LOCAL NEWS
Ponsonby Park – August update The impact of Covid-19 on Auckland Council’s budget has temporarily delayed the realisation of Ponsonby Park - the new civic space at 254 Ponsonby Road. How long this delay may last, will be informed by the local board’s consultation on their three-year plan. The Waitemata- Local Board, along with all the other Auckland local boards, has recently consulted on what to include in their next threeyear plan. This was the first part - phase one - of the consultation. The feedback from phase one informed their draft three-year plan, outlining the key initiatives the Waitemata- Local Board wants to focus on to help their communities thrive whilst supporting the recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The Waitemata- Local Board now needs your help to check if they’ve got it right; this is phase two of the consultation. Your feedback is now sought until 13 August, 2020. Please support Ponsonby Park in your submission, along with the other issues you are passionate about.
Ref Appendix A: Advocacy initiatives, to… ‘secure funding, resource and support to deliver the community’s vision for Ponsonby Park 254 Ponsonby Road as soon as practicable’. Although the physical development of the civic space will be delayed, continuing progress through the design and planning stage still makes practical and financial sense. The momentum for the development is maintained, jobs are created without committing to the full Capex (capital expenditure), and the community is rewarded for all of the ongoing support and effort they have put into the project to date.
‘A key role of the local board is to advocate for initiatives that the local board may not have decision-making responsibilities or funding for in their draft local board plan, but recognise the value it will add to the community’.
We further suggest that Ponsonby Park be provided with a meaningful and symbolic physical presence on Ponsonby Road in the meantime. That a portion of the site at 254 Ponsonby Road be made available for the community, and beautified as a place for people to meet, gather, rest, and relax - until the project can be fully completed. Ponsonby Park – we’ve already waited so long.
Ponsonby Park is the Waitemata- Local Board’s priority capital project (aka ‘One Local Initiative’ project).
Please make your submission in support of Ponsonby Park today – submissions close soon, on 13 August. (JENNIFER WARD) PN https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/waitemataplan
PONSONBY NEWS+ August 2020
33
