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May 1990 |
The Otara ‘welcome sign’ is unveiled on East Tamaki Road. The rainbow-shaped sign symbolizes the six main ethnic groups in the area: European, Maori, Samoan, Cook Island, Niuean and Tongan. |
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2 June 1990 |
The Otara Tongan Methodist church is opened in Ormiston Road, East Tamaki. The dome-shaped building is reminiscent of traditional Tongan structures. |
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30 January 1991 |
The Otara Stream Clean-up Project is launched. |
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1 November 1991 |
The first stage of a ‘fish canopy’, a symbolic structure designed by well-known Maori architect Rewi Thompson, is dedicated at the Otara Town Centre. |
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Celebrating the canopy, Otara, 1991. (Fairfax Media)
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November 1992 |
The Otara New World supermarket shuts down. This is the last of the Otara shopping centre’s ‘anchor stores’ to close, Farmers Rendells, Woolworths and Deka all having previously gone. |
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21 April 1993 |
Enterprise Otara-Maia Whakaaro is incorporated, a community trust which aims to revitalize the area socially and economically. |
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7 April 1993 |
The newly redeveloped DB Waitemata Brewery in Great South Road is opened. (The original building dates back to 1929.) |
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24 August 1993 |
New Zealand author Joy Cowley’s picture book, The Day of the Rain, is launched at Chapel Downs Primary School. The book is the first in a series which features the school. |
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6 November 1993 |
Taito Phillip Field is first elected to Parliament as the Labour MP for the Otara electorate. He is New Zealand’s first MP of Pacific Island descent. |
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4 December 1993 |
Otara’s first official summer kilikiti (‘island cricket’) tournament is held. |
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19 February 1994 |
The nation-wide Urban Pacific Soul Street Proud Tour begins. Featured groups include ‘Pacifican Descendants’, ‘Sisters Underground’, and ‘Otara Millionaires Club’, aka OMC. |
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5 May 1994 |
Lee Tamahori’s film, Once Were Warriors, is released. The gritty tale of domestic violence and redemption includes scenes set in Otara and features local youngster Shannon Williams as ‘Toots’. |
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13 December 1994 |
A government-funded family service centre is opened at Chapel Downs Primary School. |
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15 May 1995 |
The Tui Road – Flat Bush Road motorway pedestrian underpass between Otara and Papatoetoe is closed after more than two decades of controversy. |
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1 November 1995 |
Sandbrook Kindergarten, which had been closed in May 1994, is reopened in the care of a local community trust. |
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22 November 1995 |
Samoan-born photographer Greg Semu’s first solo exhibition begins at the Auckland City Art Gallery. The exhibition includes photos taken at Paulo Suluape’s Otara tattoo studio in 1994 |
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31 October 1996 |
Te Maungarongo Ki Otara Community Law Centre opens at Whaiora Marae, Otara Road. |
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8 March 1997 |
The Otara Recreation and Community Centre is opened. This includes a new auditorium incorporating indoor courts and a stage which has been built to link the existing Norman Kirk Memorial Pool and Te Puke O Tara Community Centre. |
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23 May 1997 |
The Minister of Education announces the establishment of the SEMO programme (‘Strengthening Schools in Mangere and Otara’). |
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30 May 1997 |
The Pacific Business Trust formally opens its new offices in Bairds Road, Otara. |
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26 June 1998 |
Otara Health, a community information, advice and research centre, opens a shop-front office at the Otara Town Centre. |
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15 September 1998 |
The documentary ‘Otara: Defying the Odds’ is screened on TV3. This tells the story of seven people who grew up in Otara and have since gone on to success in various fields, including actor Rawiri Paratene, businesswomen Sharon Hunter, and Maori Affairs Minister Tau Henare. |
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23 April 1999 |
A dawn ceremony is held to open Nga Kete Wananga, the Manukau Institute of Technology marae. The whare nui, Te Kete Uruuru Matua, features carvings by Ngati Porou master carver Dr Paakariki Harrison. |