Your Feedback: Pupuke, parks

So Ralph Roberts doesn't want the great unwashed walking in front of properties adjoining Lake Pupuke. What a pathetic attitude in this day and age. You will probably find that if these lakeside properties have been subdivided or cross-leased there is already a 20m esplanade reserve from the lake edge which provides for public access and protection of lakeside vegetation. This is provided by Section 238 of the Resource Management Act 1991, and its predecessor legislation.

The same problem occurred when the former East Coast Bays City Council established its clifftop walkway, which is now a valuable asset for all Aucklanders and used by many of all ages. Adjoining landowners were required to remove illegal swimming pools and fences from the esplanade reserves.

As a former, very successful Takapuna businessman selling electrical appliances to North Shore residents, it is a pity at his age he is showing such a mean-spirited, short-term attitude.

He seems to think there is one rule for him and his mates - advocating strongly for using the foreshore at Takapuna Beach to permanently store their boats on reserve land protected by the Reserves Act 1977, but it is a different story a few hundred metres away at Lake Pupuke. I hope the Auckland Council is ultimately successful in getting a public walkway for my grandchildren around the whole lakeside margin of Lake Pupuke, despite such rhetoric. - Bruce Tubb, Takapuna

PANMURE GOOD EXAMPLE

Your article on Lake Pupuke ("Lakers say game over", May 3) is spot on - it's a perfect place for a walkway right around the lake. Look at what has been done at the Panmure Basin, where people can walk or jog completely around the lake, away from traffic noises and fumes.

In Takapuna every day you see countless numbers of mums with babies in pushchairs going around Lake Rd, getting their daily workout with traffic zooming past in all directions. At any time of night or day you will see runners going around the lake roads. With a walkway they could all be away from traffic fumes and noise.

The former Takapuna Council never made a very vigorous attempt to get general opinion on the question of a complete walkway and the reason is not hard to find - a large number of councillors over the years either had property on the lake or had friends and supporters who do, and pushed for things to stay as they are.

The Auckland Council should have a fresh look at this in the light of treating all Aucklanders equally. What has been done for the people of Panmure/Mt Wellington in building a walkway should be done for the people of Takapuna /Milford and the rest of the North Shore. - Ron Smith, Castor Bay

BATTING FOR THE BAY

Poor old Little Shoal Bay ("Exercising a view", April 19). This tranquil grassy reserve is getting shiny new gym equipment and a walkway smack in its midst, courtesy of the Kaipatiki Local Board.

Apparently this scheme meets Auckland Council recreational policy requirements and we are not even paying for it, because funding is from the former North Shore Council.

Now I don't want to say that the board has its head in the sand because there isn't very much of it at the beach in this bay.

So let's put some perspective on this decision.

I played school cricket at Dudding Park 40 years ago and thousands of others have since. It was boggy and flood-prone in the 1970s and it still is today. So why spend $80,000 on minority-appeal gym equipment, particularly on this ground? There can be no logical explanation, other than ticking a policy box.

The board could do so much with our money to benefit the whole community in the long term that would provide recreational opportunities to the majority in keeping with the character of the bay. Make a start on fixing the drains, the boggy ground and the flooding. Stop mangrove encroachment and re-sand the beach. Listen up, board. You don't have to force this on the community. Step back, rethink and come up with real vision for the future. - Jeremy Richards,

Northcote Point

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