What Were the Changes? » Get involved, get active!
Get involved and active in Māngere
Getting active can be fun and a great way to meet other people in your community. There are so many great activities already happening in Māngere, many of which use the Te Ara Mua – Future Streets infrastructure. Scroll down to find out about some of these activities that you can get involved in.
Māngere Market
The Māngere Market is held every Saturday from 7am until 2pm. It is located in the car park at the Māngere Town Centre.
Many countries and cultures are represented in the colourful displays. You can purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as clothing, toys, and many other items.
Try walking to the markets with a trolley. It will save you time and the hassle of finding a car park in the busy Town Centre, and you get some exercise at the same time.
Zumba in the Mall
Everyday at midday a free Zumba class is held in the mall at the Māngere Town Centre. This is a great way to have fun, get fit, and enjoy some great music and the company of others.
To learn more you can watch the video below.
Zumba in Māngere Mall © RNZ
Medical Centre’s Community Walk
The Māngere Health Centre runs a walking group three times a week. You can join on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:45am-10:15am. You must be able to walk unassisted for 30 minutes to participate in the walking group.
It is a great way to get to know some local people and to get some exercise and fresh air.
The Health Centre is located at number 6 Waddon Place. For more information, click here.
Mr T and his Triple Teez
Teau Aiturau (Mr T) is a familiar face around Māngere. In 2012 he was having a lot of problems with his health and was obese. One day a friend gave him a mountain bike, and for him that changed everything. Now Mr T runs Triple Teez, a South Auckland-based charity. They give bikes away, run basic bike maintenance workshops, and organise cycling events for kids. You can hear a great interview with him on RNZ here.
Mr T has been an amazing champion of the Te Ara Mua – Future Streets project and can often be seen riding around Māngere, usually with a big group of kids in tow. Check out the Triple Teez facebook page.
Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Pool and Leisure Centre
Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa is located on Mascot Avenue. It has everything you need to have fun, get active, and be social – from fitness to sports to recreation to pools.
They welcome everyone regardless of ability. It is an accessible centre, with a pool hoist and disabled access changing rooms. Find them on faceboook.
Walking Samoans
Walking Samoans is a health programme provided by Radio Samoa. It promotes walking as the easiest, cheapest and most convenient way for the average Samoan family to exercise regularly. Their catchphrase is “If you can walk, you can exercise!”
Regular walking is a good way to maintain good health and to off-set the on-set of high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease.
The Walking Samoans is run by community champions and operates all around Auckland. You can walk with them in Māngere on Tuesdays at 10am. Find them on Facebook.
Bikes in Schools
Over the last 20 years, there has been a dramatic fall in biking by New Zealand primary school aged children. This has resulted in many children not being able to experience “the joy of biking” and the many social and health impacts that result from biking regularly.
Bikes in Schools aims to increase the number of New Zealand children who can ride a bike, and who do so on a regular basis. Nga Iwi School was the first school in Auckland to receive Bikes in Schools back in 2012 and it continues to be a loved part of the community.
Neighbourhood Policing Team
The Neighbourhood Policing Team is made up of police officers who work directly with the Māngere community. The aim of the team is to prevent and reduce crime and road crashes in their communities. They also work directly with a number of individuals and families who are victims and repeat victims of crime.
To do their work, the Neighbourhood Policing Team has a highly visible and accessible presence in the community. This helps them form partnerships with local people, so they can identify issues and prevent problems from escalating. Local knowledge and intelligence collection helps officers target known offenders and direct resources to tackle crime or the threat of crime. One important result is that communities are, and feel, safer.
The office is open from 8am-4pm Monday to Friday.
They are located at 92 Bader Drive. You can call them on 09 250 0500.