Submission for Albert Eden Local Board Plan
On behalf of Sandringham Residents
Lisa Loveday 66 Lambeth Rd Sandringham
John Druzianic 66 Lambeth Rd Sandringham
Valuing our heritage:
We support the views on protecting our heritage both green heritage, mature trees, parks and beaches.
We support the protection of heritage buildings and precincts providing atmosphere and cohesion to our area.
Improving transport in our area:
Lead the way in local community boards by making walking, cycling and public transport so easy, and accessible that we wouldn’t want to use our cars.
Safe cycle ways and easy walking access should be our first priority both for our community’s health and is our cheapest option.
Local Boards and Council should lead the way encouraging residents to car pool, use public transport and work from home, Encourage workers and companies to adopt car free days.
Supporting local businesses which employ local workers and profits are reinvested into the community rather than overseas owned companies. Supporting local businesses encourages people to find employment closer to home so the transport costs are less for all.
As part of any consent process developers of any new or remodelled industrial or retail developments must build in access to bus and train networks. Eg. There should be a free shuttle bus between Morningside station to St Luke’s shopping centre from and to each train.
Buses need to stop at all train stations to allow train stations to become a transport hub. FREE Car parking should be available and sufficient at all bus and train hubs. Cycles should be allowed on trains and buses so not owning a car is a viable option.
Managing our economic growth and development:
Workshops on understanding council consent processes for new small businesses. Help towards pointing people to the agencies which provide free advice and mentoring new business owners.
Community centres should be able to provide rooms for these workshops and for meetings.
Community centres need to be designed to have a welcoming space for meeting with others.
Community centres need to be designed to include space for market days and festivals. Eg. A village green.
Market days give preference to local stall holders selling locally made/ grown produce, food and crafts continually supporting our local economy and keeping the dollars in our local community.
Provide a purpose build small business hubs where cheap office space is available with shared facilities such as printing and meeting rooms.
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Balmoral can be encouraged to be a tasteful China town and Sandringham is a natural multi-cultural hub reflecting the diverse make up of our area. We support Mt Albert needing help to develop a village feel eg. A village green to give pride and develop its own identity.
Each area needs it’s own local feel and identity strongly identified to create a brand this brings tourists not just from out of Auckland but from other areas in Auckland. Let’s promote ourselves. Mt Eden – the arts, Kingsland- Chic retro, Sandringham a multicultural hub without leaving the country, Balmoral – Chinatown etc.
Improving our recreation and our community facilities:
Many areas need community centres or upgraded facilities. These Community centres need to be designed to have a welcoming space for meeting people be able to support local commerce by having market days. Be a focal point for festivals, workshops and activities. We need to support educational classes for the community on varied topics from small business set up to gardening and crafts, exercise.
We need to encourage and support artistic expression. Exhibition space in our community centres.
Encourage more local festivals celebrating cultural events and the annual Cultural festival in Wesley should continue to be supported by the council
Sports areas and parks need to be part of our community so we all take pride and can enjoy these spaces. Parks need to provide safe spaces for all and activities for all. We need space for the elderly to walk or enjoy Tai Chi classes, a children’s playground, basketball and skating for teens and circuit training course for adults, this keeps us active and healthy. Having these facilities together means many generations can enjoy and play together and it doesn’t become a space taken only be one group. A warden to help people feel safe and encouraging users to keep our area litter and graffiti free.
We would like to see fruit trees and community gardens in every area so all people regardless of their house and land size have a space to grow their own food and for children to learn to garden. Each community garden to have a bbq encouraging neighbours to enjoy time together forming relationships which keep them in the area. Council needs to make land available in every area for vegetable gardens.
We would like to see our mountains protected from both natural and human damage.
Strongly support initiatives which encourage pride and care of our community by no littering or graffiti and encourage all residents and businesses to have a zero waste. Support the introduction of a green waste composting scheme so no more food and green waste goes down the waste disposal units or into the tip.
We need to all seriously care for our environment by making a no pollution policy.
Building a Stronger Sustainable Community:
The main way to make a stronger sustainable community is to encourage and support local businesses.
Support locally made and fair trade.
To provide community facilities to encourage cohesion and a meeting place for locals so we get to know our neighbours again and become a village.
We can do this community centres, community gardens, supporting community programs and local initiatives.
We need to protect our environment so we have beautiful beaches, parks and heritage buildings.
To do this we need to support local programmes that are designed to minimise waste.
Support a local recycling centre where the public can drop off and obtain products that can be reused by others .Support bringing bees into the city. Support recycling and initiatives to have hazardous waste collection more available. Education on disposal of batteries.
Encourage and educate all household to switch to non-chemical based cleaners which end up in our waste water and storm water.
Support initiatives that encourage the public and businesses to reduce the creation and use of packaging.
Support programs that promote the reduction of CO2 emissions.
We need to provide for those in our community which have special needs. The elderly, children, disabled, the poor. We can do this by supporting initiatives which encourage people getting to know their neighbours and community. Support the planting of community fruit trees on berms in parks and reserves.
Free space for community gardens and allotments so everyone can grow their own food.
General feedback for the submission forms, brochures and the submission process:
Communication and submissions should be easier and more user friendly. Making information available on the internet and submission forms available on line. Saving paper and postage.
Comments and communication available via Facebook.