Proposed Waitītiko path, public space and daylighting opportunity
Liz June 7th, 2024
Tāmaki Makaurau has an opportunity for an ara or path along a potentially daylighted section of Waitītiko from source puna (springs) on Ōwairaka Mt Albert foothills to the upper creek at Ahurangi, site of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Maungarongo.
For many years, STEPS has advocated improvement on a Mountain to Sea Walkway – from Ōwairaka to Te Tokaroa (Meola Reef).
More recently a plan for this linking ara and daylighting 500 meters of creek on the Mountain to Sea Walkway was proposed. This has been enabled by the work of the Watercare Central Interceptor (CI) project at Haverstock Road. Led by Andrew (Mac) Mackintosh, it has been presented to Auckland Council Healthy Waters, Albert Eden Local Board, Watercare, Plant and Food, STEPS Members AGM, and other groups.
The location below Plant and Food Crown Research Institute (CRI), and behind Haverstock Rd forms a vital link in Waitītiko-Meola Creek Mountain to Sea Walkway, freeing the source of the awa or creek, and making it available to rate payers and tax payers. All the land is owned by the Crown. Watercare is a Council Controlled Organisation, and part of Auckland Council. Watercare have opened up the link from Haverstock Road right of way, through to Camden Road for the first time in fifty years, for their trucks to go through it.
As Watercare complete community infrastructure work on Crown Land, both Watercare and the CRI have an immutable plan to again close the potential community link to Waitītiko-Meola Creek behind high security fences. Why would our governing bodies continue on a direction of concrete and security fences in this era when in most parts of the world Sustainability is key, and streams form a vital part of our natural world for people to connect to? They claim that $1-2 Billion will improve water quality and reduce overflows – so surely providing this short path connecting to the stream is one way of demonstrating the value of work out of sight, 50 meters below the earth.
This specific situation also provides a chance to daylight 500 meters of the creek with very little physical work needing to be done, and therefore at very low cost.
STEPS continues to ask Auckland Council, AELB, Watercare, and Plant and Food to open public green space, recover a lost section of awa, and to create some more community walking space.
We ask for public support
- come on the STEPS heritage walk – to be advertised for late September 2024…
- talk to your local Board Member, or Councillors Julie Feary and Christine Fletcher.
Join our facebook page @STEPSNZ now
