Vertical Voice
A community newsletter
for apartment dwellers

The Aaiotanga Trust proudly promotes the Vertical Voice as one of the best and most readable sources of local information for apartment dwellers.

Sent out monthly by email, it is free and easy to receive.

Written by local Mik Smellie, the Vertical Voice seeks to help build neighbourhood and community in the City Centre, by raising the profile of information, local events and other opportunities, relevant to those of us living in apartments locally.

Vertical Voice is funded with contributions from Waitematā Local Board, Department of Internal Affairs and Aaiotanga Trust. See some of our subscriber feedback here.

Contact Mik directly by email: vertical@acommunity.nz

October 2023

Photography gracing our walls
Emily Place Improvements Project
Pilgrims of Aotearoa arise!
Cool Umbrellas
Auckland Central Chess Club
Circus in the Park - Meyers Park
plenty more within...

September 2023

The invitation of Apihai te Kawau
Gargoyles holding Court
Repair Cafe & Lemur Blessing
Safety Hubs
The Corkscrew of Scotia Place
Meet our Candidates
plenty more within...

AUGUST 2023

Emily Place - Concept Plan for feedback
Hoop to the Hula
Auckland Central Candidates - come meet them
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Is your washing machine in league with Roger Waters?
Te Mātāwai - 139 Greys Ave - something special
Raising balcony cattle
plenty more within...

JULY 2023

Gardening in the City Centre
Local Board Plan - give it a whirl!
Apartment Design - snorkel inclusive
139 Greys Ave and an old windmill
Safety around gourds
plenty more within...

JUNE 2023

Matariki
What do families want in an apartment?
Chat with the Chair of the Local Board
Spongier - one roof at a time
National Volunteer Week
Unit Titles Act changes
Urban Sparrows - yes they are getting louder
& plenty more within...

MAY 2023

Public Benches - the people's seat
UFO's - of the unfinished object kind
A Tree Planting & a Pomegranate Found!
Art, opportunity & repairs
Robotic rubbish bins & a clock lurking on Fort St
Romans - don't talk to them about spalling
& plenty more within...

APRIL 2023

A Rangatira retires
Queen St 1996
Urban Doom - not on your nelly, thank you
Pencils & Ponies
Eat like an Egyptian
& plenty more within...

MARCH 2023

Locals in Rotterdam
Budgeting - participatory
A Festival of Play
Lewis Eady
Scrapping with Food
A funky new building on the horizon
Spoon Boiling - it's a thing
& plenty more within...

FEBRUARY 2023

A Memorial Beacon returns
Sneaky Electronic Billboards
Garry the Cat
HomeGround - the book
Pediments of Customs St East
& plenty more within...

JANUARY 2023

The Pinching of Pots in Myers Park
PRIDE the Census and more are coming
Sirens Odysseus would have dodged
Community Connection and Your Health
The Harvey Tree shall return!
& plenty more within...

DECEMBER 2022

A Memorial Beacon returns
Sneaky Electronic Billboards
Garry the Cat
HomeGround - the book
Pediments of Customs St East
& plenty more within...

NOVEMBER 2022

Angels in Auckland
This Vibrant Life
Insurance & Security
Community Garden Workshops
The Inspector of Nuisances
& plenty more within...

OCTOBER 2022

the mechanics of collective living
corporate art requires your gaze
workshops - dumplings and more
sedate vs zippy - footpath styling
found then lost - an anchor
& plenty more within...

SEPTEMBER 2022

Vote - democracy is depending on you
You can't grow concrete
Te Rerenga-Ora-Iti
"Unbelievable" activity for kids
Myers Park Cottage
Free Soil - make your pot plants all loamy
Local Livestock - "The Guv" & 150,000 Rescue Bees
Are you a walking smombie?
& plenty more within...

AUGUST 2022

The elections are coming - meet your candidates
Raupo Rap - a big hook
Vocal Chord extension - a new choir
Fale in the 'hood - Samoa House
Job Opportunities with Census 2023
Holes in the ground and a whopper on the horizon
& plenty more within...

JULY 2022

a Neighbourhood Picnic - you're invited!
Shop Fronts - getting their groove on
Urban Design - from Tech to Tree
Federal Street - a tui, a pump & feijoa
an unintentional focus on Romania
E-Waste Collection
a heavy flying coat (June 1937)
& plenty more within...

JUNE 2022

Matariki Celebrations
A viaduct over Queen St
Neighbourhood Picnic - Emily Place
Noise & Composting (separately)
Children in Apartments & Play
Sir Bevis Hampton of the 1300s
Lorne St bits and bobs
Snap Send Solve
& plenty more within...

MAY 2022

Electronic Waste Drop Off @ St Matt's
The Sicilian Defence
Pooch 101 @ Myers Park
How Far is Too Far?
Bamboo Bikes & Bokashi
Phones for the Soul
Historic Blanket Labels
& plenty more within...

APRIL 2022

Working Bee - love those pollinators
Luna Park on the Waterfront
Revamped conveniences
Te Ara Tukutuku - headland park
Compost thermometer & bins
Advocacy for increased crinkle crankle
Bikes on Queens Wharf
& plenty more within...

MARCH 2022

St Matt's Community Garden
Aaiotanga Community Weaver
Pete the Cat & Crazy Clay-Making
Te Ha Noa - Victoria St Linear Park Feedback
City Centre Residents Group - CCRG
Rocks & Guava with a purpose
Special Request - feedback for the Vertical Voice
An exceptionally large pair of specs
& plenty more within...

FEBRUARY 2022

Green Fingers on Daldy St
Show Hospo' the Love
Calling anyone handy with a Phillips Screwdriver
Where should the Rates Dosh be spent?
The Return of Winky
Apartment life in Melbourne
Pot Throwing & Ukuleles
& plenty more within...

JANUARY 2022

The Artists Way - kickstarting creativity course
Hats off for shade!
Market Square 1921
The Guild of the Feijoa (AKL)
Electric Car Charging
The Desert of Dingleflimble
& all the rest within...

DECEMBER 2021

Neighbourhood waterways
Good Citizens - definitely lurking among us
the Call of the Cornely
Urban Bananas & Mouse City
a Specialist in Happiness
the Great Metropolis Tinsel Swizz
& all the rest within...

NOVEMBER 2021

Bells a' pealing throughout the neighbourhood
Artworks galore - Karangahape & Nelson
Covid & Apartments - zoom this Friday
Ka Hao Te Rangatahi: The new net goes fishing
Shopping Locally - good for everyone
A ram, a cat & a shortage of Birkenstocks
& all the rest within...

OCTOBER 2021

A touch of Spring for Freyberg
The solution to a wet bench
Loneliness - a little local research
Vampires on the balcony
Support Local
Midtown - transformation in the wind
Parking in the Albert Park Tunnels
& all the rest within...

SEPTEMBER 2021

Locals speaking the vertical truth vertically
Te Ha Noa - the Victoria St Linear Park
Good Citizens - identification
Sorting the scooters from the walkers
City Centre Residents Group - CCRG
Steepest street in the 'hood
St James Theatre
Fishing from your balcony
and the rest...

AUGUST 2021

Random acts of kindness & tofu
Local coal-fired power station
Wanted - local volunteering opportunities
Bench seats & a mural
The local sound of music
WRUFFS
a gentle request
& all the rest within...

JULY 2021

Air Quality
The Gates of Queens Wharf
Light Rail & Bus Plans
Phoenix-Fig hybrids
HomeGround
Early morning pea shooting
the rest...

JUNE 2021

Matariki
Much ado about Pedestrians
Myers Park Caretakers Cottage
Markets
Much needed public space
Muck munching mussels
Much more...including things that don't endeavor to start with "m"

MAY 2021

Urban Farming - yes here
Feedback on Freyberg (audio)
A compass, a lamp, a mural & the law
Alcohol Licencing
New Courses - Placemaking & Shiatsu
Goats of the Neighbourhood
and the rest...

APRIL 2021

Local walking tours in May
New Ukulele & Spanish classes
Opportunities to express your opinion on neighbourhood trials, proposals and changes
Scooters
Tom of Albert Park and other local Elephants
and the rest...