahina (Gate Pa) and Te Ranga, between the Colonial Forces, and the Waikato tribes. At present much of Tauranga’s historical evidence is in storage in a warehouse, in Mount Maunganui.