The cycleway, rejected three years ago by the community, has been regurgitated with its consultation by means of a ‘survey monkey’ and an interactive map called a ‘social pinpoint’.
The map allowed comments to be placed by the public in locations on an aerial view of the roads with the design of the proposed cycleway imposed. This required participants to have a reasonably high level of computer skills. Each participant’s comment was verified by a code once posted.
I participated by inputting the many fabulous design solutions offered by community during participation in a ‘community liaison group’ with Auckland Transport and designers Boffa Miskell. Trouble was that my comments did not appear on the map when I posted them. I do have a screen shot of those comments with verification number for each and every comment I made. When I went back to check if they had loaded the next day they had not. The comment option had closed. I was highly amused by this comment, "My goodness it’s ugly - don’t any of your designers have eyes," that had been placed 15 days earlier.
The flawed programme that had not recorded my comments has been bought to the attention of the Waitematā Local Board and Auckland Transport. If this is not rectified it will be brought to the attention of the Ombudsman as flawed consultation.
The plans also showed the works within West Lynn Village as being 'complete'. The current works prove that wrong. These have only had consultation with the Grey Lynn Business Association, even though three locals took the mobility inaccessible ramp from the zebra crossing, to the Human Rights Commission.
The simple solution public want involves scarifying a local area of the road and removing the ‘raised table’, not a convoluted ‘switchback ramp’ and stairs that was first suggested by Boffa Miskell four years ago and rejected by community. It also involves returning the car parks outside Harvest to enable the return of 45% of their customers loss along with the parking. As a destination shop, all of the village suffered from the loss of those customers.
Gael Baldock, Community Advocate and Architectural Designer
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