After more than 13 years of volunteer community advocacy work, Te Rimutahi was finally realised with a ‘soft opening’ in early May, 2025. Following a dawn blessing by mana whenua, the construction fences were quietly removed, and the community was at last able to access and enjoy the new civic space. The formal opening, hosted by the Waitematā Local Board, took place on Saturday 17 May, 2025.
Te Rimutahi is tangible evidence of what a group of determined community advocates can achieve, against all the odds. The Waitematā Local Board initiated the Community-Led Design (CLD) process, with CLD referring to projects led by a community group or organisation. This process effectively involves local people in the decision-making process, from envisioning to implementation, and importantly, in an ongoing capacity throughout the entire project.
The CLD process connected the community by;
– Creating a collective vision for what could be
– Developing a design brief informed by local knowledge
– Holding that vision on behalf of the Community to ensure it was always front-of-mind for the project team
– Maintaining a communication pathway between the project team and you, our stakeholders.
This produced multiple community benefits, including;
– Putting local people at the heart of changes made to their neighbourhood
– Improving civic participation to ensure a more democratic outcome
– Creating a strong sense of community by strengthening people’s attachment to their neighbourhood.
The CLD process, informed by the community’s sustained support and engagement through the long years of advocacy, achieved a significant milestone when Te Rimutahi opened.
Unfortunately, in the 16 months since then, the Waitematā Local Board and Council staff have chosen to revert back to their in-house, business-as-usual default settings with minimal (if any) engagement with the community. Seemingly random decisions have been made via inside channels which have not been shared, let alone discussed. Many only became apparent when onsite work began.
The start of construction of a ‘storage shed’ in the Hybrid Park Room (the lower lawn and garden area) is a case in point. This was a shed that was non-permitted, failed Council’s own planning rules, and flouted CPTED (safety design) protocols. Although the shed build was abandoned, none of the topsoil where the ground was cleared for concreting has been reinstated, the irrigation system remains disconnected, and the plants that were unceremoniously ‘dumped’ onto the hard shingle base are still uprooted and dying, months later.
Meanwhile, a storage facility is now being built as an extension to the toilet block, despite the Waitematā Local Board instructing all storage in the Draft design to be removed*. After sustained pressure from the CLDG, Council staff eventually took on one of our (many) recommendations, so at least the large double access doors will now be clad in the same material as the structure (rather than their planned ‘toilet style’ doors). We are still awaiting a response regarding the ramp that we requested be internalised, yet it wasn’t.
Recently, new lighting has been installed on the Te Rimutahi canopy sign, which is composed in the beautiful Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei-designed font. The lighting is garish, multi-coloured and rotates through the colour spectrum like a cheap disco. It just arrived, despite the Te Rimutahi lighting design having won GOLD at the Designers Institute of New Zealand – Best Design Awards for Lighting Design**. The original design left the Te Rimutahi sign unlit, silhouetted against the sky (Ranginui, the sky father) and enabled the Graham Tipene-designed pou marker*** to “do all the talking after hours”… Not any longer.
We are disappointed that all the hard work and goodwill of the community has been sidelined and disregarded in this way. We had, perhaps naively, expected better. Rather than engage with the CLDG as a Stakeholder, Council staff have advised us to use the online ‘report-a-problem’ portal: https://onlineservices.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/councilonline/rfs/landingpage#
Meanwhile, the Waitematā Local Board has not responded to our presentation at their 19 May 2026 business meeting, formally requesting that we be included as a Te Rimutahi stakeholder. After the 14+ years of work the CLDG has undertaken on the board’s behalf, this is a reasonable and logical request, as it is the CLDG that holds the long and detailed history of this project****.
The CLD process has been a wild ride: integrating with the community, local government, the many iterations of the Waitematā Local Board, Council, et al. It has at times been both the most uplifting and the most soul-destroying journey. False allies, self-interested parties, manipulative and bad-faith actors being constant and unpleasantly reliable travelling companions.
However, we also recognise and celebrate the immense input from our engaged community through the years-long Community-Led Design process, the substantial and magnificent contribution by mana whenua, the multi-award-winning design of Te Rimutahi by the beautiful people at LandLAB, who we now call friends, the close neighbourhood connections… So much that is wonderful, inspiring, and cannot be erased.
And just LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED! The brilliant and beautiful Te Rimutahi. What’s not to love?
Te Rimutahi will continue to be defended, despite the machinations of convenience, siloed thinking, BAU, and back-channels that have reestablished themselves. The Waitematā Local Board and Council will continue to be held to account, as requested, through their online portal: https://onlineservices.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/councilonline/rfs/landingpage#
Which is a long-winded way of saying that the CLDG is now officially signing off. This will be our final Ponsonby News Te Rimutahi Update as we now devolve the continuation of this legacy to the community.
And while we have your attention… don’t forget to VOTE in this year’s General Election! Ensure you are registered to vote at vote.nz or call free 0800 367 656. You MUST be enrolled to vote or have updated your details BEFORE midnight on 25 October 2026.
Because if there’s one overriding lesson that the CLD process has taught us all, it is that YOUR VOICE DOES MATTER.
We all look forward to seeing you at the magnificent Te Rimutahi soon.
Kia kaha. Arohanui.
For more information, please see our Instagram page _te_rimutahi, our website & archive: 254ponsonbyrd.org.nz, or our Facebook pages: Te Rimutahi or 254 Ponsonby Road.
*https://www.254ponsonbyrd.org.nz/uncategorized/notes-given-to-te-rimutahi-design-group-post-the-waitemata-local-board-workshop-on-5november-2023/
Te Rimutahi is tangible evidence of what a group of determined community advocates can achieve, against all the odds. The Waitematā Local Board initiated the Community-Led Design (CLD) process, with CLD referring to projects led by a community group or organisation. This process effectively involves local people in the decision-making process, from envisioning to implementation, and importantly, in an ongoing capacity throughout the entire project.
The CLD process connected the community by;
– Creating a collective vision for what could be
– Developing a design brief informed by local knowledge
– Holding that vision on behalf of the Community to ensure it was always front-of-mind for the project team
– Maintaining a communication pathway between the project team and you, our stakeholders.
This produced multiple community benefits, including;
– Putting local people at the heart of changes made to their neighbourhood
– Improving civic participation to ensure a more democratic outcome
– Creating a strong sense of community by strengthening people’s attachment to their neighbourhood.
The CLD process, informed by the community’s sustained support and engagement through the long years of advocacy, achieved a significant milestone when Te Rimutahi opened.
Unfortunately, in the 16 months since then, the Waitematā Local Board and Council staff have chosen to revert back to their in-house, business-as-usual default settings with minimal (if any) engagement with the community. Seemingly random decisions have been made via inside channels which have not been shared, let alone discussed. Many only became apparent when onsite work began.
The start of construction of a ‘storage shed’ in the Hybrid Park Room (the lower lawn and garden area) is a case in point. This was a shed that was non-permitted, failed Council’s own planning rules, and flouted CPTED (safety design) protocols. Although the shed build was abandoned, none of the topsoil where the ground was cleared for concreting has been reinstated, the irrigation system remains disconnected, and the plants that were unceremoniously ‘dumped’ onto the hard shingle base are still uprooted and dying, months later.
Meanwhile, a storage facility is now being built as an extension to the toilet block, despite the Waitematā Local Board instructing all storage in the Draft design to be removed*. After sustained pressure from the CLDG, Council staff eventually took on one of our (many) recommendations, so at least the large double access doors will now be clad in the same material as the structure (rather than their planned ‘toilet style’ doors). We are still awaiting a response regarding the ramp that we requested be internalised, yet it wasn’t.
Recently, new lighting has been installed on the Te Rimutahi canopy sign, which is composed in the beautiful Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei-designed font. The lighting is garish, multi-coloured and rotates through the colour spectrum like a cheap disco. It just arrived, despite the Te Rimutahi lighting design having won GOLD at the Designers Institute of New Zealand – Best Design Awards for Lighting Design**. The original design left the Te Rimutahi sign unlit, silhouetted against the sky (Ranginui, the sky father) and enabled the Graham Tipene-designed pou marker*** to “do all the talking after hours”… Not any longer.
We are disappointed that all the hard work and goodwill of the community has been sidelined and disregarded in this way. We had, perhaps naively, expected better. Rather than engage with the CLDG as a Stakeholder, Council staff have advised us to use the online ‘report-a-problem’ portal: https://onlineservices.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/councilonline/rfs/landingpage#
Meanwhile, the Waitematā Local Board has not responded to our presentation at their 19 May 2026 business meeting, formally requesting that we be included as a Te Rimutahi stakeholder. After the 14+ years of work the CLDG has undertaken on the board’s behalf, this is a reasonable and logical request, as it is the CLDG that holds the long and detailed history of this project****.
The CLD process has been a wild ride: integrating with the community, local government, the many iterations of the Waitematā Local Board, Council, et al. It has at times been both the most uplifting and the most soul-destroying journey. False allies, self-interested parties, manipulative and bad-faith actors being constant and unpleasantly reliable travelling companions.
However, we also recognise and celebrate the immense input from our engaged community through the years-long Community-Led Design process, the substantial and magnificent contribution by mana whenua, the multi-award-winning design of Te Rimutahi by the beautiful people at LandLAB, who we now call friends, the close neighbourhood connections… So much that is wonderful, inspiring, and cannot be erased.
And just LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED! The brilliant and beautiful Te Rimutahi. What’s not to love?
Te Rimutahi will continue to be defended, despite the machinations of convenience, siloed thinking, BAU, and back-channels that have reestablished themselves. The Waitematā Local Board and Council will continue to be held to account, as requested, through their online portal: https://onlineservices.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/councilonline/rfs/landingpage#
Which is a long-winded way of saying that the CLDG is now officially signing off. This will be our final Ponsonby News Te Rimutahi Update as we now devolve the continuation of this legacy to the community.
And while we have your attention… don’t forget to VOTE in this year’s General Election! Ensure you are registered to vote at vote.nz or call free 0800 367 656. You MUST be enrolled to vote or have updated your details BEFORE midnight on 25 October 2026.
Because if there’s one overriding lesson that the CLD process has taught us all, it is that YOUR VOICE DOES MATTER.
We all look forward to seeing you at the magnificent Te Rimutahi soon.
Kia kaha. Arohanui.
For more information, please see our Instagram page _te_rimutahi, our website & archive: 254ponsonbyrd.org.nz, or our Facebook pages: Te Rimutahi or 254 Ponsonby Road.
*https://www.254ponsonbyrd.org.nz/uncategorized/notes-given-to-te-rimutahi-design-group-post-the-waitemata-local-board-workshop-on-5november-2023/
Photo- Sam Gould.
#ponsonbynews #iloveponsonby #loveponsonby #ponsonby #auckland #aucklandshippestrip #onlyponsonby #ponsonbyroad #Greylynn #freemansbay #westmere ##hernebay #stmarysbay #archhill #coxsbay @followers #followers @everyone #everyone #waitematalocalboard @highlight
