Albert-Eden Local Board decided to revise the Chamberlain Park Masterplan and appointed its leadership team for the next three years at its inaugural meeting last night.
The new local board says it is committed to working collaboratively for the benefit of its local communities and unanimously agreed to shared leadership.
Margi Watson (City Vision) was appointed chair for the first half of the term with Lee Corrick (C&R) as deputy chair. For the second half of the term the pair will swap roles.
“Naturally there are different views among board members about some key issues, but what we all agree on is the important role we have to get on and make the decisions that are in best interests of the Albert-Eden community,” says local board chair Margi Watson.
“We have much business to do and I hope that our legacy will be that we are more connected and engaged with our community.”
Chamberlain Park masterplan to be revised
The key matter the board has been considering is the views of the wider community on the Chamberlain Park Masterplan.
The board was unanimous in its view that the masterplan requires revisiting.
“We’ve heard the very passionate and diverse views of the community on this project for many years and the decision we’ve made today seeks to balance those views. We will come back to the community next year with more details on next steps,” says Margi.
She added that the local board will need to do further work to address sports field capacity shortfall in the local board area and will present its case for funding to the Governing Body for consideration in the new year.
“The local board are pleased to be able to provide an 18-hole golf course, as well as delivering a new community park, walking and cycling paths and the restoration of Waitītiko-Meola Creek. It is a balanced decision that will benefit a wide range of the community,” says deputy chair Lee Corrick.
The board approved the following recommendations:
Albert-Eden Local Board unanimously agreed that the existing Chamberlain Park Masterplan required substantial change along the following principles:
-
That the eastern end of Chamberlain Park from Waitītiko/Meola Creek is to remain a largely unchanged 18-hole golf course
-
That the western end of Chamberlain Park from Waitītiko /Meola Creek is to be a local/suburb park
-
That Waitītiko/Meola Creek is to be restored including a wetland
-
That walking and cycling connections be delivered
-
That any detailed changes will be consulted with the appropriate group of two Stakeholder Groups.
In light of these principles:
That the Albert-Eden Local Board -Eden Local Board agrees that its new One Local Initiative proposal is to address the sportsfield capacity shortfall in the local board area by investing in sportsfields development that will exceed the projected shortfall.
That the Albert-Eden Local Board agrees, with respect to Chamberlain Park, that the golf course will need to be reconfigured in order to:
- deliver 18 holes of golf on the land on the eastern side of Waitītiko / Meola Creek
- create a local/suburb park at the Western end of Chamberlain Park, commencing at Waitītiko / Meola Creek for the purposes of passive recreation
- undertake the restoration of Meola Creek, including a wetland, as per the Waitītiko / Meola Creek Restoration Landscape Concept Plan March 2018
- improve walking and cycling connections.
That the Albert-Eden Local Board requests staff to prepare for a new stakeholder engagement process by March 2020 regarding the future layout of golf amenities and the local park at Chamberlain Park which includes:
- a golf stakeholder reference group to provide feedback for the golf layout and ongoing liaison – including but not limited to representatives of:
- Chamberlain Park Golf Club
- Chamberlain Park Ladies Golf Club
- Auckland Golf
- New Zealand Golf
- Chamberlain Park neighbours
- a park reference group to provide feedback for the park layout.
That the Albert-Eden Local Board aims as far as practicable to retain the 18-hole golf course while the relevant works are undertaken.
