Heart of the Bays launched its own community recipe book on 3 August at the East Coast Bays Library. A celebratory publication of connecting with our community for 30 years through food. A big thank you to all who submitted their favourite recipes. Sally and Debbie are selling the book for $20 a copy at Heart of the Bays office, 2 Glen Road, Browns Bay. Our office hours are Monday to Thursday, 10am and 2pm.
How it All Began
When we embarked upon this project, we had planned a recipe collection to complement the Neighbours’ Day theme for 2022, ‘Kai Connections’.
We have ended up with much more. The call for recipes went out; the responses came back with so many memories attached, that we were inspired to go digging through the archives. And, after 30+ years, man, do we have archives!
It has been an emotional journey for us too, as we realised how many of our dear friends are no longer with us. We do have wonderful memories of these people; press cuttings, photos and so many lovely ‘thank you’ cards and notes.
The East Coast Bays Community Project (now ‘Heart of the Bays’) was established in 1990 by a group of local people who wanted to see a community house established in Browns Bay. This was in the beginning days of North Shore City (amalgamation #1).
In February 1991, I was appointed to the position of ‘Community Worker’ for East Coast Bays.
My job description:
It took us a year of negotiating with North Shore City Council but we finally got ourselves premises: three empty rooms in the old East Coast Bays City Council building at 2 Glen Road, which we shared with council administrative staff, engineers, planners, the Community Board and the library’s ‘book stack’. As council became more centralised, their services moved to Takapuna and we gradually acquired more space until August 2021 when Auckland Council finally moved out completely.
Debbie joined us in 2003 as Community Centre Manager so we will be celebrating her 20th anniversary next year.
In 2004 the North Shore City Council asked us if we would take over the management of St Anne’s Hall as it was seriously underused and in need of some repairs. If we could attract more users, they would be justified in spending money on it. Within a couple of months Debbie had the hall pretty much full, the floor was replaced and the walls painted.
It is a great venue for our dance classes, the playgroup, the table tennis group and for children’s birthday parties and of course, for our events.
Every year we organise an event to recognise the International day of Older People as well as two or three special events for the community. We have a calendar of cultural days from around the world that we use for inspiration.
Sally Cargill, Community Co-ordinator for East Coast Bays.
When we embarked upon this project, we had planned a recipe collection to complement the Neighbours’ Day theme for 2022, ‘Kai Connections’.
We have ended up with much more. The call for recipes went out; the responses came back with so many memories attached, that we were inspired to go digging through the archives. And, after 30+ years, man, do we have archives!
It has been an emotional journey for us too, as we realised how many of our dear friends are no longer with us. We do have wonderful memories of these people; press cuttings, photos and so many lovely ‘thank you’ cards and notes.
The East Coast Bays Community Project (now ‘Heart of the Bays’) was established in 1990 by a group of local people who wanted to see a community house established in Browns Bay. This was in the beginning days of North Shore City (amalgamation #1).
In February 1991, I was appointed to the position of ‘Community Worker’ for East Coast Bays.
My job description:
- Establish a community house in Browns Bay
- Ascertain the needs of the people of East Coast Bays and provide services to meet those needs
- Sort out the youth problem
It took us a year of negotiating with North Shore City Council but we finally got ourselves premises: three empty rooms in the old East Coast Bays City Council building at 2 Glen Road, which we shared with council administrative staff, engineers, planners, the Community Board and the library’s ‘book stack’. As council became more centralised, their services moved to Takapuna and we gradually acquired more space until August 2021 when Auckland Council finally moved out completely.
Debbie joined us in 2003 as Community Centre Manager so we will be celebrating her 20th anniversary next year.
In 2004 the North Shore City Council asked us if we would take over the management of St Anne’s Hall as it was seriously underused and in need of some repairs. If we could attract more users, they would be justified in spending money on it. Within a couple of months Debbie had the hall pretty much full, the floor was replaced and the walls painted.
It is a great venue for our dance classes, the playgroup, the table tennis group and for children’s birthday parties and of course, for our events.
Every year we organise an event to recognise the International day of Older People as well as two or three special events for the community. We have a calendar of cultural days from around the world that we use for inspiration.
Sally Cargill, Community Co-ordinator for East Coast Bays.