At the Waitemata Local Board July meeting last night we approved two exciting projects:
- Waitemata Greenways plan
- Draft Ponsonby Road masterplan for public consultation
Board member reports are included in the agenda. My report covers my activities from 1 June – 30 June 2013.
PORTFOLIO REPORTS
Community Development
At our monthly Community portfolio meeting we welcomed Greg Whaiapu, the new Community Development Programme Manager (Central) and Kristin Fanselow, Community Development Facilitator to the team. They reported positively on the new structure of the Community Development, Arts and Culture department and how well it is falling into place. A copy of the minutes from the meeting is attached as ATTACHMENT A.
We also met during the month with the Community Centres team leader who is working on the centre contracts and funding to be covered at a whole of Board workshop on our request.
Transport
SH 16 widening
We have had two all of board workshops with Auckland Transport and NZTA to discuss the proposals for widening SH16 at the St Lukes interchange. The widening design includes improved cycling facilities such as cycle lanes on the St Lukes Road Bridge and better connections to the NW cycleway.
However from a transport perspective the proposals fall short of providing safe, continuous connections to Great North Road. Cyclists will be taken from a cycle lane and/or shared bus lane into two lanes of general traffic and through a motorway interchange. This is unacceptable for a route which is on the Auckland Cycle Network. We have asked Auckland Transport to further review the plans so that the project is not progressed in isolation to safety issues on the rest of the network.
Route optimisation – New North Road
At the Transport portfolio monthly briefing with Auckland Transport we met the route optimisation team to hear about the New North Road Project and details for improvements at two of the intersections in our Board area. Following consultation the proposals include the removal of car parking on New North Road near Exmouth Street to improve road user safety, provide an extension to the bus stop and parking limits changes to discourage commuter parking.
Parking – Freemans Bay
Following the St Marys Bay Residential Parking Zone trial Auckland Transport is undertaking a Residential parking review to develop a residential parking policy which will provide the framework for future residential parking zones.
The transport portfolio had hoped that Auckland Transport would start to implement a parking scheme in Freemans Bay this year but due to the review this is now timed for April 2014. In the meantime Freemans Bay residents will unfortunately have to continue dealing with the issues resulting from all day commuter parking which also disadvantages Ponsonby Road businesses who have limited visitor parking.
Richmond Road safety Action Plan
Further improvements are proposed for Richmond Road to increase pedestrian safety near Richmond Road School. A raised threshold on the intersection with Cockburn Street and a throat treatment to narrow the exit from Lincoln Street is currently at the design stage.
Full details of other current proposals and issues are outlined in Auckland Transport’s monthly report attached to the Board agenda.
Other board activities
Ponsonby Road master plan working group update
A final workshop of the working group was held on 17 June for the purpose of refining the options to appear in the final draft of the master plan (to be endorsed this month by the Board for public consultation).
Urbanism Plus also presented the proposed concepts from the draft plan to local board members.
A consultation plan is in the process of being drafted.
Local Board Workshops and meetings
I attended during June:
Waitemata Local Board weekly workshop on 4 June
- Auckland Transport update to the Waitemata Local Board on the Sarawia Crossing options
- Meeting with Peter McKinley in relation to his work on Community-Level Governance: what provision should be made and/or mandated in local government legislation
- Meeting with Auckland Transport to discuss next steps for SH16 widening
- Meeting with Peter Stoneham from Auckland MTB club to discuss on-going maintenance of the Arch Hill mountain bike track
- Second workshop of Te Kai o Te Rangatira (TKOTR) Programme delivered by subject experts of Te Waka Angamua Maori Strategy and Relations Department (Pou Tikanga, Pou Whainga, Pou Hononga). An introduction to Tikanga and Te Reo/Maori protocol for elected representatives
- Grey Lynn Business association strategy session on 10 June
- Waitemata Local Board business meeting in Parnell on 11 June
- Ponsonby Road master plan fortnightly catch up with officers
- Waitemata Local Board weekly workshop on 13 June
- Ponsonby Road Master Plan working group – Workshop 5: Draft Master Plan review
- Meeting with the Board’s new community engagement adviser
- Community Development and Partnerships monthly catch up with the portfolio holders
- Presentation by Penny Cliffin (Unitec) – on-line arboretum tree database proposal www.unitec.ac.nz/tree
- Community centre catch-up with Kate Holst and Keril Booth on 19 June
- Waitemata Local Board Workshop on 20 June : Unitary Plan Feedback
- Waitemata Local Board weekly workshop on 25 June
- GLBA committee meeting
- Tour of Keeper’s Cottage to view the Bruce Wilkinson Bequest on 25 June
- Fortnightly catch up on the Ponsonby Road master plan to discuss a draft consultation plan
- Be.Accessible reflections – interview with Adrian Field, Synergia
- Workshop on 27 June: Unitary Plan (follow up on Local Board feedback)
- Transport portfolio monthly catch up with Auckland Transport
- Grafton Gully Cycleway Stage 3 site visit with Scott Wickman, NZTA
Above left the “money shot” on the Grafton Gully Cycleway looking towards Rangitoto.
Events and functions
During June I attended:
- Richmond Rovers Centenary Family Day Opening Ceremony on 3 June (photos below)
- Three Exhibitions Opening on 4 June at Art station for the Auckland Festival of Photography
- We know Auckland – RIMU hosted Keynote address, Out of the Valley of Death into Networks, Dame Anne Salmond, Distinguished Professor of Màori Studies and Anthropology at the University of Auckland and New Zealander of the Year 2013.
- Cycle Action’s Associations Breakfast at the Auckland Art Gallery 6 June
- Puketapapa Local Board greenways opening (photos below
- Celebration of Auckland as a Peace City at the invitation of Laurie Ross, Peace Foundation at the SGINZ Centre in Elleslie 8 June
- Freemans Bay community garden working bee on Sunday 9 June (see photos below)
- Grey Lynn Business Association networking drinks at the Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club
- Matariki Festival launch at the Auckland Museum
- Blessing Ceremony for ASB North Wharf at the invitation of Waterfront Auckland
- Opening of the Coxes Bay boardwalk and bridge on 15 June (photos below)
- Opening night of Anne Boleyn at Q Theatre at the invitation of Auckland Theatre Company
- Conscious Consumer function
- Myers Park Public Open Day on Sunday 23 June (photo below left of local resident Gael checking out the development plans)
- Mayor in the Chair at the Grey Lynn Community Centre on 25 June
- Auckland Conversation on 27 June: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, Brisbane: Economic and Environmental Sustainability
- Cycle Action presentation – Why do cyclist’s run red lights?
- Safe School Travel Plan Launch at Newmarket School assembly on 28 June
