Jacs Involvement in Tāhunanui

Tāhunanui is the heartbeat of Nelson – our vibrant coastal playground and my personal place to breathe.

When I first moved to Nelson, in my early 20’s driving around Rocks Road and seeing that world class waterfront vista, always felt like a breath of fresh air. It truly is the ‘Jewel in Nelson’s crown.’

Deciding to put down roots and call Tāhunanui our home over 30 years ago, was the best choice we could have made to raise our family, we instantly fell in love with the ‘laid back’ vibe and deep sense of community.

Today, Tāhunanui is bursting with life and outdoor adventure. Our beach and reserve is active all hours, all year round with Dawn dippers from 6am, followed by the sea swimmers, paddleboarders, foilers, volleyballers and dog walkers. End of term visits for an old fashioned ‘Spider’ drink at Smugglers with my children at the end of the school term, to now sharing a drink @Sprig & Fern during their visits home. Mid-winter swims, birthday parties @Nelson Society of Modeller’s trains, the Nelson funparks with Hydroslide, bumper boats, laser tag and gokarts and Natureland. Weetbix tryathons, tennis, nippers surfclub, tree planting, Camp beach cleanups, concerts, bbqs, Nellie nightingale library visits, exploring rockpools, C full-moon drumming , touch rugby, nippers, Tāhunanui football, Lion’s playground, orienteering , Bmx track and cycling to yoga and other wellness activities on the sand.

Tāhunanui is an absolute Haven for families young and old.

Connected by Community…..many of our most cherished friendships began right here through our children – at local playgroups, Tots n Tunes @ St Stephens, Tāhunanui Kindergarten and Tāhunanui Primary Gala committee. That initial connection grew into a lifelong passion for community leadership, highlights for me include:-

The Tāhunanui community Hub (TCH) – following the centre’s abrupt closure in late 2018, I’ve been proud to serve as an original board member and as Chairperson for the past five years. Today with a strong team, the Hub stands in a position of immense strength – actively connecting & supporting our community

and building local resilience. It’s my time to step back from the hub and someone else lead its next exciting chapter.

The Tāhunanui Business & Citizens Association (TBCA) – I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with a passionate group of residents and business owners in advocating for our Beachside community. This follows a rich history of advocacy and a voice in Tāhunanui and wider Nelson, by various groups dating back to the early 1900’s. We’re hoping for a quieter time ahead after five years of intense submissions, hearings and environment court proceedings and look forward to building our support with a new website for Tāhunanui sharing the many great clubs, sports, businesses and organizations that make up our treasured beachside community. If you wish to be involved please reach out to [email protected]

Our collective advocacy has secured major victories for the suburb’s future during recent civic planning hearings:

• Nelson Future Access Plan (NFAP) we successfully campaigned against the four-lane proposals of Rocks Road, Tāhunanui and Annesbrook Drives, protecting the accessibility, health and safety of our beachside village from more social severance from SH6.
• Plan Change 29 & 30 – TBCA successfully negotiated landmark amendments to both. We made sure the voice of Tāhunanui was heard and valued.

We secured a clear, manageable legal pathway for residents with the Airport Effects Control Overlay (AECO) to build or replace structures on their properties. Furthermore, we locked in a fully funded Acoustic Mitigation package for noise insulation for eligible homes, alongside targeted community funding to protect and enhance Tāhunanui’s unique character and economic strength.

So, despite the challenges that naturally come with growth and change, our community has proven time and again that we are resilient, proactive and fiercely protective of the people and place we choose to call home.

It’s not just the natural beauty of Tāhunanui, it is the people who work, live and play here who make it so special.

It is long overdue Tāhunanui’s time to shine and I look forward, alongside community support, and a clear shared vision to make Tāhunanui the best beachside community – how lucky are we to live where we do – ❤️ Tāhunanui