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Celia has lived in Island Bay since 1983. The house captured her imagination because of its sea views - south to the South Island and north into Island Bay beach. To start with it was a solid Beazley home - but poorly insulated. An unflued gas heater led to condensation pouring down the windows in winter and the floors were draughty.

The first change was to double glaze the south-facing windows and replace the gas fire. Over the years, the drive-on access was replaced with native coastal planting and the house had an upstairs room added on. To reduce maintenance, macrocarpa and colour-steel were used outside.

Inside it's recycled floorboards, recycled furniture and some pieces inherited from her father. Alastair and the teenage boys are the main wood-choppers though Celia can swing an axe herself if necessary.

The clothes hanger in the sitting room is good for when it rains and rains. It can be tidied away for special occasions. The heat that goes up to the ceiling is circulated round the office and two bedrooms by a heat transfer unit that has an 80 watt fan that comes into operation once the temperature reaches 20 degrees at the ceiling. 

Having a set of doors between the main living areas and the front door to the south reduces noise and draughts. 

Garden

Recently we've installed a rainwater bladder under the macrocarpa deck that is used for outdoor watering and for flushing the toilets. 5,750 litres should be useful for our street in case of an emergency too.

Our garden's a mix of natives, food plants, flowers and some difficult weeds!

Videos

Back Benches

A flavour of the mayoral debates. This was the only televised one

Candidates Debate

At Mount Victoria

Watch Celia's main points on video

4.5 minutes

Waiata - Mere Boynton
Editing - Nick Tapp

Something I prepared earlier...

Celia's entry in the "Wellington On A Plate" Food Festival

Massey students interview Celia about Wellington transport

Candidate balances billboard carbon budget

Radio Interview

Listen to Jeremy Rose's interview with Celia as they cycled along the waterfront!

About Celia

I was born in Paddington, London, and grew up in a Council flat overlooking Paddington main line, where steam trains used to rattle the coffee pot on the stove. One of my earliest memories was with my grandmother, my Nonna. We planted alyssum seeds in a tray on the sooty balcony and I vividly remember the green shoots poking up and the sweet-smelling flowers that followed.

A few years later we moved to Berkshire and I attended girls’ grammar school – very monocultural!  - where I played violin, hockey and netball. At the end of school I took a “gap year” in Cape Coast, Ghana, as a laboratory assistant in a girls’ school. I travelled in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo and Mali, and this was a seminal experience for me – independence, making friends from many nationalities – Ghanaians, Peace Corps and similar volunteers from Canada and France, the university staff I worked with.

I went back to study in Nottingham and studied for an Honours degree in Philosophy, whilst thoroughly enjoyed university life – acting in Dramsoc, president of the Philosophy Society, hosting many dinners and parties at our student flat. Despite never used a computer at University, I graduated and joined IBM - where I pursued a career in IT.

I came to Wellington in 1983 and fell in love with this compact city, its wild spaces and the wooden houses perched on the hills. In fact, I loved it so much that I bought one of those wooden houses, overlooking Cook Strait, where I still live with the New Zealander from Invercargill I married, our two sons and a black Labrador named Storm.

After a career in IT programming, consultancy and teaching I was elected to the City Council in 1994. 

I've worked diligently to represent the residents who elected me. As Environment Portfolio Leader in the current Council, I’ve included public input and persuaded Council to begin significant engagement on biodiversity, water conservation, recycling mechanisms and open space access. Plimmer Bequest funds have been directed to care for our coast and reserves. Planned open space purchases have connected the outer Town Belt and the return of some alienated Town Belt land. Many reserves have now been correctly classified and are more strongly protected than a decade ago. I led unanimous agreement for best efforts to stabilise water usage at current levels to avoid dams or meters.

I chair the Waste Forum - Wellington Region where all the Councils in this region get together to share information and cooperate to minimise waste, trial new processes and support innovative businesses to find better ways to re-design, re-use, recycle and reduce.

As a councillor, I’m proud to have taken a leading part in the development and continuance of Wellington Community Net, Smart Newtown computer access, the pre-1930s demolition rule, a number of heritage areas, Sustainable Building Guidelines, employment of an Energy Manager and the initiation of the Environmental grants to help foster a greener and more community-friendly city. The community gardens, orchards and revegetation projects that have resulted are a tribute to the volunteers and it’s been a pleasure to ensure official support where necessary. I successfully fought for bus lanes and shelters, Safer Routes to School, our cycling and walking plans and more walkways and signage in the city.

My track record shows I strongly support the upgrades to our social housing, retention of branch libraries, upgrades to community centres and sports facilities and community consultation on matters large and small.

I opposed the Hilton on the Outer T, and fought for the retention in situ of historic buildings on the waterfront including Odlins, the Herd Street Post Office, the St Johns Ambulance Building and Shed 21.

I'm a strong believer in the power of community action, so I have put many hours and much effort into building and fostering volunteer and community groups. I've served as a Trustee of the Wellington Zoo Trust, attend the Multicultural Council of Wellington, have participated in the Newtown, Island Bay and Brooklyn Residents Associations, and co-chaired the Cityspace Committee, which was responsible for land use planning, natural heritage, open space and environmental education decision-making.

Where necessary I've rolled up my sleeves and helped start community initiatives. I was a founding member of the ‘Our City Our Future’ City Steering Group (Agenda 21), was founding Chair and member of the 2020 Communications Trust in 1996, a charitable trust to promote access to computer technology for children, families and people in hospices. In 1998 I founded Walk Wellington, which is now a nation-wide organisation promoting walkable cities and towns, and was President of Living Streets Aotearoa from its incorporation in 2002 until 2009.

I'm one of the Friends of Owhiro Stream, a member of the Southern Environmental Association and the Southern Bays Historical Association, have served as a committee member of Manawa Karioi Restoration Association, and am a Patron of Island Bay and Berhampore Community Orchard Trust and the Wellington Art Club. I'm on the Steering Group for the Great Harbour Way and a trustee of the Friends of Taputeranga Marine Reserve.

I'm passionate about this beautiful city I now call home. In my spare time I enjoy kayaking and diving, gardening and revegetation, walking, reading, learning French and te reo Mãori, photography and attending the theatre.