City Vision continues to plan to open up Chamberlain Park to more people, improve the ecology and water quality of Waitītiko Meola Creek, and enhance local accessibility and connectivity.
2022 sees the team seeking election to progress plans to share the suburban park.
Imagine a big, new park in your neighbourhood
- Open space to play, picnic, stroll, jog and take the kids
- Restoration of the Waitītiko Meola Creek stream improving habitat and water quality to the harbour
- A playground for children
- Public toilets
- A space suitable for outdoor movies and events
- Thousands of native trees planted to bring birds back to the park
- A new path connecting Mt Albert to the Northwestern Cycleway
- Walking and cycling connections that make sense for locals
And all while minimising the impact for golfers on the eastern side of the Waitītiko Meola Creek
- Renewing the current facilities including a refreshed clubhouse
- A café that meets the needs of golfers and park visitors
- Greens that are enjoyed by golfers of all abilities
- Configuration of the greens would be guided by discussions with experts, staff and golfers to achieve the best golf offering for the local community
Credit: Chamberlain Park Master Plan, Auckland Council
We’re excited about the plan because it means Chamberlain Park will provide wonderful spaces for all people to enjoy – especially those who live nearby.
Why change is needed
- Currently only golfers can use Chamberlain Park, we’d like to see the park shared
- By opening up the park, the community gains open space roughly double the size of Coyle Park in Pt Chevalier for the thousands of families who live nearby
- It creates a new, much needed, local park in an area with a growing population
- Restores a kilometre of degraded stream, Waitītiko Meola Creek currently sits in a concrete-lined drain
- Provides safer walking and cycling access into parts of Mt Albert, reducing the need for cyclists to use Carrington Road
- Unlocks opportunities for Rawalpindi Reserve as the new local park will connect into it
- Creates an enhanced habitat for biodiversity
- Creates local spaces for wellbeing and enjoyment
Caption: City Vision wants to see Waitītiko Meola Creek restored similarly to Te Auaunga Oakley Creek in Mt Roskill, where the concrete channel was removed and the natural flow and environment restored.
Fact check
- Albert-Eden and Waitematā Local Board areas have the least open space per person in Aotearoa
- Significantly more people will be able to use the park if it is opened up to share
- The park will remain open space and will not be used for housing
- While some trees will be removed, thousands more trees and plants will be added to create an improved habitat for native wildlife
- There are more than 30 golf courses in Auckland, most of which welcome casual players
- Agri-chemicals on golf courses have ecological impacts and we want to limit their use.
- Waitītiko Meola Creek has poor water quality and needs restoration and riparian planting
- Watercare have started ecological restoration in a southern area of the park as part of the Central Interceptor project
- Rawalpindi Reserve is currently underutilised because of its topography, layout, limited access and small size
- Our experience with the pandemic has shown that easy access to open spaces is critical for health and wellbeing now, and into the future
By sharing Chamberlain Park, everyone benefits.