The results from the Long Term Plan consultation have provided yet another strong show of support for the whole of the site, civic open space at 254 Ponsonby Road (Ponsonby Park).
The need for this amenity has been apparent since 2000 when the initial Boffa Miskell report was done. In the 18 years since then, with the ongoing intensification and continued population growth, this need has increased exponentially.
The Community-led Design team requested the raw consultation data from council for analysis. It showed that Waitemata Local Board residents had a very high level of participation in the process. It was in the top three for the total number of submissions received relating to Local Board “One Local Initiative” (OLI) advocacy projects. The whole of the site, civic open space at 254 Ponsonby Road (Ponsonby Park) is the Waitemata Local Board’s OLI.
Additionally, the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 and Auckland Plan 2050 consultation feedback report for the Waitemata Local Board states; “Sixty per cent of submissions that identified Waitemata as their home local board support a full site civic space at 254 Ponsonby Road.”
This reiterates the considerable and sustained public feedback we have received during our three years of Community-led Design work. The feedback has consistently been to retain and develop the whole site at 254 Ponsonby Road as a civic green space.
So what happens next?
Council’s Finance and Performance Committee met on 31 May and set in place a plan for 'where to from here' for each Local Board’s ‘One Local Initiative’ advocacy project. The minutes from the Finance and Performance Committee meeting state that for our Waitemata Local Board initiative, an “Options paper for the Governing Body to reconsider the retention or sale of the rear portion of the site” will be prepared.
WHAT?
So, the Community-led Design process continues. We have written to the Mayor to ensure the Community-Led Design group is part of the Options paper creation team.
We have also received a resolution in support of this from the Waitemata Local Board at their 19 June meeting.
We are seeking clarity on;
• who from council will be involved in writing the Options paper?
• what criteria will be used to inform the Options paper? and
• in what way the specific needs of the community, as discovered
by the Community-Led Design process will be a cornerstone of the Options paper?
The clear majority (60%) of submitters to the latest consultation are in full support of the whole of site, civic space at 254 Ponsonby Road. We will continue to ensure the community’s position is clearly and well represented and the needs, wants and desires of the local, business and wider Auckland community are met. (JENNIFER WARD)
You can follow us on Facebook at Ponsonby Park or on our website www.254ponsonbyrd.org.nz