I hope the slight easing of restrictions has given your bubble a bit of a respite this week. It’s been a long seven weeks, and the small things can make a big difference at this stage, especially during the school holidays! I’ve had many queries over the past few days regarding the new rules, so wanted to provide a brief outline of the changes and the impact on council facilities.
Libraries and pools remain closed, but staff will be opening additional public toilets in places where people are most likely to gather over the coming days. The full updated list is available here. Picnic tables in our parks and open spaces are available for use, and playgrounds are definitely all open. Whilst guidelines now allow for this, there are some concerns about the ability to maintain the ten-person bubble rule, so please keep a close eye on your little ones and try and make sure they are keeping a safe distance from others. Pump tracks, basketball courts, and skate parks are also open, which should help further with school holiday recreation. Boat ramps are also open, and outdoor recreation activities like sailing, fishing and jetskiing are all now permitted. We still encourage you to walk your dog on a leash and the coned off areas for cyclists on Tamaki Drive will remain in place until Level 2, giving pedestrians more room on the footpath to assist with social distancing. It’s likely to be busy out there this weekend, so please do what you can to make sure you keep safe.
The school holidays are a great opportunity to make sure that everyone in your bubble (12 or over) is vaccinated. As of 5 October, 54% of Aucklanders are fully vaccinated, and a further 31% have had their first dose. This is great progress, but we need to keep going. 15% of Aucklanders are yet to receive their first dose. The Ministry of Health have advised that you can get your second dose three weeks after your first. If you have been waiting for your second dose, please have a look at moving your second appointment forward or visit one of our amazing local pharmacies doing walk-ins.
I also want to provide a brief update following the protest at Auckland Domain last Sunday. The Domain is in the Orakei Ward, and I want to clarify the following:
- As the landowner of the Auckland Domain grounds, Auckland Council did not permit, endorse or support the gathering organized by the Freedom and Rights Coalition on Saturday 2 October
- We wrote to the organisers and made our position on this clear
- While the council legally must respect people’s right to peaceful protest, we had serious concerns that the gathering may result in the spread of COVID-19 and risk the health of Aucklanders
- Outlined in the letter was our expectations around the Cenotaph and the Court of Honour in front of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. As consecrated ground this area was not to be used. It appears from reports that those requests were ignored.
- We also made it clear that any damage to the entire Domain site as a result of the event would not be tolerated. Thankfully, none has been reported.
- The Council was in touch with the Police prior to the event and will continue to support them with any enforcement action taken as a result of the event. You will have seen in the news that two people will appear in the Auckland District Court on charges which relate to breaching the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and Alert Level 3 Order.
In other local non-COVID news, you may have spotted our contractors hard at work at Dingle Dell Reserve in St Heliers. A Dingle Road public stormwater upgrade is being delivered in coordination with the McArthur Stream stabilization project, which will reduce prolonged disruption to residents and the community, reduce the environmental impacts, and will be more cost efficient. The McArthur Stream project will stabilize steep stream banks along the watercourse and retaining walls to provide erosion protection for fences, walls and driveways that have potential to fall into the channel. This will reduce the risk of flooding to neighboring properties. The stormwater project at Dingle Road involves the installation of new stormwater pipes to improve the current flooding issues between 25-27 Woodside Crescent and 32-26 Dingle Road. The projects will temporarily occupy the site compound at the edge of Dingle Dell Reserve for no more than five months.
Finally, please keep checking in with friends and family to make sure everyone is doing okay, support our local businesses whenever you can, and stay safe.
As always, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Desley