Championing the Manukau Foreshore

The Manukau Foreshore is an ecological and recreational gem. We love the native bush, the picnic spots, the track network, the hidden beaches, and the wonderful bird life.

On the Puketapapa Local Board we have been champions for the Foreshore, Michael has overseeen

work in this area as the Board's Parks and Open Spaces Portfolio-holder. He has also been a keen rat and possum trapper along the foreshore over the past eight years. 

We've been able to achieve a lot over the past three years, including:

• Overseeing extensions to the track network at Waikowhai, Hillsborough Cemetery, and Cape Horn.
•  Leading the project to develop a new coastal walkway linking Onehunga to Taylors Bay.
•  Developing a community-led vision for the Foreshore to guide our priorities in the years to come.
•  Securing a ten year funding programme to control weeds along the coastal reserves, now in action.
•  Pushing for the development of the new walkway through Lynfield Reserve (under construction).
•  Taking action to protect and preserve the historic Waikowhai changing sheds.
•  Launching the campaign to Bury the Pylons that blight our Foreshore and neighbourhoods.

In the next term we want to build on this work, and in particular we are keen to help support the newly formed Waikowhai Forest Restoration Network, and to make further progress on completing the track network, including the provision of useful, integrated signage, and appropriate facilities.

With your support we can further enhance this very special place in our community.

Bury the Pylons - First 1000 signatures handed over!

David Holm has written a short update on the Bury The Pylons campaign, reporting on the handover of the first 1000 signatures on the petition on Sautrday 21st Sept.  

The first 1000 signatures on the Bury the Pylons petition were presented last week to Phil Goff , M.P. for Mt. Roskill, at Taylors Bay near some of the most unsightly pylons in the Manukau Harbour. 

Phil told a group of local supporters about how his father, now aged over 90 had swum in the area when young. He pointed out that the $20 million plus improvements to the Onehunga foreshore would be hugely enhanced if the adjacent pylons were removed. All new Transpower lines in urban areas in New Zealand are now undergrounded.

At the latest count, petition signatures are well past halfway to the second thousand. The offer for places to display  "Bury the Pylons" signs is well in excess of the number of signs available. 

At a public meeting in Onehunga, Transpower representatives stated that they are receptive to opportunities to underground lines, provided funds are available from government or other sources. The petition points to the dividends being paid by Transpower to the Government which this year reached $295 million.

Big Heritage wins for Roskill

Roskill’s heritage is rich and interesting. However, for a long time it has been neglected. We have lost

many significant buildings over the years, we have fewer heritage protected buildings than any other part of Auckland, there is paucity of heritage signage in place, and a very senior Roskill councillor was once quoted as saying “Roskill has no heritage”.

Over the last three years we have worked with the local community to turn that around. The achievements are now really stacking up, with Michael Wood leading work in this area as the Local Board’s heritage portfolio holder:

•  Took steps to protect and preserve the historic block changing sheds at Waikowhai
•  Secured $150,000 to advance the first formal survey of Mt Roskill/Puketapapa’s heritage with many key sites identified and proposed for protection under the Unitary Plan
•  Established an annual Heritage Forum to bring together local people with an interest in Roskill’s history
•  Co-ordinated local events for the annual Heritage Festival in Roskill 
• Organised 2012’s Heritage Art competition for local school students 
•   Secured the restoration and return of the much loved ‘Mayor Dick Fickling’ portrait to the Fickling Centre
•  Established a Local Board collection of Heritage images, some of which are displayed in Fickling Centre rooms 
•   Led the upgrade of St Andrews Reserve, ‘the home of local government in Auckland’ including heritage interpretive signage.
•  Secured funding for the installation of heritage interpretive signage around Roskill and ran a public vote to determine the priority sites. Installation commencing in late 2013.
•  Initiated and delivered the Suffrage Memorial in the Rose Gardens (corner Mt Albert Rd & Warren Ave), to be formally unveiled on September 19.

And then there’s the work of the wonderful Mt Roskill (Puketapapa) Historical Society, led by Garth Houltam. The Society was only formed in 2011 but has done a power of work to get heritage on to the local agenda, and provide the Local Board with good information.

Finally, we are thrilled that the community campaign initiated by the Historical Society and supported by the Local Board to save the historic Mt Roskill Council Chambers has succeeded. A delegation of Board representatives including Julie and Michael spoke to the Strategy & Finance Committee of Council on Friday and received the thumbs up for a $3.6 million restoration plan that will see the original 1957 building restored. This came on the back of a 1000 strong petition from the Historical Society. A great win to cap off a great term for Heritage in Roskill!

We are taking a comprehensive policy on local heritage issues into the 2013 election which can be viewed here.

Media release: Campaign & Petition to "Bury the Pylons" Launched

Campaign & Petition to 'Bury the Pylons' Launched

"Ugly", "Intimidating", and "Over bearing" are just some of the ways that Mt Roskill residents describe Transpower's huge high voltage transmission lines that despoil local neighbourhoods and the ecologically sensitive Manukau Foreshore. This coming weekend the Roskill Community Voice team will be holding a public meeting to launch a campaign and petition to 'Bury the Pylons'.

"Fundamentally, we don't think that our community is being treated fairly. Three separate lines of these large steel monsters cross the Mt Roskill area. They ruin views, lower property values, despoil the beautiful Manukau Harbour, and degrade the quality of our neighbourhoods. We know that this would not be accepted along suburbs bordering the Waitemata Harbour, so why along Mt Roskill and the Manukau Harbour?", says Roskill Community Voice candidate and Hillsborough resident Garth Houltham.

"Our campaign calls for central government, local government, and Transpower to advance plans to 'Bury the Pylons'. We accept that this is a big job, but there is a clear solution. Over the next three years Transpower will pay $542 million in dividends to central government. It is only fair that a portion of Transpower's profits be diverted to solving this problem, rather than subsidising other government services", says Roskill Community Voice candidate and Roskill South resident David Holm.

"This Saturday we will be holding a public meeting to launch our campaign and petition demanding action. Residents can get directly involved by signing our 'Bury the Pylons' petition that will be launched at the meeting. We know that local people are sick of being taken for granted and we already have lots of support from the community on this issue. We encourage local people to get involved so that we can win our campaign to 'Bury the Pylons', says Garth Houltham.

Contact:

Garth Houltham - 027-236-7777

David Holm - 627-9433

Facebook event with map, more photos and background information.

'Bury the Pylons' Public Meeting Details:
Saturday 20 July, 2pm - 3.30pm

St Davids in the Fields Church, 202 Hillsborough Rd, Hillsborough

Guest speaker: Phil Goff MP

Public and media welcome

Roskill Community Voice is the progressive team contesting the Puketapapa Local Board for the 2013 Auckland Council elections, and is currently represented on the Board by Julie Fairey and Michael Wood.

Waikowhai Park, Auckland Anniversary Day 2012

Photos taken on one of the new Waikowhai Park bush tracks, January 30th 2012.  For the full album of 24 photos see our album from this walk on Facebook.

The old signage, not looking so great....

Flash new signage, providing information as well as other new signs that help you find your way.

The start of the short coastal walk from the eastern end of Wesley Bay around to Aldersgate.  Being well used by fishers and walkers alike, and just as a nice spot to look out at the Manukau.

Inspecting the flotsam and jetsam on the beach at Wesley Bay.  In the background you can see the packed carpark at the western end of Wesley Bay - hundreds of people there just enjoying the park, the sun and the BBQ.

And the view back along the busier part of Wesley Bay (during a calmer moment!)

The track we went on took us from near the playground right through to the eastern part of Wesley Bay (linking up with the Aldersgate access point when the tide is low enough).  We were there at about low tide.  This track is not quite complete - there was some machinery on the tracks and it is still unsuitable for those who have difficulty walking and/or are pushing a buggy.

Community Garden setting up in Roskill South

Attended a great meeting at The Roskill South Oasis on Thursday night to start the process of getting a community garden up and running there.  Very enthusiastic bunch of people living in the surrounding streets, with a wide variety of gardening experience (from none, to a little, to a lot, to having their own greenhouse!) 

We've decided to probably have one large garden directly behind the main church building, with some tractor tyres for individual plots as well.  People have gone away to see if they can source cheap/free materials, and find out further information about how community gardens can run.  Marino has volunteered to be coordinator as we get set-up, and we're hoping to have it ready to go by spring.

We're meeting again on Thursday 17th February to take the next steps.  7pm at the Roskill South Oasis, Glass Rd.

Check out the CCS Disability Action Community Garden's blog;  I'm hoping to meet up with their coordinator soon to pick his brains and then report back to the next meeting. 

Media Statement: Boards must take control of Dominion Rd shambles

“We are thrilled by C&R’s limp back down on their shambolic Dominion Rd proposal, but we are concerned by what will happen next”, says Michael Wood a spokesperson for Roskill Community Voice, a team contesting the Puketapapa Local Board.

“From the beginning C&R’s plan was a shambles. They purposely tried to force it through in a rushed timeframe to get it in place before the October elections. So flawed was the plan though, and so great was the resistance from local communities, that they had no choice but to back down”, continues Wood.

“The tragedy of the botched process is that it has obscured the fact that there are real issues on Dominion Rd. It is not pedestrian friendly, traffic is often heavily congested, public transport requires further improvements, and cyclists face real peril. We have always agreed that Dominion Rd needs changes, just not in the way that C&R proposed.”

“Following on from that undemocratic process, we are now really concerned that Auckland City is sending the issue to Auckland Transport, the new CCO that is run by unelected government appointees. What we really need is for the issue of Dominion Rd to come back to the communities of Dominion Rd.”

“Our position is that a new plan for Dominion Rd needs to be developed at the grassroots. A Roskill Community Voice Local Board will hold public hearings about the future of Dominion Rd, and we will include all of the stakeholders from the start. We did not accept C&R hijacking the development of this Auckland icon, and we will not accept an unaccountable CCO doing the same”, concludes Wood.

Ends

Media Statement: Supercity an opportunity to end neglect of Manukau

“The signing of a new funding agreement for coastal restoration across Onehunga Bay is most welcome, but further steps are needed to end the neglect of the Manukau Harbour”, says Garth Houltham, a spokesperson for Roskill Community Voice, a ticket contesting the Puketapapa Local Board.

“With the removal of the sewerage ponds from Mangere, there is a real opportunity to revitalise the Manukau Harbour. The Supercity must be a catalyst for real action. If elected, the Roskill Community Voice team will work hard to improve access for our residents to the harbour, and for the ongoing revitalization of the Manukau”, he continues.

“For this to happen we need to push for the new Auckland City Council to recognize that Auckland has two harbours and that equal funding needs to be allocated to both. For too long the Manukau Harbour has come off second best to the Waitemata.”

“Mr Houltham said the establishment of the Auckland Waterfront Agency once more, will see huge amounts of ratepayers money being spent on the Waitemata. However within the new supercity 572,200 voters live in the nine local board areas that have Manukau Harbour foreshore. These voters and their communities deserve a fairer share of the cake”, he says

“A Roskill Community Voice Board will approach the other eight Local Boards, iwi and user groups to set in place a management plan to cover the entire harbour and it’s associated foreshore. We will develop a long term plan that covers beach management, restoration, mangrove control, navigation, passenger ferries, wharves, ferry car parking, haul out areas, all tide ramps, and marinas. We will end the neglect of the Manukau”, he concludes.

ENDS

Media Statement: Shambolic Dominion Rd proposal must stop

“Another example of shambolic consultation”, is how Roskill Community Voice spokesperson Michael Wood describes Auckland City’s plans to significantly change one of Auckland’s busiest roads, Dominion Rd.

“Once again, we see a major proposal that will cost a lot of public money being rammed through. Our sources tell us that the proposal is being deliberately rushed through by the C&R majority, ahead of the Supercity elections. Even the current rushed process only came about because Councillors Fryer and Casey demanded an extension”, he continues.

“Critically, the rushed process means that the community has not had a real say. We have talked to nearly every single shopkeeper at the Mt Roskill shops, and they feel totally out of the loop. People support better public transport, but this support will be lost if they feel like their voice is not being heard”.

“This feeling is increased by the fact that C&R candidates have already come out saying that they know what the solution should be, inclusive of daft ideas like abolishing the bus lane and turning it into a T2 lane. We doubt they’ve talked to anyone in Mt Roskill before making these pronouncements”.

“We are calling for the consultation to be halted until the new Council and Local Boards are elected. If Roskill Community Voice wins control of the Mt Roskill Board we will demand full public hearings on the proposals so that everyone in the community has a voice. We are sure that such a process can lead to some sensible outcomes that balance better public transport and cycling options with local business needs”, concludes Wood.

ENDS