Archive for the 'Mt Albert' Category

Proposed Waitītiko path, public space and daylighting opportunity

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.

Here is the full proposal

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

Owairaka rakau

November 13th, 2019

STEPS was contacted regarding activities on Owairaka relating to tree removal. We have found that The Tree Council has outlined the planned work on the maunga and stated their support for it here. Like many other people we are always sad to see the loss of large trees, but we hope to join in some of the new planting activities in future.

Waitītiko-Meola Creek Mountain to Sea Walk, Sunday 20 & 27 October

September 15th, 2019

STEPS will take you on a journey through the catchment of the Meola Waitītiko. The creek has a varied history – wetlands have changes to wasteland and back again, sections have been derelict and are now prized, and some parts are still lost.

We will start from the summit of Ōwairaka / Mount Albert and end at Meola Reef Te Tokaroa, where the creek meets the Waitematā Harbour. Along the way, we will visit reserves, rock forest, bush, roads and walkways, always with the stream nearby.

Walk 1: Sunday 20 October. Meet at Mt Albert Owairaka Summit Trig Station 0930.

Walk 2: Sunday 27 October. Meet at Western Springs Garden Community Hall 0930.

We welcome families and people with an interest in the history and state of the largest catchment on the Auckland isthmus. See more details at  Waititiko/Meola Creek Mountain to Sea Walk

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