Agenda of Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee

I hereby give notice that an ordinary meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee will be held on:

Date:

Time:

Meeting Room:

Venue:

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

9.30am

Room 1 & 2
Level 26
135 Albert Street
Auckland

Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee

OPEN AGENDA

MEMBERSHIP

Chairperson	Hon Christine Fletcher, QSO
Deputy Chairperson	Calum Penrose
Members	Cr Dr Cathy Casey	Cr John Watson
	Cr Bill Cashmore	Member Glenn Wilcox
	Cr Ross Clow	Member Karen Wilson
	Cr Chris Darby
	Cr Alf Filipaina
	Cr Mike Lee
	Cr Dick Quax
	Cr Sharon Stewart, QSM
	Cr Sir John Walker, KNZM, CBE
	Cr Wayne Walker

Ex-officio	Mayor Len Brown, JP
	Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse

(Quorum 8 members)

Katherine Sowry

Democracy Advisor

2 December 2014

Contact Telephone: (09) 307 3078

Email:Katherine.sowry@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Areas of Activity

· Provision of regional facilities and open space

· Regional frameworks for local facility and open space provision

· Encouraging healthy lifestyles through participation in sport and recreation sectors

· Facilitating partnerships and collaborative funding models across the sport and recreation sectors

· Performing the delegation made by the Governing Body to the former Parks, Recreation and Heritage Forum, under resolution GB/2012/157 in relation to the Dog Policy

Responsibilities

Within the specified area of activity the Committee is responsible for:

· In accordance with the work programme agreed with the parent committee, developing strategy and policy, including any agreed community consultation, to recommend to the Regional Strategy and Policy Committee

· Acting as a community interface for consultation on policies and as a forum for raising community concerns, while ensuring community engagement is complementary to that undertaken by local boards

· Making decisions within delegated powers

Powers

All powers necessary to perform the Committee’s responsibilities

Except:

(a) powers that the Governing Body cannot delegate or has retained to itself (see Governing Body responsibilities)

(b) where the Committee’s responsibility is limited to making a recommendation only

(d) the approval of expenditure that is not contained within approved budgets

(e) the approval of expenditure of more than $2 million other than for land purchases which shall have a limit of $5 million

(f) the approval of final policy

(g) deciding significant matters for which there is high public interest and which are controversial

(h) the commissioning of reports on new policy where that policy programme of work has not been approved by the Regional Strategy and Policy Committee

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC – WHO NEEDS TO LEAVE THE MEETING

Members of the public

All members of the public must leave the meeting when the public are excluded unless a resolution is passed permitting a person to remain because their knowledge will assist the meeting.

Those who are not members of the public

General principles

· Access to confidential information is managed on a “need to know” basis where access to the information is required in order for a person to perform their role.

· Those who are not members of the meeting (see list below) must leave unless it is necessary for them to remain and hear the debate in order to perform their role.

· Those who need to be present for one confidential item can remain only for that item and must leave the room for any other confidential items.

· In any case of doubt, the ruling of the chairperson is final.

Members of the meeting

· The members of the meeting remain (all Governing Body members if the meeting is a Governing Body meeting; all members of the committee if the meeting is a committee meeting).

· However, standing orders require that a councillor who has a pecuniary conflict of interest leave the room.

· All councillors have the right to attend any meeting of a committee and councillors who are not members of a committee may remain, subject to any limitations in standing orders.

Staff

· All staff supporting the meeting (administrative, senior management) remain.

· Only staff who need to because of their role may remain.

Local Board members

· Local Board members who need to hear the matter being discussed in order to perform their role may remain. This will usually be if the matter affects, or is relevant to, a particular Local Board area.

IMSB

· Members of the IMSB who are appointed members of the meeting remain.

· Other IMSB members and IMSB staff remain if this is necessary in order for them to perform their role.

CCOs

Representatives of a CCO can remain only if required to for discussion of a matter relevant to the CCO.

1 Apologies

Apologies from Cr C Darby, Mayor LCM Brown and Deputy Mayor PA Hulse have been received.

2 Declaration of Interest

Members are reminded of the need to be vigilant to stand aside from decision making when a conflict arises between their role as a member and any private or other external interest they might have.

3 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Tuesday, 4 November 2014, including the confidential section, as a true and correct record.

4 Petitions

At the close of the agenda no requests to present petitions had been received.

5 Public Input

Standing Order 3.21 provides for Public Input. Applications to speak must be made to the Committee Secretary, in writing, no later than two (2) working days prior to the meeting and must include the subject matter. The meeting Chairperson has the discretion to decline any application that does not meet the requirements of Standing Orders. A maximum of thirty (30) minutes is allocated to the period for public input with five (5) minutes speaking time for each speaker.

At the close of the agenda no requests for public input had been received.

6 Local Board Input

Standing Order 3.22 provides for Local Board Input. The Chairperson (or nominee of that Chairperson) is entitled to speak for up to five (5) minutes during this time. The Chairperson of the Local Board (or nominee of that Chairperson) shall wherever practical, give two (2) days notice of their wish to speak. The meeting Chairperson has the discretion to decline any application that does not meet the requirements of Standing Orders.

This right is in addition to the right under Standing Order 3.9.14 to speak to matters on the agenda.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board, Carrol Elliott will speak under item 9 of the agenda.

7 Extraordinary Business

Section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“An item that is not on the agenda for a meeting may be dealt with at that meeting if-

(a) The local authority by resolution so decides; and

(b) The presiding member explains at the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public,-

(i) The reason why the item is not on the agenda; and

(ii) The reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting.”

Section 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“Where an item is not on the agenda for a meeting,-

(a) That item may be discussed at that meeting if-

(i) That item is a minor matter relating to the general business of the local authority; and

(ii) the presiding member explains at the beginning of the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public, that the item will be discussed at the meeting; but

(b) no resolution, decision or recommendation may be made in respect of that item except to refer that item to a subsequent meeting of the local authority for further discussion.”

8 Notices of Motion

At the close of the agenda no requests for notices of motion had been received.

Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee

09 December 2014

Clarification of decision-making for Mangere Mountain

File No.: CP2014/26054

Purpose

1. To clarify the decision-making allocation for parks services in relation to land contiguous with Te Pane o Mataoho/Te Ara Puera (Mangere Mountain), and council’s built assets including the Mangere Mountain Education Centre and Kiingi Tawhiao Cottage.

Executive summary

2. Local Boards are responsible for making non-regulatory decisions on “local parks” and the Governing Body is responsible for making non-regulatory decisions on “regional parks”.

3. In August 2013, the Governing Body adopted an amended schedule of parks as part of the definition of “regional parks”. This schedule included nine parcels of land contiguous with Te Pane o Mataoho/Te Ara Puera (Mangere Mountain). One of those parcels has two council-owned buildings located on it, namely Mangere Mountain Education Centre and Kiingi Tawhiao Cottage.

4. The Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board has advised staff of its view that Mangere Mountain Education Centre and Kiingi Tawhiao Cottage are local facilities, and that the local board is the most appropriate decision-maker for these assets. In addition, the board believes that a number of parcels of land contiguous to Mangere Mountain that were classified as “regional park” should be more appropriately classified as “local park”.

5. Staff support the local board’s view that decision-making for the Mangere Mountain Education Centre, Kiingi Tawhiao Cottage and all parcels of land contiguous with Mangere Mountain that are currently the responsibility of the governing body (as a “regional park”) should be re-classified as a “local park” and allocated to the local board.

6. Note that at some point in the future, council is likely to consider the vesting of administrative responsibility for the contiguous land (which may include council’s buildings located on that land) to the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority (the Maunga Authority). Such vesting would enable the contiguous land to be included in an integrated Reserve Management Plan for the maunga. The local board’s views with regard to possible vesting of administrative responsibility for the contiguous land in the Maunga Authority will be sought prior to any decision being made.

Recommendation/s

That the Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee:

a) amend the decision-making allocation for land contiguous with Te Pane o Mataoho/Te Ara Puera (Mangere Mountain) so that all parcels of council-owned or administered contiguous land be removed from the definition of “regional park” and become “local park”, specifically the following parcels:

i) Pt Allotment 202 PSH OF Manurewa

ii) Allotment 379 PSH OF Manurewa

iii) Allotment 262 PSH OF Manurewa

iv) Paper Road (Pt Mangere Mountain Education Centre grounds)

v) LOT 24 DP 10685

vi) Paper Road (Access to Ridgemount Road)

vii) Lot 1 DP 44558

viii) Lot 29 DP 57347

ix) Lot 1 P29452

Comments

Background to decision-making allocation for parks services

7. The Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 requires the governing body to allocate decision-making responsibility for non-regulatory activities to either the governing body or local boards. Council’s Long-term Plan 2012 – 2022 (LTP) provides the current decision-making allocation (Volume Three, Chapter 1.2, Table 1.2.1). The allocation table identifies “regional parks listed in schedule 1” as the responsibility of the governing body, while “local parks” are allocated to local boards.

8. At its meeting of 22 August 2013, the Governing Body adopted a schedule of parks for which decision-making responsibility is allocated to the governing body (i.e. the Schedule 1 referred to in the LTP). All other parks are the responsibility of the relevant local board.

9. The schedule of parks allocated to the governing body is set out in full in Attachment A. In broad terms, the schedule includes the following:

· Parks subject to Treaty of Waitangi settlement, including:

· Parks subject to the Treaty of Waitangi settlement with Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (the Tāmaki Collective). It is important to note that this allocation was an interim arrangement until the formation of the Maunga Authority. The Authority has now been formed and decision-making responsibility for land subject the Tamaki Collective settlement now lies with the Maunga Authority.

· Land contiguous with parks subject to Treaty of Waitangi settlement with the Tāmaki Collective

· Parks delivering Auckland-wide benefits, including:

· Regional parks i.e. parks formerly owned/managed by the former Auckland Regional Council

· Land contiguous with regional parks

· Other parks delivering Auckland-wide benefits, including Auckland Domain and Motukorea (Browns Island)

Decision-making allocation in relation to Mangere Otahuhu Local Board

10. The following park areas within the Mangere Otahuhu Local Board are allocated to the governing body as “regional park”:

· Te Pane o Mataoho/Te Ara Puera (Mangere Mountain), being a park subject to Treaty of Waitangi settlement with the Tāmaki Collective (now the responsibility of the Maunga Authority)

· Nine additional parcels of land that are contiguous with Te Pane o Mataoho/Te Ara Puera (Mangere Mountain)

· Ambury Regional Park, being part of Auckland’s Regional Park network formerly owned/managed by Auckland Regional Council

11. The Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board originally provided its views on the decision-making for parcels of land contiguous with Mangere Mountain in a memo to staff in August 2013, in which the board expressed its view that five of the parcels of land proposed to be classified as “regional park” should more appropriately be classified as “local park” (refer Attachment B). Due to the timing of receipt of the memo and the reporting approvals, the memo was not able to be included in the 22 August report, and the full views of the board were not considered by the Governing Body when making its decision.

12. The Local Board has requested a review of the classification of land contiguous to Mangere Mountain. The Local Board believe that it should be responsible for decision-making for these parcels and the buildings on them because:

· Mangere Mountain Education Centre and Kiingi Tawhiao Cottage are both important assets for the local community and it is appropriate for the local board to have decision-making responsibility for local facilities

· The local board previously provided funding for both the operational contracts for the education centre and the refurbishment of the cottage, and seek to ensure that the past investment and the benefits derived from that investment are maintained

· The local board can readily ensure integration of decision-making for the parkland with the decisions of the Maunga Authority, and that there is no advantage in having the governing body involved in decision-making over local parkland

Basis for allocation of decision-making for land contiguous with Treaty Settlement land

13. The inclusion of land contiguous with parks subject to Treaty of Waitangi settlement was in response to a situation that occurred on a number of maunga subject to the Tamaki Collective settlement, where the specific parcels of land included in the settlement did not include the full extent of land that effectively formed the park “on the ground”.

14. For the most part, these areas of contiguous land are relatively small parcels that had for various historical reasons been added to the principal park areas to provide a range of improvement (e.g. improved access and boundary alignments, expand the park area). In a few instances, the areas of contiguous land are reasonably substantial in their own right.

15. The rationale for allocation of decision-making for these contiguous areas was a desire to create clear, easily understood decision-making responsibility for all land within the boundaries of what park users and management/operational activities would treat as a single park.

16. In assessing how such land should be treated as ‘regional park”, staff made two principle assessments of whether the land in question is either:

· used or perceived by users to be part of the wider park, or, is used or perceived as a separate, but adjacent park,

· managed by council as an integrated whole, or, is managed as a separate, but adjacent park.

17. It is anticipated that at some point in the future, council will give consideration to the vesting of administration responsibility for the contiguous land to the Maunga Authority. The settlement legislation requires the Maunga Authority to prepare an integrated Reserve Management Plan. The vesting of administrative responsibility these parcels to the Maunga Authority would allow that land to be incorporated into the management plan.

18. Note that four of the land parcels in question are crown-owned, although not subject to the Tāmaki Collective settlement. This means that council continues to manage the land at this time, although it is possible that the area may be subject to future Treaty Settlement legislation. The two buildings are council-owned assets, and council would retain ownership of them in the event of any future settlement.

Decision-making allocation options

Table 1 below sets out three options for the allocation of decision-making with regard to the contiguous land and the buildings on that land.

Table 1 – Options for decision-making allocation

Option 1: Retain the current decision-making allocation (i.e. contiguous land and buildings are “regional parks” and allocated to the governing body)
Advantages	Disadvantages
Decision-making with regard to both buildings and parkland management and operations could be readily integrated by staff into the wider Mangere Mountain parkland management and Maunga facility network, without reference to two separate decision-making bodies (this assumes the governing body does not take an active decision-making role in the facilities or land)	Local board no longer has responsibility for decision-making over local facilities or areas of contiguous parkland.
Option 2: Retain the current decision-making allocation in relation to the park land but confirm that the buildings (i.e. Mangere Mountain Education Centre and Kiingi Tawhaio Cottage) are “local community facilities” and hence the responsibility of the Mangere Otahuhu Local Board
Advantages	Disadvantages
Decision-making for the local community facilities undertaken by local board Parkland management and operational decisions can be readily integrated by staff into the wider Mangere Mountain parkland management without reference to two separate decision-making bodies (this assumes the governing body does not take an active decision-making role in the facilities or land)	Splits decision-making for buildings from decision-making for surrounding park land
Option 3: Classify contiguous land and buildings as “local park” and therefore the decision-making responsibility of the Mangere Otahuhu Local Board
Advantages	Disadvantages
Decision-making for the buildings and contiguous parkland would be undertaken by Local Board	Park land management and operational decisions less easy to integrate, and coordination on management/operations would require agreement from both Maunga Authority and Local Board (this assumes that the local board will take an active decision-making role in the parkland management).

19. Staff recommend Option 3 above. Refer Attachment C for map of Mangere Mountain illustrating the proposed classification and decision-making allocation recommended in this report.

20. Note that staff anticipate that these land parcels will be included in the future consideration by council of land that might be vested in the Maunga Authority. The Local Board has acknowledged through workshops that council is likely to consider the vesting of the land to the Manga Authority at some point in the future. The Board’s view is that until such time as that decision is made, then it is most appropriate that it is responsible for decision-making.

Consideration

Local board views and implications

21. The Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board has requested this review of the decision-making responsibility in relation to Mangere Mountain.

22. The Local Board has previously expressed its views in relation to the August 2013 Governing Body report through a memo to staff (refer Attachment B). Due to the timing of report approvals, that previous memo was not able to be included in the report to the Governing Body, and consequently was not considered in detail by the Governing Body when that decision was made.

23. The Local Board considered a report on the matter at its meeting of 15 October 2014, and resolved to recommend to the Governing Body the recommendations set out in this report.

Māori impact statement

24. Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Act 2014 requires the Maunga Authority to prepare an integrated Reserve Management Plan. Prior to that process commencing, council will give consideration to the vesting of administrative responsibility for the contiguous land (including the land and buildings considered in this report) to the Maunga Authority, which would enable that land to be incorporated into the management plan.

25. Consultation will be undertaken with the Maunga Authority and individual iwi and hapu with regard to the potential vesting of this land prior to any decision being made.

26. This report proposes an amendment to decision-making responsibility within council’s governance structure. This is effectively an interim decision prior to the principle decision regarding the long term allocation of decision-making being undertaken. Consultation with Maori with respect to this interim approach has not been undertaken, in anticipation of a more comprehensive engagement on decision-making issues being progressed in due course.

Implementation

27. There are no significant implementation issues arising from the proposed change in the classification of contiguous land from “regional park” to “local park”.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Schedule 1 - Regional parks	15
b View	Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board Memo - 8 August 2013	19
c View	Map of proposed decision-making	23

Signatories

Authors

Rob Cairns - Manager Regionwide

Authorisers

Anaru Vercoe - Manager, Community Policy & Planning

Ian Maxwell - Manager Parks, Sports & Recreation

Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee

09 December 2014

Proposed Classification of Smiths Reserve, Papakura

File No.: CP2014/25997

Purpose

1. To propose that Smiths Reserve, Papakura, is classified under the Reserves Act 1977 as part local purpose reserve, (approximately 2,100m²) and part (approximately 10,700m²) recreation reserve.

Executive summary

2. Smiths Reserve is located between Sir Edmund Hilary Intermediate School and Papakura Marae at 18R Smiths Avenue in South East Papakura. It was vested in Papakura Borough Council in 1969 for recreation purposes, to be managed in trust for the Crown. The reserve is unclassified with respect to the Reserves Act 1977, and is located in an area with a high degree of social deprivation.

3. Located on the reserve are 10 concreted games courts, a hall which is a council venue for hire, a small toilet block, and a house. The house has been used for community purposes since it was moved onto the site in 2008.

4. At a workshop on 13 August 2014 where they considered the current uses, the Papakura Local Board indicated their future plan for the reserve, that the house be leased for community use, and that the hall remains as a venue for hire. Additionally, the rest of the reserve is to be used for largely informal recreation as it is now.

5. At their meeting of 15 October 2014, the Papakura Local Board considered options for the future governance and management of community facilities on Smiths Reserve, and resolved (PPK/2014/1823) to recommend to the Governing Body that the reserve is classified part recreation and part local purpose (as shown in attachment A.)

Recommendation/s

That the Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee:

a) classify part (approximately 2100m2m²) of Smiths Reserve, Papakura as local purpose (community purposes) reserve and part (approximately 10700m²) as recreation reserve pursuant to section 16(1) of the Reserves Act 1977 as shown in Attachment A.

Comments

6. Smiths Reserve comprises one parcel of land having an area of 1.2811 hectares. Located on the reserve are a hall, a community house, a toilet block, several concreted games courts and a few trees.

7. Historically from the early 1970s, Papakura Netball was based at the reserve. However, in the late 90s they moved to the netball centre in Bruce Pulman Park. This resulted in a large reduction in the formal use of the Smiths Reserve courts. Currently, the courts on the reserve are largely used on an informal basis. The hall on the site, which is now a council venue for hire, was originally the clubrooms for Papakura Netball.

8. In May 2008, Papakura District Council moved a house onto the site to provide a base for the multi-agency Awhi project. The Awhi project was led by NZ Police and its objectives included reduction of localised alcohol and other drug use, youth related truancy, tagging, and high rates of domestic violence.

9. The Awhi project was wound up in 2011. Since then the house has been occupied by the Pikorua Community and Charitable Trust (the Trust), which was formed to continue the work undertaken by the Awhi project. Although the Trust has occupied the house, a formal lease has not been executed as it has not been appropriately classified.

10. After consideration of the current uses of the reserve, the Papakura Local Board indicated that their future plan for the reserve is that the community house be leased for community use, and that the hall remains as a venue for hire. The remainder of the reserve is to be used for largely informal recreation.

Consideration

Reserve Status

11. Smiths Reserve is described as Lot 73 DP 54706. Lot 73 and the surrounding block were originally acquired by the Crown in 1955 for the purposes of a public school. Later in 1963 the block was acquired for state housing purposes. Lot 73 was intended to be the reserve contribution by the Crown for the subdivision as defined by DP 54706.

12. In 1967 the surrounding block was released from being held for state housing purposes and declared to be Crown land subject to the Land Act 1948 as from 13 March 1967.

13. By way of Gazette Notice in 1969 (p.377), and pursuant to the Land Act, Lot 73 was declared by the Crown to be set apart as a reserve for recreation purposes. Pursuant to the Reserves and Domains Act 1953, the land was vested in the Papakura Borough Council, in trust, for recreation purposes.

14. On 1 April 1978 the Reserves Act 1977 came into force and repealed the 1953 Act and Lot 73 automatically became subject to the 1977 Act.

15. While all reserves are required to be classified under the 1977 Act, Lot 73 has yet to be classified by council and therefore retains its unclassified recreation reserve status dating from the 1969 gazette notice.

16. As mentioned, the community house on Smiths Reserve has been used for community purposes since it was placed on the site in 2008, and the Papakura Local Board envisages it will be leased for community purposes in the future. Under the Reserves Act, reserve land cannot be administered for any purpose other than the statutory purpose for which it is held. The purpose of recreation reserve does not provide for community activities to be undertaken. A lease for community purposes cannot be granted unless the reserve is classified appropriately.

17. To address these issues, it is proposed that the area of the reserve where the house is sited (as shown in Attachment A) is classified as local purpose(community purposes) reserve for the following reasons:

· to rectify the existing improper use of the reserve with respect to the Reserves Act

· to ensure future community leases on the house are consistent with the Reserves Act.

18. The activities being undertaken on the remainder of the reserve are recreation activities and therefore consistent with the purpose for which the reserve is held. It is proposed that the remainder of the reserve is classified as recreation reserve.

Local board views and implications

19. At the request of the Papakura Local Board, an internal staff working group was formed in March 2014. The group was asked to address the immediate needs and risks in relation to the reserve, and to provide the board with advice on future options for the reserve.

20. At a workshop on 13 August 2014, the Papakura Local Board indicated their future plan for the reserve where the house is to be leased for community use, and that the hall remains as a venue for hire. Additionally, the rest of the reserve is to be used for largely informal recreation as it is now.

Māori impact statement

21. Maori make up approximately 33% of the residents who live around the reserve.

22. At the time of writing this report, the following Iwi were asked for their views on the proposed classification of Smiths Reserve: Ngati Tai Ki Tamaki; Ngati Tamaoho; Te Akitai Waiohua; Ngati Te Ata Waiohua; Ngata Paoa; Ngati Maru; Ngati Whanaunga; Ngati Tamatera; and Waikato Tainui. Any responses received will be reported to the committee at its meeting. Additionally, formal consultation with local iwi will be undertaken as part of the reserve classification process.

23. As the reserve was vested in trust to council to manage on behalf of the crown, there is a possibility it may be identified as an asset to be used in a future Treaty of Waitangi settlement.

Implementation

24. A lease for the house will be subject to an expression of interest process, with an agreement to lease entered into subject to appropriate reserve classification.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Attachment A - Aerial Photo of Smths Reserve	29

Signatories

Authors

Sally McComb - Policy Analyst

Authorisers

Anaru Vercoe - Manager, Community Policy & Planning

Ian Maxwell - Manager Parks, Sports & Recreation

Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee

09 December 2014

Parks, Sports & Recreation - Manager's Report

File No.: CP2014/27667

Purpose

1. To update the Committee on activities undertaken by the department of Parks Sport and Recreation to support implementation of plans and policies of Auckland Council.

Executive Summary

2. This report has been written to update the Committee across a range of issues and progress with respect to approved work programmes.

Recommendation/s

That the Parks, Recreation and Sport Committee:

a) receive the update report from the General Manager – Parks Sport and Recreation.

Discussion

Operations Stability – Achievements and Highlights

3. Cindy Stewart and Romina Veseli from West Wave Pool and Leisure Centre received awards at the 2014 New Zealand Fitness Awards. Cindy won the Community Excellence Award while Romina was awarded the Outstanding Club Support Person. Matt Nash from Marina Fitness and Barbara Joseph from the Otara Pool and Leisure Centre were both finalists in the Gym Instructor of the Year category.

4. Community Swim, the flagship programme of the John Walker Field Your Field of Dreams Foundation has received national recognition by Water Safety New Zealand. Now in its sixth year, the free swim progamme has been awarded the 2014 Sealord New Zealand Water Safety Award for Education. The purpose of the award is to recognize and acknowledge excellence, achievement and innovation in water safety. In its sixth year, the initiative has provided free swim lessons to over 60,000 students.

5. The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Stephen Harper, was hosted at the Arataki Visitor Centre on 13 November after a short notice request. After a brief welcome at the centre, a guided walk was taken to the Kauri Knoll at the bottom of the Nature Trail. The German President visited Motutapu Island. Delegates to an Australasian Local Government Chief Executive Conference visited a number of local parks during their Auckland conference.

6. Staff from Waikumete Cemetery hosted Hon Craig Foss – Minister of Veterans Affairs. The Minister laid wreaths at the Cenotaph and the Leander Grave and acknowledged the work the Central West Cemeteries team are doing in maintaining and managing the Returned Services area at Waikumete Cemetery, the largest Returned Services cemetery in New Zealand.

7. Juliette Holdgate, Jason Maguiness and Jonah Kitto-Verhoef, young Park Rangers drawn from our Regional Parks and Local and Sports Parks teams, attended the World’s Parks Congress in Sydney. They participated in the congress as members of “Generate”, a collective of young park rangers drawn from the Department of Conservation and local authorities across New Zealand as well as Australian parks agencies.

8. Mark Bowater was successful in being elected onto the NZRA Board at the AGM in Christchurch on 25 November 2014.

9. In the light of seasonal demand temporary Summer Lifeguards and Summer Parks Rangers have been recruited and are currently in training. The additional staff will enable the opening of swimming pools as well as manage increased demand across the pool and parks network.

10. The “Arataki Kids Day”, an event organised by the Friends of Arataki, was held on Sunday 9 November. The feedback received was very complimentary about the organisation that went into the day from the Friends or Arataki, with volunteers including Duke of Edinburgh participants and support from Park Rangers and the Regional Parks team.

11. We were pleased to be able to facilitate a last minute request from Icebreaker Clothing to use Maukatia as a canvas for a visiting artist from France who specialised in ‘sand art’, where drawings in the sand resulted in spectacular images when viewed from afar. The photo outcome was covered very well by Campbell Live, and received very positive feedback from members of the public and locals, until the creation was cleared by the next high tide.

12. Auckland Botanic Gardens have commenced a project in collaboration with University of Auckland School of Biological Sciences to research the creation of low-maintenance biodiverse meadows in Auckland parkland. The first year of this research is being funded by the Friends of Auckland Botanic Gardens and Auckland Cemeteries.

§ the research is modelled on the wild flower meadow at Waikumete cemetery that comprises exotic plants, native plants and orchids and is only mown once a year

§ the project will investigate the effects different mowing regimes and manipulation of soil fertility has on plant composition in lawns. The objective is to reduce mowing in parks in a manner that enhances their biodiversity and amenity value.

13. In October Requests for Service from Aucklanders via Council’s customer call centers concerning activities managed by the Department totaled 2,519 – almost 20 percent down on the same period in 2013. Most requests concerned the management of trees, gardening and landscaping as well as pest control. Requests concerning sports grounds reduced 41 percent to 26 percent.

14. An inspection of the grandstand at Waikaraka Park revealed concerns over the integrity of the structure. As a result the grandstand was closed to the public. The grandstand is within part of the Park leased for use by motorsport. Temporary toilet facilities have been provided. Options are currently being investigated.

15. Planning and design work associated with the Whau River Walkway have commenced. A presentation summarizing this project will be made at the Committee meeting.

16. The current marketing program targeting increased membership of fitness centers within the Pools and Leisure network is running ahead of target. This initiative is aimed at reducing the subsidy from rates to maintain the network. In October we had 21,809 members in facilities directly managed by Council.

17. The Table below summarizes visits to Council managed pool facilities over recent years

	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
Papatoetoe Centennial Pool	251,840	282,688	217,304
Tepid Baths	N/A	219,436	250,642
Otara Leisure Centre and Pool	198,486	193,820	243,699
Manurewa Aquatic centre	356,294	351,374	196,332
Moana-Nui-a Kiwi Leisure Centre and Pool	270,940	272,633	248,100
Lloyd Elsmore Leisure Centre and Pool	561,000	717,265	539,608
Birkenhead Pool and Leisure Centre	18,656	32,379	37,288
Glenfield Pool and Leisure Centre	275,141	296,472	256,323
Takapuna Pool and Leisure Centre	176,215	168,371	200,108
Stanmore Bay Pool and leisure Centre	170,043	167,219	179,537
West Wave Pool and Leisure Centre	818,189	836,630	788,073
Total	3,096,804	3,538,287	3,157,014

Note: Financial Years

18. New sand carpet fields have been installed at Glover Park; they opened for play at the end of October, adding much needed sports field capacity in the Orakei Local Board area.

19. The revitalized Lovelock Track opened in early November. Lovelock Track was New Zealand’s first all-weather athletics track and achieved five world records.

20. 50 new roses have been donated to the Parnell Rose Gardens in preparation for the Rose Festival in November. Glenavon Roses have donated the 50 roses, bred for the Look Good Feel Better charity. The roses form part of a new strategy at the Rose Gardens to plant disease-resistant roses and reduce the use of pesticides. Look Good Feel Better is the charity of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association of New Zealand. The industry donates to the charity $2 million plus of cosmetics annually to enable us to run workshops throughout New Zealand in 28 centers. These workshops are for ladies, and Canteen patients, undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. They show them how to put in place lost eyebrows, enhance remaining eyelashes, cover skin pigmentation problems and enable them to face the world with a newfound confidence. They also have a company who comes in and demonstrates wigs and hair wraps. Next year they celebrate 25 years in New Zealand and sought to create a rose named for the charity.

21. New sand field training lights have been installed as part of the new artificial pitches at Ashley Reserve.

22. Drury Sports Complex Irrigation - installation of new sports field irrigation for two platforms and two dedicated training areas, including water storage tanks.

23. Prince Edward Park – irrigation completed.

24. Onehunga Foreshore - the 110 ton bridge was erected across State Highway 20 last month.

25. A Baseball Diamond has been created to International Standard at McLeod Park and was opened in early November by the Henderson Massey Board Chair and US Consulate. The park has one senior clay diamond and several grass junior diamonds.

26. Consenting and design work is well advanced for the five street ball courts associated with the Boroughs Project.

27. The Sustainability of Sport Fora have commenced with forum in central, south, north and west completed. Due to demand a further fora are proposed for the south. Another session will take place in February for major partnership projects such as Bruce Pulman Park, Karaka, Metropark Silverdale, Warkworth Showground’s and Community Sport Village Albany. Initial themes arising from the fora will be reported elsewhere in this committee meeting, with a final report in March 2015. Feedback from the sector is very positive about the opportunity to speak directly with Councillors and Local Board members.

28. The Akarana Marine Sports proposal located at The Landing on Tamaki Drive has benefited from a $1m grant from the ASB Trust.

29. The immediate future of the Woodhill Mountain Bike Park has been resolved following an agreement between the new owners of the land upon which the park is located and the operators of the park. The Park is a significant recreational asset for Aucklanders.

30. Staff have been engaged with Councilors and Local Board members with respect to the development of the Proposed 2015-25 Long-term Plan. This has included details with respect to capital works programs and decision making by Local Boards concerning Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI).

31. Staff have participated in the Te Tiriti o Waitangi Audit. The Audit undertaken by the Independent Maori Statutory Board considers the Acts of Parliament that regulate the Auckland Council’s family’s actions with regard to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its responsibilities to Maori.

Issues / Challenges

32. Waitawa Regional Park is partially opened again following slips that occurred after severe winter storms. Visitors are able to drive to the car parks above the main beach and walk in. Remediation, including the cutting through to the wharf, is scheduled to be completed before the end of December.

33. The development of the Long Bay restaurant has been delayed further with the discovery of another koiwi during ground works. Discussion with iwi on how to manage the find and site is occurring.

Projects

34. The project to install a bridge across the Karekare Stream to provide reliable access to Karekare Beach and Surf Club is progressing with the short term bridging summer options likely to be installed prior to Christmas. The longer term solution is subject to input and submissions through the Long-term Plan process.

35. Preparations for Sculpture in the Gardens opening in November 2015 are continuing, with most focus on raising the $250,000 required for the exhibition. To date $140,000 has been committed. A decision on whether to proceed with the exhibition will be taken in the next few months.

Leadership

36. The passing of Kaumatua Eru Thompson, Te Kawerau A Maki, in November, was a sad loss to the Regional Parks West. Mr Thompson was heavily involved with the replacement of the Pou at Arataki, the release of Kokako in the Ark in the Park, Tikanga and Karakia at significant events among many other things. He was an active advocate in the strong operational relationship between Regional Parks / Council and Te Kawerau A Maki.

Consideration

Local Board Views and Implications

37. There has been no specific engagement with Local Boards in relation to this update report. Local Board views are sought with regard to specific operational delivery within the work programme, and these views are reported as and when those specific projects are reported.

Maori Impact Statement

38. Maori impacts with regard to the specific operational and capital expenditure delivery programs are reported as and when specific projects are reported.

Implementation Issues

39. No Issues.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Authors

Ian Maxwell - Manager Parks, Sports & Recreation

Authorisers

Ian Maxwell - Manager Parks, Sports & Recreation

Dean Kimpton - Chief Operating Officer