More than one way to solve parking issues in Stillwater

Increasing numbers of boaties using the public boat ramp in Stillwater, adjacent to the boating club, are causing ‘parking Armageddon’ according to club spokesperson Mike Dance.

In a presentation to the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board meeting on June 27, Dance described ongoing issues with parking for boaties at Stillwater Boating Club, and on surrounding streets.

During weekends, club events or on fine boating days, the club carpark overflows, with parking on Duck Creek Road blocking the carriageway, and turning this section of the road into a difficult to negotiate one-way system.

It is especially difficult for cars with trailers, which have to reverse when they meet an oncoming vehicle.

Although Auckland Transport (AT) says there have been no crashes there, it has been looking into the matter, particularly as the grassed berm is being damaged by parking. It is moving forward with a proposal to improve safety by creating a permanent one-way layout on this portion of Duck Creek Road.

Dance says while that will be safer, it will not create any more parking for boaties. He is suggesting that the roadside berm in that area be converted into additional carparks.

As a starting point, the club wants to extend the parking on the reserve it occupies, and recently the local board granted it $17,000 to help take this forward.

Dance says he has been raising the safety issue on Duck Creek Road with AT since 2018, but is pleased to finally see it being addressed. It has got significantly worse over the years with increasing development in the area, he says.

“People move here for the coastal lifestyle, but there has been no further boating infrastructure put in,” he says. “Because Stillwater has an all-tide boat ramp, the demand has gone off the scale.”

Lack of parking on this narrow road is causing an unsafe situation, boaties say. Stillwater residents will be consulted on the one-way road proposal.

AT’s proposal is to use signs and flexiposts to make Duck Creek Road one-way south of the boat club, with yellow lines relocated to the other side.

Local board feedback focused on the need for Stillwater residents to have a say, as it would create a longer loop for some of them to drive around.

AT says that there will be consultation on the one-way proposal.

An AT spokesperson says the design is currently being tweaked and finalised – a process that it hopes will be completed this month.

Once approval is obtained from AT’s executive leadership team, there will be public consultation regarding the one-way layout, the spokesperson says.

Golf course closes

Late last week, Gulf Harbour Country Club announced its closure, effective immediately. In a letter sent to members, club director Wayne Bailey said the club has been losing money, and the cost of much needed investment is “prohibitive”. The letter says that selling off surplus land was considered but proved impossible due to the course layout.