North Shore community projects to be accelerated

Numerous community projects are in line to be accelerated after agreement was reached between the Auckland Transition Agency and the North Shore City Council to allow the disposal of the former council works department in Albany and apply the funds to legacy community projects across the Shore, North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said today.

“The projects include commencement of town centre upgrades for Highbury and Takapuna, a broadcast centre and improved ticketing facilities at North Harbour Stadium ahead of the Rugby World Cup, additional toilets, and upgrades for walkways and other recreational facilities,” Mayor Williams said.

“We have approval from the Auckland Transition Agency to dispose of NSC Holdings Ltd which was essentially the old council works department in Paul Matthews Road in Albany. This property is now leased out to commercial businesses and has not been part of our core business activities for some years. We intend to allocate the funds from the sale towards accelerating a variety of community projects in the long-term council community plan.”

“This way, we get a win – win for the North Shore; community projects can be initiated prior to the transition process to the new Auckland Council by disposing of a non-essential asset which has only been generating modest returns for ratepayers since becoming surplus to requirements some years ago.”

Mayor Williams said the projects identified for fast tracking include:

• · Hurstmere Green redevelopment and Visitor Centre relocation, Takapuna $1.0M
• · Highbury Town Centre upgrade, Birkenhead $1.5M
• · Shore Exhibition Centre,Takapuna $1.5M
• · North Harbour Stadium broadcasting and ticketing improvements $425,000
• · New footbridge for the Devonport – Takapuna walkway and green cycleway $200,000
• · Torpedo Bay walkway, Devonport (stage one), Sanders Reserve track, Paremoremo and other walkway upgrades $1.0M
• · Greenhithe skateboard park, Collins Park $150,000
• · Beach Haven Civic Square development $750,000
• · Birkenhead/Northcote community co-ordinator accommodation $600,000
• · ActivZone upgrade, Glenfield $650,000
• · Takapuna Aquatic Centre upgrade and Leisure Centre upgrades $800,000
• · Sand replenishment at Little Shoal Bay and Halls Beach $1.5M
• · New public toilets at Rosedale Park, Eskdale Reserve, Sunnynook Reserve $1.5M
• · Purchase of some reserve land for bush protection. $1.2M

“There is a good geographical spread of legacy projects across the Shore so the disposal of the old works site will deliver real outcomes for the long term benefit of the whole community,” Mayor Williams said.

“Choosing between risking the survival of many of these long-planned community projects under the new Auckland Council or disposing of the old works site to guarantee their completion was an easy choice to make,” Mayor Williams said.

Mayor Williams said the old works department site is the sole remaining asset of NSC Holdings Limited, which also owned half of maintenance service provider Techscape Limited before being sold by the Council four years ago.