Recently the principal of one of our local primary schools paid a visit to the Wanaka Community Workshop.
It seems there was trouble when the kids were using sticky tape. I am sure each of us have struggled to find the “end” on the roll or managed to turn the tape such that it simply sticks to itself.
A bit of a mess.
Could the MenShed team help with a sturdy easy to use dispenser that the kids can use?
The team were soon onto it – a few google searches produced some images that got things moving. Next step building a pilot with input from many sources.
The MenShed team like to think of themselves creating good stuff. But that is nothing compared to what others create building on the foundation we have provided.
This week taking advantage of a sunny autumnal afternoon a corn hole board was being recreated as art.
Some paint, inspiration and skill can make a real difference. What a great job and a great outcome.
This week the MenShed team completed production of a run of large “double end” traps. Each trap contains not one but two DOC200 mechanisms.
The traps are built tough – stainless steel and with features to ensure hat Kea and Weka cannot find their way inside.
The traps need to be tough – they are headed for the wilds of Fiordland where they will play their part in the ongoing fight to reduce and eliminate pests such as stoats.
As an aside the traps are heavy. Fortunately they wont rely on human legs but helicopters to get them to where they are needed.
The team at the Wanaka Community Workshop have been producing traps for three years. It’s been an interesting journey as designs change to reflect actual experience in our southern bushlands. Its also clear our smartest bird, the Kea, have learnt a few things about destroying traps along the way that have also led to changes in design and materials.
The generosity of the Upper Clutha community never ceases to amaze.
This week the team at Fabricate have been busy working through recent donations of cloth and textiles.
The material is in demand being upcycled and used as raw material to create new items of clothing as well as blankets and throws. With winter imminent its not surprising that many projects are designed for warmth.
The MenShed team this week delivered a pantry to the Aspiring Beginnings Early Learning Centre.
At the Centre the kids are learning the grow vegetables. The pantry will enable the vege’s to be displayed to Mum’s and Dad’s who can pick them up and continue the learning at home by creating meals with their kids.
Wanaka hosts visitors from around the world. Many are here for weeks or months seeking work to support their journey.
Van’s are popular among visitors given that they provide both transport and accommodation.
The Wanaka Community Workshop is increasingly attracting visitors seeking to use the facilities and tools to refurbish and upgrade their vans.
With the arrival of cooler temperatures the focus of visitors is upon getting their vans as comfortable and warm as possible.
Such visitors play an important role in our economy – our hospitality sector in particular suffers from a lack of workers. Van’s provide an alternative to housing and thus enable our regions economy is perform at a higher level that it would otherwise do.
Much of our work at the Wanaka Community Workshop is undertaken with powered tools and equipment. These rang from large table saws through sewing machines to small tools such as drills.
The safe use of electricity is associated with a annual check – this involves testing the machine then attaching a tag indicating all is good. Those tools that fail are made good or made inoperable.
Our volunteers really appreciate the team of Aotea Electric who this week checked all the electrical equipment at the Workshop. Aotea Electric are part of our wider Upper Clutha community and being located on Gordon Road are neighbors of the Workshop.
This week the Wanaka Community Workshop hosted the Repair Revolution.
The Repair Revolution is a program managed by Wastebusters. It provides an opportunity for people to bring along household items to be repaired and returned to use. Repair is a more sustainable and cheaper alternative to disposing the item and purchasing a replacement.
The Wanaka Community Workshop is delighted to again host the Repair Revolution. Repair and reuse is a concept we also value.
Members of both the MenShed and Fabricate joined other volunteers to support the Revolution.
The MenShed team gather at the Wanaka Community Workshop every Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The team spend most of their time together building projects which meet the needs of community agencies across the Upper Clutha.
However the team also enjoy each others company. At every session we take the opportunity to share some kai and from time to time a cake and birthday too.
Every so often a project walks in the door at the Wanaka Community Workshop.
This time the project involved a couple of toy cots. Both were suffering from the impact of a six year old using them as a bed – joints pulled apart and a few broken elements.
Thanks to the skills of a member of our MenShed team both cots are back in use – this time as a bed for dolls.
The first quarter of 2023 has been busy, very busy at the Wanaka Community Workshop.
MenShed
Throughout the period the MenShed team came together to work on a range of community projects every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
Attendance totaled 332 representing 1,162 hours of volunteer effort – 7.2 full time equivalents over the period.
No accidents at the workshop beyond two requiring not much more than a band-aid to fix.
The following projects were completed:
Four Lilliput Libraries for Friends of Wanaka Library and various community groups.
Two “Mud Kitchen’s” for local pre schools.
Two Picnic Tables for Bike Wanaka.
150 Tunnels for Rat Traps for local community groups and sale.
30 DOC 200 and 150 Traps for local community groups and sale.
62 Storage and Recycling Boxes for local primary schools and the Wanaka Recreation Centre.
Two “Doggie Stick Libraries” for Roy’s Bay and Bremner Bay tracks.
One “Doggie Refreshment Station” for Sticky Forest.
Six peonies Flower Boxes for a local grower.
Two large Outdoor Tables for The Hub.
Various outdoor Signage and Information Boards for Wai Wanaka, Te Kano and The Hub.
Various Christmas Decorations.
Two Donation Stands for Love Wanaka
Two “Viking Tables” and six “Viking Benches” for community groups and sale.
Ten “Viking” Star Gazing Chairs for a new local business.
Two large Seedling Raising Tables for a local pre-school.
Ten Cornhole Game Board sets for sale.
Six Wine Crates for a local business.
Eight “Spinning Wheels” for Volunteer Otago / Southland and Kahu Youth.
A Human Fruit Machine” for Wai Wanaka.
Bowls Boxes for Aspiring Village.
Three Portable Stages for Mount Aspiring College.
Various small projects and repairs in support of the local hospice, opportunity shops and for local households.
Our projects were built either totally or largely from recycled materials. This up-cycle or re-cycling removed some 4,200 Kg from the waste stream.
Over the last 3 month period members of the MenShed Team further volunteered at the workshop in support of:
QLDC Wanaka Recreation Centre holiday programs.
MINT woodworking program
During this same period the volunteers also completed projects within the Workshop including improved storage and shelving as well as a table for light engineering and welding.
In terms of wellbeing for the volunteers, each MenShed session is associated with a “cuppa”. Following the receipt of a grant from the local Health Board, food is also provided at our machine use and safety sessions.
Textile working – Fabricate
During the last three months the Fabricate Team also came together each Tuesday and Thursday morning.
No accidents took place.
Community projects undertaken include:
Costumes for Wai Wanaka.
Bags for Corn Hole Game Board sets.
Yoga Bolsters for the Wanaka Recreation Centre.
Volunteers supported a MINT textile workshop.
Donations, Workshop Improvements and Upgrades
Throughout the period the Workshop received a stream of ‘in kind’ donations from across the Wanaka Community. Building materials from the Upper Clutha construction sector as well as local households together with tools and equipment have been incorporated into the wood workshop. Cloth, tools and equipment have been received largely from households for the textile workshop.
Upgrades to the Workshop have included:
Steel work table and associated concrete foundation to enable light engineering.
Small mobile work benches to enable greater capacity to undertake projects both inside the Workshop and outside in the yard.
Storage and shelving within the wood workshop.
Storage and shelving within the textile workshop.
An embossing heat branding machine to mark items created within the Workshop.
Private Projects
A wide range of projects are undertaken utilising the work space, tools and materials at the Workshop.
This activity is undertaken by members of the Workshop outside those times utilised by the MenShed and Fabricate for community projects.
Projects include:
Minor home upgrades, extensions and repairs.
Building furniture and furniture repairs.
Shelving and storage.
Visitors using the facilities of the Workshop to upgrade their vans is a particular feature.
Next Quarter
The Wanaka Community Workshop is now well established however capacity remains to utilise its facilities in different ways. This includes hosting training sessions in a variety of practical skills. This quarter we shall investigate this opportunity.
The MenShed team at the Workshop shall continue to seek to strengthen its relationships with community groups across the Upper Clutha.
With the likely reduction in the range and extent of government grants available for the natural environment, the team may, for example, be able to offer a trap maintenance and refurbishment service rather than new build.
The MenShed team at the Wanaka Community Workshop are currently busy producing a range of DOC 200 traps. Each is destined for a local business or community group who will deploy the traps to protect endangered species from pests such as stoats and rats.
The traps are designed to kill pests yet ensure inquisitive birds such as Kea and Weka are kept well away from the trap mechanism.
Over recent years the MenShed team have produced hundreds of traps which are now doing their business across the valleys and hills of the Upper Clutha. Most have been built new but we have also be engaged in maintaining and refurbishing traps in order to extend their useful lives.
With the creation of a foundation for our metal work table the capacity of the Wanaka Community Workshop to undertake welding and light engineering took a step forward this week.
The relocation of our work table to a more convenient location adjacent to the Workshop comes shortly after our initial training in the use of our ARC welding machines.
“We still have a way to go” says Gerald who is overseeing the project “but we can now complete the set up and get some projects underway”.
Teaching kids about the value of plants and the practical aspects of growing food is something we should all encourage.
This week the MenShed team at the Wanaka Community Workshop have been completing two large “seedling tables” for a local school.
The tables will provide the foundation for kids getting their seeds started before the resulting seedlings are planted out. Each table will come with frost cloth covers to ensure better success through our cool winters.
Build from untreated timber and materials recycled from our regions building sector the tables will contribute to a better understanding as to the importance of plants in our lives.
The wood workshop and Fabrication, our textile workshop are the two key elements of the Wanaka Community Workshop. That said the MenShed team who normally spend their time in the wood workshop are keen to establish a capacity to undertake light engineering.
A table suitable for working with metal has been built. This week the team held their initial training in welding.
We still have a way to go – properly siting the work table and enabling more people to handle the equipment safely. Extending our ability to work with metal will enable a greater range of projects to be undertaken.
The Wanaka Community Workshop is itself a community. It is an important outcome that members enjoy each others company, are valued and are able to contribute.
This week following a training session focused upon light engineering and welding the MenShed team got together for lunch. Sharing kai is a great way to catch up and enjoy a “chin wag” – all part of promoting wellbeing among the group.
Upper Clutha is know for outdoor sports but we know the arts are key to the great lifestyle we in our community enjoys.
Over recent weeks the MenShed Team at the Wanaka Community Workshop have designed and built a series of mobile stages. The stages will be used by students at Mt Aspiring College for music and drama.
The Team really appreciate the opportunity to apply their skills to support our community to be the best it can be.
It is great kids across the Upper Clutha are active. Our district is crammed full of outdoor opportunity.
From time to time even the most active need to take a break.
This week the MenShed team at the Wanaka Community Workshop completed three solid and rather rustic seats to provide a resting opportunity for kids who skate. Built from timber once used as scaffolding in our building sector the seats are designed to last.
The Fabricate and MenShed teams at the Wanaka Community Workshop this week completed a joint project resulting in the production of popular Corn Hole Game sets.
“Its great to work on a project together” said Sue, a volunteer from Fabricate. “Each game set comes with eight throw bags filled with clean river”.
The game sets are built from recycled materials and met the requirements of the US Corn Hole Game Association.
Corn Hole Game sets can be purchased via the Wanaka Community Workshop website.
The Wanaka Community Workshop is a busy place. In order to get stuff built the Workshop is equipped with a wide range of tools. It may surprise folk but from time to time the Workshop is untidy – messy even.
This week members of the MenShed team are working to put things right.
New shelving has been erected in the toolroom while box’s have been built to store tools and accessories. Great stuff – the aim is to create an easy to use workshop. One never knows, perhaps tidier as well!
Across the Upper Clutha families and environmental groups are working hard to manage down predators that threaten our iconic wildlife. Much of this work relies on effective trapping.
The MenShed Team at the Wanaka Community Workshop are supporting this work building traps – lots of traps. Over recent weeks our store of traps has reduced as more have been demanded. In response the Team have been busy both to meet demand and replenish our stocks.
Given the popularity of our initial Doggie Stick Library the MenShed team have completed a second.
The new Library is located adjacent to the lakeside track leading to the Wanaka Tree.
The library has already featured on social media. Given the number of folk taking photo’s of their library with their dog or just selfies, perhaps – just perhaps the Wanaka Doggie Libraries will become as well known as the Wanaka Tree!
Every year the Upper Clutha community hosts thousands of overseas visitors. Many are long term visitors to New Zealand who convert vans in order to freedom camp throughout the nation.
The Wanaka Community Workshop regularly hosts such travelers who are seeking to upgrade their vans with beds, storage, kitchen and toilet facilities. Summer is our busiest season. It is not uncommon to see two or three vans being worked on in our front yard.
In completing their work many travelers appreciate the advice and experience provided by members of our MenShed Team
Schools need to be organised and the busyness of a primary school meant the cardboard boxes that were being used by Estelle and the team at Take Karera Primary School were frequently wearing out. We offered to help out and have now made 40 x 4 litre Small Parts Boxes, 2 x Compartment Lego Boxes, 8 x Small General Bins, 2 x Nail Boxes With Nails and 8 x Paper Recycling Bins.
It has been a great project using up a lot of the smaller ply we had been donated that would have ended up in landfill. We’d like to make more of these and organise the world (or at least our town) so if you need some come and visit.
The General Purpose BinsAllan wearing one of the aprons Cactus kindly sent down
This week the team at the MenShed have been busy building corn hole game boards.
We built our first board over a year ago. In response to demand from households, firms and community groups our team has been regularly producing corn hole game boards.
Its a great game and its always satisfying seeing folk enjoying our handiwork.
Wanaka is busy – hosting an average of 18,000 visitors daily during our peak visitor season. Many of our visitors are kids who have been making great use of the Beach Toy Library located on the lakefront near the Water Sports Facility.
As a result a number of the wooden toys built by the MenShed Team have been the subject of normal wear and tear. In response this week a few of the toys came in to the Workshop for repair. They will soon be back on the job.
Its great to see the Beach Toy Library being used. Its also great to see that the community have donated toys to the library for use of others. Yet another sign of the great community we are part of.
Every so often the MenShed team at the Wanaka Community Workshop get the opportunity to support local business. The funds raised go toward meeting our operational costs such as electricity.
The Upper Clutha is home to a highly regarded wine sector. Minaret Peak is a long standing wine grower of our region. This week the team have completed a “run” of wooden crates for the display and sale of a dozen bottles of Minaret Station’s best.
Over the last couple of years the MenShed team operating from the Wanaka Community Workshop have built Lilliput Libraries. Today these libraries serve local communities throughout Wanaka as well as Lake Hawea and Luggate.
This week the most recent addition to the network is ready to open. The lilliput library is located within the Wanaka town center outside Bookshelf – the great bookshop whose service is appreciated by many in our community.
The lilliput Library is of a design that reflects the architecture of the bookshop.
The team enjoyed putting their design and construction skills to the test with the project – a great outcome all round.
This week members of the MenShed welcomed kids participating in the holiday program managed by the Wanaka Recreation Centre.
We had prepared for the visit by fabricating components of wooden crates ready for assembly. The kids used a simple jig to complete the job with some precise (and not so precise) hammering.
Its great to see kids, some of whom had never used a hammer, create something to take home.
The Wanaka Community Workshop is part of our community here in Upper Clutha. We often see real evidence of the support of our community through the donation of building materials, plant and equipment.
This week members of the MenShed team have collected (and will soon sort) power and hand tools, equipment as well as a wide range of materials ranging such as screws, nails nuts and bolts. We very much appreciate this support and can assure those who have gifted the materials that they will be put to use across projects benefiting our community.
Summer across the Upper Clutha is hot and dry. Dry for humans and dry for dogs.
A keen cyclist visiting the region decided to do something about the problem. Do something for the dogs who accompany their owners when biking the trails in Sticky Forest.
The stand was quickly created using recycled materials at the Wanaka Community Workshop and together with a large plastic water container and bowl placed at one of the key intersections of the Sticky Forest trails.
If owners can now take on the responsibility for topping up the container from their own bottles the dogs will be happy.
Loki a visiting husky really appreciated the effort.
The last quarter of 2023 has been a busy and successful period at the Wanaka Community Workshop.
Volunteer/Wo(Men)Shed Sessions – Wood working
Our Volunteer sessions continue to be vibrant and the core of the Community Workshop. Average attendance by the MenShed team who as advertised in local media gather each Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Workshop has been 17 with highs of 27 on a couple of days. This represents 2.5 full time equivalent staff working on a range of community projects.
In addition individual team members support attendance at the workshop by other community groups including MINT and Te Kahu youth as well as staff the workshop during hours it is available for use by individual members and support the operation of the Wanaka Backyard Trapping trap library.
There have been no serious accidents or near misses during the period. A volunteer was injured as a result of a fall caused by a trip hazard on the footpath outside a neighbouring property which required first aid and treatment by a doctor.
Wellbeing is an important outcome for our volunteer members of the MenShed team. Each workday includes a social get together over a cuppa and cake. In addition members participated in a visit to the Hayes Engineering Works and a special Christmas event. The latter events were supported by a wellbeing grant sought and received from the Southern District Health Board.
Allan and Sue at the Christmas Party
Textile working – Fabricate
During the quarter Fabricate members participated in the Repair Revolution and the Wastebuster Christmas Market. The workspace hosted commercial operations and a Furoshiki Fabric Gift Wrapping Course. Attendance in the Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions is growing and Estelle is powering on for 2024 to get more Events happening.
Thom getting down on the sewing machine
Projects Completed – Things Made And Fixed
During the period the Workshop received significant support by the wider Upper Clutha community via donations of construction equipment and tools. Almost all of the community projects undertaken at the Workshop by the MenShed Team have been built using recycled material.
These projects include:
Two “donation stands” for local community environmental agencies to be placed at Queenstown Airport.
Six promotional “spinning wheels” for Volunteer Southland and similar agencies throughout New Zealand.
Two customised design outdoor tables for “The Hub”.
Signage for “The Hub”.
Large ski work bench for Mountain Outdoors.
Many towels recycled into clothes for Wastebusters bu Fabricate
A “stand” for re-usable cups for Te Kakano Trust
Five sign stands for Te Kakano Trust.
Four “standard design” lilliput libraries and stands which have been painted by a local artist and erected by the Friends of Wanaka Library.
One bespoke design lilliput library for the local Wanaka bookshop “Bookshelf”.
Two picnic tables for Bike Wanaka.
Large wooden workbench for sale.
Two mud kitchens for Kids First the Hawea Flat pre school.
Three mobile storage box’s for Hawea Primary School.
100 “tunnels” for rodent traps.
Mint drift wood Christmas Trees.
Attended the Wastebusters Christmas Fair.
24 “tunnels for DOC 200 and DOC 150 pest traps.
Six peonnie harvest box’s for the Wanaka Flower Farm.
Doggie Stick Library placed on the Wanaka lakeside track.
Various wooden Christmas Decorations for Kids First the Hawea Flat pre school and sale.
Various wooden crates and box’s for sale.
A “viking long table” and three associated bench seats.
Two corn hole game boards for sale.
Various repairs on behalf of both local Hospice and Opportunity Shops as well as items bought in by members of the community.
JimBob with one of the Liiliput Libraries
Events At The Workshop
Volunteer members of the Wanaka Community Workshop supported a range of activities including:
Repair Revolution events hosted at the Workshop by Wastebusters.
Christmas Market hosted at Wastebusters.
Monthly programs hosted at the Workshop by MINT. For these programs MenShed members designed and fabricated projects such as bird feeders for assembly.
Wao Environmental Summit including seminars on “better building”.
MINT Session
Improvements and Upgrades
Within the Workshop a range of improvements and upgrades have been completed or underway.
A focus upon health and safety with designated workshop supervisors and equipment training.
Preparing new space for MINT to base their operations.
New saw blades for both the table saw and drop saw with existing blades sharpened and held as replacements.
New engineering / welding table.
Enhanced wood storage.
Private Projects
During the quarter individual members of the Wanaka Community Workshop completed a range of private projects. For this work members used workshop tools and working spaces they generally utilized their own materials. Overseas visitors kitting out or enhancing their campervans are a noticeable element of this group.
Going Into The Next Quarter
Over Christmas New Year work is underway on:
Doors to be placed upon a container storage unit for use by the Wanaka Grebe Restoration Project.
A Doggie Stick Library.
Two corn hole game boards.
Shelving within the MINT workspace.
Getting the new dust extraction system and hopefully installing it.
Concreting under the welding bench.
A wooden Gazebo for Juan’s food caravan.
A calendar/news display on the exterior of the building (underway).
Peter with the Donations Boxes destined for the Airport
This week the Workshop welcomed the crew from MINT. While MINT are regular users of the Workshop their December visit was special – a get together with a Christmas focus.
With the support of MenShed members this month’s project was a “organic” Christmas Tree largely build from driftwood collected around the lake shore.
The crew from MINT are regulars at the Wanaka Community Workshop. Its great to have groups working together for the benefit of the community.
This week members of the MenShed team were invited for morning tea at Kids First – a pre school located at Hawea Flat.
Recently the team delivered a second mud kitchen for use by the kids as play equipment.
The two mud kitchens (one with a stove!) followed a couple of built up gardens where today the children are growing vegetables along with wooden christmass decorations for the kids to paint and take home.
Mud Kitchen made at the Wānaka Community Workshop for KidsFirst Kindergarten
Our visit to Kids First was our first opportunity to see the projects “in action”. It was great, almost as good as the chocolate brownies the kids helped to bake.
The Wanaka Community Workshop is delighted we can make a difference while also reusing and upcycling timber and materials which would otherwise go to waste.
Volunteering is a way of life across the Upper Clutha. Many people across our community contribute through giving their time to activities which make our community strong – culture & arts, sports & recreation, spiritual, the natural environment and others who just need a helping hand.
Volunteer South is a local agency which works to connect people and the community through volunteering.
Earlier this year the MenShed team completed a spinning wheel to be used by Volunteer South as part of a promotional campaign to attract people who wish to volunteer and link them to opportunities which may interest them.
The project was a great success and as a result this week the MenShed Team completed six more spinning wheels for Volunteer Agencies across the nation. Some are heading to Auckland, others to the Bay of Plenty and Canterbury.
The Wanaka Community Workshop is proud to be associated with Volunteer South and are delighted the project has now gone national. Great outcome.
Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust is a Wānaka non-profit organisation that is making a difference for our natural environment. The Trust eco-sources seeds from the Upper Clutha area, raises seedlings in their nursery, and then facilitates community-based native planting and habitat restoration.
They do a great job.
This week the MenShed Team made a small contribution toward the Trusts work.
We completed signage which will be placed at their sites where restoration is underway which will advise the public about their work. We are proud to support Te Kākano and their programs.
Christmas is a time for family and friends together. This week the team who regularly get together at the Wanaka Community Workshop 2023 met at the workshop to celebrate Christmas.
Wellbeing is important for all. While we love designing and building stuff for our community we also enjoy each others company. Christmas is a time to talk through what has been achieved and share food – and Christmas food does not get much more traditional than a pavlova with kiwifruit and strawberries.
The MenShed team build traps at the Wanaka Community Workshop – lots of traps.
Every day the traps are doing their work protecting our natural environment across the Upper Clutha. Some are located along the shoreline of Lake Wanaka protecting our iconic Puteketeke – the Australasian Crested Grebe, as they lay eggs and raise their young.
This week we had proof that the traps are doing the job expected of them.
A stoat had been spotted near the marina. A stoat just a few meters from the floating nesting box’s. But not for long. Within days the trap line had done its work.
Thanks to members of Wanaka’s Grebe Team who manage the nesting area, Puteketeke our nations recently elected bird of the century, can go about their business.
Members of the Wanaka Community Workshop are proud to be supporting their great outcome.
Come along to Fabricate for a Furoshiki fabric gift wrapping workshop, just in time for Christmas! You can wrap anything using just a bit of fabric. Best part is you can use the fabric over and over again. No sellotape or ribbons required..
Fabricate, 15 Gordon Road, Wanaka
13th December 6pm – 8pm
Cost $25
All proceeds donated to Wānaka Community Networks/LINK for the community Xmas hampers they make up for those who are finding the end of year a little difficult.
Materials provided by the amazing team at @wanakawastebusters, or purchase fabric from Fabricate at $5 per metre and bring your own!
We will show you how to wrap all sorts of gifts including wine bottles, odd shaped gifts and larger items like kids bikes! No sewing required! Bring along a friend for some Xmas cheer, a few giggles and discover the incredible space that is Fabricate.
There’s limited spaces so be in quick. Email [email protected] or drop into the Revology store on Helwick St to reserve your spot.
This week the MenShed Team erected the regions latest Lilliput Library.
Built from recycled materials and painted by a local artist the library will serve the Kirimoko community off Aubrey Road in Wanaka.
If the number of local adults and kids, who stopped on their way to school and work when the library was being erected is any indication the new service is going to be well used.
The MenShed team have introduced a new service to Wanaka – a Doggie Stick Library.
The idea is a bit quirky but was thought to be a great fit for Wanaka.
Built from recycled materials the library has been placed in Bremner Bay. The library provides for “classic” sticks named after “Spot”, “Hercules Morse” and “Lassie” but most importantly for our local dogs – chew sticks for throwing and collecting.
The library has been in place for 3 days and has proved amazingly popular – humans have made 88 comments and 1400 likes on the Upper Clutha Community Facebook Page. Not sure about the dogs?
This month the MenShed Team from the Wanaka Community Workshop took some time out and visited the historic Hayes engineering shop at Oturehua.
Coffee and a tour displaying how the water and wind powered machinery of the 1920’s worked. What’s not to like!
The team love to gather each week at the Wanaka Community Workshop. That said its good for the soul to get out and about and enjoy each others company and experience what our Region has to offer.
This week the MenShed team completed two outdoor tables. Both were built from recycled materials which had been previously used in the construction sector.
The tables were unusual being designed as a pair to fit adjacent to a curved wall. As a result each has three legs!
It sounds unusual but it works.
The tables have been delivered to Community Networks Link who from their base at The Hub provide a range of community services to the population of the Upper Clutha.
The MenShed team love to support agencies who are on the front line serving our community.
Over recent weeks the MenShed team at the Wanaka Community Workshop have partnered with artist Chrissy Wickes and the children who attend her art classes. The outcome is a range of bright cheerful lilliput libraries.
The first is now operational in Gordon Road Wanaka.
A second will be located in Kirimoko. The third will be placed by the Friends of Wanaka Library.
The three new libraries will join an existing network that serve communities across the Upper Clutha. Its a great outcome.
A lot of timber is cut at the Wanaka Community Workshop. As a result saws, all sorts of saws, are core to the Workshop’s ability to undertake projects.
To sustain the Workshop’s capacity maintenance and upkeep of our equipment is essential. This week the MenShed team replaced and rebalanced blades in both our table saw and compound saw.
With warm sunny days activity at the Wanaka Community Workshop is up.
We have projects underway for a host of groups across the Upper Clutha – from lilliput libraries to donation stands, from tables and traps to Christmas decorations.
The workshop have also hosted visits from the Wastebuster Repair Revolution, Wao Conference attendees and team from MINT.
With all the activity its great to put the tools down and have a cuppa and a catchup. Thanks to Jim Bob we also get a biscuit. Its all part of building strong communities.
This week the MenShed team at the Wanaka Community Workshop are completing a couple of picnic tables.
Built from upcycled materials which had a previous life as scaffolding, the picnic tables will soon have a new life in the outdoors.
We at the Workshop appreciate the donation of building materials by firms and members of the Upper Clutha construction sector. The donations enable a wide range of projects to be built for the benefit of people throughout our local community.
This week Sue completed a job for the Hawea Flat Primary School.
The job involved using recycled timber to create a series of wooden box’s to store kids toys and education materials. Each is mounted on caster wheels so that they can be easily moved about.
The wooden box’s are the latest in a number of products created by the MenShed team at the Wanaka Community Workshop delivered to Hawea schools and pre schools.
Our team enjoy working with the teachers to ensure the product is what they want then seeing the kids putting the items to use. Good for the community, for us and the environment!
