The year is well and truly underway, and I’m pleased to report that the HPRS committee has been busy in these first few months of 2017. As always, we are involved on your behalf in a number of initiatives around Hobsonville Point and working with several individuals and organisations.
Recently, committee representatives met with the chair and deputy chair of the Upper Harbour Local Board, Lisa Whyte and Margaret Miles. The board is supportive of the work happening locally, including on the proposed community garden, and this meeting paved the way for further discussion with its members as required.
We have also met with Auckland Council’s Albany Ward councillors, John Watson and Wayne Walker, with whom we discussed possible opportunities for other community facilities within the point and increasing the frequency of ferry sailings. Further research is required to progress both initiatives. The HPRS committee will soon be looking into the likely demand and preferred times/days for extra sailings in order to put a business case together that can be presented to Auckland Transport. This will take time and there is no quick fix but it was heartening to find both the local board and council representatives supportive and receptive to improvements in our area.
More recently, the entire HPRS committee has met with Hobsonville Land Company’s Design Panel, which is charged with reviewing the original designs for the area and potential alterations submitted by homeowners, and the point’s master planner, Isthmus. This was a constructive meeting which enabled us to better understand their roles while passing along feedback we have received from residents about what is, and isn’t, working in the area. We hope to work more closely with these groups in future.
Finally, in response to concerns raised by residents with school-aged children, we have also approached the common Board of Trustees of our two local schools about implementing a limited speed zone around the schools during specified hours. Such an initiative can only be introduced by the schools’ board but we have expressed our support for lower speed zones to minimise the risk to children during school pick up and drop off.
Thank you to everyone who commented on our new website and e-newsletter after we went live in January. We welcome your feedback and thoughts, and invite you to use our website to contact the committee directly.
Peter Herbert,
Chairperson
