The Devonport Flagstaff Page 2
Briefs
New manager for BID Richard Thorne has been appointed the new Devonport BID manager. Thorne, a Bayswater local starts the job on 1 November, Devonport Business Association chair Dianne Hale says. He has previously worked as publisher/editor of NZ Musician magazine as well as in hospitality roles, management and the staging of a number of multi-day trade events, and chair of the New Zealand Music Commission, and has been site manager for a number of large festivals. Thorne replaces Katherine Downs.
Library hosts tunnels talk A talk exploring theories about the extent of Maungauika’s military tunnels will be held at the Devonport Library on Wednesday 9 November at 7.30pm. Rob Osborne will show some of is collection of old photographs of the maunga and its fortifications, and author Martin Butler will speak about his investigations into its covered-over
tunnels.
November 4, 2022
Museum gives up Domain shed clearing way for sports clubs Devonport Museum is relinquishing its lease on a storage unit at the former Devonport Bowling Club grounds on Devonport Domain, clearing the way for the North Shore cricket and rugby clubs to occupy the full site. “As fortune has it, the museum has given notice of its lease,” new Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chair Toni van Tonder told the Flagstaff. “I think they understood the mood of the community. We’re really grateful to them for enabling this outcome.” The museum’s withdrawal, advised to her last week, ends a potentially drawn-out process to move it on from the council-owned site, as pledged by van Tonder’s A Fresh Approach team in the recent local-body election. Van Tonder had already written to the sports clubs and the museum signalling the new board’s intention to act to end the museum’s lease. The board’s view was that storage was not an appropriate use of reserve land. The sports clubs plan to turn the old bowling clubrooms into dedicated women’s changing rooms and over time intend developing training and other community facilities on the wider site.
Council legal and leasing staff will now work out the best way forward, which could be to strike a new lease with the sports clubs or extend the existing one. In either case, van Tonder said the lease would have to be re-notified and come back to the board with the advice of council officers prior to its approval. This was not likely before early next year, she said. The matter became contentious after board members on the Heart of the Shore team voted during the last term of the board to grant the museum a surprise extension to its month-bymonth lease arrangement, the vote being carried by then chair Ruth Jackson’s casting vote. None of that team was re-elected last month. Van Tonder said the board wanted to work with the museum. But she said it could not favour one group in supplying storage, which was an issue for many. “We’re here to help all community groups meet their needs… but there has to an even playing field. We can’t favour one group over another.” She said she had written back to the museum acknowledging its decision and that the matter had not been an easy one.
Roaming dogs cost owners $8600 Fines totalling $8600 have been issued for dogs deemed to be not under control in the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area so far in 2022. Thirty-five infringement notices have been given out, with the average fine more than $245. The Flagstaff is aware of cases where photographs of dogs on a berm outside an owner’s home have been sent to council and resulted in fines being issued. Auckland Council animal-management manager Elly Waitoa said when a complaint is received an officer investigates and takes a statement from the complainant.
“Should a complainant also provide a photograph of the alleged incident, it may assist the officer to identify the dog and owner and may also be used as evidence of the offence.” In accordance with the Dog Control Act 1996, a roadside berm is considered a public place, meaning that dogs must be controlled and on-leash at all times, Waitoa said. “There are many fantastic parks and beaches across Tāmaki Makaurau where dogs are permitted under control and off-leash,” she said. Dogs in public should be closely supervised, muzzled in situations that might be stressful and kept on a lead in on-leash areas.
Simon Watts MP for North Shore Devonport Publishing Ltd First Floor, 9 Wynyard St Telephone: 09 445 0060 Email: sales@devonportflagstaff.co.nz news@devonportflagstaff.co.nz Website: www.devonportflagstaff.co.nz
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