Fun things to do in the city

We are mind-boggled sometimes, out here in rural New Zealand, by city folks’ ideas of having fun.

In Manukau, according to a press statement that has just hit Alf’s desk, citizens are invited to Barry Curtis Park on 2 February to celebrate World Wetlands Day.

Good grief. Someone somewhere seems to put aside special days for just about everything. The big one for Alf (he confides) will be World Possum Pelt Tanning Day.

The theme in Manukau this year, he has learned, is “Upstream – Downstream: Wetlands Connect Us All.” Kinship and a strong sense of community does it for us here in Eketahuna, of course.

Alf salutes the obviously enthusiastic Manukau parks team’s efforts in organising

a great line-up of free educational, fun activities including origami demonstrations, flax planting and water quality testing and a tour of Barry Curtis Park. There will also be competitions and games to keep the kids entertained throughout the afternoon.

Origami demonstrations, flax planting and water quality testing, he supposes, are fun things to do in the city. Here in Eketahuna we get our buzz from other forms of amusement and regard flax planting and water quality testing as work. Any yearning to attend origami demonstrations is something we keep very quiet about.

Still, Alf applauds park ranger Anna Baine for pointing out that wetlands are important because they improve waterways by acting as a filter. They trap sediments, neutralise and absorb damaging nutrients and help oxygenate our waterways.

“This is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness about the important part wetlands play in the environment,” she whooped in support of the fun day out.

Alf will be fascinated to learn how many Manukau people drag themselves away from beating each other up, robbing each other, dosing themselves with P, and what-have-you to go along and learn about the environmental marvels of wetlands. He hopes it doesn’t rain.