North Harbour Stadium work gets Councillors' support
Earlier this year there was a hell of a fight on our hands to ensure the North Harbour Stadium and precinct was saved. Anna Atkinson - Upper Harbour Local Board and I were pleased to land the messy situation in a good place and to suggest a pragmatic way forward. As a result, the Mayor and Councillors entrusted the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of our local boards to lead the way to progress work on changing the operational management and determining the future of the stadium and precinct.
At the end of August, we reported back on our progress.
we've set up a Working Group with an incredible mix of highly qualified people to guide us, and have held two meetings so far.
we've engaged with a huge array of people and organisations who are key stakeholders or have valuable insights to share
we've produced a discussion document (a living document to be updated continuously as work progresses)
we've got a two stage process to move forward, being:
1. Undertake a locally led Expression of Interest process, in conjunction with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited to see if there is a party or organisation who could operate and manage the North Harbour Stadium commencing July 2025.
2. Undertake a concurrent process to determine the most appropriate ownership, funding, governance, improvements, and operational management model for the long-term future use of the North Harbour Stadium and Domain Precinct by December 2026.
The four of us (myself, Anna Atkinson, Gary Brown and Uzra Casuri Balouch) and our incredible staff have worked really hard to get to this point. The update was extremely well received and we were delighted to have half a dozen councillors giving really supportive speeches in the debate.
Now the hard work continues to turn the stadium around and ensure we continue the legacy that was left by the initial trustees back in the late 1990s.
You can view the meeting here: https://youtu.be/1h-CQEFGkos?si=4Dga66nUD5S-0jZ0
August business meeting Chair's report
Purpose of the report
1. To receive the chairperson’s update on recent activities of the chairperson, itemised by outcomes in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2023.
Executive summary
2. Items noted in this report are intended to be key highlights, not a full overview of all activity.
Our People
3. I was pleased to provide the opening remarks of the ‘We Empower Us Summit’ on 20 August 2024. We Empower Us is a youth wellbeing community activation project in the East Coast Bays that has been supported by the local board via our Strategic Broker. The summit day consisted of around 70 people from key community organisations and young people from local schools that have been part of the appreciative inquiry. The local board will be receiving an update in due course on the outcomes of the summit.
Our Community
4. North Harbour Stadium and Domain Precinct Working Group. The Chairs and Deputies of the Hibiscus & Bays and Upper Harbour Local Boards (‘Steering Group’) have been tasked with co-leading a locally led working group to develop the way forward for North Harbour Stadium (as per the Budget Committee and Governing Body Long Term Plan resolutions). Updates Since my July 2024 report include:
The Steering Group presented to the Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Board at their July meeting to provide them an update on the work we have been undertaking and our desire to work closely with them through this process. We have had regular meetings with Chief Executive Nick Hill since then to work through details around our mandate to change the operational management of the stadium.
On 14 August 2024 the Working Group met for the second time the discussion of which focused on the update report and discussion document going to the 29 August 2024 Governing Body meeting.
The Steering Group is proposing a two-stage process for the future of the North Harbour Stadium and Domain Precinct as follows:
- Stage 1 – undertake a locally led Expression of Interest process in conjunction with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited for a party or organisation to operate and manage the North Harbour Stadium and Domain Precinct for an agreed period commencing July 2025.
- Stage 2 – undertake a concurrent process to determine the most appropriate ownership, funding, governance, improvements, and operational management model for the long-term future use of the North Harbour Stadium and Domain Precinct by December 2026.
5. The Deputy Chair and I met with Acting Waitemata Area Commander on 8 August for our regular catch up. We spoke about a range freedom camping and homelessness that have been occurring at Hatfields Beach recently. We noted that there are various issues ranging from genuine freedom campers who may be uncompliant as well as people who are homeless and may be requiring support. Following the meeting I organised for the Acting Area Commander, a Rodney Constable and Auckland Council Manager of Compliance to have a meeting to discuss a joined up approach to either supporting people with various needs or compliance enforcement. We were also updated on the effective results they are seeing from increased resourcing of police officers walking around and being very visible in places like bus stations and shopping malls. They have also been working collaboratively with Auckland Transport’s security offices at bus stations which is providing a greater sense of safety to the public and a reduction in incidents.
6. On 15 August, Keep Whangaparāoa’s Green Spaces held a public meeting to provide an update on their efforts and progress to date to ensure that the Whangaparāoa Peninsula retains its open space zones, particularly upholding the 999 year encumbrance on the golf course land known as the Gulf Harbour Country Club. I was asked to speak and provided some reflections on the incredible efforts and work the organisation have done to date to protect precious open spaces, and the relevant commitments the local board shares in the importance of open spaces in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan. I also provided an update on the Whangaparāoa bus station project and the Regional Land Transport Plan.
Our Environment
7. Watercare’s Elected Member Relationship Manager is working on engagement agreements that would be specific to each local board. The Manager and I had a meeting to discuss whether a draft version he is working on for another local board would meet the expectations of our local board. It was well thought out and concentrated on engagement principles, commitments from Watercare and the local board, as well as a matrix of the level of engagement and communication that would be delivered depending on how a project is categorised. The local board can expect to see a draft from Watercare in due course.
Our Places and Our Economy
8. I was provided a heads up from NZTA, which I shared with board members, regarding a forecasted delay in completion of the O Mahurangi Penlink project. The forecasted delay of over 12 months (to early 2028) specifically relates to the construction of the Wēiti River Bridge, which has been more complex than anticipated at tender. A memo dated 5 August 2024 was proactively published on the NZTA website, which had been sent to the Minister and Associate Minister of Transport with further detail on this matter. I have asked NZTA and followed up again, to encourage them to proactively update the community on this matter, which at the time of writing has not yet happened. I have also asked Auckland Transport to provide the local board with advice on whether this delay would have any impact on the Whangaparāoa bus station project that has been named and earmarked for funding in the recent Regional Land Transport Plan.
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