Completion of the Weona-Westmere Coastal Walkway, continuing the Waipapa Stream restoration and delivering the Western Springs Native Bush Restoration Plan are some of the key Waitematā Local Board projects being funded as a result of public feedback on Auckland Council’s 10-year Budget proposals.
The Waitematā Local Board received 1,412 written submissions. The majority of people who commented on the local proposals supported the board’s initiatives for the coming year 2015-16 and for the Council’s 2016-25 budget.
Other Waitematā Local Board projects being funded include:
redeveloping Pioneer Womens and Ellen Melville Hall as a city centre community hub
upgrading Newmarket Laneways public realm to provide a safer and more vibrant environment for pedestrians and shoppers
supporting local community services, events and grants.
After strong opposition to reducing local library opening hours, the local board has also allocated funding to extend Grey Lynn library’s opening hours by half-an-hour a week.
The board will continue to advocate to council’s governing body and Auckland Transport for investment to improve walking, cycling and road safety.
This includes making a case for a regional budget to allow the implementation of local board Greenway Plans across Auckland.
“We are privileged to have one of Auckland’s most engaged and active communities,” says Waitematā Local Board deputy chair Pippa Coom.
“This is reflected in the quality of the feedback. We’ve listened through the consultation process about the projects the community wants funded.
“The feedback also confirmed that our priorities should continue to focus on a high quality urban design, protecting heritage, advocating for transport improvements and looking after the environment.”
After considering the feedback received, the local board reduced the budget for a temporary arts and culture POP programme – for which there was less support – from $100,000 to $75,000.
The 10-year Budget was adopted by council’s Governing Body at its meeting last Thursday, 25 June.
When I first became involved in cycle advocacy through Cycle Action in 2008 it was a struggle convincing politicians about the benefits of cycling. It was very common to hear arguments along the lines of “what is the point of spending money on cycling when people don’t and won’t cycle because it is too hilly and rains too much.”
The debate started to slowly move from “why” to “when and how” by the time the super city was established in 2010 and Len Brown was elected on a commitment to cycling.
The “how” got a major boost in August 2014 with the unexpected announcement of a $100m Urban Cycling Investment Fund by the Prime Minister. Councils across the country were given a massive incentive to dust off their cycling plans to take advantage of the funding to accelerate urban cycling projects.
Minister Simon Bridges and PM John Key
All credit to the Prime Minister for leading this initiative. It is a smart move that he knows, from his experience of investing in NZ cycle trails, has the potential to yield impressive results.
It was great to be at the launch (as a member of the panel that recommended the programme to the Minister) on 25 June 2015 when the Prime Minister and Minister of Transport jointly announced the full 2015-18 Urban Cycleways Programme at an event in Rotorua.
It is going to be exciting to see projects progress, cycling networks take shape and more people encouraged to take up cycling in a safe environment.
Media Release
Minister of Transport
25 June 2015
Government delivers $333 million urban cycleways
Transport Minister Simon Bridges has today announced a $333 million cycleways investment that he says will change the face of cycling in New Zealand.
The Minister has announced that, on top of the 13 cycleways projects announced in January, a further 41 will receive funding under the Urban Cycleways Programme.
“This is the single biggest investment in cycling in New Zealand’s history,” he says.
The programme is designed to pull together a range of funding sources to build the best possible cycling network that benefits all New Zealanders.
“The Government’s $100 million Urban Cycleways Fund has helped generate an overall investment of $333 million in cycling, getting world-class projects underway much sooner than may otherwise have been the case.”
More than $87 million will be spent in provincial centres, including Whangarei, Hamilton, Tauranga/Western Bay, Rotorua, Gisborne, Hastings/Napier, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Blenheim, Nelson and Dunedin.
Together with those announced in January, these projects will make cycling a safer, more attractive transport choice for thousands of people around the country.
“The projects announced today will draw on the $90 million remaining in the Urban Cycleways Fund, as well as $107 million from the National Land Transport Fund, and $99 million from local government,” Mr Bridges says.
The Urban Cycleways Investment Panel assessed and recommended the projects to receive the funding.
On 2 June 2015 Robert Su, 33 was heading home from work at the ASB bank to his family in Hillcrest. Like hundreds of commuters he was walking from Wynyard Quarter to the bus stops on Fanshawe Street. Tragically while crossing the road he was struck by a truck and killed. The exact details of the crash have not been released but it is highly likely that a range of factors were involved – speed, driver error, vehicle design, road design, weather conditions. Flowers have been placed in memory of Mr Su at the pedestrian crossing.
What I find particularly tragic and frustrating about Mr Su’s death is that the road he was expected to cross is designed like a motorway for speed and traffic efficiency. For drivers coming off SH1 there are no clues that Fanshawe St is the gateway to the central city. For some time office blocks have been going up near by but no changes have been made to the road to respond to changing land use and the growing numbers of people walking (and cycling) through the area.
At a time when the Auckland Council family of organisations is working to make the city the most liveable in the world through a whole range of transformational projects we continue to let down our most vulnerable road users. Improvements are definitely underway (eg removal of slip lanes in the city centre, complete street upgrades) and various campaigns take a safe systems approach to road safety supported by the NZ Police but what I think is missing is a comprehensive, everyone on board, Vision Zero response where we, collectively as a city, do not consider any fatalities or serious injuries are acceptable or inevitable.
Letter to the NZ Herald 15 June 2015
I think Auckland needs to officially adopt Vision Zero (as the Mayor of NYC did in January 2014 ) with a clear action plan. It will need support from politicians, traffic engineers, transport agencies, all road users and grassroots campaigners. Most importantly it will require a huge culture shift in our attitudes to driving and acceptance that managing speeds is at the heart of improving safety.
There is strong community support for improving public transport and providing greater opportunities for active travel (as indicated by feedback on the Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan) but too often resistance if this means slowing down drivers. It is far too common to hear complaints that speed enforcement is “revenue raising” and politicians shy away from taking decisive action on speed control in the face of evidence and the recommendation of safety experts.
Vision Zero AKL – embracingstreet design, slower speeds, rules changes, education and enforcement -I think could provide the right platform for far greater public support for the concept of putting the safety of people first.
In the meantime I think there is the need for immediate action focused on city centre streets so that no one needs to be put at risk of getting killed on their way home from work.
Photo credit: @BytheMotorway
Remove motorway signage from Fanshawe St
Install the missing pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Fanshawe St and Halsey St (this needs to happen before the new Fonterra HQ opens)
Enforce the speed limit particularly on “motorway” style city streets like Fanshawe, Hobson and Nelson
Implement the 30km/h speed limit for the City Centre and Wynyard Quarter (as proposed in the City Centre masterplan)
1) Managing speeds — and speed differentials — is a top priority
In all three of these countries, the leaders of traffic safety efforts emphasize that managing speed is the number one determinant in their successes in improving safety.
Over the past 15 years, the national governments of Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany have all proactively and systematically changed their approaches to speed. Each nation (to differing degrees, but all significantly) has lowered speed limits for a clearly defined hierarchy of roads and corresponding speeds. For instance, the Netherlands has shifted…
from 50 kilometers per hour (kph) to 30 kph on smaller, residential streets;
from 70 kph to 50 kph on bigger, or what we’d consider arterial roads; and
from 100 kph to 70 kph on the freeway-like roads outside cities.
In each of the three nations, nearly everyone I’ve spoken with credits speed management as the greatest contributor to their success in improving safety on the streets and saving more lives.
As part of developing the 2015/16 New Footpath programme the Auckland Transport Walking and Cycling team has asked for Local Board input about footpaths in the Waitematā area.
“Missing” footpaths that Auckland Transport already has on the list are:
I recently put the call out on twitter to help identify locations where it is currently not possible to walk safety so would benefit from investment in a new footpath. I’ve collated the tremendous feedback so far from people who really know the streets of Auckland.
Please let me know if I have missed any more roads that need a footpath (particularly where no footpath exists at the moment – the funds available are just for new footpaths but I will also forward on the list of renewal work that has also been identified). The final list will be prioritised by the Board and submitted to Auckland Transport by the end of June.
Locations needing new footpaths (where no footpath exists at the moment)
The Strand just east of St Georges Bay Rd
Wellesley Street under the Symonds St bridge
East side of Cheshire St in Parnell
Falcon St, Parnell
Eastern side of Grafton Road (stairs up to the slip lane also blocked)
Mills Lane, City Centre
Durham Lane, City Centre
Myers St, City Centre (leading to Aotea Square off Albert St)
Liverpool St leading into White Street and the lane access to Airedale St, City Centre
Mamion St, City Centre
Hopetown St bridge landing at Howe St
Cook street off ramp connecting to Union St, City Centre
Hargreaves St, Freemas Bay
Gudgeon St, Freemans
Maunsell St, Domain
Titoki St alongside the Domain
George St alongside the Domain (*Domain footpaths also to be considered as part of the Domain masterplan going out for public consultation in August)
Stanley Street
Repair of footpaths across driveways (where pedestrians have right of way)
Victoria Street car park entrance on Kitchener St, City Centre
Entrance to the Civic car park next to Myers St off Albert St, City Centre
Stanley Street ASB tennis centre entrance (photo right)
Entrance to the UofA business school car park on Grafton rd
Union Street, east side north of Drake St
Grafton Road, hospital driveway, east side, south of Ferncroft
Grafton Road, hospital driveway, east side, south of Moehau St
Footpaths needing maintenance or widening
Winchester St connection to Gundry St, Newton (a walking connection that has been lost to people)
Boston Road roundabout
Kerb between path and road at Khyber Pass/Grafton Station
Southern side of Great North Rd between St Lukes and Stadium Road
This report covers my Waitematā Local Board activities during May 2015 as Deputy Chair, lead for the Community and Transport portfolios, Chair of the Grants Committee, Deputy Chair of the Central Joint Funding Committee and with positions on the Ponsonby Business Association Board and Ponsonby Community Centre Committee and Board liaison for the Parnell Community Centre.
Community- led development: 254 Ponsonby Road
At Auckland Council we have been talking a lot about community-led development and empowered communities over the last 4 years (I reported in April on the empowering communities approach currently underway) . We’ve been introduced to the concepts through excellent visiting speakers such as Milenko Matanovic and Jim Diers. We have a community-led development champions group convened by Roger Blakely, Chief Planner of which I am a member. We have many community groups participating in shaping local services and placemaking but we don’t have many positive examples of Council putting community-led development into practice.
I am therefore really thrilled about the approach the Board has decided to take in response to the feedback on the development of 254 Ponsonby Road.
At the April business meeting we agreed that the Waitematā Local Board:
i) Notes the feedback on the three concept plan options for 254 Ponsonby Road that were subject to public consultation from September to December 2014.
ii) Further notes that subsequent to the start of the consultation period that budget for the delivery of any of the three concept plan options is no longer available.
iii) Further notes the majority of submitters support option 3 providing for full use of the site as open space.
iv) Agrees to include an advocacy position to the Governing Body seeking a capex budget to develop the site consistent with option 3.
v) Agrees to build on the consultation feedback to work in partnership with the community to develop a solution within the available resources for 254 Ponsonby Road.
vi) Agrees to reallocate $10,000 from the Heritage Planning budget 2014/2015 to support the community partnership approach to developing a solution.
vii) Requests clarification from ACPL on whether the amendment to the Council’s Revenue and Financing Policy, which now allows for sales proceeds resulting from optimisation of service property assets to be reinvested into eligible local projects, applies to 254 Ponsonby Road that was purchased to provide civic space for future generations.
viii) Agrees that submitters to the consultation on the three concept plan options are provided a summary of the feedback received.
Work has since got underway by Council officers to develop the steps involved in the process. It is going to be challenge to all involved to attempt a new model for delivering an outcome that is widely supported by the community but hopefully “254 Ponsonby Road” ends up being an exemplar for an empowered community development project.
Community funding
For the last four years I have been a member of the Central Joint Funding Committee made up of representatives from the Local Boards in the old Auckland City Council area. The Committee has continued to distribute legacy ACC grants (Accommodation Support Fund, Community Group Assistance Fund, Auckland City Cultural Heritage Fund) totalling approx. $1.2m. The final committee meeting was in April and the Governing Body has decided that from 1 July these grants, and all other legacy grants from the across the region will no longer exist.
The Auckland -wide community grant budget of $3,249,441 has been allocated equally to all 21 local Boards. Unfortunately this means a big drop in the funding available for community groups that are based in Waitematā but provide a regional service (eg Youthline).
Starting with the next round of funding (due to open in August) community groups will be directed to apply to Local Board community funding. As Waitematā Local Board grants are for a maximum of $6k (rather than $25k under the legacy central grants) there is inevitably going to be a difficult transition period for community groups who are likely to see a big decrease in funding available from Council.
At the community development portfolio meeting in May we asked that the fact that there are new arrangements and that there will be a major impact on organisations should be clearly communicated in advertising for the community funding workshops coming up (to be held on 10 June for Waitemata groups).
Ponsonby Road resurfacing
The Transport portfolio has consistently challenged Auckland Transport to consider every renewal or maintenance project in terms of what can be achieved to maximize the transport budget to provide for all transport modes (this was reflected in our feedback on the RLTP). For example maintenance projects provide an opportunity for arterials to be relooked at with new layouts that include bus lanes and cycle lanes, remove cycle pinch points and add better pedestrian crossings.
Ponsonby Road was scheduled by AT to be resurfaced in May on a like for like basis. The good news is that following Local Board advocacy and input from stakeholders, Auckland Transport has agreed to make minor but critical safety improvements when the surface is re-marked (the remarking will take place once the new surface has sufficiently hardened).
Auckland Transport’s Parking Strategy
On 27 May Auckland Transport briefed Local Boards, key stakeholders and the media on the new parking strategy that has been adopted which will mean a consistent approach for the first time for parking across the region. The strategy was developed following public consultation with AT receiving 5,500 submissions. A quarter of submissions were about the overall management of demand parking, 18% were about parking on residential streets and on park and rides and 11% were about parking on arterial roads. Half the submissions came from central Auckland or from City Centre fringe suburbs such as Parnell, Ponsonby and Newton.
The document allows for a case by case approach to parking taking into account local issues and the views of local boards and the community. As advocated by the Board, consultation with the community will continue as parking measures are introduced.
Adoption of the strategy means that Auckland Transport can now move forward on implementing critically needed residential parking zones for central suburbs based on the successful St Marys Bay trial. Auckland Transport has met with the Board and Freemans Bay Residents Association to discuss details of the Freemans Bay scheme which will be consulted on in June.
Inner city network meeting – Transport
I facilitated the May inner city network stakeholders meeting on the theme of transport hosted at GridAKL on 28 May with presentations from Priscilla Steel on Auckland Transport’s work programme; Carol Greensmith AT’s Communications Manager on the City Rail Link; Kathryn King, AT’s Cycling/Walking manager and Ellie Craft on Generation Zero’s transport campaigns.
Transport is seen as a priority for the network stakeholders so the presentations were well received.
Workshops and meetings
During May I attended:
The Albert-Eden Community Development Portfolio team hosted meeting on 1 May of the central boards’ Community Development portfolio leads to share ideas and issues, and opportunities for collaboration and professional development.
Volunteer Centre Network of Aotearoa National Hui opening with the Deputy Mayor and Lee Corrick from Albert-Eden Local Board on 4 May
Waitematā Local Board workshop on 5 May
Communications update with the Local Board communications advisor
Briefing discussion on kindergarten multi-premises lease on 6 May
Meeting Freemans Bay Residents’ Association and Auckland Transport to discuss progress on implementing the residents parking zone
Meeting to discuss the urban cycleways programme with Kathryn King (AT’s walking and cycling manager) and the Mayor’s office
Presentation by Sarah Clark Director of Office of Senior Citizens and Blair McCarthy on the Positive Ageing Strategy hosted by Joan Lardner-Rivlin on 12 May
Meeting to discuss freedom camping in local parks and Council’s strategy
Waitematā Local Board business meeting on 12 May
Ponsonby Business Association Board meeting on 13 May
Catch up with the NBA’s General Manager
Waitematā Local Board workshop on 14 May
Urban Cycleway Investment panel all day meeting in Auckland on 15 May (this was the final meeting of the panel)
Waitematā Local Board workshop on 19 May
Communications update with the Local Board communications advisor on 19 May
254 Ponsonby Road – Community Empowered Approach Next Steps discussion on 19 May
ATEED economic development update meeting with the Board on 20 May
Monthly Transport portfolio catch up on 20 May
Attended the Governing Body Finance and Performance Committee meeting on 21 May when the accelerated transport programme funded by a transport level was discussed and approved.
Community Place-making champions group meeting on 25 May
Follow up meeting regarding Waima Street issues organised by Arch Hill residents with representatives of Auckland Council, NZ Police, and Newton School.
Presentation of the preliminary results of the Auckland’s Public Life Survey, in collaboration with Gehl Architects
Site visit to new local board offices on Swanson street
Waitematā Local Board workshop on 26 May
Auckland Transport’s presentation of final approved Parking Strategy for Local Boards on 27 May
Community development portfolio monthly meeting on 27 May
Inner City Network meeting on Transport hosted at GridAKL
Good Citizen Awards selection panel meeting on 28 May
Events and functions
During May I attended:
Lisa Reihana In Pursuit of Venus [infected] opening at the Auckland Art Gallery on 1 May
TEDx Auckland on 2 May
The Dolls House at the Maidment on 2 May at the invitation of Auckland Theatre Company on 2 May
Save our Harbour protest on 3 May
Art Ache at Golden Dawn
First Thursdays on K’rd on 7 May
Sugar Tree apartments stage 1 opening at La Zeppa
Bike Rave May 2015 with Christopher Dempsey and Vernon Tava
Associates breakfast – urban design, cycling and transport discussion on 7 May at the Auckland Art Gallery
Frocks on Bikes mothers day bike ride
Opening of University of Auckland’s Newmarket campus on 13 May
GLBA monthly drinks on 14 May
Auckland Writers Festival Designing Auckland panel discussion on 16 May
Taku Tamaki: Auckland Stories opening at the Auckland Museum on 28 May
Attended a two day Wānanga Reo at AUT over Queens Birthday weekend to further my understanding of te reo Maori
Pop ping pong Aotea Square
Photos: In my report I’ve included photos of the Waitematā Local Board funded Pop programme. I’ve particularly enjoyed seeing the Pop ping pong tables in action at Aotea Square.
Gifts registered: Auckland Theatre Company tickets to opening night productions
In 2009 the old Auckland City Council completed an upgrade of Obsborne St and part of Teed St. It set new design standards for the streetscape making it one of the most popular retails areas in Newmarket that has attracted private development like Osborne Lane.
The Waitematā Local Board has been working to continue the upgrade to the surrounding network of “laneways” that connect through to the new University of Auckland campus on Khyber Pass and Station Square. The project has a budget of $4m over the next three years. The Board is currently seeking feedback on the draft Newmarket Laneways Plan. The vision of this plan is to improve the quality of the side streets off Broadway and public spaces, making them safer, more inviting, more interesting and more walkable.
At an open day today it was great to get feedback from locals and visitors who were enthusiastic about the huge potential to improve the streetscape to create a much more inviting retail environment. Parking was mentioned as an issue by many shoppers but this is perhaps because of the lack of visibility of the 9 car parking buildings currently in Newmarket. With such an abundance of off -street parking there is huge potential for what can be achieved by re-prioritising road space to cater for people.
On 23 May I took part in a panel discussion with Patrick Reynolds (Transport Blog contributor) and Phil Twyford MP (Labour’s Transport spokesperson) on the future of transport in Auckland.
The event was organised by the Auckland Isthmus Labour Hub and MC’ed by Labour MP Jacinda Ardern.
We were asked to start the discussion by each presenting our thoughts on what a progressive agenda for Auckland’s Transport should look like, and what we need to get there.
Thank you to Auckland Isthmus Labour Hub for organising this evenings event and for the invitation to take part on the panel.
I’d like to bring a local board member perspective to the discussion.
Firstly a confession – I don’t ride a bike because I am an evangelical greenie on 2 wheels I actually ride a bike because I am just a lazy transport user. I get door to door parking, and hardly ever have to walk!
When I started out as transport advocate about 7 years ago one of the first politicians I met said to me that no one will ever cycle in Auckland because it is too hilly and it rains too much.
That same politician is now “leader of the opposition” on the Waitemata Local Board. And he is now very much in the minority as what I would call a “mono-modal-list”. Of 7 members on the Board 5 are truly multi-modal – users of PT and active transport.
This is by way of introduction to bring me to a few comments I would like to make about what I think is a progressive transport agenda, how that is starting to be embraced in Auckland but what is needed to actually get there. I think a positive transformation has been happening not just with the make up of elected reps (on Waiheke I hear board members are 100% e-bike users!) but in Auckland’s transport usage & attitudes.
Where Aucklanders have been provided choice they are showing they are not DNA programmed to just drive cars (as we’ve been led to believe) and they are also saying they want options. For example:
At the last census 51% of Waitemata residents didn’t drive to work in a private motor vehicle
There are more people arriving into the city centre in the morning peak by PT than car
Over 50% of households in the city centre don’t even have access to a car
60% of Aucklanders say they would cycle if it felt safe to do so
So when I think of a progressive transport agenda it is definitely about PT and active transport and the Government getting seriously on board with funding (key elements that Patrick and Phil highlighted in their opening remarks).
But I think a progressive agenda goes much further so that kids can actually retake the streets. Walkable communities, slower speeds, the re-prioritisation of road space, accessible mobility, changes to the give way rules to favour pedestrians, NYC- style “vision zero” where we don’t accept any fatalities as “normal” and a “complete” street design approach every time so streets are usable by all ages and abilities regardless of the mode of transport.
I am backing this kind of progressive transport agenda because of the environmental, social, economic and health benefits it will unleash (and the promise of a happy city as we’ve heard about at the recent Auckland Conversations! )
Of course I’m presuming everyone here knows the theory and have heard the successes from places like NYC, Portland, London, Copenhagen, Melbourne that have adopted truly “progressive” agendas . [But then I could be wrong you could be all thinking progressive means self driving transport pods and monorails! ].
I think we’ve started to make some significant steps in Auckland towards a progressive transport agenda – and not just in the city centre.
A big factor has been the super city structure and the separation of politicians from every day transport decisions [confession number 2 I am a big fan of the super city ] We forget how dire it was when Auckland city council’s transport decisions used to be made by politicians from Remuera.
We definitely still have a long way to go. It has been over 4 years of frustratingly hard work getting Auckland Transport’s agenda to align with local priorities and for AT to stop building business as usual crap. I think the ship is turning but delivery and leadership is still a big issue. And it doesn’t help that central government is clearly calling the shots in the background.
But no amount of government funding or alignment is going to help us achieve a progressive agenda if we haven’t brought the community along with us. And I think this is one aspect of what we need to get there.
I think Aucklanders over all want the big picture of a world class PT [ that Patrick/Phil describes] but just not the progressive package if it means the removal of parking on their street, speed bumps, speed cameras on their route to work or an apartment block next door. To give one example. Auckland Transport is trying to implement a complete street design for Franklin Road – everything can be catered for including parking but the residents don’t want it because of concerns about the dangers of leaf fall and the safety of cyclelanes.
We have some ways to go before we are YIMBIES for a progressive transport agenda in our neighbourhood. But I do take comfort from what Janette Sadik-Khan (former Commissioner of Transport for NYC) said on her visit here that people are actually ahead of the politicians and press. She said what worked in NYC was lots of public consultation and lots of data.
To conclude: we need to know what a progressive agenda looks like (One indicator I have given for being able to recognise what this is is when we see kids playing in the streets); the community has to buy it; Central government has to come to the party with funding and alignment; but we have to ensure a strong progressive Council – Mayor, Councillors and Local Board members – is elected next year to continue the work that has been started over the last 5 years and is committed to delivering on the ground.
After the panelists spoke a lively discussed followed with questions from the floor.
[Note: City vision is a coalition of Labour, Green and community independents. I do not belong to a political party. The views expressed are my own and not City Vision policy]
The Waitemata Local Board inaugural Good Citizens Awards were held in 2013 with the intention of it becoming a bi-annual event.
Nominations are open until Wednesday 20th May for the 2015 awards.
This is great opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding volunteers in our community. Categories cover:
Individual Award: For individual contribution through voluntary work.
Children and Young People Award (24 years of age and under): For children and young people who have contributed their time to make a positive
difference in the community through voluntary work.
Community Group Award:For contributions made by local groups through their voluntary
More on the criteria and information about the awards here
The nomination form is super quick and easy to use. An awards ceremony will be held on 17 June
My board report this month is a selection of photos covering April events in the Waitematā Local Board area.
“We will remember them” ANZAC day dawn ceremony at the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Shale Chambers and I laid the wreath at the Grey Lynn RSC on behalf of the Waitematā Local Board
Sarah Smuts Kennedy addresses the honey harvest gathering
The honey from the hives that formed the The Park project (Waitemata Local Board POP project 2014) was harvested and distributed to those who had contributed “pollen hotels” at an event in Victoria Park on 4 April
The Open Streets event on 12 April opened up Quay street for people to play, socialise, walk and cycle. The Auckland Transport hosted and Waitemata Local Board supported event attracted over 30,000 people.
Photo left with Kathryn King, Auckland Transport’s new walking & cycling manager and Auckland’s bike riding police officers.
The St James lobby opened with a celebration on 10 April hosted by the Auckland Notable Properties Trust. The Trust and the St James Suite development group are working to restore the St James Theatre.
Photo with the Deputy Mayor and Jhun Si, General Manager, St James Suites
A dawn blessing was held on 23 April to mark the start of work on the Nelson Street cycle route.Kaumatua from Ngati Whatua o Orakei, Te Aki Tai, Ngati Paoa and Te Kawerau a Maki led the blessing which took place on the disused Nelson Street off-ramp.
The Nelson Street Cycle Route will link Upper Queen Street to Quay Street via the disused off-ramp and connect to the north-western and Grafton Gully cycleways.
Construction of the new Parnell Station got underway at Easter
Construction of the Beach Road Stage 2 walking and cycling project got underway during April.
Photo left: Board member Vernon Tava talks to a Freemans Bay resident
Long Term Plan presentation to the Governing Body by Shale Chambers with Board members in support
(photo credit: Cathy Casey)
Tour of the refurbished Lysaght building, Wynyard Quarter hosted by Waterfront Auckland (new home of GridAKL)
Auckland Conversations: Charles Montgomery author of Happy City
“A happy city is healthy sustainable, resilient and social”
“Walking is the magic of our cities”
“Nothing matters more to happiness than social ties”
“Socially connected people live, on average, 15 years longer than socially disconnected people”
“Walking saves society $1.08, bus saves $0.16, cars cost society $2.78”
Unveiling of the Art of remembrance memorial project by the Friends of St David on 24 April.
A monumental, site-specific Max Gimblett art installation
cloaks the historic St David’s Church – The Soldiers’ Memorial–
to commemorate the 100,000 New Zealanders who served overseas in WWI.
Aucklanders are going to be blown away by the cycling project that got started on 23 April. The Nelson Street cycleway will provide an off road connection from where the Grafton Gully cycleway exists on Upper Queen Street all the way to the waterfront via a bridge connecting Canada St with the old Nelson Street motorway off- ramp and a new separated cycleway down Nelson Street. We are not far off being able to circle the city by bike. Can’t wait!
Media Release NZTA
Nelson Street Cycle Route Gets Underway
A dawn blessing has marked the start of work on the Nelson Street Cycle Route.
Kaumatua from Ngati Whatua o Orakei, Te Aki Tai, Ngati Paoa and Te Kawerau a Maki led the blessing which took place on the disused Nelson Street off-ramp.
The Nelson Street Cycle Route will link Upper Queen Street to Quay Street via the disused off-ramp and connect to the north-western and Grafton Gully cycleways, providing easier and safer access to and from the city centre.
The project will be delivered in partnership with Auckland Transport and delivered in two phases.
Phase one will see the construction of a bridge from Canada Street, connecting with the old Nelson Street motorway off-ramp and continuing as a separated two-way cycle path along the western side of Nelson Street to Victoria Street.
Construction of the bridge is first to get underway. It will be built off-site and when completed will be put in place overnight.
Phase two will extend the separated cycle path from Victoria Street down to Quay Street and will also provide a link along Pitt Street to join Karangahape Road and Union Street.
Canada Street preparation for the bridge to connect to the old Nelson St off ramp
Construction of the cycleway from Canada Street to Union Street will be undertaken by Hawkins Construction. The completion of Phase one to Victoria Street is expected late this year and phase two by the middle of next year.
Looking across to the old Nelson St off ramp to be connected from Canada St
This report covers my Waitematā Local Board activities during March 2015 as Deputy Chair, lead for the Community and Transport portfolios, Chair of the Grants Committee, Deputy Chair of the Central Joint Funding Committee and with positions on the Ponsonby Business Association Board and Ponsonby Community Centre Committee and Board liaison for the Parnell Community Centre.
Hon Nikki Kaye cuts the ribbon with Freemans Bays school students
Bikes in Schools: opening of a new bike track at Freemans Bay School
One of the highlights of the month was attending the bike track opening at Freemans Bay School on 20 March. This is the first bike track in the Waitematā area supported by the Bikes in Schools Trust. It was wonderful to see how excited the kids are to ride a bike. For many of the kids at the school who live in the city centre the track offers them the only safe opportunity to cycle.
Portfolio Report: Transport
RLTP Presentation
All local boards and key stakeholders were given the opportunity to present to an Auckland Transport hearings panel on the draft Regional Land Transport Plan 2015 -2025 (RLTP) as part of the consultation process.
I presented with the Chair on behalf of the Waitematā Local Board on 10 March (Presentation attached as Attachment B). As I mentioned in my introduction to the presentation it was a slightly bizarre process to present before the end of the public consultation period and before we had finalised our submission. A copy of the Board’s final submission submitted on 16 March is attached to the April agenda.
Franklin Road
Auckland Transport presented the feedback on the proposed Franklin road upgrade design and the revised options developed on the back of that feedback at a meeting with Franklin Road residents on 9 March.
Overall the residents at the meeting were positive about the new designs but were strongly opposed to cycle lanes due to safety concerns. These concerns were outlined in a presentation to the Local Board public forum at the March business meeting on 10 March. Auckland Transport undertook to do a safety audit to ensure the final design is safe and is able to cater for all users.
Intersection of Curran St & Sarsfield St
For many years residents near to the intersection of Curran St and Sarsfield St have been seeking improvements to slow down drivers who speed up on the approach to the Harbour Bridge. Unfortunately it took a serious crash in February for Auckland Transport to respond.
I arranged a site meeting on 2 March with residents and Auckland Transport representatives to discuss the various concerns about the intersection. On 30 March Auckland Transport responded at a follow-up meeting with a concept design which was positively received. Once the feedback from the meeting has been collated by the Herne Bay Residents Association the design will be finalised by AT for formal consultation.
Portfolio report: Community Development
Empowered Communities Approach
A whole new way for Council to work called “Empowered Communities Approach” is currently being tested with the Community Development and Safety Team.
Local Board members have been briefed and workshops held with the community (I attended the workshop for ethnic migrants) to explain the details and the opportunities arising from this approach. As it is a major shift for Council I have included the following key messages about the new approach in my report:
Why we are doing this:
Supporting community-led development.
Working with communities to develop leadership, skills and capacity is a priority for Auckland Council under the Strengthen Communities goals of the Auckland Plan.
Mayor Len Brown proposed under the Long-Term Plan (2015-2025) to change how Auckland Council works around community development.
Much research and community consultation has been done by Auckland Council around empowering communities – the ECA is building on this work to bring it to life.
While we are developing a ‘whole of council approach’ Community Development and Safety are the first team to have this approach applied.
Purpose of engaging with communities:
You know what you need and want and, in turn, we need to hear that from you.
We would like to hear what you feel about the direction the ECP is taking and what it means for your communities.
Every community is different – a one-size-fits-all approach will not work across Auckland.
Council needs to be more responsive and flexible around community needs and priorities.
Resources and capacity varies across Auckland and council needs to ensure that each community has the same opportunities and platforms for empowerment.
There are benefits from empowering communities including: more responsive to community need; more flexibility and opportunity to change what may not be working; less bureaucracy; and, more opportunity for the communities to show innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Auckland Council is committing to a new, innovative way of working. It recognises that for the ECA to be successful it has to change both the way it works, and how it works, to benefit Aucklanders.
Empowered Communities Approach:
‘Empowered Communities: Enabling Council’ is an approached underpinned by a two-way relationship.
A description rather than a definition is being used to ensure there is room for us all to see ourselves.
What is an empowered community?
An empowered community is one where individuals, whanau and communities have the power and ability to influence decisions, take action and make change happen in their lives and communities. This includes communities of place, interest and identity.
Community empowerment is about providing real opportunities for people to participate and fostering the conditions that support this.
An empowered communities approach is ‘a way of working’ that empowers people to play a more active role in the decisions that affect their communities’.
A ‘whole of council’ shift is required to:
Provide a gateway / portal into council resources and information
Provide more support for local boards and other areas of council to work together in joined-up ways with local communities
Facilitating and embedding the ECA across council
Developing and implement creative new engagement and participation practices
Support the devolution of resources / functions / control to communities.
Currently we are exploring ways to operationalise the Community Development and Safety team functions with a new focus on ways of working.
Feedback is currently being sought from community groups about what needs to change for Council to be “an enabling council” and communities to be called “empowered communities”.
Long Term Plan consultation
Consultation on the Auckland Council’s 10 year budget (LTP) closed on 16 March. 27,383 submissions were received in total with 1097 coming from the Waitematā Local Board area. It was the first consultation process under Auckland Council’s new Significance and Engagement Policy that is required by the Local Government Act 2002. Instead of hearings, submitters were invited to attend Have your Say events where all comments received were recorded as official feedback (Photo right – the Waitematā Have your say Event)
Personally I did not think the Have your Say events were an adequate alternative to Local Board hearings as there was limited ability to meaningfully engage and discuss issues with submitters.
Professional development
In March I started semester one at AUT University as I continue learning Te Reo Maori ( I completed two stage 1 papers in 2014). I attend classes twice a week.
I have also appreciated the opportunity to take part in the training series “Making an Impact with Maori” provided by Council’s advisors. On 25 March I joined councillors and local board members at Te Mahurehure Marae in Pt Chev for an immersive learning experience, designed to take elected members through the protocols and principles involved with entering a marae.
Workshops and meetings
During March I attended:
Street meeting on 2 March of Herne Bay residents and Auckland Transport to discuss the Curran St/Sarsfield St intersection speeding and safety issues
One of the presenters of the LGNZ webinar on 3 March in Wellington: Planning and Investment Opportunities for Cycling (Urban Cycleways Investment Programme) Photo right: delivering the Webinar with Cynthia Bowers, Deputy Mayor, Hawkes Bay District Council
Attended Long Term Plan – 10 year budget consultation events: Have your Say event at the Town Hall on 4 March, the Grey Lynn community meeting on 11 March (co-hosted with the Arch Hill and Grey Lynn Residents Association) and the Fix Our City: A Discussion with the Mayor co-hosted with Generation Zero at Auckland University
Meeting to discuss RLTP feedback on 5 March
HBDI Test result discussion with Board members (HBDI survey provided insight into thinking style preferences)
Friends of St David meeting on Sunday 8 March
Auckland Transport’s meeting on 9 March with Franklin Road residents to discuss the consultation feedback analysis and the revised options developed for the upgrade of Franklin Road
Ponsonby Business Association Board meeting on 10 March
Meeting to discuss the community grants template
RLTP presentation to Auckland Transport
Waitematā Local Board business meeting on 10 March
Cycle Advisory Group meeting on 11 March
Waitematā Local Board workshop on 12 March
Meeting on 12 March to discuss the development of a Youth HUB in the City Centre
Site visit on Waima Street on 16 March organised by Arch Hill residents with representatives of Auckland Transport, NZTA, NZ Police, the Prostitutes Collective, and Newton School. David Shearer, MP also attended (photo right)
Grey Lynn community meeting on 17 March to discuss concerns arising from Auckland Transport’s proposals to remove parking at the Grey Lynn shops
Monthly Transport portfolio catch up on 18 March
Meeting with Albert-Eden and Puketapapa Local Boards to discuss progress on the Central Community Recycling Facility
Empowered Communities approach discussion with Local Boards on 20 March
Community Place-making champions group meeting on 23 March
Meeting to discuss the community grants policy and template
Waitematā Local Board workshop on 24 March
Communications update with the Local Board communications advisor
Making an Impact with Maori – Training for Elected Members. Visit to Te Mahurehure Marae for all local board members and councillors
Local Board Greenways Plans and Walking and Cycling Networks Collaboration Meeting on 26 March
Urban Cycling Investment Panel – meeting 3 in Christchurch on 27 March
Auckland Arts Festival 4 – 22 March I attended various performances and the opening night drinks in the Festival Gardens (at the invitation of the AAF Trust)
Little Day Out at the Mt Eden Village Centre on 7 March
International Women’s Day event in Khartoum Place on 9 March
Presented the 95bfm Green Desk on 10, 17 and 24 March
Grey Power meeting on 12 March at the Fickling Centre as part of a presentation on the LTP (I was invited to present on transport issues in the LTP)
Wet Hot Beauties performance in Judges Bay on 14 March
In early 2010 Paul McArdle, founder of Bikes in Schools came to Auckland enthused from the success of the opening of the first NZ bike track in a Hastings school. At the time I was on the Cycle Action committee that was keen to support this new initiative. Paul and I had the opportunity for a quick scout around for possible locations for a bike track in a central Auckland School. Several schools expressed interest at the time in following up with Paul and the Bikes on NZ Trust but a combination of building projects and land constraints meant progress was slow.
So five years after the initial discussion about the possibility of a bike track in a central Auckland school it was very special to attend the opening of the new track at Freemans Bay School, the first in the Waitemata Local Board area. The school principal Sandra Jenkins is to be congratulated for her determination in making it happen. She has been supported by the school community and a number of organisations and businesses including Sport Auckland, Cyco bike shop (who did a sharp price on the 55 new bikes), Bike in Schools, and Auckland Transport (provided bike training). The Board contributed a community grant of $2500
Hon Nikki Kaye cuts the ribbon with Freemans Bays school students
The track is available not just in school time as part of PE classes but also accessible after school and at weekends for everyone in the community to use. At the opening it was wonderful to see how excited the kids are about the track and the opportunity to ride bikes in a safe environment.
What is also great about the track is that for the first time ever Freemans Bay School is needing to investigate bike racks as the project has encouraged kids to bike or scoot to school.
