Wainuiomata.com

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GeoDjango and PostGIS support for locations

Posted on November 27, 2023 by: Rob van der Linde
Filed under: Announcements, Developments
Tags: wainuiomata, website, postgis, gis, geodjango, wagtail, geospatial

This weekends Wainuiomata website development included adding support for GeoDjango and installing PostGIS on the servers so that we can enter coordinates for each location. We've just rolled it out, although it won't be showing yet as we have lots of locations to enter now.

Location Page with Map

We still want to look at using OpenStreetMap on the main site as it shows we are all about open source. But for the time being it's still using Google Maps in the admin because of the location lookups.

It would be nice to use NZ Post APIs if possible for location lookup to coordinates, if it can do that. But things like that will take time to develop, right now the library we're using already supports Google Maps for location lookups (or MapBox).

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Directory ... continued

Posted on November 21, 2023 by: Rob van der Linde
Filed under: Announcements, Developments
Tags: wainuiomata, website, clubs, directory, locations, schools

We've expanded the idea of the business and clubs directory a lot by adding public places, locations and landmarks, as well as schools. It's going to take a while to fill this in with original information and photos especially since this is being done by volunteers in their spare time, however I think the end result is going to be really awesome and help show Wainuiomata to the world.

The website has almost hit 800 pages (790 to be exact) and this number is going to grow if we add every location, school, club so we've started to experiment with adding more people to the website with the "editor" role and setting up review workflows.

Editors are able to upload photos and make edits to pages, even preview them but not able to publish for everyone else to see until approved by a moderator or an admin. Having people with the moderator role as is a new thing, so this is something that will need to be earned over time.

We have mostly been adding empty pages for now with just the place name, and sometimes a link to the Facebook page and website if we can find any. But a lot more is going to need to be done, this is just to scope the thing out for now. Every single place is going need photos taken for example and they can't be copied from other websites, we have to have unique content.

We're thinking of integrating with OpenStreetMap, as we are thinking of showing a map on most one of these pages, so Google probably won't allow us to keep using the free tier anymore (we only have a single map page right now).

And finally, everything is indexed as well, so all these new locations we've been entering area already discoverable through search, even though there isn't currently a way to navigate to them (yet).

https://wainuiomata.com/search/?query=park
https://wainuiomata.com/search/?query=track
https://wainuiomata.com/search/?query=hill
https://wainuiomata.com/search/?query=bridge

You will find places like https://wainuiomata.com/places/pukeatua-bridge/ and https://wainuiomata.com/places/wainuiomata-lookout/ and there is a lot more to go yet.

We're also looking at using open data troves like https://www.gw.govt.nz/your-council/open-data/

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Business and clubs directory

Posted on November 19, 2023 by: Rob van der Linde
Filed under: Announcements, Developments
Tags: wainuiomata, website, business, clubs, directory

You may have noticed an increased presence on our wainuiomata.com Facebook page, but that doesn't mean we stop on the website, far from it. Apart from the redesign planned over the next few months, I've been thinking about bringing the Business Directory we used to have on the old site back (rebuild), but also a separate Clubs area. Hopefully I won't be burning the candle too much from both ends but the design can be put off a few more months probably.

We realise that times have changed a lot since we last had a business directory. Back then we manually entered everything from a physical copy into the system, but these days there are a lot of different ways to get this data. Even Google has information about a business if you search for it by name.

Just about every club in Wainuiomata seems to have a Facebook page, some even only have a Facebook page or a broken website. So linking to their Facebook page is crucial.

We're using Wagtail and we can develop this sort of stuff pretty fast now. We want images and an image gallery possibility under clubs. It also should help with some smaller businesses who may not have budget to put up a good side of their own. In the past we've offered clubs their own website but we realise that this is taking on a lot of work, so offering a page on wainuiomata.com is the next best thing and it all becomes searchable too, as every page, post and comment is indexed on our site and refreshed every 5 minutes.

For now we will probably pre-seed all the data ourselves first, but in the future, I'm thinking businesses should be able to update their own page. There is no cost planned for this, we always want this to be free. The only requirement, must be a business or organisation or club in Wainuiomata only. So not Lower Hutt or Petone, Wainuiomata only.

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Website registrations

Posted on November 13, 2023 by: Rob van der Linde
Filed under: Announcements, Developments
Tags: wainuiomata, website

A while ago now we had to temporarily disable registrations on the website until we have better systems in place to manage spammers registering on the forum and posting spam.

Existing users can still log in, we have only temporarily disabled new user registrations until we have something to manage this better.

This website has been around for a very long time and most of the active userbase registered around 2005-2007 so if you have forgotten your password and somehow don't have access to your original email, don't hesitate to contact either myself or Shane to get that restored. Otherwise the self-service works too.

Meanwhile, we are well aware that the website doesn't work very well on mobile. It was made in a different time when mobile wasn't as big as it is today. A redesign is on the books and definitely needed. We acknowledge this is a problem that needs to be resolved.

Also don't forget to check out our Facebook page and if you are a local club in Wainuiomata that wants something shared, contact us.

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Wainuiomata Matariki 2023

Posted on June 15, 2023 by: Rob van der Linde
Filed under: Events
Tags: wainuiomata, hangi, marae, kokiri, matariki

Love Wainuiomata are holding a Matariki Event for 2023 in the Wainuiomata Town Center.

Join us for a HUGE 4 day Matariki Wainuiomata 2023 event at the Wainuiomata Town Centre

Wednesday 12th - Saturday 15th July will be full of live entertainment, tamariki kapahaka, free hāngi, market stalls, Guest speakers and so much more!

Thank you to all of our sponsors & organisers for coming together to make this day possible for our amazing community! Wainuiomata Marae , Kokiri Marae Health & Social Services., Wainuiomata Community Hub , Louana Fruean, @creativenz Hutt Mana Charitable Trust

We are very excited to see you all there and celebrate together!

matariki_2023

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Wainui Waka Wars

Posted on March 11, 2023 by: Rob van der Linde
Filed under: Events
Tags: wainuiomata, marae, kokiri, waka, fundraiser, flooding, koha

Waka Wars: Poster

Waka Wars: Time Table

REGISTER IN A WAKA WARS EVENT TO HAVE A CHANCE TO DONATE TO A MARAE IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS!!!!!

If you or your team win one of the following events you can donate to a Marae of your choosing under your name impacted by the floods.

Prize money to be won per event as per below.

1st place = $250 for the following events:

  • Euchre
  • Bake off
  • Preservative comp
  • Karaoke
  • Tag
  • Ki o Rahi
  • Netball
  • Tug of War
  • Relay Race
  • Wainuiomata Hill Walk

Overall prize will be $5000 for the winning Waka.

So please register to help those affected by the floods, if we don't get enough entries for events we will pull them which is less money to those impacted. For those who don't have the capacity to contribute money to flood damaged Marae this is your opportunity!!!

Note: No team or Individual can keep winnings all winnings must go towards a flood effected Marae.

Registration link: WOA Waka Wars: Registration Form

Information link: WOA Waka Wars: Information

Facebook link: WOA Waka Wars: Facebook Page

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY KŌKIRI MARAE

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Free BBQ & Play at Arakura Park

Posted on March 11, 2023 by: Rob van der Linde
Filed under: Events
Tags: wainuiomata, bbq, play, arakura

Love Wainuiomata are running another Free BBQ and Play event next Sunday at Arakura park.

BBQ and Play March 2023

When: Sunday 19th March 2023 at 12-2pm
Where: Arakura Park, Located down Wellington Road, Wainuiomata

There will be heaps to do for all the whanau!
Sausage Sizzles
Entertainment
Plenty of outdoor play gear
Fresh Water
& Special Guests who will be announced soon!

Come down and join us, you don't want to miss out!

Event details can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/588658686652054

Credit: Love Wainuiomata

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