Making a Difference, 12 Years On…

I was asked recently what I rated as my four biggest achievements on Council, and this was my reply: (spoiler alert, there are five)

Cycling and Walking Improvements City-Wide: Along with quite a few uphill routes, there’s the Leonie Gill pathway, Evans Bay and Cobham Drive, the upgraded Island Bay cycleway and Town Centre- and connections right through Berhampore, Newtown, Cambridge and Kent Terraces and through to the waterfront. Island Bay is no longer “the cycleway to nowhere”! Also the Hutt Rd and Thorndon Quay cycleways, which will soon connect right out to Petone and beyond.

I’ve been involved right from my arrival on Council, first as a determined advocate and then holding the cycling/walking portfolio from 2016-2022. This triennium, I’ve chaired the Regulatory Processes Committee which has been tasked with approving the actual road changes to make it all happen. Along with this, whenever I had the opportunity, particularly as Deputy Mayor 2019-2022, I staunchly advocated to NZTA to get the Ngauranga to Petone connection and the Cobham crossing done.

Community Facilities: I held this portfolio in my first term and am proud to have led the early engagement and planning work with Northern suburbs communities on the amazing Johnsonville/Waitohi library. Also to see Seatoun Village Hall and Raukawa (in Strathmore) become community centres while I still held the portfolio, and subsequently to have a role in the upgrades to the Strathmore and Berhampore community centres.

Public Transport: Perhaps the buses are why I was even interested in Council initially! In 2014, I submitted to the Regional Council on the affordability of fares and suggested both off-peak fares and affordable transfers, both of which have now happened. Just as an example, back then it could cost over $7 to get from Island Bay to Kilbirnie by bus because of needing to pay two separate fares. This was so tough for people trying to get to local facilities!

Following the 2018 “bustastrophe”, I spent hours advocating to GWRC to improve things for the Eastern suburbs. It was heartbreaking to see the situations some people were in with inconvenient new services and cancelled or late buses. I’m pleased to say things improved, we kept the #18, got better services to Miramar by route-splitting the #2 (thank you Daran Ponter) and increased the timetable to Strathmore. Park, amongst other improvements. But we’ve recently had cutbacks or removals of some services, and one of my reasons for standing for the Regional Council is to make sure our bus services remain convenient, reliable and affordable!

Infrastructure: I worked to get storm water solutions for Kilbirnie and Lyall Bay and raised early on the issue of more investment for our leaky pipes. I’ve also been very vocal about the need for more investment in retaining walls/planting solutions for many of our vulnerable slopes. The sludge treatment plant;- we needed a better solution for sludge unless people wanted to risk another Mt Albert tunnel failure, the landfill filling up prematurely, or to start pumping sludge out to sea via a long outfall! Yes, it’s brave new infrastructure, but commonly used elsewhere in the world. I’m reasonably confident that we’re now advanced in the project to the point where there shouldn’t be more unexpected delays or price shocks

Finally, Residents: I have loved meeting locals and trying to help resolve issues. This work has been interesting and varied – everything from getting a new Miramar/Maupuia sign, tree trimming, leaks, new toilets at the “Helicopter” park, disability parking, helping the local business network with things they’d like to see done, drinking water, fountains, helping out with local beach clean-ups, tree planting.. and more. Its been truly rewarding and its all made a positive difference.