RICHARD NORTHEY, WAITEMAT A LOCAL BOARD

LOCAL NEWS RICHARD NORTHEY: Waitemata Local Board Chair

Spring has brought wet and windy weather and the continuation of a Covid lockdown.

We are hopeful of moving down the levels and the Council has worked hard to relax the rules on using footpaths, parklets and carparks for outdoor dining to help cafes and restaurants under Level 2. If we continue to obey the lockdown rules, mask up, and not use playgrounds, sports grounds, or other shared facilities, we should be able to come through again. I have had both my Covid jabs, and I strongly urge you all to get yours to ensure that we get back to Level 1 as soon possible.

Our Board will once again be holding its bi-annual Good Citizens Awards Ceremony at the Town Hall reception lounge on the evening of Friday 26 November. Nominations for the Awards are now open until 17 October. These awards are to recognise and celebrate those who go above and beyond for the benefit of our diverse communities and environment in the Waitematā Local Board area. The award categories are: individuals, children and young people under 25, and community groups. Please think about those who deserve this recognition.

Make your nomination using the online nomination form at our website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/waitemata.

Contact our local board office for assistance if you’d like to make your nomination by phone, email, or post: 09 301 0101 or waitematalocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

At our last Waitematā Local Board meeting on 21 September, held entirely by Skype, we had a very busy agenda. We acknowledged the death of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's kaumatua Bob Hawke, heard from the community through deputations, public forum presenters and ward councillor Pippa Coom.

Then the Board considered giving up our Board Members’ carparks to ensure we all use public and active transport; a renewed lease for the sea scouts in Cox’s Bay; Business Improvement Districts Policy; adding a possible loop track for the Western Springs forest; forthcoming CRL works in Basque Park; making our Local Board grants to community organisations; the Victoria Street Linear Park Project; Auckland Transport’s Parking Strategy; Bylaws for the Water Supply and Wastewater Network, Public Trading Events and Filming and Animal Management; Kerbside Rubbish Collection Charging; Age-Friendly Auckland Strategy; and our feedback on the Government’s Three Waters Reforms. It was a very busy meeting.

Council is supporting the seismic strengthening and restoration for public use of the Leys Institute buildings. A start had been made on developing a detailed business case for the restoration and a Project Guidance Steering Group for it appointed, including myself and a representative of the Friends of the Leys Institute, Ponsonby Community Centre and the Business Association, mana whenua and local residents’ associations. The Board is also actively seeking ways in which the first stage of the Ponsonby Park project could be commenced by Council.

The Board is aware of community concerns about the possible effects in our area of the application of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. Council elected members and staff, including the Board’s knowledgeable Deputy-Chair Alex Bonham, are meeting frequently to develop proposals for an appropriate and beneficial Council response. These proposals would be the subject of widespread and extensive public

Festival Italiano

Good Citizens’ Awards 2019 award recipient Gerry Hill (centre) with (left to right) Shale Chambers, Councillor for Waitematā and Gulf Pippa Coom, Mike Lee, Waitematā Local Board Chair Richard Northey and Gerry’s dog Queenie (foreground).

consultation before anything is implemented. Alex and our Board want to make sure that any changes to enable more housing in our area also properly protect the character housing and communities in our inner suburbs and help maintain and develop a high-quality liveable environment here.

The Waitematā Local Board has instituted a system of bimonthly community clinics. In these the Board members meet with a series of community groups and individuals for 15 minutes each, in a convenient suburban location, to have a dialogue that is not possible at our formal Board meetings, on issues of concern to them. The August meetings went well, and we look forward to those interested booking in with the Waitematā Local Board for our next sessions on Wednesday 13 October from 7pm onwards. The October sessions will be held via Skype due to uncertainty around alert levels. We are also organising community forums hosted by groups we don’t hear enough from, starting with a Forum hosted by the Chinese Community before Christmas.

We look forward to the resumption of the community festivals and events that the Board supports after lockdown. These include Festival Italiano in Newmarket on 7 November, the Parnell Festival of Roses on 14 November, and the Grey Lynn Festival on 20 November. (RICHARD NORTHEY)  PN

I can be contacted at richard.northey@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or 021 534 546.

SINCE 1 9 9 6

LETTERS & EMAILS LETTERS CONTINUED FROM P8

FACT OR FICTION The opinion piece in the last issue on Western Springs was based on a lack of research or evidence.

Auckland Council website contains these reports and documents that refute that article. A summation of links is available in the pinned post on Facebook page 'Protect Te Wai Ōrea'.

Auckland Council commissioned an 'Independent Risk Assessment' by 'The Tree Consultancy Company' that proved wrong their original arborist, Gerald Collett, who said the Monterey Pines were "dead and dying". But Waitematā Local Board Chair Richard Northey, Councillor Pippa Coom, and their acolytes tediously repeat this misinformation.

This almost a cult-like belief, being pushed by some people, that somehow introduced trees, except for those that feed humans, need to pay the price for colonisation by pakeha ancestors. The birds don't give a flying fig about these silly ideas. That's not how nature sees it, nor do indigenous cultures, including traditional Maori philosophy, with the belief in the interconnectedness of all life on this planet.

WLB Member Graeme Gunthorp tweeted the truth that 200 trees in Western Springs Forest, at 100 years were 2/3 of the way through their life and 1/4 of the trees were dangerous. However, his decision that it was fiscally responsible to remove them all at once has also been proven wrong, with the cost over $1.8million.

The forest at Western Springs has been destroyed unnecessarily.

There has been a loss of 30% of urban ngahere in the Waitematā Ward, removed mostly by Council, since the National Government removed Tree Protection. Evidence can be found in Auckland Council's 'Urban Ngahere Plan' and the results of the 'Aerial Lidar Mapping System Report'.

Moving on we have to create a new canopy to bring back the birds. Auckland Council are failing on that too.

The overland watercourses haven't been returned. The correct trees that like 'wet feet' haven't been planted. Auckland Council's soil register deems this hillside 'fill/weak', yet Waitematā Local Board want to put a 'loop track' down one of these fragile valleys, to encourage off road cyclists into this 'Significant Ecological Area'.

It's ironic that the protectors of this forest were bought together by local artist, Annette Isbey, after mountain bikers were threatened with trespass order in July 2007 after they created a 250 metre long illegal trail the year before. A decision needs to be made whether this sport or the ecology is more important, again.

Gael Baldock, Community Advocate

WAITEMATĀ LOCAL BOARD It is important to all ratepayers that the Council spends our money wisely. The first step is to ensure that wherever we spend money, it is supported by good financial analysis.

Looking at the money spent on the felling of the trees in Western Springs Forest, Stuff recently reported that there has been a significant blowout in costs, which will get worse if legal action is followed through.

To elaborate on just one element. For the tree felling, the budget figure was $436,896. Treescape, the successful tenderer, won the contract with a tender price that was 15% under budget. So far so good. However, we now find out that the actual money paid to Treescape exceeded the tender price by 41% ($152,986). I have made an official information request to get copies of the invoices that make up the expenditure. In addition, there are questions raised as to whether the tender documents accurately specified the work to be done.

There is now a proposal from the same Council department to build a walking track around the area. The proposed cost is $83,000 to be paid from a fund controlled by the Waitematā Local Board. The Board at its meeting on 21 September agreed that the proposal be released as is for public consultation.

The Board agreed to this without questioning the robustness of the costing. Furthermore, the Council official would not answer a question from Member Trotman ‘who would pay for any overrun?’. ‘A fool and their money are soon parted’. NON ESSENTIAL OUTING Little niggle creeping around the periphery of my thinking a contamination of sorts in a time of contamination

How might a prevention ideal become an opportunity for repression?

Oh dear, I must walk it out. Walk it out. Walk. Head to Western Park, a nonessential expedition not seeking medicine not seeking food. But surely health and sanity are essential and exercise is allowed (thank you Jacinda). And we should remember too that exposure of eyes to the light of day is necessary for health and stimulation and what’s more, it saves us from the madness of overfamiliarity with Al Jazeera.

In the park I am cautious about my social distancing but here it is easy, no persons close-by. In the distance, yes a dog walker (James Herriot) a cyclist (my child self on a mission to find portugals) a couple (Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson) all on separate paths all on the outer edge of vision conflated with memory

I sit on a cool, thick mat of grass Idly observing the panorama of trees. Old, old trees planted and nurtured so long ago (late 19th Century) by urban planning visionaries who imagined the future and the potential, of this distinguished public space.

These days, along the ridge at the southern edge of the park, many concrete and glass towers imagine a different kind of civic life. Looming erect like meercats, ever vigilant, scanning their private horizon for danger. (ALEXA LAWRENCE)

Keith McConnell keith@keithforwaitemata.com