SCHOOL ZONES:
Westmere School, Pasadena Intermediate and Western Springs College.
CONTACT:
Scott Kittelty, 021 160 1510, Dan Reed, 021 191 2225, Barfoot & Thompson.
AUCTION:
Wednesday, May 11
It's been a busy year so far for Ngaire Evans and Jim Henchman. There have been family weddings, with the couple's sons, Isaac and Owen, both getting married in the past six weeks. Ngaire and Jim have also put their family home in Westmere's William Denny Ave on the market.
They bought it 21 years ago when the boys were 10 and 7, moving from a Ponsonby villa on a "too small" 336sq m section. "We wanted our kids to have the same sort of childhood we had, making huts, climbing trees and playing hide and seek," Ngaire recalls.
When they first saw this Westmere bungalow on nearly quarter of an acre, they were smitten. "We just fell in love with it. It was like a secret garden." Unlike Westmere's other avenues, which were sub-divided in the 1920s with a standard section size of approximately 430sq m, William Denny Ave has larger section sizes. Besides number 36's generous 997sq m, over the back fence was a large Faulder Ave property with abundant greenery, home to the late Auckland coroner Mate Frankovich, who died five years ago. Even though they were only minutes away from the central city, this property seemed like it was in the countryside, yet Ngaire was still able to get her Ponsonby fix by walking to her old neighbourhood with a friend in the weekends.
Ngaire and Jim made the house their own by adding a classic Westmere "pop-top", an upper level containing an extremely large master bedroom, en suite and balcony to take in views of Cox's Bay and the inner Waitemata harbour over to the Chelsea Sugar Refinery.
They extended the house to add a sunny kitchen and casual living area that opens on to decking and views of the garden. The boys had their own skate ramp, and in 2001 the family put in a swimming pool.
Image 1 of 7: This family have enjoyed their time in Westmere which is 'still like a seaside village'. Photos / Ted Baghurst
The family enjoyed their fruit trees' bounty and kept chickens, which would occasionally be visited by the coroner's hens from over the back.
When the family wasn't in the garden, there was plenty of space inside, too. A large, separate living room with a wood-burner and adjoining sun room was cosy in winter. A downstairs rumpus room with a utility area and bathroom was a great space for the boys and their friends to hang out.
In the neighbourhood they could wander down to the tennis courts or play cricket and touch at Cox's Bay or go in the other direction to Western Springs Football club, where Owen played football between the ages of 5 and 21.
"Westmere is the type of place where your kids can have adventures. It's still like a seaside village," says Ngaire, who spent several years teaching at Westmere School.
When the boys finished high school Ngaire and Jim packed up and moved to France for 12 months, where they worked on organic farms. Back in New Zealand they decided on a change of scene and bought 4ha at Mangawhai in 2007. In the years since, Isaac and Owen have lived in the house with friends.
With four bedrooms, three bathrooms and three living areas it's never been a squash.
Since the boys have moved into their own homes and settled into married life, Ngaire and Jim have decided to put this family home on the market.
