EVERYDAY
Northcote
CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY
N O R TH C OTE
Welcome Welcome to the very first issue of Everyday Northcote, a local magazine for the Northcote community, produced by HLC – the company that is managing the Northcote Development. This project is part of a larger programme, called the Auckland Housing Programme, which is creating 30,000 warm, dry, healthy, modern homes in Auckland over the next 15 years.
While we were grappling with the best way to keep you up to date, we realised that the people of Northcote have stories to tell as well. Everyday Northcote aims to do both – let you know what’s going on with the development project and be a voice for the community. Enjoy. We’ll have another issue to you before the end of the year.
Left Morning tai chi in the town centre. Photograph by David St George.
Contents Everyday People We take a wander down Tonar Street, meet some locals and ask what they want for their neighbourhood. 8 Meet the Principals Two Northcote fans talk about kids, community, culture and their vision for the schools they run. 10 The New Greenway We’re spoilt for parks, and we’re getting a new one. Find out why this one’s different. 14
Mark Fraser, Precinct Director
Cover photo From left: Northcote Intermediate students Nikki, Veni, Liam and Grace. Photograph by David St George.
Winter 2017
Northcote Development 1200 new, warm, dry homes coming to a neighbourhood near you. 20 The Everyday Home What would a ‘State house’ look like if it was designed for family life today? 22
Everyday Northcote is published by HLC with the support of Panuku Development Auckland and Housing New Zealand. We welcome your feedback. Email: karyn.haglund@hlc.co.nz to get in touch.
Town Centre Upgrade What’s happening and when? We ask Panuku Development to share their plans to date. 24
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Since the early stages of planning the Northcote Development we’ve been committed to keeping everyone in the community informed about what’s happening. Along the way we’ve got to know Northcote pretty well. It’s a vibrant place. There’s always lots going on and we’ve met plenty of inspiring locals.
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Nice one, Northcote A random selection of some of the everyday good stuff going on in our community.
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Love food? Don’t we all! Coming to Northart in June, a mouth-watering exhibition about the ‘art of the feast’. Also: two thought-provoking shows which form part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. Check out their website for details. NORTHART.CO.NZ Image: Stephen Piper Great Taste (detail)
Art with heart It is always sad to lose a big tree but this Liquidambar on Northcote Intermediate’s grounds was full of rot and had to go. Troy from Tree Excellence came up with the idea of carving the stump, and the Mana Group students came up with this awesome design.
Karaoke & Cupcakes The library held a Mother’s Day open mic concert which provided a chance for some of the up and coming local talent to make their mama’s proud. The ‘karaoke and cupcake’ session was part of New Zealand Music Month.
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Opening day of the Info Centre. From left: Mark Fraser (HLC), Tamsyn McDonald (HLC), Lindsay Waugh (local board member), Danielle Grant (Chair, Kaipatiki local board), Angelika Cutler (Panuku Development Auckland).
NEW INFO CENTRE 1200 new, warm, dry homes coming to Northcote over the next six years.
Represent! Northcote Intermediate students are feeling great when they face off against other schools in their new sports uniforms, purchased with a grant from Trillian Trust.
Cluck, cluck. Oink, oink. Thanks to a couple of generous donations, Northcote Intermediate is buying some Kunekune piglets and chickens. The students will design a high-quality durable home for the animals and the bulk of the money will be spent on materials.
NORTHCOTE DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION CENTRE
Open: 10am–4pm Wed–Sat Location: Northcote town centre carpark.
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Smart new kit
Have you spotted the orange and red cube in the town centre carpark yet? The new arrival is the Northcote Development Information Centre. The centre has been set up to bring the community up to speed with the changes that are underway now in Northcote and will gather pace over the next five years. The centre is ‘manned’ by Heather McLay (below). Heather grew up on the Shore and her folks are Northcote locals. She’s there to answer your questions between 10am and 4pm, Wednesday to Saturday. Drop in and say “hi”.
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Op Shop or Just Drop In Northcote Baptist Opportunity Shop, where everyone gets a bargain and a kind word, is turning 50 this year.
Money raised by the shop stays in the community. Charities that benefit include Plunket and the Youth Trust. Money also go towards school camp fees for local kids whose parents wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them.
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Maureen, who’s mum volunteered in the shop for 40 years until she was 83, has a daughter with small children who also volunteers when family commitments allow.
Manager Niki Cowie, raising money and smiles for the community. Photography by David St George.
The Northcote Baptist Opportunity shop turns 50 years old this year. For 48 of those years the shop has been located in the town centre. Niki Cowie, who manages the shop and an astonishingly large team of 72 volunteers; and Maureen Sunley, who is currently the longest serving of those volunteers, says the secret to the shop’s appeal is two-fold: customers almost always find a bargain, and always find a friendly face and a listening ear behind the counter. “People go out happier than they came in,” says Maureen. Niki says on a normal day the shop would make over a hundred sales, but that many more people come in and just browse, and a lot come purely to chat, which she considers just as important. “It’s not all about the money,” she says. Their mission is to do good
for their community. “A little kindness goes a long way,” says Maureen. The shop is a huge help to families who need to make their income stretch. School shoes, bedding and blankets, toys and books are big sellers. “We sell books for $1 each and children’s books for 50 cents, so they’re a bargain,” says Niki. “We’re almost a bit like a library,” says Maureen. “Books go out and then I see them [donated] back again and the customer is in buying new ones.” Unexpected expenses also send the community down to the op shop. Niki describes a young girl who came in shopping for school camp. She left the shop with everything on her gear list for less than $10 in total. Costume parties also cause a spike in sales of retro clothing.
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Customers almost always find a bargain, and always find a friendly face and a listening ear behind the counter. “People go out happier than they came in.” “People tell us we’re so good for volunteering in here. We do it because we love it,” says Niki. Both women hope the shop is an equally important part of the revamped town centre. “I’m really excited about the new development. This building is falling to bits. We work with it, but I’m very excited to be getting a nice, new building which is welcoming to our customers.”
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SAVING FOR CHRISTMAS GOES BETTER WITH BUDDIES Seeing children go without Christmas presents motivated Palema Vanila to start ‘Strive for the Best’, a club that helps families in her neighbourhood to save money for Christmas.
‘Strive for the Best’ members meet every Friday and money is collected from each member, and banked the next day, to be released back to them on the 16th of December. Palema says some of the women are saving for holidays or other big ticket items, as well as Christmas presents.
“If we put it in our own account it’s hard to have the self control not to spend it. If you try to do it by yourself, you can’t. But in a group you can.” At the end of the year the families get together and have a celebration.
Palema says that meeting every week keeps the women focused and helps them prioritise saving over short-term temptations like cigarettes. Accountability to the other members is the key. “We can’t sit here and say, I don’t have the money.” Members agree when they join that they will put money in each week and that they can’t take any money out before the release date.
“I’ve seen how happy the children are compared to other years,” says Palema. For her, that’s enough reason to put her energy into ‘Strive for the Best’. But the impact the club is having on the families who take part goes beyond Christmas Day. “It’s about having financial goals, having greater determination and a more stable life,” says Palema. The women have become friends and all support each other. “And when the mother is happier, it helps the whole family.”
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In the NEIGHBOURHOOD
Anne-Marie
Kinni
“I’m Muslim. I go to mosque on Friday in Ponsonby. I take the bus; I don’t understand driving. When I have my driving [licence] I can take my clothes to the market in Takapuna to sell; I think I’ll try soon. I shop here in Northcote. I like to cook African food.”
“This is my place. I like it. I get to see the same people. There’s parks everywhere. I’ve got heaps of friends around here. I like the old people in Tonar. I’m friends with my neighbours and I play basketball with their kids.”
Anne-Marie, a mother of seven, came to NZ in 2005. She lives with two of her daughters, aged 17 and 20. The younger is at Northcote College and the older girl is studying nursing at AUT. She has strugged to find a job other than seasonal work planting and picking strawberries. She is a passionate cook and gardener who would love to see (and help look after) a big community garden in Northcote.
Kinni was born in Niue but shifted to NZ with his mum when he was about 7. He lives with his sister and brother-in-law and their “too many” kids. Kinni looks after the kids when they get home from school. He does most of the cooking. He’s teaching the kids to cook too, and says they’re pretty good. He stays close to home mostly except for family kilikiti tournaments “over the other side” with his Mangere-based relatives.
Where did you come to Northcote from? Burundi, via Glenfield.
Where did you come to Northcote from? Niue, as a child. Been here over 30 years. What’s your favourite thing to do here? Visit friends and family in the neighbourhood.
What’s your favourite thing to do here? Grow vegetables in my garden.
What’s your wish for the area? Nothing! I like it.
What’s your wish for the area? A big place to grow vegetables and a community market to sell clothes at.
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Who lives on Tonar Street? We knocked on some doors and drank some tea so we could introduce you to some of the everyday people that make up the Northcote community.
Jamila
“I’m very thankful for this country. I moved here with no family. I missed my parents in China and I felt lonely. When I find people around me, they are nice. They are happy to talk to me and listen to my story and I feel much better. [I stopped] wanting to go back. Now I feel it’s my place. It’s my country.”
“We like living in Northcote. It is close to everything. We like going to all the parks. My grandson has a lot of energy so we take him to the park to run around. The shops are nice and close, although it would be good if there were more shops to look at, like clothing and homeware shops.”
Cathy and her husband came to Northcote seven years ago. She was a pastor in China. She looks after her daughters and works part time for the Breath of Life church in Sunnynook. “It’s like being a mum,” she says with a laugh. “Lots of work but no pay!” She has witnessed some of the social problems in her neighbourhood first hand. She loves Northcote and has made friends amongst neighbours and locals, but she would like to see her immediate neighbourhood made safer.
Jamila lives with her husband, who works as a tailor; her daughter; son and daughter-in-law and grandson. When we visited the women were preparing food for Nauroz, the Afghani New Year. The family hosted the festivities this year for their group of friends, which means organising and paying for the hall and making sure there’s enough food for everyone. Where did you come to Northcote from? Afghanistan.
Where did you come to Northcote from? China, via Dominion Road.
What’s your favourite thing to do here? Go for a walk around the parks and playgrounds with the family.
What’s your favourite thing to do here? Go to the library for storytime with my children.
What’s your wish for the area? More variety in the type of shops in the town centre.
What’s your wish for the area? A swimming pool and more after-school activities for the kids.
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Cathy
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Meet the Principal ONEPOTO SCHOOL
Meet Marc Dombroski, or as the kids say, “Mr D” – the man who has spent 20 years leading and advocating for the Shore’s only Decile 1 school. Onepoto Primary may be small, but it has big plans and even bigger potential. Oh, and it runs one of Auckland’s biggest cultural festivals. Interview: Kaaren Goodall Photography: David St George
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That sounds like a Canadian accent mixed in with the Kiwi. I came with my family in 1970, aged 15.
The development will bring new residents to the neighbourhood. Does that excite you? Yes, although that’ll take a few years. With the current focus on achievement and the support we’re going to get from the Ministry of Education we’re in an ideal position to demonstrate change between now and then. We’re hoping to get the backing to put in a pre-school. I’d like to see the grounds improved and get sponsorship for uniforms.
Where do you live? I live in Beach Haven. Been there for 30-odd years. It’s gorgeous. How long have you been at Onepoto Primary? Fifteen years as Deputy Principal and five as Principal. I love the school and I love the area. I’ve always had a commitment to working in lower decile schools. I worked in Ranui in West Auckland; and Otara and Papakura in South Auckland.
What would you say to people deciding whether to move here, or stay here? The future is bright for this area. It’s about change. It’s about innovation. It’s about progress. You can be part of that. Tell us about your world famous (in NZ) cultural festival. Onepoto School started the first multicultural festival on the Shore 25 years ago. It’s grown to between 8,000 and 10,000 people taking part, right here at the school, every year in November. We run two stages and there are 50-plus acts. It’s our ‘jewel in the crown’ and part of our tradition. It’s run by the staff and a small collection of volunteers.
What makes you proud lately? We’ve engaged more students in learning, got more parents involved and raised the level of health at our school. Name one of your big teaching challenges? The transitory nature of the children in this area, which is partly caused by the housing stock being run down. A third of our student body turns over every six months. What do you hope the housing development will do for the school? Once those houses are built I think there will be a dramatic improvement in health. Even if you can’t afford to run the heater, the insulation will make it a much better environment. That’s going to make a difference to the kids’ attendance and their ability to concentrate. The parents will have better health too, so they’ll have more time and energy for the kids.
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What are some of the strengths of your school? To start with, it’s location. We’re exactly where we should be to serve this area. We’ve got the space, while other schools around here are crowded. Then, it’s the fact that we are part of a Community of Learning. We work collaboratively with five other schools to give the children a pathway that starts with primary, then middle school and on to a local college. And of course, with AUT in Northcote, we offer tertiary in the area too.
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Meet the Principal N O R T H C O T E I N T E R M E D I AT E
We sat down with local resident and Principal of Northcote Intermediate, Ben Kelsey, to find out what he thinks of his ‘hood, what he wants for his school, and... what’s this we hear about pigs? Interview: Kaaren Goodall Photography: David St George
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You’re a Shore boy from way back, aren’t you? I’ve been on the North Shore since I was seven. I grew up in Hillcrest and went to Willowpark Primary, Takapuna Normal and Westlake Boys. What makes you want to work in your own neighbourhood? I’ve always loved this area. I love the people and the community feel. There’s such a vibrant mix of people in Northcote. Some principals say they’d never work in their own neighbourhood, but I love bumping into people I know through school. When I go to the mall sometimes I have to stop every five minutes to talk to people. I love that! You did a stint teaching in London. What brought you back to Northcote? I missed it. I missed the people. Also the schools there are very different. There’s not the freedom that we have here to do what we think is right for that group of kids.
What’s the secret to Northcote Intermediate’s happy vibe? Our values. They drive everything. They drive what happens in the classroom, student behaviour, what we expect in assembly, what and how we learn, and even how the school looks.
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How would you describe your students? They are hugely friendly. It sounds corny but it feels like a family. We only have them for two years, but they come in and are made to feel safe, to feel welcome. They get stuck in and and try new things that they might not have had the opportunity to try before.
The school looks really neat, yet we’ve heard rumours about pigs. I went and visited some other schools with a group of principals. Many of them had horticulture areas with chickens. One school in Manurewa had pigs, and I thought ‘how cool for the kids to get to feed and look after them’, but bigger than that, a group of kids had designed and built the pig pen, working with their property manager. How long do you think you can keep the pig project alive? The Manurewa school have had their pigs for nine years. We’re not thinking bacon here.
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What’s your vision for Northcote Intermediate? To be the number one choice of middle school for our local community. That’s our mission. How will you know you’ve made it? We’re on our way. Our families speak so positively about the school. That’s why we have kids coming from outside the area now. In the last five years our roll has doubled from 200 to 400 kids. Your big wish for Northcote? I’d like people to feel proud and happy to come from here, kind of like what we’ve created in the school. Our kids are proud to come from this school.
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The Awataha Greenway Over the next six years many of Northcote’s reserves will be linked by a new greenway, creating a network of green public spaces that are joined up as a journey through Northcote. 15
WHAT IS A GREENWAY?
WHAT’S ITS PURPOSE?
A greenway is a green ‘corridor’ designed to make it easy and pleasant for people to move around part of a neighbourhood or city. Northcote’s new greenway follows the path of the former Awataha Stream to the sea. The greenway forms a network of pathways, parks, public spaces and quiet streets that provide a safe and healthy environment for people, plants and wildlife. Some greenways, like Awataha, provide for the movement and cleaning of water as well.
The greenway will provide a place to walk or cycle, play and meet people. The route will safely connect the community to local destinations including the schools, town centre, public transport stops and recreation spaces; and access the wider city cycle network. It will provide opportunities to learn about the natural world, and help with overland water flow during very heavy rain to reduce current flooding.
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SIDE BY SIDE
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The Northcote community has embraced the idea of a safe walking and cycling connection since 2004. The long-discussed idea of connecting Northcote’s open spaces will start becoming a reality. Between 2004 and 2010, the community helped shape the idea of using the natural landform of the Awataha Stream to connect Kaka Reserve in the west through Greenslade Reserve and the town centre, along the school’s edge to Akoranga Reserve, and ultimately northwards into Shoal Bay on the Waitematā Harbour. The greenway was first put forward during the Northcote Central Project (2003–2005), a partnership between North Shore City Council, Housing New Zealand and the Northcote Central Development Group Trust (a community trust). Since that time, opportunities for the greenway have been further explored with the community, and in particular the youth of Northcote, who could see that the greenway could be a safe, fun and healthy place for everyone to share and be proud of. The community will continue to be involved in the greenway’s creation and care into the future, working together and walking side by side.
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Northcote Greenway
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—TIMELINE—
The timeline shows engagement with the community in the early stages of shaping up the greenway and exploring options and opportunities through project partnerships.
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2010 Northcote people have said they want a greenway that is fun, friendly, inclusive, safe, distinctive and healthy. Taking community ideas gathered in the past we will springboard into the future; and side by side, create a shared space that belongs to the community.
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Northcote Central Project Concept Plan, endorsed May 2005. The new greenway was identified as an important feature at the heart of Northcote. Northcote Child and Youth Development Project, July 2005. Provided a picture of children and young people in Northcote and what they value. Untouched World, 2007. A youth programme involving students in exploring social and environmental opportunities for the greenway. Eastern Area Planning Framework, 2008–Sept 2010. Refinement of design priorities for the greenway as an integral part of Housing New Zealand housing development. Northcote Town Centre Plan, July 2010. Opportunities for open space use, safety and access to support the proposed greenway connection through the town centre.
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The Awataha Greenway project will be created in stages through a partnership between HLC, Panuku and Mana Whenua. Each part of the greenway will be shaped with the schools, community groups and others who care for the asset; and will include path and planting enhancements, playful artistic and educational elements; and ways to hold, move and treat stormwater. As the project evolves the community will be kept informed about progress and opportunities to be involved in its creation.
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Kaka Street Reserve: existing reserve upgrade with paths and furniture.
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Kaka Street: street upgrade and link to the Kaka Street Reserve.
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Potter Avenue to Greenslade Crescent: new street through the HLC development. Greenslade Reserve: an improved playing field and stormwater detention space, connected to the centre.
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Town centre: a vibrant heart and shopping street connecting town spaces along the greenway.
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Cadness Reserve: an enlarged and improved Cadness Reserve to include play opportunities.
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School edge: a learning environment and a shared cycle and walkway overlooked by new housing.
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Link to Hato Petera College: a new reserve creating a connection to Awataha Stream with a shared path.
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Linear Park: an urban street including play, art and seating elements.
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Lenihan and Stancich Reserve: existing reserve upgrades, pedestrian links and opportunities for play.
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HATO PETERA COLLEGE
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TUFF CRATER RESERVE
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Relocating Households in Northcote At the heart of everything we are doing are the people currently living in Northcote. As with all regenerations such as this, work will require a number of households to relocate. This is to enable older Housing New Zealand homes to be replaced with brand new, warm, dry, fit for purpose homes.
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— TH E R E LO CAT I O N PRO C E S S —
SECOND VISIT
THIRD VISIT
R E LO CAT I O N PERIOD
Advise property is likely to be affected by redevelopment — Process and timeframes given — Reassurance of tenant support throughout the process
Confirmation that affected by redevelopment — Confirmation of need to move — Confirmation of process, support provided — Reassurance of support thoughout the process
Formal advice the relocation is beginning — Specific housing needs confirmed — 90 day notice issued — Reassurance of support thoughout the process
Alternative homes offered — Additional support where required — Boxes delivered — Relocation agreed and arranged — Move completed
P O S T M OV E VISIT
T E N A N T R E LO CAT I O N
INITIAL VISIT
Ongoing support for tenants from the Tenancy Liaison Team as required Ongoing contact with tenants to advise progress and to enable site access as required
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Confirm move went well — Ensure family settling in well — Follow up any outstanding costs to be paid by HNZC — Confirm process ends and goes back to ‘business as usual’ tenancy
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THE T E N A N CY LIAISON TEAM
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DEE-LIGHTED WITH THEIR NEW HOME People are on the move elsewhere in Auckland as Housing New Zealand replaces ageing housing with new, warm, dry homes designed for modern life. Meet Dee and Sofia who have been through the relocation process and are enjoying their new digs in Meadowbank. 19
Housing New Zealand tenants are always the first to know if there are plans involving the homes they’re living in. Tenants are advised as soon as Housing New Zealand believes they may be affected by redevelopment. The TLT will continue to support them right through to the completion of this process – no matter what the outcome.
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Housing New Zealand has a dedicated, nationwide Tenancy Liaison Team (TLT) that supports tenants every step of the way through any redevelopment.
When households do need to relocate, Housing New Zealand works hard to find them a suitable alternative home, taking into account housing need, support, community networks and schooling needs. Housing New Zealand also arranges each household relocation once an alternative home is agreed upon and will cover all reasonable costs related to the move.
Dee Court often catches herself smiling as she looks at her granddaughter playing in her bedroom. It’s everything you’d expect of a four-year-old girl’s room; lacy curtains, plenty of pink and purple, and unicorns galloping across her duvet. But what makes this bedroom special is that it’s brand new and it’s all Sofia’s. “Sofia has her own room and her own bed at long last,” says Dee, who is a retired grandmother of 13, and Sofia’s primary caregiver. “She’s never had that before and she just adores it.”
For tenants who require modifications we have an occupational therapist available to assess their needs so we have a better understanding of their housing requirements. Wherever possible we will find a house that is already modified. However if this is not possible, we will look for a home that is able to be modified and complete the work required to ensure the house meets their needs.
The pair moved into their new, twobedroom Housing New Zealand home two months ago and Dee says it has given them both a new lease on life. “I love the bright cheerfulness of the place and the fact that it’s a separate, standalone home,” says Dee. “There’s a great bunch of people living here. Sofia loves being able to play outside with the other children in the neighbourhood. We are all friendly without being in each other’s pockets.” Dee was living in a one-bedroom Housing New Zealand unit before moving. Taking
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on the fulltime care of her granddaughter meant she needed another bedroom. While she misses her old home and the friends she made there, she says her new home ticks a lot of boxes. Dee’s property is one of eight new two and four-bedroom homes built on land that previously held just three 1940s-era houses. The new homes are architecturally designed and built to today’s standards, including double-glazing, full insulation and thermal quality curtains and carpet. The development is typical of the work Housing New Zealand is doing across Auckland to modernise its housing stock, provide more homes and better use of its land. For tenants like Dee and Sofia, the outcome of that work is a house they’re proud to call home. Dee says that at first the move seemed daunting, but Housing New Zealand’s staff made the process seamless. “Sofia loves it here; the freedom of being outside and having friends to play with. We are very happy.”
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The Northcote Development If you’ve been on Cadness Street, Tonar Street, or Potter Avenue recently you will have caught wind that times are changing for those parts of the neighbourhood. The construction happening in these streets makes up Stage One of the Northcote Development, a project that will create 1200 new homes over the next six years on land owned by Housing New Zealand. A total of 298 Housing New Zealand homes will be removed and replaced by 400 new homes to be kept by Housing New Zealand for social housing. A further 800 new homes will be sold to first time buyers and the general market.
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WHY NORTHCOTE? Northcote was chosen for redevelopment for several reasons, but here are the two big ones: First and foremost, the Housing New Zealand houses in the area built in the 1950s are past their best and need to be replaced. The new homes will provide a warm, dry, healthy environment designed for modern life. Secondly, Northcote can grow to accommodate the new people that the extra 800 homes will attract. The suburb is close to the city where many people work, has schools, parks and sportsgrounds, good public transport links, local shops and a supermarket; and a well established, strong and multi-cultural community.
CHANGING NEIGHBOURHOODS
The other key change is that the development will use land more efficiently, as is the norm in cities of Auckland’s size around the world. Large yards will be replaced by smaller ones. Private gardens will be replaced by numerous shared spaces that have been ‘designed in’ to the neighbourhoods. The front yards, laneways, streets, reserves and the Awataha Greenway (see page 14) will all provide places to spend time with others. Whanau has been put first in the planning of the new neighbourhoods. Good design will make spending time outside with family and friends easy and opportunities to chat with neighbours over the fence, on the street, or at the park will grow.
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Overseas research points to diversity being a key factor in the strength of a community. People feel happier and more satisfied with where they live when their community includes a mix of people of different ages and stages, incomes and ethnicities. Over the next six years the immediate neighbourhoods affected by the Northcote development will grow and change as new people move into the 800 new homes which will be sold to a cross-section of Aucklanders. These new people will bring greater breadth, and therefore strength, to their neighbourhoods.
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THE EVERYDAY HOME COMES TO NORTHCOTE V I S UA L I SAT I O N S BY I S T H M U S G R O U P
Warm, dry, safe homes are a basic requirement for any healthy community. A team of designers from Isthmus Group has been working with Housing New Zealand to finalise the design of an efficient new house specifically for the Northcote community. Called the ‘Everyday Home’, the design prioritises warmth, health, comfort, safety and flexibility.
Isthmus Group’s Founding Director, David Irwin says some of the key features of the design include: a size that is tailored for family living; houses that are easy, and therefore cheaper, to heat; porches that keep the front door dry and welcoming; a simple back yard where people can play and grow things; and plenty of storage. The houses face the street to reinforce community.
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A Place Called Home REWI THOMSON 1953–2016
Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Ngati Raukawa
Rewi believed that all people deserve a connection with the land in a beautiful, well thought-out home. He summed up his approach to the design of the Everyday Home as “whanau first”.
A place to laugh and a place to cry A place to be happy and a place to be sad A place to think and a place to sing A place to rest and a place to eat A place for my toys and a place to fix my bike A place to hang my family photo and a place to grow my tomatoes A place to rest and a place to sleep A place to have friends and a place to share A place that is friendly A place to tell stories a place to dream A place to listen and a place to learn A place to be merry and a place to make a cake A place to keep me dry and a place that is warm A place to study and a place to sew A place to play and a place to dance A place that is safe A place where I am yelled at the most but a place where I am loved the most A place called home
Rewi Thompson
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The Everyday Home was designed by the late Rewi Thomson. Rewi was of Te Aitanga a Hauiti and Ngati Raukawa descent. He was a much-loved and respected member of the architectural community who won many competitions and awards in his career, including a UNESCO International Award for a housing scheme designed for urban Māori.
A place to meet, a place to greet
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Northcote Shopping Centre, June 1965. Image courtesy of Archives New Zealand.
A Pioneer in Shopping Centres
A lot has changed in Northcote since the town centre land was purchased for £8000 by the Northcote Borough Council in 1957 for a shopping mall – a very new concept for Kiwis at the time. The opening of the Northcote Shopping Centre in June 1959 was described by the North Shore Times as a carnival atmosphere, with coloured lights, the Post Office Band playing and several hundred people present, who ‘appeared’ to be in celebratory mood. It was a far cry from a Northcote that had just been paddocks and market gardens making the most of the area’s rich soils. The construction of the harbour bridge changed all that and the first council-owned shopping centre was opened. When schools were placed alongside it and many state houses built nearby, the Northcote town centre became the heart of a new community. Today Northcote is a multi-cultural town centre with a great array of food and established community facilities. While it’s a busy community hub, it’s certainly
no longer leading the way in town centre developments. Kaipātiki Local Board chair Danielle Grant says residents have long held a desire to see their town centre revitalised. “We want tomorrow’s Northcote to be a place where more and more people want to move to, attracted by the mix of lifestyles and easy connections to the wider Auckland community.” The city’s new regeneration agency Panuku Development Auckland plans to redevelop the town centre and improve local amenities to increase safety. Grant encourages Northcote residents to embrace the redevelopment of their suburb. “This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure Northcote is ready for what tomorrow brings and will allow residents to have a strong sense of community, ownership and pride in the area.”
N O R TH C OTE
N O R TH C OTE
4 KEY MOVES What Panuku is proposing in Northcote focuses on four key moves:
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T H E TOW N CENTRE Creating a vibrant heart Bringing retail development forward onto Lake Road, creating a new multi-purpose community building and providing enhanced public spaces eg. a new town square.
Creating a neighbourhood boulevard
GREENSLADE
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BRING THE CENTRE TO LAKE ROAD Supermarket-led mixed use development on main at-grade car park (car parking provided underground).
LAKE RD
‘THE WELCOME MAT’ Provide a slow speed entry on Lake Rd that will connect the town centre with Greenslade Reserve.
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A HIGH AMENITY BOULEVARD Increased amenity to complement the increased density eg tree planting and underground services.
An opportunity to deliver intensified housing with new homes offering more choice in terms of type, tenure and price point.
This landmark open space will be designed with the community so that it becomes something that is treasured and cared for by everyone.
CYCLING FOCUS Northcote Safe Cycle Route infrastructure upgrade, Smales Farm to Northcote ferry terminal.
HOUSING FOR OLDER PEOPLE
HOUSING Increasing density, choice and tenure mix
A network of public open space
Remodelling Lake Road as a pedestrian-friendly boulevard incorporating cycle lanes and wider footpaths.
GREENSLADE RESERVE
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SUPERMARKET
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COMMUNITY FACILITY
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ONE VIBRANT SHOPPING STREET Provide one central shopping street as a focus of the town.
PEARN CR
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PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOCUS Upgrad bus services, and move the bus stops onto Lake Road.
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A NEW MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY FACILITY
SAFETY THROUGH ACTIVITY Build 500-plus apartments in the town centre.
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into one building on Lake Road – in the middle of the town centre, not the back.
A SERIES OF TOWN SPACES and other public spaces for events and activities.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.PANUKU.CO.NZ/NORTHCOTE
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MY PLACE What gives Northcote its unique, friendly, laid-back vibe? It’s the people. You make the place. P H OTO G R A P H Y: DAV I D S T G E O R G E A N D J O N N Y DAV I S
N O R TH C OTE
From left: Jazmyn Hornsby, Azlin Grooby, Moses Lapana and Rihanna Ekueta of Onepoto Primary, photographed at school. Photograph by David St George
My Place Toku Wahi Hoku Fiefia’anga Lo’u Nofoaga 我的空间 나의 생활 터전