The volunteer Community-led Design (CLD) group has been working with the community on behalf of the Waitemata Local Board (WLB) since mid 2015 to progress the establishment of Ponsonby Park at 254 Ponsonby Road.
• Analysis of the results of the 2014 WLB submission process for 254 Ponsonby Road.
• Our first survey: asking the community what they would like for the whole of the site open space.
• Analysis of the survey results.
• Creation of the initial design brief from the feedback.
• An invitation to students and designers to submit design ideas based on the initial design brief.
• Our second survey: asking the community to select their preferred components from these designs.
• Finalisation of the design brief from the feedback.
• An invitation to designers to submit draft concept designs based on the design brief.
• Our third survey: asking the community to select their preferred design and, again, to give additional feedback.
• The chosen LandLAB design with a budget outline was presented to the WLB in April and workshopped with them in June 2017.
• A second workshop with members of the WLB and council officers was held last month to work towards securing funding in the Auckland Council Long Term Plan.
We continue, in conjunction with the WLB, our endeavours to realise Ponsonby Park.
So it was with delight that both our CLD group and Chairperson Chris Bailey, received WLB Good Citizen awards on 12 October in recognition of our work to date. We were humbled to be in the company of so many people who are doing so much great voluntary work within the Waitemata Ward. We were very pleased to be part of the celebration and to receive the two awards presented to us.
We also held a planting day on site on 7 October, where we established a small garden at the base of the pylon sign, and planted out two half wine barrels. It is a small step towards what will one day be Ponsonby Park - a beautiful civic space for everyone working, living or visiting Ponsonby. (JENNIFER WARD) χ