TawaLink editor returns to the fore
The vacant seat at the Tawa Community Board has been filled by Malcolm Sparrow who has lived in Tawa for over 13 years and operates the TawaLink website. ?The website is a very useful way to communicate with people, I send out a community newsletter once a month to 700 Tawa email addresses,? says Mr Sparrow. Mr Sparrow was elected with 1466 votes and has come full circle from when he was a board member from 2005 to 2007. Acting as the community centre coordinator since then he has a firm grasp on what makes the area tick. ?I felt limited in that I could do in the community centre. ?One success was the pot luck dinners we held throughout the year, where 60 to 90 people would show up. ?The use of the centre?s rooms has been building up over time and there are lots of different groups using them ? we have a lot of ethnic groups too,? he says. By moving to the board he will continue to push for community building measures. ?There are two measures I want to get moving; one is a printed newsletter to keep people informed. ?The second is the Tawa Community Civic Awards that recognise the role of volunteers in the community.? The election saw 30 percent of Tawa resident?s vote, a decent turnout considering full council elections attract around 40 percent or eligible voters. ?You can?t take anything for granted; I thought I had a reasonable chance and am very grateful for the election.? The Takapu Island developments remain a mystery to the community board and Mr Sparrow would like to find out more for residents. ?No one actually seems to know what is happening there, no one knows what business might set up there ... it?s possible that a Mitre 10 mega store could go there, but it?s a mystery,? he says.
