This is the tree planting season.
I and other community and Waitemat-a Local Board members have been out planting trees along the Waipapa and Newmarket streams and then for Arbour Day on 26 June at Wellpark Reserve and at Fraser Park, where I planted a plum tree and an oak. Then there was a native tree planting day at Western Springs Forest on Sunday 18 July with so much volunteer participation by 200 community members that all thousand trees were well planted in only an hour.
Winter has brought gloom and not yet enough rain but there has been plenty to celebrate. In the last month I have been privileged to be present at the launch of my Deputy-Chair Alex Bonham’s book: “Play in the City”, MOTAT has opened its Love/Science Exhibition, the Auckland Museum with its Prehistoric Sea Monsters, and the Auckland Art Gallery with its Bill Culbert and Walters Prize exhibitions.
I have gone to great shows: The Lion King, the Cabaret Season, the Life of Galileo and the APO’s Haydn’s Military Symphony. There were joyous celebrations: the Karangahape Road reopening and the Prime Minister’s opening of Te Wananga Plaza, the new ferry wharves and the revitalised Quay Street.
On 4 July residents of Arch Hill organised and attracted over a hundred people to a Matariki Day street party that also celebrated the playground newly redeveloped by the Waitemat-a Local Board. Looking to the future, I went on a tour of progress on the Central Rail Link project and had both my Covid jabs, which I hope you all will ensure you get before the end of the year. This month is the Elemental AKL Festival. Go to your participating eateries and enjoy a great winter repast.
The Waitemat-a Local Board remains actively concerned about continuing issues related to homelessness and sometimes related anti-social and criminal behaviour in accommodation and on the streets in town centres in the Waitemat-a Local Board area. We have written again to the Government seeking the identification and appointment of a public agency to take the lead to ensure effective co-ordination and lasting solutions for this issue.
However, on 26 July the City Mission celebrated a major stage of its Homeground project and on 29 July Housing New Zealand shared its good progress constructing the Greys Avenue apartments project. Both will have a major benefit in reducing homelessness and providing wrap-around services in the central city and suburbs.
On 17 July, while heavy rain started to fall in Marlborough, the annual meeting of the local councils in this country, Local Government New Zealand, considered my remit to them to urge Parliament to urgently amend the law to restore the right and the power to councils to develop and enforce policies to protect important and significant trees in their area. It was carried by a 79% vote. I hope readers will lobby their MPs to take this vital action.
Central Auckland and the inner suburbs need to retain and restore their trees on both public and private land to combat climate change, welcome our birds and other fauna and make for a higher quality living environment for people of all ages.
Auckland Council also received a well-deserved award in recognition for the best response by a Council to the challenge of Covid-19.
Auckland Council’s governing body resolved on its budget and Long-Term Plan last month. H
.owever, it did not make a clear decision on the Waitemat-a Local Board’s top priority projects it lobbied for - the restoration of the Leys Institute for public use and the creation of the Ponsonby Park at 254 Ponsonby Road.
There is money in the Long-Term Plan for earthquake strengthening projects, including for likely capital spending on the Leys Institute from the 2022/23 year, but how much gets allocated and when to the Leys project will depend on the business case we have requested and the raising of significant funds locally.
This could include proceeds from the sale of some council properties and/or a local targeted rate. These need to be consulted on locally to assess the strength of local support. The Waitemat-a Local Board will continue strong advocacy for both projects. (RICHARD NORTHEY)
Our next Board Meeting will be on Tuesday 17 August. You can take part either in-person or by Skype. Contact our office for more information or to participate: waitematalocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
I can be contacted at 021 534 546 or at richard.northey@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
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Published 6 August 2021