Tawa, New Zealand

Tawa
Suburb
Tawa's main shopping centre, photographed in December 2005.
Country	New Zealand
City	Wellington City
Electoral ward	Ohariu
Population  (2006)
• Total	13,764
Railway stations	Takapau Road, Redwood, Tawa, Linden

	Porirua
Ohariu	Tawa
Churton Park	Grenada Village

Tawa is the northernmost suburb within the Wellington city boundary, located roughly 15 km north of Wellington's CBD between Churton Park and Porirua in the North Island of New Zealand. It takes its name from the broadleaf tree, which was once prolific throughout the area, although its most famous tree is the Bucket Tree, a large macrocarpa with the topiary of an upside-down bucket. Tawa is also known for its large number of churches, representing a wide range of Christian denominations.

The suburb of Tawa occupies the Tawa Basin. Within Tawa, there are a number of named areas: Lindenvale, Westhaven and Redwood to the west and Linden, Greenacres and Sundale to the east of the central Tawa area.

Geography and transportation

Tawa is located in a roughly north/south valley which opens up on the north into the Porirua Basin. The valley is about 4.5 km in length (north to south) and 2.5 km wide (east to west). The Belmont range, to the east, separates the Tawa valley from the Hutt Valley, while the Ohariu Valley is located to the west of Tawa. The northern entrance to Tawa is where Kenepuru Drive becomes Main Road, and its southern entrance the Tawa exit of State Highway 1. The Porirua Stream flows along the valley, fed by a number of tributaries, including the Takapu Stream.

Loosely following the path of the Porirua Stream through the valley is the North Island Main Trunk Line, which is the Kapiti Line of the Wellington suburban railway, operated by Tranz Metro. Slightly to the east, the Johnsonville-Porirua Motorway, a dual-carriageway section of State Highway 1, also follows a similar path. Both have played an important role in the suburb's development and in providing access. The literally named Main Road runs down the centre of the suburb and provides access to the smaller suburban streets. Main Road and Kenepuru Drive were part of State Highway 1 before the motorway was built in the 1950s.

Tawa is served by the five suburban passenger railway stations of Kenepuru, Linden, Tawa, Redwood and Takapu Road, with a significant number of commuters travelling daily by train into the Wellington CBD to work. As a result, trains are a significant component of Tawa's public transport but the suburb is also served by a bus route traveling between Porirua and Johnsonville. Despite these bus and train services, a substantial area on Tawa's fringes remain over 400 metres from public transport, particularly in Redwood, Greenacres and Linden. Measured this way, while the parts of Tawa near the railway and Main Road are among the best served suburbs in Wellington in terms of public transport, these areas on the fringes are among the worst served . As a result, park and ride facilities at the suburb's four railway stations are normally full on weekdays.

In 2009 the Wellington City Council commenced work on a shared pedestrian/cycle trail through Tawa that will link to Porirua City Centre. The Wellington City section of this trail, between Takapu Road railway station in the south and Kenepuru railway station in the north, was completed in 2013. This trail is a combination of new paths following the Porirua Stream and/or rail corridor and widening of some existing footpaths. The Porirua City section of the trail will eventually be built on an existing unsealed trail, the timing of which will depend on the Porirua City Council's priorities.

Local government and name

Originally the area was part of the Tawa Flat Borough, which was renamed Tawa Borough in 1959. Tawa was known as Tawa Flat until 1959; the New Zealand Geographic Board decided on 24 November 1958 that the place would be known as Tawa from 23 February 1959.

In 1989 the residents of Tawa were offered the choice between joining Porirua and Wellington (no option to remain a borough was present). Tawa chose to amalgamate with the Wellington City Council and subsequently contributes, as part of the city's Northern Ward, to elect three city councillors. Tawa retains a Community Board, which represents the suburb in matters of local and community affairs. The former Mayor of Wellington, Kerry Prendergast, originally came on to the Wellington City Council following time as a Tawa Borough councillor.

History

Settlement

Tawa Flat was first settled by Pākehā in the mid-19th century, under direction of Edward Gibbon Wakefield of the New Zealand Company. It was originally divided up into 100- acre blocks, providing the some of 100 acres "in the country" blocks to accompany the one acre in town (i.e., central Wellington), similarly to other New Zealand Company settlements. Much of the eastern side of the Tawa valley came to be owned by a single family until the demand for housing land overtook the benefits of farming the land. In 1951, a Town District was established covering Tawa and Linden. Within two years this had become Tawa Flat Borough.

Development

The development of Tawa, like many population centres, has been strongly tied with the development of transportation networks.

1930s and 40s: The Tawa Flat deviation

In the late 1930s, the North Island Main Trunk Railway was deviated from Kaiwharawhara by the Tawa Flat deviation. The main line previously followed a circuitous route via Johnsonville and had been built by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company in the 1880s; the line was not incorporated into the New Zealand Railways Department network until December 1908. The two routes diverged just south of the present day Tawa Railway Station, and the connection to Johnsonville was severed on 19 June 1937. The Johnsonville route now operates in truncated form as the Johnsonville Branch. As a result of the deviation, it became easier for residents of Tawa to commute into Wellington and demand for housing increased.

Arohata Women's Prison, located at the southern end of Tawa, was built in 1944 and was originally a women's borstal. It became a youth prison in 1981 and a women's prison in 1987.

1950s and 60s: urban motorway

During the 1950s, the Johnsonville–Porirua Motorway was built through Tawa, on the eastern side of the valley, following the line of the North Island Main Trunk railway. Tawa was starting to become a fairly large suburb of Wellington city, with land being at a premium in the steep terrain of the region. In 1961, Tawa College was built on land that straddles the motorway, with the main school campus being west of the motorway, and playing fields to the east.

1970s to present day

During the 1970s, Tawa experienced significant residential growth, Redwood and parts of Sundale in particular expanded outward. Since the 1990s, Tawa has been expanding more slowly. By the turn of the 21st Century, most of the green field residential growth in Tawa has been occurring to the east of the Motorway, mainly spreading eastward up toward the parallel Takapu Valley in the direction of the Belmont Range.

Whilst green field residential growth has slowed, there has been significant infill housing as property owners, particularly owners of older quarter acre sections, subdivide their properties. Along with infill housing, the turn of the 21st century has seen the redevelopment of some of Tawa's previously industrial area including the development of Dress Smart - an outlet shopping centre - and the retirement village Redwood village. Tawa's latest retail development is located on what is colloquially known as "Takapu Island"; a site located alongside the Tawa motorway off-ramp. As of March 2008 development of the site has been restricted to earthworks. Conversely, one of Tawa's other shopping centres, Tawa Junction, closed in 2008 after a lengthy period with few occupants and has since been mooted as a location for another retirement village.

In 1999 Tawa, along with Mount Eden and Mount Roskill, became the last place in New Zealand to vote in favour of becoming "wet" in local restoration polls. Voting to become "wet" allowed the purchase of alcohol within the suburb for the first time and since then several pubs and bars have opened.

Demography

According to the 2006 New Zealand Census, Tawa's population was around 13,000. The Wellington City Council's estimate of Tawa's population as at June 2011 is 14,900.

Common stereotypes

A common stereotypical opinion of Tawa is that the people are a lesser class of society than those of wider Wellington. This may be due to the proximity to Porirua, which is of a lower socio-demography than greater Wellington. Similarly to people of the Hutt Valley, telling someone you're from Tawa may be met by a groan or mockery from someone who is familiar with the stereotype.

The stereotype may also stem from a higher instance of teen pregnancies than other parts of Wellington, tendency by the teen population to indulge in binge drinking and recreational drug use, or embellish their cars and engage in drag racing.

While some cases conform to the stereotypes, they cannot be confirmed to be the represent the majority of the population.

Education

Schools in Tawa include:

• Greenacres School
• Hampton Hill School
• Linden School
• Redwood School
• St Francis Xavier School
• Tawa College
• Tawa Intermediate School
• Tawa School

Churches and other religious groups

Churches in Tawa include:

• Tawa-Linden Anglican Church
• Tawa Baptist Church
• Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
• Gospel Hall
• Samoan Methodist Parish
• New Life Church
• Salvation Army
• Tawa Samoan Assembly of God
• Tawa Union Church

In 2011 the Exclusive Brethren in Wellington relocated to Tawa from Crofton Downs and a number of their membership moved into the area. The Samoan Methodist Parish now occupies the property previously occupied by the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

There is also a Christadelphian Ecclesia in Linden, as well as a traditional Catholic chapel, run by priests from the Society of St. Pius X, who are based in Whanganui.

A Buddhist Dhamma Gavesi Meditation Centre was established in Tawa in 2011.

Facilities

Community facilities

Tawa has a number of community facilities. Upgraded in 2002 at a cost of NZ$1.6 million, the Mervyn Kemp Library is located on the corner of the Main Rd and Cambridge St. Also on Cambridge St is the Tawa Community Centre, which now also occupies the space vacated by the ANZ Bank when it closed its Tawa Branch. On November 13, 2004 the $2.4 million Tawa Recreation Centre was opened. The Centre is located at Tawa College and is a partnership between the College and the Wellington City Council. Located on Davies St is the Tawa Pool, which features a 25-metre heated indoor pool, learner pool, toddler pool, spa and sauna.

Retail facilities

Along with Outlet City, much of Tawa's current retail and manufacturing businesses are located along the Main Road. The section of the Main Road between Lyndhurst Road and Lincoln Ave forms the village center of Tawa and provides day-to-day retail services including supermarket, mail, and pharmacy services. Also present in along the Main Road are the Mervyn Kemp Library, medical centre, dentists, banks, many restaurants and takeaway shops. A secondary retail center is located alongside Linden Station. In 2009 to 2011 there was a significant increase in the number of ethnic retail stores and restaurants in particular Indian and Asian.

Sporting facilities

Tawa is also home to a number of other community run sporting facilities. Alongside the Tawa pool is the Tawa Bowls club. Tawa St is home to the North Wellington Badminton Association, which boasts a 6 court tournament class stadium. Also on Tawa St is the Tawa-Lyndhurst Tennis Club, which has 8 plexipave tennis courts. Tawa-Lyndhurst Tennis Club is also where Tennis Inc coaching academy is based. There are a number of Rugby Union grounds in Tawa, with Tawa Rugby located at Lyndhurst park. There are a number of Cricket ovals in Tawa, including Linden Park. The Tawa Squash club is located on the Main Rd. There are several Football grounds for different grades in Tawa, including the use of the College grounds, the clubroom is shared with the Tawa Softball Club. Tawa is also home to the Tawa Mah Jong Club, which hosts the Wellington Mah Jong Tournament each June, as well as the Kapi Mana Bridge Club.

Parks

Along with built facilities, Tawa also boasts a large number of landscaped and natural parks, many of which contain play areas and open spaces. The Porirua Stream flows through a number of these parks. Community groups in Tawa, including the Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves, have increasingly worked in partnership with the local council to take interest and ownership of protecting Tawa's bush-clad environment, waterways and community parks.

Notable residents and former residents

• Elsdon Best, Māori ethnologist
• Arthur Carman, Bookseller, sports writer and local historian
• Mark Gillespie, former Black Caps medium pace bowler
• Blair Hilton, Black Sticks Men, national field hockey representative and 2010 CommonWealth Games bronze medalist
• Murray Mexted, All Black
• Bruce Murray, former Black Caps opening batsman
• Lee Tamahori, Film director
• Arlene Thomas, (aerobics) seven years national aerobic champion and World Aerobic Champion 1997

In Fiction

Comedian Ginette McDonald created the iconic character Lyn of Tawa, who became a "household name" in New Zealand in the 1970s. McDonald's characterisation was a parody and satire of New Zealand's middle-class suburban values. (see http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/video/13446/lynn-of-tawa )

Sources

• Carman, Arthur H (1956, 1970, 1982) Tawa Flat and the Old Porirua Road, ASIN B0007K64LC
• Murray, Bruce (2005). The Streets of Tawa., ISBN 0473101882

External links

• Tawalink.com
• Map of Tawa on Tawalink.com
• Tawa Historical Society
• WorldFM - low power hobby FM station broadcasting to Tawa
• Tawa Flat, from the Cyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1897
• Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves