4 Mahurangimatters March 1, 2017
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Local opinion
Editor Jannette Thompson editor@localmatters.co.nz
Motorway extracts heavy toll Unlike Auckland motorways, which funnel existing heavy traffic along different routes, most of the new motorway between Warkworth and Te Hana will cut through rural properties. The owners are mainly farmers and lifestylers; people who have consciously sought out a quiet place to earn a living, raise their children or enjoy their retirement. Their new reality is that instead of waking to the sound of bird song, they could have trucks and cars rumbling past their bedroom windows in the not too distant future. These people are now on an emotional rollercoaster as they await more information about the process and how compensation will be calculated. The road has shattered dreams and shaken those affected to the core. Some farms have been in the same family for generations and the owners will be forced to sell, whether they want to or not. Homes and memories will be bulldozed, and many fear the high cost of real estate in Mahurangi will force them to relocate outside the district. There are question marks over
the viability of many of the remaining properties, which will be splintered by the road, while those outside the indicative route, who won’t receive any compensation, are wondering how much the motorway has devalued their property; an even bigger question if they have a mortgage hanging over their heads, as many do. While we recognise that the new motorway is a Road of National Significance, politicians, decision-makers and engineers should not be allowed to forget that it will be built at a huge personal cost to many people in our community. It will fragment communities and further urbanise our landscape. Building motorways is what NZTA does, so providing residents along the route with surety over the compensation process and how it will be managed should not be delayed. There is no excuse for keeping these people in the dark – they need answers and they need them as quickly as possible.
Warkworth pool investigations continuing
Competition winners Congratulations to Gay Walker who won a double pass to Operanesia; and Don Harris and Tracey Roe who each won a Meerkat stand-up desk.
Auckland Council will review the Expressions of Interest on the Warkworth pool project with the Rodney Local Board early this month. A Council spokesperson says that depending on which responses the Local Board is keen to explore – based on project achievability, sustainability and ability to meet identified local needs – Council will either “engage in a dialogue with one or multiple investor(s) or open a Request for Proposal process to flesh out the next level of detail required to form a business case”.
Kitchens. Bathrooms. Entertainment Units. Laundries. Wardrobes. Offices
At the same time, Council will also undertake a review of some financial models that might be available to fund potential Council investment in the pool. “The need for a swimming pool has been identified in Warkworth, and a pool is contemplated within the Community Facility Network Plan,” Council’s head of active recreation Rob McGee says. “However, it is not an immediate priority due to the relatively low current population and the high cost to build and maintain it. “A partnership approach would
Contact Neil: 09 425 7017 or 021 070 0643 Unit A, 16 Glenmore Drive, Warkworth
decrease Council’s potential investment, allowing the Local Board to advocate for funding within the next Long Term Plan, which will be consulted on later this year. No decisions have been made regarding the location.” The Campbell Reserve in Glenmore Drive, the Shoesmith Domain below Warkworth Primary School and Dawson Reserve at Snells Beach were identified as the three most suitable sites for a Warkworth aquatic centre in a feasibility study, prepared for Auckland Council, and released in 2015.
neiltcabinetmaker@xtra.co.nz cabinetmakeranddesign.co.nz