Attachments of Auckland Domain Committee

In addition to written feedback Auckland Council also received verbal feedback from people attending the two open days and feedback through a social media campaign.

The feedback came from people who regularly visited the Auckland Domain.

About how often do you visit Auckland Domain?

(355 responses)

Most visitors who provided feedback arrived by private motor vehicle, followed by walking and cycling.

People visit the Auckland Domain for the two main attractions of the Museum and the Wintergardens and to walk or jog.

The online questionnaire asked people to identify which of the four key projects in the master plan they supported.

The feedback was in favour of all proposals with the idea of redeveloping the Kari Street nursery receiving the most support and least disapprovals.

People were then asked to indicate which project they would like to see implemented first.

Closing the roads was identified as a priority project, followed by creating the playscape and consolidating the car parking.

A wide range of feedback and views was provided in the comments sections and the written feedback.

Feedback confirmed how much Aucklanders love the Domain. It has been the scene of many life events for Aucklanders and part of their everyday experience of Auckland. Aucklanders don’t the Domain to change too much, they want the cars to be removed and slowed down and the general amenity of the park to be improved.

The majority of the feedback welcomed a long term approach to the management of Auckland Domain, reduction in vehicle dominance, improvement of facilities and amenities and a low cost approach to implementing changes.

FEEDBACK THEMES

Theme One: Entrances to the Domain

Feedback

Many people mentioned problems with the pedestrian entries to the Domain and the lack of footpaths. This is a particular problem for park users who are visiting with small children or the elderly. The entrances identified for improvement are the Football Road and George Street intersection and the Stanley Street entrance to the Domain.

Response

Auckland Transport has identified the problem with the intersection of Football Road, George Street and the Carlton Road cycle lanes and they will be investigating how this can be improved.

The Stanley Street entry to the park is an opportunity to create a distinctive entrance to the park including a connection to the central city, rationalising car parking and vehicle circulation, improving pedestrian amenity and creating a connection to the Kari Street block.

Recommended change

Recommendation i Add an additional action to 5.1 Improve pedestrian and cycling circulation to include a new intersection improvement:

Improve the intersection of the Lower Domain Drive and Stanley Street, taking into consideration the redevelopment of Existing footpaths Auckland Tennis and access to the Kari Street commons.

Theme Two: Road and Carpark Closures

Feedback

The draft master plan proposes closing some roads and carparking areas to create more pedestrian friendly park while still allowing vehicle access to key facilities in the park. This proposal was well supported and a number of people suggested more roads should be closed or closed on a temporary basis including evenings, weekends and at peak commuting times and limited to carpooling vehicles.

A few people were concerned that the road closures would limit access for people with low mobility to the cenotaph.

A small number of people commented that traffic was already too restricted in the Domain

Response

The draft master plan still allows vehicle access to the Wintergardens, the museum and the sports fields and car parking is available next to the grandstand and at the northern end of the Football Road.

Access to the cenotaph for people who are unable to walk there would be managed with automatic bollards as at Mangawhau-Mt Eden.

The road closures will need to be carefully communicated with regular park users, particularly sportsfield users to ensure park users are aware of where the drop off and parking areas are located. This may include messages to sportsclubs, signage and rangers on site for the first few weeks.

No changes are recommended to the draft master plan in response to this feedback.

Theme Three: Sports Field Circuit

Feedback

The feedback identified a number of opportunities created by the partial closures of Football and Kiosk Roads. This circuit could be lit to extend the use of the area for cycling, walking and running into the evening.

Many cyclists responded that the proposed three metre wide shared path on Football, Grandstand and Kiosk Roads would be too narrow to share, particularly in a busy park like the Auckland Domain.

Response

Leaving the full width of the roads surrounding the sportsfields will have benefits for pedestrians and cyclists and also allow for temporary event infrastructure to be easily installed in this area.

This circuit is an ideal location to light in the Domain as it is has good surveillance from neighbouring streets and connects into a wider network of walking and jogging circuits beyond the Domain including into the central city and the waterfront.

Recommended Changes

Amend the draft master plan to the whole width of the existing roads surrounding the sports fields and widen shared footpaths on The Crescent as much as possible.

Recommendation ii Amend 5.1.1 The Crescent (Eastern End) Proposed scenario section and artist’s impressions to widen the shared footpath to 5 metres.

Recommendation iii Amend 5.1.2 The Crescent (Western End) Proposed scenario section and artist’s impressions to widen the shared footpath to 4.4 metres.

Recommendation iv Amend 5.1.3 Grandstand Road (North) Proposed scenario section and artist’s impressions to widen the shared footpath to 4.8 metres.

The lighting of the sportsfield circuit has also been included as an action in the implementation plan.

Feedback

Many people commented the road closures and pedestrianised areas should be implemented quickly and inexpensively by using paint, bollards and planters to close roads and separate pedestrians from traffic.

Response

No changes are recommended to the draft master plan in response to this feedback,

Theme Four: Lighting

Feedback

Lighting of entrances to Auckland Domain was raised in Feedback. Sporting codes requested in the installation of lights for the sportsfields. Lighting of key pathways for walking and jogging was frequently mentioned in feedback.

Response

A lighting plan is proposed in the Auckland Domain implementation plan to look at the appropriate areas of the park to light. This will investigate the sportsfield circuit, park entrances and key circulation routes.

No changes are recommended to the draft master plan in response to this feedback.

Theme Five: Sportsfield Quality

Feedback

Sportsfield users asked us to improve the quality of the sportsfields and to light the sportsfields to extend the hours the fields could be used.

Response

A project is underway to upgrade the upper sportsfields and lighting of the sportsfields is being considered as part of the lighting plan as outlined above in paragraph.

No changes are recommended to the draft master plan in response to this feedback.

Theme Six: Parking

Feedback

Feedback was supportive of consolidating carparking on the eastern edge of the Domain.

Submitters were concerned about the visual impact of increasing the size of the Barracks Road carpark and recommended as many trees as possible be retained.

One submitter suggested the Stanley Street carpark could be removed and this area be incorporated back into the park.

Submitters still want to retain disabled and elderly access and parking to the Domain, Wintergardens, sportsfields and the Museum. Hospital users want carparking retained.

Suggestions for discouraging all day parking included; more restrictive time restrictions and installing parking meters.

Response

The draft master plan proposes closing some roads and carparking areas to create more pedestrian friendly park while still allowing vehicle access to key facilities in the park.

The draft master plan still allows vehicle access to the winter gardens, the museum and the sports fields and car parking is available next to the grandstand and at the northern end of the Football Road.

Theme Seven: Play space

Feedback

Developing a natural play space around the split pohutukawa was well supported. Other suggestions included a basketball court, shade sail, skate park, pump track and learn to ride track.

Response

The Kari Street Block will provide opportunities to learn to ride bikes and casual basketball.

The development of a playspace around the split pohutukawa will benefit from the shade of the mature trees in this location.

Opportunities for skating and BMX are provided for elsewhere in the park network including Victoria Park and Grey Lynn Park.

Theme Eight: Pedestrians

Feedback

Feedback focussed on improving the quality of pedestrian infrastructure in the Domain including requests for more footpaths, pedestrian crossings and pedestrian priorities at entries to the Domain, good lighting and surfaces suitable for jogging. Support for a pedestrian/cycling bridge over Stanley Street.

‘Refocusing it away from a scenic drive into a place for people walking, playing sport, relaxing etc. ’

Response

The feedback has been noted.

Theme Nine: Way-finding and Interpretation

Feedback

Feedback supported improving the way-finding and interpretation in the Domain. Specific areas identified for improvement were around improving the way-finding on the tracks, installing distance markers on popular running/walking tracks.

Improve signage on the Coast to Coast walkway.

More interpretative material was requested for pre-European history of the Auckland Domain and the Princess Te Puea Tree.

The 1882 Transit of Venus.

Improve way-finding from Symonds Street and the city centre to Auckland Domain.

Response

The feedback has been noted and will be incorporated into the Wayfinding and Interpretation Plan for Auckland Domain.

Theme Ten: Cycling

Feedback

The need for an east-west connection across the Domain for cyclists was raised, the existing cycle path on lower Domain Drive caters for east bound cyclists only and is suited for confident cyclists.

Response

The master plan includes an action to develop a two-way cycle path alongside the Centennial Walkway.

Feedback

It was suggested the Watercare Access Road be developed as a walking and cycling route.

Response

Watercare have advised the service pit at the end of the Access Road is very deep and the cleaning of it is smelly, noisy and dangerous. Watercare do not want to encourage pedestrians or cyclists into this area on a regular basis.

Feedback

Cyclists asked for a cycling criterium track, which provides for a bike race consisting of several laps around a closed circuit, the length of each lap ranges from one to two kilometres.

Response

The closed roads in the Domain are for pedestrians, joggers and recreational cyclists. We consider high speed racing is not appropriate in this park.

No changes are recommended to the draft master plan in response to this feedback.

Feedback

Other cycling infrastructure was suggested including bike hire, a pump and cycle skills track.

Response

This feedback has been noted and will be considered when proposals for concessions are considered in the Domain.

Theme Eleven Tree Plan

Feedback

Feedback suggested an annual pruning regime of crown lifting to improve sightlines, particularly for native trees which have a lot of undergrowth was recommended.

Support for native trees.

Recommend plants which encourage native bird life.

Support for a tree plan.

Suggestion to expand the SEA.

‘exotics are essential, our heritage is reflected in the trees’

‘returning hilly areas back to native bush’

‘I would like to see majestic mature trees along both sides of every road/footpath providing for a canopy’

‘trim trees to allow views to the museum’

Response

The feedback has been noted and incorporated into the Auckland Domain Tree Plan which was adopted by the Auckland Domain Committee at its June 2016 meeting.

Theme Twelve: Public Transport

Feedback

People suggested Auckland Council, Auckland Museum and Auckland Transport encourage people to come to Auckland Domain by Public Transport by discounting public transport fares for Auckland Domain visitors.

Submitters noted there is no direct public transport to the museum and this would benefit Museum and park visitors.

Feedback recommended a variety of alternative transport options in the Domain including a shuttle bus or tram service, electric carts and horse drawn carriages.

‘Provide a good quality connection from Parnell Station to Auckland Domain.’

‘Reducing the amount of cars, consistent design of all the elements, keeping all the native plants, making it easier to get to the park, it’s a pretty good plan altogether.’

Response

This feedback has been noted.

Theme Thirteen: Amenity

Feedback

People providing feedback appreciated the beauty of the park, especially the duck pond.

‘Enjoyable space for reflection and exercise’

· Fitness equipment could be installed.

· Request for more park benches

· Community garden

· Needs more public toilets

· Suggestion to open up the glasshouses to the public to see/visit

· Support for improvements to family friendly amenities

· Support stricter limits on memorials and sculptures

· Support the Auckland Domain as a leisure and recreation destination.

· Support for more events in the Domain

Responses

The Auckland Domain is not an appropriate location for fitness equipment, there are plenty of opportunities for exercise in the park including the proposed sportsfield circuit.

More park benches and seating can be provided in the Domain including around the sportsfield circuit.

A community garden could be considered in the Kari Street Block

There are four sets of public toilets in the Domain, the information and directional signage needs to be improved so people can find them more easily. This will be picked up in the implementation plan.

Opening up the glasshouses to the public to see/visit is a project identified in the implementation plan and the upcoming renewal of the glasshouses will make the glasshouses safer.

The following comments have been noted:

· Support the Auckland Domain as a leisure and recreation destination.

· Support for more events in the Domain

· Support improvements to family friendly amenities

· Support stricter limits on memorials and sculptures.

Maintenance issues have been reported to the operations team.

Feedback

Request for a memorial to the Holocaust in the Auckland Domain incorporating the Warsaw Ghetto stones.

Response

The Auckland Domain is not considered to be an appropriate location for a memorial to the Holocaust, the Auckland Domain Master Plan recommends reducing the number of existing plaques, memorials and art works in the park.

Feedback

Suggestion to improve connections between the hospital and the Domain.

Response

Auckland Council Staff are working with the Auckland Hospital master plan team to encourage the hospital master plan to consider improving pedestrian connection from the hospital campus to the Domain.

Theme Fourteen: Kari Street

Feedback

Support for incorporating the Kari Street nursery back into the Auckland Domain.

Suggestions for this area included organised sport, social enterprise, play space, a bike park.

Response

This feedback has been noted and passed onto the project team who are working on this project.

Theme Fifteen: WW100 Memorial

Feedback

People providing feedback told us they appreciated the green close in front of the museum and did not want to see this area developed for a memorial.

Response

This feedback has been noted.

Theme Sixteen: Maintenance Issues

Feedback

A number of maintenance issues were raised including toilet cleanliness, footpath improvement and fixing the fence around the Princess Te Puea tree.

Maintenance of Auckland Domain requires improvement, in particular the toilets are ‘smelly and yuck’, pathway needs improvement. Boot camp on the cenotaph steps is disrespectful, the sportsfields and fairy pond need improving. Princess Te Puea tree fence needs attention.

Response

This feedback has been noted and passed onto the maintenance team.

Auckland Domain Committee

27 July 2016

AUCKLAND DOMAIN MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

PROJECT	FUNDER	SOURCE	Short term 0-5 years	Medium term 6-10 years	Long term 10 + years	Partnership
LIGHTING PLAN Prepare a lighting plan for Auckland Domain which includes: · Providing lighting for the sports fields · Developing the sportsfield circuit as a walking, cycling and jogging destination in the early evening · Amenity and feature lighting · Lighting and electricity infrastructure which supports events. o Parnell Rail Station route o permanent three phase power connections around the sportsfield circuit o connections to the Kari Street block · Pedestrian lighting at key entries to the park.	Auckland Council Parks	Capex		$450,000		X
KARI STREET BLOCK Stage I Establish hard courts and events infrastructure Stage II Stanley Street entrance and connection into Kari Street Block Stage III Permanent events infrastructure	Auckland Council Parks	Capex Capex Capex	2016/17 $180,000	$1,000,000	$1,500,000	X
PLAY SCAPE Enhance the natural playscape next to the duck ponds	Auckland Council Parks	Capex	2016/17 $600,000
PUBLIC ART & PLAQUES AND MEMORIALS REVIEW Develop a public art management plan to rationalise existing artworks and provide guidance for future permanent and temporary art in the Domain. Undertake a stocktake of existing plaques and memorials in the Domain to rationalise existing ones and provide policy and guidance for future requests.	Auckland Council	Opex		$40,000
WAYFINDING & INTERPRETATION Collate and fill any required gaps in regard to the assessment of all cultural and heritage values in the Domain including cultural, archaeological, geological, historical and ecological. Undertake a way-finding plan for within the Domain and connections to it from the built environment, such as the surrounding street and motorway network, and bus and train services. Link this plan to the interpretation plan. Undertake an accessibility audit of Auckland Domain and the connections to it to identify improvements required to provide all abilities access to the Domain and key visitor facilities in the Domain. Provide information about the accessible visit facilities in the Auckland Domain on the Auckland Council website so visitors can plan their visit.	Auckland Council	Capex	$360,000	$200,000
WW100 CENTENARY Develop a memorial to commemorate the centenary of World War One on the grass lawn or ‘close’ on front of the museum.	Auckland Council	Capex	2018	$1m
MUSEUM VICINTY · Remove vehicle circulation and parking from around the Auckland War Memorial Museum and create civic spaces interfacing with the building. · Close: · Cenotaph Road · Museum Circuit · Quality pedestrian civic spaces to be developed around the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Vehicles to be prevented from passing in front of or around the Cenotaph via the closures of Cenotaph Road and the Museum Circuit in order to enhance the significance of the memorial. · Introduce a shared path along the east side of Maunsell Road Extension by taking out car parking · Introduce new shared pedestrian/cycle paths leading towards the south entrance of the Museum	Auckland Council Auckland War Memorial Museum Auckland Transport	Capex (new)	$100,000	$200,000		X
BARRACKS ROAD CAR PARK Develop purpose built car and bus parking and bus drop off facilities between the east side of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and Titoki Street for visitors to the Auckland War Memorial Museum and the Domain. Barracks roads closed Purpose-built car and bus parking area Bus drop off/pick up area and turning circle	Auckland Council Auckland War Memorial Museum Auckland Transport	Capex		$500,000		X
CYCLE LANE · Introduce a cycle lane along remainder of Domain Drive (towards Parnell Road) · Implement the Waitematā Greenways Plan. · Greenway connection on the east side of the railway that connects Parnell Station to Newmarket Park	Auckland Transport
STANLEY STREET ENTRANCE Develop a gateway feature at the Stanley Street entrance to help connect people between the Domain and the cultural heart of the city centre and learning quarter who are travelling via Wellesley Street and Grafton Road. Stanley Street gateway feature, A gateway feature that recognises and responds to the park’s scale and value to the region is appropriate to connect people to and from the city. Improve the Wellesley Street connection for pedestrians and cyclists.	Auckland Council Auckland Transport			$800,000
WOOD CHIP YARD Upgrade the ‘wood chip yard’ as a high quality open space ‘breakout’ area.	Auckland Council	Capex	$680,000
CENTENNIAL WALK CYCLE WAY Create a dedicated cycleway alongside the Centennial Walk between Stanley Street and Domain Drive to provide segregated, two-way cycling access.	Auckland Transport