Following my update last month, a local wrote to me asking for the local board to consider more shade in the design of playgrounds.
Over the last year we have opened two new playgrounds that make use of natural shade as much as possible and work is currently underway on new playgrounds for Home Street Reserve and Western Springs Lakeside Park.
Suggestions for locations that could benefit most from the installation of shade sails is a good example of feedback that can be made during the Annual Budget 2019/2020 consultation that is on until 17 March. Your feedback will help inform the local board’s funding priorities over the next year.
At the same time as the Annual Budget 2019/2020 consultation, Auckland Council is also seeking your feedback on the Auckland’s Water Future discussion document. This document looks across the full range of water issues in the Auckland region, and proposes
a framework for making decisions about water in Tamaki Makaurau.
You can find out more about both these consultations, including ways you can have your say and the list of Have Your Say events we’re holding, at akhaveyoursay.nz
Following on straight after the Annual Budget 2019/2020 consultation, we are opening nominations for the Waitemata Good Citizens Awards 2019. These biennial awards have been established to recognise and reward those who give their time for community benefit; children and young people, individuals and not-for-profit organisations whose work for the community is outstanding, directly or indirectly, and/or provides a platform for individuals to volunteer their time.
Awards will be given to individuals and organisations whose contributions have been recognised to benefit communities, individuals and our environment within the Waitemata Local Board area.
The awards will recognise the outstanding contributions of volunteers and the impact made - above and beyond paid employment - by individuals, children and young people and community groups during the period 1 October 2017 - 14 April 2019.
Nominations will be open from Monday 18 March until Sunday 14 April. We expect the awards night on 16 May at the Auckland Town Hall to be a special occasion for all the recipients and their
invited guests.
On the three previous occasions the local board has held the awards, we’ve been able to acknowledge the contribution of local people like John Elliott, founder of Ponsonby News and recent QSM recipient, volunteers who work at MOTAT and Sustainable Coastlines, and young people making a significant contribution to organisations including Rainbow Youth and the University of Auckland's Student Association.
More information on the Waitemata Good Citizens Awards 2019 will soon be available on the Auckland Council website, aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/waitemata and on the Waitemata Local Board Facebook page.
We recently held one of our board’s flagship events, Myers Park Medley. It was a fantastic day of music, dancing, stalls, games and activities with a great turn out. Events like Myers Park Medley and the first Ponsonby Road Festival, successfully hosted by the Ponsonby Business Association on 16 February, play a big part in contributing to the vibrancy and wellbeing of our communities which is incredibly important to our board. (PIPPA COOM)
Contact Pippa Coom, Chair Waitemata Local Board,
pippa.coom@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz, www.facebook.com/waitemata