Living Streets North Shore
A Walking Action Group / Branch of Living Streets Aotearoa
Submission on the
Draft Fort Takapuna / O Peretu & Narrow Neck Beach Reserve Management Plan – May 2010
Background
Living Streets Aotearoa is a national organisation with a vision of
More people choosing to walk more often.
The objectives of Living Streets are:
· To promote walking as a healthy, accessible, cheap, sociable and environmentally-friendly means of transport and recreation.
· To promote the social and economic benefits of pedestrian-friendly communities.
· To work for walking-friendly communities with improved access and conditions for walkers, pedestrians and runners.
· To advocate for greater representation of walker and pedestrian concerns in land use and transport planning and urban design.
· To raise the profile of walking through education, debate, campaigns, publications, seminars and conferences.
· To foster consideration for people with special mobility needs.
Living Streets North Shore is the North Shore based walking action group / branch of Living Streets Aotearoa, which is working to make all areas of North Shore City more walking-friendly.
Living Streets North Shore represents a group of people from community, transport, health, recreation and other sectors of North Shore supported by Living Streets Aotearoa to advocate for better walking infrastructure and policies and for the needs of those using the pedestrian facilities of the city.
For more information, please see: www.livingstreets.org.nz
Key Points
- The integrated approach to the management of these two reserves is welcomed.
- A slow speed (20 kmh) zone in this area is supported.
- The provision of pedestrian / cycling linkages linking these reserves and connecting to the existing park and roading network is a high priority.
- Securing a permanent, accessible link to Vauxhall Rd at the southern end of the Fort Takapuna / O Peretu reserve should be a priority.
- The provision of disabled parking should be the priority when considering beachside parking.
Introduction
Living Streets North Shore (LSNS) welcomes the opportunity to comment on this draft management plan.
Vision and Outcomes
LSNS supports the Council’s vision for Fort Takapuna / O Peretu reserve and Narrow Neck beach reserve as stated in 5.1. We suggest the last word in this paragraph should be “relaxation”.
LSNS supports the outcomes outlined in 5.2.
Coordination of reserve management between Council, the Department of Conservation and Navy is essential, particularly when designing through walking and cycling routes to ensure a consistent standard of accessibility and signage.
We believe the paragraph on accessibility and connectivity should read:
“Improved accessibility and connectivity to the coastline and wider recreational and roading networks through provision of cycling and walking paths and the provision of parking, with a priority given to that for people with disabilities.”
Development Plan
LSNS makes the following comments on the Reserve Development Framework
E. We agree that the pedestrian crossing from Woodall Park to the beach reserve should be relocated north of the shop in conjunction with a wide path through to the beach reserve.
The bus stop on the beach side of the road needs to be relocated perhaps with an indent. The old bus shelter should be retained as a historic feature. It could be used for a static information display.
We acknowledge the need to make the playground safer by preventing small children from straying on to the road but believe any barrier should not limit access to the reserve. It should be recognised that anything short of a child proof fence may in fact offer a false sense of security. The importance of supervising children needs to be recognised by caregivers when children are near water and roads.
We agree that the area which was part of Old Lake Rd should be repaved as a promenade with improved green space and clear pedestrian routes along the beachfront.
The store and Wakatere Boating club are important features of this beachfront. Their right to be located on the reserve should be formalised through licences. Their footprint should not be increased.
While a pedestrian route from the beach to the Fort Takapuna reserve is desirable, we believe the priority should to be to create a defined route from the beach promenade to the northern tip of Fort Takapuna. This is the desire line for pedestrians and cyclists. It is recognised that this path would need to cross the boating ramp. This could be achieved by providing a pedestrian crossing across the parking area adjacent to the boat ramp. The proposal to direct pedestrians on to the beach or around the road, providing pedestrian access further along the reserve frontage, as shown on page 54 ignores the route preferred by pedestrians. We would like to see a more innovative solution. The boating ramp should not make this a no go area for pedestrians.
Disabled parking should be a priority on the beachside of the road. Other parking should be accommodated adjacent to Woodall Reserve.
F, G, H. LSNS supports high quality paths from Narrow Neck beach and the beach reserve to Fort Takapuna / O Peretu reserve and through that reserve. Creating a link back to Vauxhall Rd at the southern end of the Fort Takapuna reserve, which conforms to accessibility standards, (currently provided by an informal link on Navy land) should be seen as a priority. An accessible link would increase the usefulness of the reserve as an active route for both recreation and transport purposes. A link to Cheltenham beach is also desirable.
I. LSNS supports the concept of a slow speed zone in the vicinity of these reserves. The priority should be for a 20 km/ph zone along Old Lake Rd from the northern end of the beach, and along Vauxhall Rd as far as the entrance to the Navy land. The concern would be that this would need to be enforced. The provision of pedestrian crossings would still be needed to signal that pedestrians have defined rights at those points. The use of raised table crossings would promote slow speed compliance.
Conclusion
Living Streets North Shore thanks the North Shore City Council for the opportunity to comment on the draft management plan for Narrow Neck / O Peretu reserves. We hope that the comments we have made will be taken into account when finalising this plan.
We understand that the resulting document will be well placed to become a blueprint for future enhancement of these reserves.
This submission indicates that Living Streets North Shore would like to be considered a stakeholder in any future development processes in this area, particularly in relation to the provision of quality infrastructure for pedestrians.
If you would like further clarification of any issues raised in this submission, please contact the Convenor of Living Streets North Shore.
Contact
Living Streets North Shore
C/o Gay Richards
Convenor, Living Stets North Shore
20A Roberts Ave
Bayswater, North Shore City, 0622
Ph: 445 6568
Email: gay.richards@livingstreets.org.nz
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