In this Issue:
- 1. Chairman's report from last night's AGM
- 2. Upcoming Meetings that may be of interest to members
1. Chairman's Report
TOES is now into its 3rd year of operation and we continue to make progress in achieving our long term goal for a much improved outcome for Onehunga and in particular its foreshore.
There were to have been a series of key dates that were proposed this time last year but for a number of reasons they have not been achieved. It was expected that by now the main contractor would have been appointed to run the project and that the associated consenting process would have also commenced.
Due to a series of issues within Auckland City this timetable has not been achieved.
Recently the large engineering consultancy BECA has been appointed as the new project managers to operate the project.
It is expected that the three short listed construction companies will submit their price and design details back to ACC by November of this year. It is expected that by March 2011 that these quotations will have been reviewed and a contract is to be awarded by the new Supercity structure around March April 2011.
The proposal to replace the old Mangere Pedestrian Bridge is not proceeding at his stage. TOES worked closely with NZTA and MHX to determine what was the preferred option for both the Mangere Bridge and Onehunga communities. Unfortunately the budget that NZTA had allocated and the price received from the MHX Alliance was too wide to allow the bridge replacement to proceed at this stage.
NZTA have further indicated that the bridge will have to be refurbished or rebuilt in the future.
TOES has raised the possibility that one of the concrete central spans be removed and replaced with a light weight raised section without compromising pedestrians, mobility scooters and cyclists from using it. The raised section would allow upper Manukau Harbour access for waka's small boats to a recreational water space that currently cannot be used because of the low height of this bridge. To install a raised section and strengthen of the existing piles could be implemented quickly and at a relatively low cost.
TOES has worked with MHX and ACC trying to achieve better outcomes for our community and on some occasions we have not been successful as we should have been. I have outlined some of these issues.
Beachcroft Ave Car Park.
As part of the rebuilding of SH20 in the vicinity of Arthur St Pleasant St and Beachcroft Ave there was an opportunity to reuse the original motorway onramp as a car park pick up drop off point to service the Onehunga Lagoon, Onehunga High School and people wishing to park their car and use the new Seacliffe Rd pedestrian Bridge to walk cycle along Orpheus Drive.
Unfortunately ACC did not agree with this proposal and are considering the implementation of parallel parking along Beachcroft Avenue at a cost of $1.2 million.
Gloucester Park
ACC were proposing to remove some larger earth bunds that they had constructed in Gloucester Park some 12 years earlier. TOES worked with both MHX and ACC to find an outcome to allow the bunds to remain and the funds saved will now be used to improve the quality of the parks northern boundary including re-contouring the land form with additional plantings. Gloucester Park is well used by community groups however lacks quality public access. With the changing shape of the Onehunga community, parks and access to them are very important and where opportunities to improve are available they should be explored.
Temporary Reclamation
TOES worked with MHX ACC and the ARC to try and secure a small temporary reclamation which formed part of the new high level bridge construction. The temporary reclamation was located on Harbour Rd which in years to come will be an important hub for pedestrian cyclists and in the future when public passenger ferries are again operating on the Manukau Harbour because of its close proximity to the Onehunga Railway Station.
Unfortunately this opportunity was lost as the first stage in the rebuilding of this badly compromised part of the Manukau Harbour shoreline.
Onehunga Foreshore Restoration
As the construction program timetable for the Onehunga Foreshore is reconfirmed it is expected that an application for consent will be made to the new council sometime next year. The consent application will be breaking new ground in that the restored foreshore land area will be not be used for commercial purposes but or recreation purposes and it is to have an area of approximately 11 hectares. When you consider the very poor quality of the early reclamations that are dotted around the Manukau Harbour foreshore it is important to realise that any party seeking consent for the restoration work proposed will have some major hurdles to cross.
There is the possibility that the very regulations that were used to stop these early poor quality reclamations could now be used to stop the implementation of a sensible and long overdue green open space that reconnects a community back to the harbour they lost when stage 1 of SH20 was constructed some 30 years ago. TOES needs to work with all parties to find away that ensure a consent is granted and that it will meet the expectations of the community.
One of the largest cost items for the Onehunga Bay restoration project is sourcing some 600,000m3 of clean fill. With the Waterview project about to enter the consenting phase the possibility of construction commencing in 2012 it is important that the contractors bidding this project consider the opportunity to deposit the clean fill from their tunnelling operation into Onehunga Bay. Since Onehunga Bay is very close to Waterview via SH20, trucks would not have to use residential streets and it would be an environmentally sensible solution to the disposal of some of the 900,000m3 of clean fill that the project will generate.
This is an opportunity that NZTA ACC and the construction industry must explore and determine if it is a viable opportunity to achieve a quality outcome for all parties.
TOES continues to work with a range of community groups, including the Maungakiekie Community Board, seeking a better outcome for our community. We are also working a lot closer with the wider Mangere Community as we seek improved outcomes particularly around the new bridge. We hope this will ensure that when the "Super City" is implemented both communities will continue to enjoy a positive working relationship ensuring what is promised today will be delivered tomorrow under the new regime.
I am indebted to the continuing dedication and hard work of all members of the committee and welcome onboard TOES newest committee members Daniel Johnston and Philip Hickling. I cannot thank them enough for their ongoing efforts and look forward to working with them over the next 12 months as we seek a much improved outcome for the Onehunga Bay foreshore and this section of the Manukau Harbour.
Jim Jackson
Chairman
The Onehunga Enhancement Society (TOES)
2. Upcoming Meetings
TOES has provided meeting notices outlining two upcoming public meetings have been arranged by the One Tree Hill Rotary Club and the NZ Labour Party to discuss and debate the soon to be implemented Auckland Supercity. Copies attached.
TOES has emailed these circulars to its members on the basis that it is for information purposes only and is not an endorsement of any particular group.
It is important that TOES members are encouraged to attend all community meetings as part of our society's long term goal to secure a much improved outcome for Onehunga.
The Last Great Mayoral Forum
The incumbent mayors standing for the Mayoralty of the Auckland Super City will be onstage together to answer all the hard questions:
Mayor Williams
Mayor Banks
Mayor Brown
Bought to you by the Rotary Club of Onehunga- OneTree Hill
AT: The Onehunga RSA, 57 Princes Street Onehunga
ON: Monday 13th September 7:30pm
A small cover charge $10.00 per head includes a light supper & a donation to the Rotary Foundation Polio eradication programme
For catering purposes RSVP to Ron Clarke Phone 4435013 or e-mail;
ronald_clarke@paradise.net.nz [1]
The Rotary Club of Onehunga-One Tree Hill
Future of Auckland
Join Labour Party Leader Phil Goff and Carol Beaumont MP for a public meeting to discuss Auckland's future under the new Super City.
ON: Thursday 2nd September 7.30pm - 9.30pm
AT: Onehunga Community Centre, 83 Church Street, Onehunga
Contact: kate.sutton@parliament.govt.nz [2] or call (09) 634 3045
Other
If you have trouble opeing the attached PDF files, try copying and pasting the link into your browser. If this does not work please email us and we will forward an individual pdf file.