Union Road traffic chaos

We had two multi-car accidents in less than 24 hours outside our property.

Fortunately, there were no major injuries, but all emergency services were involved.

Speed, roadside parking and sunstrike are the constant factors.

In the past 15 years, we have witnessed the speed and roadside parking increase.

This makes an exit from any driveway dangerous.

Unless some authority does something soon there will be a fatality especially as the very busy footpaths are often involved.

• Jane Reynolds, Howick

Howick’s beating heart

Our lives have been so very full of adventures and places and wonderful people.

We have been truly blessed.

If I could draw a parallel between two of those places, it would be between our time in Dulwich, South Australia, and our current time in Howick, Auckland.

In Dulwich, we found an old disused picture theatre, The Melba, and created a bespoke furniture shop within its cavernous walls.

We installed a slow combustion stove to keep it warm in winter and we specialised in creating large hand-built dining tables crafted from Australian hardwoods, in particular Jarrah and River redgum.

We shared some amazing times with friends who enjoyed food, wine and music in this place, and we became loving hosts of many a communal Friday evening.

The Melba became a destination for a tight eclectic community of locals.

A wonderful inner-city village of connected people.

Now, some 20 years on, we have secured a site in Howick, for our family-owned bedding shop, Sleep Space.

It may or may not become a hub, but we will certainly be a contributing part of and to this wonderful village.

What has drawn us to this vibrant community is the way in which a gentle, strong, loving and caring group of citizens has drawn together.

This is a village in the true sense of the word and at the centre is its local community newspaper.

Thank you, Bo and the Times. You are an inspiration.

The Times – the beating heart of this place.

Col Dougherty and family, Howick