$6m makeover for Long Bay Reserve

By WAYNE THOMPSON

A $6 million facelift is planned for a park on the doorstep of metropolitan Auckland as it struggles with users' changing needs and urban sprawl.

But responses were mixed when draft plans for a new layout of Long Bay Regional Park, on the North Shore, were given a public airing at the weekend.

A plea to keep the 164ha park in as natural a state as possible was the most frequent comment from users the Herald surveyed.

Others supported the introduction of mountain bike trails, horse tracks and footpaths from carparks to the beach.

Visitors said they prized the park for its sweeping sandy beach, safe swimming, extensive grassed picnic areas, cliff-top walks and adjoining marine reserve.

Long Bay, 30 minutes' drive from downtown Auckland, draws more than a million visitors a year.

ARC parks officials say growing pressure on the park calls for more entrances, improved roads and parking and more opportunities for modern recreational pursuits.

In the process, major park facilities such as the playground and miniature railway could be shifted towards the Beach Rd end, where the park's only entrance is located.

Alternatively, main facilities might be shifted to the Vaughan Flats area where a new park entrance could be created through a proposed subdivision in the park's privately owned rural western backdrop.

Costs of three options in the plan range from $5.8 million to $6.7 million to be staged over about 20 years.

Option B would provide two entrances linked by a through-road while in Option C they are separated and lead to cul-de-sac carparks.

Option A suggests introducing a two-way entrance at Beach Rd and a camping ground in the park's northern area, while Option C proposes removing the restaurant.

At the park yesterday, regular users from Torbay leaned towards Option C.

Ross Sims said it seemed to upgrade the environment, which would be good for the birdlife.

Barbara Brinsdon opposed a through-road because it might generate more traffic in the park.

Jean Treverton hoped the final plan would provide a trail for mountain biking, and keep the miniature train for children's fun and the restaurant as a handy place for a coffee.