Public Meeting TONIGHT on Auckland Transport's !@#%^& ideas for St Heliers (and Mission Bay)
Monday April 15 7pm -8.30pm at the Presbyterian Church and Community Centre, 100 St Heliers Bay Rd
I have been working with the business and residents representatives from St Heliers and Mission Bay to respond to the proposed ‘speed mitigation’ works suggested by Auckland Transport for both of these areas.
As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters I am not at all convinced they come with evidence based reasoning, nor do they have business impacts or congestion data to substantiate their ideas.
The St Heliers Residents Assoc. have invited Auckland Transport to a public meeting to explain their suggested ‘safety improvements’ for the St Heliers business district. This meeting is TONIGHT at the St Heliers Community Centre, 100 St Heliers Bay road. I hope to see you there.
Having consulted last month on the lowering of speed within the village to 30 kms (and 30 kms in Mission bay) they are now asking your thoughts as to further speed mitigation/safety works. ( why they didn’t do these together astounds me)
Auckland Transports changes for St Heliers business district include 13 raised pedestrian crossings resulting and the removal of at least 40 carparks and potentially 30kms speed reduction
Mission Bay is proposed to have 11 new pedestrian crossings and a roundabout.
Come and ask your questions at the meeting or if you can’t attend please go to https://at.govt.nz/about-us/have-your-say/ and have your say.
Consultation closes 30 April.
Parnell Rd being reduced to one lane
I was outraged to discover Auckland Transport had given Parnell businesses less than a weeks notice of impending roadworks that will close a lane of traffic down Parnell Road for 2 weeks including Easter diverting traffic down St Stephens Ave, Gladstone Rd and The Strand in an already congested route (sound familiar?). For retailers, cafes and restaurants this simply doesn’t give them enough time to plan for the changes. Auckland Transport also didn’t think to communicate their detours or closures to a wider group of commuters including those from our Ward.
I’m making further steps this week to try to improve communication from Auckland Transport across many areas. Quite frankly their performance in this area is not at all satisfactory ….in fact its abysmal. Will keep you posted…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12221077
What’s happening to St Kentigern Girls’ School site?
I have had many queries around whether the St Kentigern Girls’ School site, recently up for sale, will be sold for housing. I can reliably confirm that Saint Kentigern trustees sold the Remuera Road site to the Hebrew congregation.
"This outcome follows a competitive tender process in which we were very pleased by the high level of interest shown in the property, and particularly delighted to see that it will now continue to meet the needs of another faith-based community," said Dr John Kernohan, Chairman of the St Kentigern Trust Board.
"We understand that the Auckland Hebrew Community may also be using some of the campus as an educational facility, which sits very well with its heritage with both Saint Kentigern and Corran School before us.”
The designation of the site under the Auckland Unitary Plan is Special Purpose – School. Any changes of use would require a plan change. I will continue to keep you updated as the handover progresses.
Mayor to speak at Meadowbank & St Johns Residents Association AGM- Tuesday night
Mayor Phil Goff will be the guest speaker at the Meadowbank & St Johns Residents Association AGM from 7pm at St Chads Church and Community Centre, 38 St Johns Rd, Meadowbank on Tuesday Night ( April 16)
There will also be discussion of many issues of interest including those specifically relative to Meadowbank and St Johns. I’ll be there too.
New Playground opening – Wairua Reserve, Remuera.
Every 3 years when local board members and councillors potentially change there is a corresponding "re set" of work programmes. Just because something was agreed and even started, does not mean it will come into fruition with new representatives. Last term when I was chair of the Orakei Local Board, we started the upgrade of the playground at Wairua Reserve. What made this project particularly special was we went to St Kentigern Girls’ School ( which is across the road from the Wairua Reserve) and worked with the students there letting them actually design the playground. This way we really knew it would be a playground by children for children. Last week these students saw their plans and design work realised with the official opening of the new playground. Thanks to the OLB for continuing the work and delivering the finished product.
Central Interceptor – Making our waterways in central Auckland cleaner
This huge underground tunnelling project which will make a huge difference to our area got a step closer with the signing of the contract between Watercare and an Italian company with 5 generations of tunnelling experience on March 14. I was there with the mayor to experience this milestone. The central interceptor is a 13km wastewater tunnel that, when built, will be the largest of its type in New Zealand. It will without doubt have a significant impact on our water quality and the ability for many parts of Auckland to cope with growth. Particularly for us, it will markedly increase capacity for the Orakei ward as 80% of the wastewater currently flowing through the Orakei sewer line will be diverted to the new tunnel freeing capacity in our existing line.
Quay St….its not getting any better
Media have finally run a story on Quay Street congestion. You can read the story here
My quote and one I stand by was “ To reduce Quay St to one lane knowing thousands of vehicles use it on a daily basis, with no advance notice to commuters re alternative options, and when Customs St is full of construction is planning madness”
Something has to be done about putting the control back into Council Controlled Organisations such as Auckland Transport. I have a plan……………..
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=12221884