Happy New Year! Our Board’s last official meeting was 10 December and there is a big gap until the next one in mid-Feb. I’ve been keeping myself busy with things like writing feedback on the updated Alcohol Bylaw on behalf of our Board, meeting with stakeholders and finding solutions for carparking issues in the area, supporting local groups in the area, getting involved with some great initiatives from the Composting Collective and Sustainable Coastlines, presenting at the Long Bay College awards night and more…
Upgrades around town
A project to renew large furniture and fixtures is now complete. There are a few new bits of street furniture around beaches, playgrounds and parks that have been renewed and are looking much smarter. Other things part of the project included fence and gate repairs.
Tell us where trees should be planted in your neighbourhood
We want your suggestions on some good locations for planting trees in public spaces. Our Local Board will be planting at least 120 trees each year to improve the overall tree canopy cover we have and to combat the loss from private properties and developments.
Our emphasis will be to plant in parks with playgrounds and local streets that could provide green corridor connections between parks. So many of our playgrounds lack appropriate shade. While we’ve recently put up some shade sails, these are hugely expensive, have a limited life span, prone to vandalism and often have to be removed over winter. Natural shade to protect playground equipment from getting searingly hot and protecting our children while at play is the long-term goal.
This is our Hibiscus and Bays Urban Ngahere Action Plan. We will get a review of it every 3 years and an annual progress report annually. I’m really looking forward to seeing some progress on this in 2021.
If you have location suggestions:
1. Use this easy form to pinpoint the area you’re suggesting (it refers to reporting a problem, but don’t worry, this is how the team find it best to receive the information!): www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/report-problem/
In the comments section please paste in: ‘this is a suggested location for tree planting under the Urban Ngahere Action Plan’.
Playgrounds like this, with inadequate shade are not acceptable (Browns Bay).
Cooking oil dumped down a drain
Credit where credit is due – at 2.15pm last week I called the general Council number to report pollution and at 3:05pm I was talking to a compliance officer on his way to the drain in Clyde Court (vicinity of shops where La Tropezienne/Ike’s Imporium/The Flaming Onion are).
Someone had dumped cooking oil down a drain in Clyde Court. This was not only creating an awful stench in the heat, but it was a real cause for concern that an unknown amount of putrid oil was on its way to the beach.
For pollution reports, they have a response time of 24hrs or less, so I was pretty pleased with under an hour this time around. I was also very impressed with the officer who talked it through with me again on the phone and spent the afternoon talking to local businesses. If you see anything like this at all, try and take a photo if you can and call 09 301 0101 and follow the prompts for reporting pollution.
Who else can smell this picture?
AT listen to Mairangi Bay residents!
We got good news before Christmas. Following public consultation on poorly thought out, and quite frankly bizarre proposals, AT aren’t going to proceed with plans for a small section of peak hour bus lane and a crossing on Ramsgate Terrace.
352 people submitted feedback on the consultation and 300 were opposed to the proposals which were well noted at the public drop-in session AT held.
Ramsgate Tce public consultation drop-in session, 2020. Locals took over and told AT exactly how they felt – well done to everyone who submitted and/or turned up.
Events not to miss this summer
Loads of awesome fun still to be had this summer here in the Bays! All supported by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board.
Summer Spectacular Weekend, 13 – 14 Feb. Browns Bay Business Association have a massive weekend of fun for the whole family.
Okura Forest Festival, 20 Feb, 11am – 11pm, 81 Okura River Rd. Ticket sales will help fund a boardwalk in the Okura Bush Walkway.
Free Family Day Out event, 27 Feb, 1pm – 4pm, Aicken Reserve, Waiake. Popular covers band Hands Off and more.
‘Sea’ MERC day, 13 Mar, 12pm – 3pm, Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre. Entry by donation, bring togs and a towel.
Summer Sound Waves, Sundays 21 & 28 Feb and 7 & 14 March, 4 – 6pm, live music at Mairangi Bay Beach and Surf Club.
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