Notes from Meeting of Mt Cook Residents 16 September 2007

Notes from meeting of Mt Cook Residents 16 September 2007

Venue: 40 Wallace St. Mt Cook (Thanks to John and Joss Morrison)
Time: 4 – 5.40pm

Present:
Carol Comber, Peter Cooke, Russell Cooke, Steve Cromb, Annie Fleetwood, Peter Frater, Jacqueline Haydn, Ruth Jeffery, Jo Hickling, John McGrath, Shirley Meyers, John Morrison, Joss Morrison, Ionna Pannett, Helene Ritchie, Jack Ruben, Douglas Sheet, David Smyth, Karen Smyth, Geoff Stone (and 3 or 4 others)

Apologies:
Trevor and Frances Fitzjohn, Sarah and Stephen King, Sue Stewart, Pauline Swann, Kristelle Plimmer

Discussion

Reviewed themes and issues arising from Mt Cook Meeting on 21 August (see mtcookmobilised: Retain heritage, resolve traffic, involve locals and think creatively about urban development) and began to set priorities for this group going forward.

Main issues to act on:

·  Develop a manifesto (what) & strategy (how) for Mt Cook

·  Not knowing “what is going on”

·  Notification – what does and doesn’t need to be notified

·  Save BGI building / retain pool

·  Address with parking and traffic flow issues (Wallace St, Bidwill Street, Tasman St, Wright Street)

A Mt Cook Group – what kind of group?

Discussed setting up a Mt Cook group (learn from Newtown Residents Assoc.)

It was suggested we connect with people like Brian Carmody, associated with the establishment of Fonspan - Friends of Nairn St Park & Neighbours (to which Annie Fleetwood and Ruth Jeffery belong)

Discussed factors to consider when planning to establish a residents' group and what it might do.

·  Diverse population in Mt Cook – note that people living in the Arlington St. flats aren’t at this meeting

·  It is hard to find out about Mt Cook

·  Emphasising the need to preserve the character of Mt Cook

·  Massey is important and therefore so is engaging with them. Note new developments, tour buses dropping off students in Wallace Street (dangerous), and the fact that Massey is managing a number of apartment blocks, and filling in open space on campus

·  Need for a community meeting place

·  Focus also on townhouse development

·  Find out what the plan is for the winter show building site

·  Supermarket development will increase traffic and Tasman Street will lose its present character or “feeling”

·  There is a lack of sense of community

·  YMCA / BGI provide a meeting place that we may lose contributing further to the above point

·  The history of Mt Cook has been “buried by city council” – an historical study was commissioned but never published.

·  Safer Roads project beginning to reach Mt Cook? See http://www.wellington.govt.nz/projects/ongoing/saferroads/saferroads.html Traffic flow surveys are expected (or have they begun?) Peter Frater advises that the WCC doesn’t want to do anything in our neighbourhood until Regional Hospital opens [Newtown is not scheduled until 2008-2009] Paul Barker is the WCC’s Road Safety Manager.

·  Potential “ghetto development” - Wellington apartments (Wellington has no minimum section / dwelling size)

·  link with Architecture Centre Manifesto

OPTIONS GOING FORWARD

1. Mt Cook group structure

Regarding the structure for a Mt Cook group, if the focus is on:

·  Lobbying – an informal structure is fine

·  Challenging Council and Developers, then a formal structure is required

Decision

Link with Newtown Residents Association and report back to next meeting

- Annie Fleetwood, Dave and/or Karen Smyth to attend NRA meeting

2. Engage diverse community

·  What about Arlington Flats? WCC is putting social worker in Arlington Flats.

Decision -

Ensure we connect with more diverse groups …

3. Community building – events

·  e.g. Wellington High School – performance event based on Mt Cook planned for 2008. In the meantime consider organizing meetings that have a community-making function

Decision -

Organise a community meeting as a Café / picnic …

4. Connecting with developers and with WCC

URGENT/IMMEDIATE

·  Research current Foodstuffs and Progressive Enterprises proposals

·  Research status of TSW / pool and YMCA stadium / gym

CHRONIC / ONGOING

·  Expressing concern to WCC about piecemeal development / the desire for heritage preservation [and the problem of no or few rules], and traffic management issues

·  Progress a Mt Cook design manifesto

Decision

·  Peter Cooke and Jacky Haydn to follow up a Foodstuffs letter to the Mt Cook Group, sent to Iona Pannett.- organise a meeting between Foodstuffs, WCC and Mt Cook group.

·  Set up exploratory meeting with Ernst Zolner (WCC) - …

·  Annie Fleetwood and Jacky Haydn to contact TSW and YMCA

5. Organising ourselves

Decisions

·  Spokesperson for Mt Cook group – Peter Cooke (from Geoff Stone)

·  Editorial group (website, newsletter?) – Jacky Haydn, Geoff Stone, Annie Fleetwood and Ruth Jeffery – meet to discuss/plan

·  Maintain mailing list – Carol Comber (handover Geoff Stone)

·  Revenue (T-shirt orders/sales) – Carol Comber (handover Julia Ames)

·  General help – Steve Cromb

Next meeting

Focus: Progressing engagement with Foodstuffs (re BGI) and Ministry of Culture and Heritage (re Memorial Park)

Date: Sunday, 30 September

Venue: 40 Wallace Street

Time: 4pm