Welcome to the first Waitemata Local Board report for 2018.
Congratulations to them all including Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet for services to fashion and the community, Sir Bryan Williams for services to rugby, Nicola Legat ONZM for services to the publishing industry and Rachel Brown ONZM for services to sustainable business development.
In my December report, I acknowledged the huge community contribution of Roscoe Thorby in coordinating the Franklin Road lights. He’ll be receiving a Queen’s Service Medal from the Governor-General, the special guest who opened the lights last year.
Waitemata Local Board by-election
A seat on the local board opened up as a result of the resignation of Auckland Future’s Mark Davey last year. By the time you read this, voting packs should have arrived (due in letter boxes from 26 January). Voting closes at 12 noon on Saturday 17 February so papers need to be posted no later than Valentine’s Day (14 February) to make it in time to be counted.
It is possible to enrol and vote right up until election day. Details at elections.org.nz and on the Auckland Council website.
Auckland Pride Parade 17 February
Local board members will join the Auckland Council float themed 'we build this city' at the annual Auckland Pride Parade along Ponsonby Road. The largest and loudest carnival of equality and diversity in Aotearoa is on 17 February starting at 7.30pm. It is an excellent opportunity to make a day of it in Ponsonby as the entertainment begins early while the street is transformed into a car-free, people-loving space.
Community grants
The West End Cup provided a fantastic December weekend of high-quality free to watch tennis. The cup is now New Zealand’s second biggest international tournament after the ASB Classic thanks to a range of sponsors including the local board. The board has assisted with development of the cup over several years, initially with a modest community grant and more recently with support from the board’s events partnership fund.
A Quick Response Grant round to fund community initiatives and projects is currently open until 16 February (grants value $300 - $3000). Details on the Auckland Council website.
The board is looking forward to a busy year of local events, community projects and delivering on our commitment to make stuff happen so Waitemata is the best possible place to live, work, study and play. (PIPPA COOM)
Contact Pippa Coom, Chair of Waitamata Local Board, pippa.coom@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
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