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CUE Haven Kaipara Harbour Viewing Platform

  • Thank You!!

      25 March 2021
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    In spite of a lockdown or two this summer, we’ve had a busy time at CUE Haven since the viewing platform - Te Rite o Taranaki - opened.

    We have had several community open days to give visitors a chance to explore CUE Haven and check out Te Rite o Taranaki. We have three more community open days scheduled before we resume our winter planting in May.

    The attendance at the open days has been great and the feedback on the platform has been amazing. We want to once again thank everyone for your help and support in making this platform a reality. It was great seeing many of you at the open days. And we very much look forward to welcoming all of our overseas supporters once the current overseas travel restrictions are lifted.

    This donation page is now closed, but we still need your support and if you can continue to help it will be most appreciated. We have set up another Givealittle page.

    We are fund raising for an Endowment fund to pay for the long term maintenance costs of CUE Haven. Income from the fund will ensure that visitors always have a well maintained native forest that they can visit freely without having to worry about entrance fees.

    Please see https://givealittle.co.nz/org/cue-haven-community-trust You can make a one off contribution or set up regular monthly direct deposit or deductions through your payroll - no amount is too small. Every $ will add to building up the fund. Your contribution will be a lasting legacy to our environment and to future generations. - a forest reserve developed by the community for the community.

    Please share the new page with your family & friends too. Many corporations match their employee contributions to charities. Please check with your company's HR department to see if they have a Matching Gift program.

    Thank you very much.

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  • Thank You So Much!

      17 December 2020
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    On 11 December we held the blessing and dedication ceremony for the viewing platform. We want to thank everyone for their help and support during the project.

    You can see some video and also hear a radio clip about the ceremony here: https://www.facebook.com/RadioNewZealand/videos/1753740941458757/

    You can continue to support our ongoing activities at CUE Haven through the CUE Haven Community Trust Give A Little page:

    https://givealittle.co.nz/org/cue-haven-community-trust

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  • Come and See the Platform!

      2 December 2020
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    We have been working with the architecture team from Unitec installing the carved panels that frame the front and back portal frames.

    All that we need to do this week is apply the 3 coats of the clear varnish generously donated by Dulux.

    Our kaumatua will be blessing and naming the platform and we will be be ready to welcome you all.

    We are hosting Open days for all our wonderful supporters on Saturday & Sunday Dec 12, 13 and 19, 20 from 9 am to 4 pm.

    For those of you living in Auckland we do hope you can come along and visit. It is a 30- 40 minute leisurely walk up. Bring along your family and friends and have a picnic there and enjoy the views.

    Many thanks again for being part of this amazing community project and we hope you will continue to support CUE Haven.

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  • Still A Lot of Work!

      7 October 2020
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    The earthworks around the viewing platform are coming together and the access deck is complete!

    We are still continuing with the fund raising as we have a lot of work remaining on the landscaping and walking track access to the platform area. Plus we want to get some benches around the platform for visitors to sit on to relax (after their long trek uphill) and enjoy the views.

    Please continue to share the link and help out with finishing off the platform project. Every bit helps.

    Thanks so much for your interest and support.

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  • We're Still Hard At Work!

      6 September 2020
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    The platform construction might be finished, but we still have a lot of landscaping work to do around the platform to make the site a great destination for visitors and groups. The biggest tasks are earthworks to level the site and widen the road and a deck to allow visitors to easily access the platform.

    Please continue to share the link to help out with finishing up the work before summer! Thanks so much.

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  • Stage I Complete!

      2 August 2020
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    Good news - we have now completed building the viewing platform!

    We really couldn't have accomplished it without the help we have received from all of you. Many thanks again for your generous contributions - it's wonderful gift to the community and a great legacy!!

    We are now embarking on Stage II of the viewing platform project which involves earthworks to provide access to the platform (decking and steps), and also landscaping the site. We hope to get this work done over the next couple of months.

    Our fundraising efforts are on-going, so we would greatly appreciate your continued support, and please also tell your family, friends and colleagues to join you and be a part of this amazing project.

    We will keep you updated of the progress.

    Thanks again!!

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  • It Won't Be Long

      25 June 2020
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    The cladding is in place and the scaffolding is down--but we still have a lot of stainless steel bracing to fabricate and install. Thank you again for all of your support and interest and please continue to share the page with family and friends to help see us through to the end of the build.

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  • Back on Track

      21 May 2020
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    After a lockdown break, Kevin is back working on the viewing platform on weekends. He has been working on installing the facade cladding and things are looking good. There is still a lot of custom designed stainless steel bracing to fabricate and install and that may take a few weeks as the fabricators get caught up on their work backlog. Kevin will only then be able to install the bracing and finish off the other detailing. We will keep you posted.

    We are continuing with our fund raising and any further contribution you or your friends can give will be most appreciated.

    Our thoughts are with all of our supporters who are facing difficult times, but it won't be long before the platform will be a space for individuals and the community to come together and relax. Thank you so much for your continued interest and support.

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  • Moving Ahead

      23 March 2020
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    As we usher in Autumn and do our best to navigate the uncertain times ahead, we are beaming you and your loved ones good health.

    The viewing platform would be a great place to self isolate, albeit lacking some essential amenities!

    At the present time Kevin plans to continue working, and we look forward to welcoming you to the platform when the COVID-19 crisis has passed. We will keep you updated of the progress

    We want to thank you again for your generosity and all your help and support. Stay safe and stay well.

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  • Railings Are Complete!

      13 March 2020
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    Progress is continuing and the railing posts are now all installed. The next phase of construction will be the most time consuming and tedious as the hundreds of side boards need to be cut to size and installed. We also have another round of stainless steel fabrication, so we're still a long way from completion with lots of costs ahead. Please continue to share the page with your family and friends and THANK YOU so much for your generosity and help in getting us this far.

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  • We Have a Floor!

      4 March 2020
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    This past weekend, Kevin and his associates, David & Ryan, installed the deck on the viewing platform. Yeah!

    We are more than half way through completing the platform.

    Thanks for your continued interest and support. Please continue to share the Give a Little page link with families and friends. Thank you.

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  • Another Milestone!

      21 February 2020
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    Construction has slowed down a bit because the school year has started and Kevin has started teaching again. But he' s been coming on weekends and we are making good progress.

    The latest milestone is that the basic structure is now in place and the railings have been installed. Cutting and installing the massive posts was a real challenge. We still need to install battens between the railing posts and the next big step will be to put down the flooring before the outside cladding will be installed.

    Thank you again for your support and interest. We still have a long way to go, so please continue to share the link to the page and tell your friends and family about CUE Haven. Thanks!

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  • The Latest Progress

      6 February 2020
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    We were grateful for the hot temperatures and no rain this week as we embarked on the next step of the viewing platform project.

    The outer layer of the viewing platform will be made up of a lattice of angled boards to reflect the Maori weaving pattern. Each board is between 1.2 and 1.5 meters long and they are painted red and black. Dulux generously donated the paint and supplies as well as the staff to help us paint the 400+ boards with three coats.

    It was a logistical challenge to convert the CUE Haven nursery into a painting studio that could handle all the timber and people but over two days, Dulux staff and our community volunteers managed to get all the boards painted, except for 75 boards which will be cut to size later. See photos in the Gallery section.

    A huge thank you to Dulux and everyone in the hardworking team for helping move us another step closer to finishing the platform.

    We are half way complete but still have a way to go and need funds to complete the platform.

    Please share the Give A Little page link with your family friends and encourage them to make a contribution! Any amount will be most appreciated.

    Thank you very much for your continued interest and support.

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  • We've Been Busy!

      27 January 2020
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    A lot has happened in the past few days with Kevin and Josh making huge progress on one of the most challenging aspects of the build--the portal frames that will support the cladding. Each one was constructed separately and then they were installed with a crane.

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  • Happy New Year

      5 January 2020
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    Happy New Year! 2020 is off to a good start so far with construction of the viewing platform starting on the 3rd of January. The timber was delivered and taken up to the site and the builders went to work preparing the foundation poles. We still have a long way to go, so please remind your friends and family to check out the Give A Little page and help out any way they can. Thanks! Also check out more pictures in the photo gallery.

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  • A Major Milestone!

      7 December 2019
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    The foundation poles are now all in place and we are ready to start construction after the first of the year. A big thank you to the team from Wharehine for all their hard work. You can see more pictures of the foundation installation in the Gallery!

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  • We've started!

      1 December 2019
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    The wonderful people at Wharehine have started digging the holes for the foundation posts and will install them in the next few days.

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  • Quick Update

      21 November 2019
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    Thank you so much for your support so far! Things are moving ahead and we now have the foundation poles (all 33) on site! They will be installed in the next week or so. Thanks again!

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  • Viewing platform - the story so far......

      12 November 2019

    In 2017 landscape architect Jeremy Parlane of Surround Landscape, offered his services to CUE Haven as a volunteer and developed the concept design for a viewing platform.

    Ascension Surveyors staff Ian Walker, James Walker and Mark Walker surveyed the area and found a suitable site and generously did all the work pro bono!

    Unitec School of Architecture head, Peter Mcpherson, generously agreed to let his staff and students contribute their time and services to the viewing platform project.

    Gemma Campbell, a Masters in Architecture student at Unitec, decided to undertake the project for her Master's degree thesis and expanded on Jeremy's initial concept and did the architectural design work. Gemma's unique and beautiful design of the pavilion reflects Maori cultural elements to acknowledge the historic pa site at CUE Haven.

    Gemma was supervised by Unitec architecture department staff Semisi Poutaine & Yusef Patel

    Beca very generously consented to do all the engineering work pro bono!!!

    Beca geotechnical engineer, Matthew Collins did the geotechnical study and report and was assisted by Beca engineer, Sangita Shah, who did the soil tests.

    Beca structural engineer, Pak Tang did all the structural engineering design work.

    Pinepac added their support and is providing the 33, seven and eight metre long, posts at below cost.

    Wharehine have just joined the team and have very generously consented to install the piles and do the piling work pro bono!

    Foundation North has given CUE Haven a quick response grant to help get us started and pay for the preliminary costs like Building consent fees.

    Members of our local hapu, Ngāti Rango of Ngāti Whatua, have been providing cultural advice and support and our kaumauta, Haahi Walker, blessed the site where the platform will be built. Haahi has also graciously consented to officiate at the opening of the platform.

    THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We could not have come this far without your help. Working together we are making a difference.

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