So, they'll just join up that last leg of SH20, through Waterview, and our motorway system will be done, right? Wrong. John Landrigan reveals that planners are already mapping the next generation of major roads. And they could be coming through a park - or a house - near you. Motorways, rail corridors, new and wider roads, bike and pedestrian lanes are being mooted all around you.
We know that the bulldozers could soon roll over 365 Avondale homes. What about war memorial parks in Hobsonville and Whitford, North Shore's Hooton Reserve? Will you lose your front yard to a new bus lane or railway line?
In March, Auckland City Council began discussions around an ``it's your backyard' campaign looking at many city proposals, particularly those for extending and widening arterial roads.
On the council concept at right you'll see two ring-roads slicing through unnamed parks, roads, homes and busi nesses from the Manukau City border to Glen Innes, One Tree Hill, Mt Albert and on to Pt Chevalier. The inner ring seems to follow where Balmoral- Greenlane roads run now; the outer route along Mt Albert-Mt Smart roads.
Into the city centre, two routes overtake what look to be Manukau-Pah and Dominion roads. The map also shows proposed rail lines from the city to Manukau and the airport.
The roads, say Auckland City environmental planner Penny Pirrit, represent improved transport connections or arterial road ``aspirations'.
``But they're not proposed as yet,' she says. ``They're for discussion.' SO WHAT is the chance of them becoming more concrete - or asphalt - given the public knows little about them, and that they cut through our most densely populated city?
``The thing is,' we're told on the Auckland City website, ``our city's growing, so we're making plans now to determine how we can make the best use of land in the future.'
Your land, your parks and possibly - like those Avondale families - your backyard. For, unless you were privy to one of the council's ``strategic events' to discuss the proposals, you may not have heard of the ``connectivity' links.
In its submission to the Royal Commission into Auckland's local government, the Ministry of Transport stressed the importance of regional arterial roading.
``From a transport perspective,' says its submission, ``the Auckland urban area, and much of its periphery, needs to be a part of a single, interconnected entity. Dividing the responsibility for this system amongst a host of different authorities makes it more difficult.'
It's not hard to imagine a seminar of traffic engineers rubbing their hands in glee at the prospect of lobbying one all- powerful mayor and council, rather than seven bickering local authorities.
AND THEN there are our parks. Kicking a ball and walking the dog isn't going to get any easier: under the guise of ``improved connectivity', paper roads zig-zag across several parks and reserves on the same council website.
Glen Innes' Merton, Maybury and Eastview reserves, Avondale's racecourse, Alan Wood Reserve and Heron Park are tapped for possible thoroughfares.
``The scary thing is wondering what else they are doing behind closed doors,' says Avondale Community Board member Kathryn Davie.
Mrs Davie, with fellow board member and husband Paul Davie, is circulating a petition to stop a proposal affecting Heron Park (see below). Residents want to protect it from what Auckland City coyly calls a potential ``causeway' or ``connectivity improvement' or ``link'. It's a road that would cut the park in two.
``There's no more land around here for parks,' says Mr Davie. ``We can't get open-space replacement. Once we lose this, we've lost it forever.'
Avondale and Waterview have already been in the firing line. The latest plan for the State Highway 20 Waterview extension, announced by the NZ Transport Agency during the Mt Albert by-election campaign, could mow 365 homes.
Wendy John, spokeswoman for the Friends of Oakley Creek action group, says the motorway will avoid the creek but affect its water catchment. It also slices through Alan Wood Reserve, Hendon and Waterview parks.
Kit Howden has 30 years' experience in city and regional park management. The environmentalist estimates Auckland has lost 20 per cent of its public parkland since 1991. Much has gone to motorways through suburbs, notably Avondale; The Aucklander has also reported that the Domain, supposedly protected by Act of Parliament, has been eaten away by railways, student accommodation, other development.
And a bigger population means it's even harder to find your own leaf of public grass. ``Auckland City Council reported [in 2001] that there were 50,300sq m of public open space per 1000 people on the Auckland Isthmus in 1991. By 2011, this would reduce to 37,000sq m per 1000 people,' says Mr Howden.
In Avondale and Mt Roskill, there are 38,000sq m per 1000 people. The rich folk of Eastern Bays - read, Mission Bay, Kohimarama, Glendowie, St Johns - are blessed with 65,600sq m.
``This trend will continue well into the future and be fuelled by the city's intensive development policies,' says Mr Howden.
Sure, developers pay levies. But he is concerned that money goes into through-roads, carparks and toilets, rather than buying or protecting green space.
Greg Moyle, who chairs Auckland City's arts, culture and recreation com mittee, could not confirm the figures because - since 2007 - the council measures parks by quality and accessibility ... not quantity.
THINK, it can't happen here? It's not only in central Auckland that parks and roads are being squeezed.
Papakura District Council shelved plans to divvy up its central park for commercial development. But it took an election campaign and a new council to protect it.
North Shore City Council is investi gating a new thoroughfare from Gills and Kewa roads through Hooton and Gills reserves to Oteha Valley Rd. The council is looking at four options with the loss of green space ranging from 1832sq m to 7173sq m.
Manukau City transport manager Chris Freke says plans to cut a road through Totara Park have been scrapped for a less intrusive, but yet to be confirmed, bitumen invasion.
The same council is in the Environment Court, fighting residents over a bypass through Whitford's War Memorial Domain. A daycare centre will have to be moved to a neighbouring lifestyle block that the council has bought to reduce the impact on the park.
``Every time we go near a park we try to minimise the impact by buying land in the immediate vicinity,' says Mr Freke. ``You can't always do that.'
You certainly won't find any convenient lifestyle blocks between houses in and around Dominion or Manukau roads, or from Glen Innes clear across to Pt Chevalier.
It's not a road, it's just a place where cars go A road is not a road - even when it is a car-friendly thoroughfare that zig-zags through a park.
In Waterview, Heron Park sat mostly untouched for decades while it was considered for a motorway extension, subdivision and possibly a school.
Now residents are petitioning to protect it from what Auckland City Council coyly calls a potential ``causeway' or ``connectivity improvement' or ``link'.
The proposed link - let's be frank, it's a road - cuts through Heron Park from Cadman Ave to Saltaire St, about 40m from Great North Rd.
Local residents and outspoken community board members Paul and Kathryn Davie are circulating the petition. They say there's been little consultation, even with the community board, and little concern shown to a community already under siege from motorway extensions.
Paul Freedman, a resident who walks his dog, Jasper, at the park twice a day, signed the petition. He says, ``A road is a road,' and anything dividing a park is unsightly and unnecessary.
``We need this park for the community spirit and privacy. I'm suspicious there is suddenly a road connecting Cadman with Saltaire at a time they are putting the motorway through.
``This will become a dumping ground [for associated works equipment] when they rip into Great North Rd for the motorway.'
Penny Pirrit, the council's city planning manager, says the suggested link is more a street than a road and has nothing to do with the motorway plans.
``It is some sort of street _ a slow street where people can potentially park and carry on. It is to help open up the parks and increase their use.'
Other parks identified as needing connectivity roads for easier access are Merton, Maybury and Eastview reserves in Glen Innes, Avondale Racecourse and Alan Wood Reserve, also in Avondale. Alan Wood Reserve already faces a severe dislocation if the latest plan for the State Highway 20 Waterview Connection tracks through the middle of it.
Avondale and Waterview locals, already battle-hardened by the possible effects of the motorway on surrounding parks and homes, say if you can drive a car on it, it's a road.
Lisa Darrow uses the park every day to walk her dog, Shayne, and is distraught the idea is even being considered given the shortage of public space in the district.
``This is a great community asset. It's so peaceful. We don't want traffic coming any closer. This will mean more traffic amongst houses and kids. It would be dangerous.'
THE WHEEL Roads permanently affecting green space at the moment are:
SH20, WATERVIEW Estimated to lose about 5ha of open space. How this is to be replaced has not been announced; Transit ``may' have land available.
SH20-SH1 MANUKAU EXTENSION Hayman Park is an important green space in central Manukau which will be crossed by the SH20 Manukau Extension and a connecting road.
SH18 HOBSONVILLE/SH16 BRIGHAM CREEK EXTENSION Westgate wetland. As part of the Upper Harbour Motorway works, a new wetland/park is being built behind the Westgate shopping centre. The pond will service water run-off from the new motorway so Transit is paying for the work.
DUKE PARK A new road connecting Buckley Ave to SH18 will pass through the park, owned by Waitakere City. Before the motorway project, this area was used by a pony club. The club has been shifted temporarily.
HOBSONVILLE WAR MEMORIAL PARK/DOMAIN Waitakere City Council owns about 10ha being used to graze stock but tagged for sports fields. The motor way extension goes through it.
HAYMOND PARK Will be used for Manukau's rail link.
SH1, VICTORIA PARK TUNNEL Transit is negotiating with Auckland City Council over the restoration of land on the western edge of Victoria Park temporarily needed for the tunnel project. The land required includes a skateboard park and a bowling green.
02 07 2009
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