Achieving results through team work on the Waitemata Local Board

30 September, 2013 | News, Our Projects, Waitemata Local Board, Waitemata Local Board

Three years ago the City Vision team on the Waitemata Local Board pledged to be a strong local board and responsive to the local community.

We have worked hard from day one to deliver on issues that matter to local people.

Here are the highlights of what we have achieved and the projects underway that we hope to take forward with the community into the next term of the Waitemata Local Board.

Tepid BathsRecreation, sports and community facilities:

  • Oversaw the completion of the Judges Bay upgrade and the historic Tepid Baths
  • Won funding for and completed 2 all-weather sports fields at Seddon Fields with additional car and bike parking facilities
  • Re-opened Newmarket Park following significant remedial work
  • Secured funding and signed off a development plan for a significant upgrade of Myers Park
  • Judges BayRe-opened Campbell Free Kindergarten on Victoria park as a community asset after refurbishment by NZTA (now leased to Circability Trust – Auckland Harbour News story here)
  • Refurbished the Leys Institute Gym to provide for significantly greater community use (the gym is now operated by the Ponsonby Community Centre)
  • Progressing the development of the Weona Westmere public reserve coastal walkway
  • Plans are also underway for the upgrade of Pt Erin pools as a premier lido swimming pool
  • Secured funding for a significant redevelopment of Ellen Meville and Pioneer Women’s Hall to create a vibrant inner city hub
  • Extended public library hours at Grey Lynn Library, Leys Institute library and Parnell Library (now open until 6pm Mon – Fri)Campbells Free Kindergarten
  • Installed drinking fountains in parks and on our streets (Williamson Ave and Francis Street drinking stations)
  • Planning underway for a coastal walkway from Meola Reef to Pt Resolution

Quality urban design and heritage protection:

  • Pt Resolution bridge openingWon the right for all  RMA notified resource consents and demolitions to be referred to local boards
  • Replaced Pt Resolution Bridge from Parnell Baths to Tamaki Drive with a beautifully designed bridge incorporating an innovative bike ramp
  • Working on the long over due restoration of the  Symonds Street Cemetery
  • Established a working group with community representatives  to successfully deliver a Ponsonby Rd  draft masterplan
  • Re-established the ironic Three lamps on Ponsonby Road (a legacy project from the Western Bays Community Board)
  • Won the opening up of public spaces promised by developers in return for bonus floor space but long closed off due to lack of compliance under the previous Council
  • Lighting up the Three Lamps at Ponsonby Oversaw the removal of the (illegal) billboards from the historic St James Theatre
  • Instrumental in winning heritage and character protections provided for in the draft Unitary Plan
  • Led the way for the SkyCity overbuild on Federal Street to be canned providing for the development of a shared space now underway
  • Initiated the Newmarket Precinct Plan for the street scape improvements of Teed, York and Kent Streets
  • Initiated the development of a draft Domain Masterplan (to be consulted on next term)
  • Initiated a Heritage Foreshore plan which will illustrate and mark out where the pre-1840 foreshore used to be in Auckland. Iwi consultation underway to mark out of  sites of significance to mana whenua

Transport choice:

  • St mary bay parkingAdvocated successfully for the implementation of the St Marys Bay residential parking scheme trial and the City Centre parking zone
  • Implemented the Richmond Road safety action plan resulting in slower speeds around Richmond School and a safer walk to school
  • Supported Travelwise safety improvements at Bayfield, Parnell, St Josephs and Newmarket schools
  • Pushed for the installation of traffic calming and new footpaths on Motions road and slow speed strips on Ponsonby Road
  • Contributed to the funding of new footpaths at the Grey Lynn shops
  • Significantly increased bike parking across the Waitemata area
  • Cox's Bay boardwalk Supported the installation of car share car parking spaces on inner city streets
  • Re-built the Coxes Bay boardwalk with provision for walking and cycling as the first priority route for the Board’s greenways plan
  • Delivered a Greenways plan to connect our parks and open spaces with safe and pleasant cycling routes including a route through the old Parnell Tunnel
  • Initiated the concept of a “Bike Corral” on Ponsonby Road
  • Committed to a new Parnell Station, City Rail Link, the Harbour Bridge pathway SkyPath, Grafton Gully cycleway and increasing investment in walking and cycling
  • Acknowledged as a Board with “Transport vision” as set out in our Local Board Agreement (drafted by the City Vision transport portfolio team)

Local economic development:

  • Fairtrade certificate Pippa Coom with Len Brown and Wayne WalkerActive support for our 7 business associations:
  • Funded the roll-out of Newmarket free WiFi in partnership with the Newmarket business association
  • Established the Eden Terrace business association
  • Instrumental in Auckland becoming a Fairtrade City
  • Ran a successful series of “Good for Business” seminars in partnership with AECOM for business association members
  • Instrumental in Council support for social enterprise and the establishment of the Social Enterprise Launchpad forum
  • Initiated a Local Economic Development Plan for the city fringe (currently under consultation with local business associations)
  • Progressing the re- development of station square, Newmarket and  ensured the budget for establishing the access way to Broadway was restored to the Council budget

Thriving communities: 

  • Strong support for the creative arts  – gave grants for Art Week, made funding available for art programmes for  young people and youth at Art Station,  gave grants to community groups for local murals and provided strong advocacy to maintain Arts Alive funding
  • Instrumental in ensuring the long term survival of Basement Theatre by putting in place a community lease
  • Commenced a programme of  painting murals on utility boxes
  • Established a $100,000 per year local events fund that supports  local events such as Art in the Dark, Grey Lynn Park Festival, Franklin Road Christmas lights and the Italian Festival
  • Increased community funding to $100,000 per year for grants to community and sports groups
  • Be Accessible-logo-RGB-LRGFirst Board to become an “accessible board” with an Accessibility plan. Parnell Festival of Roses is      going to be Auckland’s first “accessible” event
  • Won funding for the ATC waterfront theatre development
  • Completed a youth needs assessment and committed to making young people and children a priority
  • Undertaking the restructuring and remodelling of Art Station to ensure it succeeds and becomes sustainable as an exciting and high standard arts facility that meets the needs of its community and benefits all Aucklanders, in particular those in Waitemata.
  • Played a crucial role in the decision of the governing body to give a grant to Holy Trinity Cathedral’s Selwyn’s vision project
  • Secured the long-term future of Parnell Trust with a one-off grant

Environmental and sustainability initiatives:

  • Won the scheduling of 80 trees for protection
  • Activity working to establish a community–led resource recovery centre in partnership with the Albert-Eden and Puketapapa Local Boards
  • Working with the community on the restoration of Waipapa Streamfruit tree planting
  • The first Board to develop a Local carbon reduction emissions plan
  • Ecological restoration  programme that led to the planting of natives and weed removal  at Arch Hill reserve, Jaggers bush, Alberon Reserve, Meola Reef Reserve, Coxes Bay reserve, St Stephens Church and cemetery and Motions Road Reserve
  • Provided additional funding to the Sustainable catchment programme to improve water quality in Motions Creek and Meola Creek
  • Native restoration of the Western Springs pine stand bush area funded
  • Adopted a zero waste policy for local events
  • With local residents planted fruit frees in Grey Lynn park and provided support to the Freemans Bay community garden
  • Declared Waitemata a GMO free area and advocated for strong controls in the Unitary Plan

Prudent financial management and local decision making

  • Unitary plan Grey LynnMet community priorities within budget
  • Managed the Board’s finances and ratepayer funds prudently and carefully planned, monitored and spent within budget
  • Established a fund for the renewal of assets to ensure all renewals are fit for purpose
  • Committed to effective ommunity engagement and local decision making
  • When first elected we adopted an approach of extensive community engagement on the first 3 year Local Board plan
  • Committed to genuine and meaningful relationship with manu whenua
  • Acknowledged as strong advocates for residents to ensure local decisions are made locallyShale mike and Tricia Unitary Plan launch
  • Worked hard  advocating for our communities to the governing body (the Mayor and Councillors), and Council Controlled Organisations
  • Established a strong working relationship with the Mayor and governing body and worked closely with Waitemata & Gulf ward Councillor Mike Lee
  • Instrumental in the establishment of Auckland Transport’s new $10m local board capex fun for local transport projects. We took the issue to the Strategy and Finance Committee that led to a CEO review and favourable outcome for all local boards

In addition over the last three years the City Vision team have led and delivered on the Board’s input into every significant regional strategy and policy including the Auckland Plan, the Long Term Plan, Annual Plan, the Unitary Plan, Regional Land Transport Plan, the Waste Minimisation and Management Plan, the Thriving Communities Action Plan, and Bylaws review .

Consistently it is the City Vision team that provides the strong local voice and advocacy on behalf of the community.