The next stage in improving the Avondale Streetscape has been given the green light, with Whau Local Board to fund $1million to complete the project.
Stage one of the project replaced slippery pavers and installed new lighting in Avondale town centre, and funding for stage two, which comprises a new concrete footpath and street lighting on Great North Road has been agreed, with $1,075,477 of funding allocated by the board.
Lighting
Funding for the lighting element of stage two had been in question following a reduction in the boards available Transport Fund because of the Emergency Budget. However, after detailed discussions a 50/50 split between the board and Auckland Transport was agreed to pay for the additional lighting upgrade required.
It means that in addition to the project being fully funded the board will still retain a significant amount of available funding in its Transport Fund for other projects.
Making progress
Whau Local Board Chair Kay Thomas says that she is pleased that the project can continue as planned.
“We know that this is an incredibly important project for Avondale, so we are very pleased that stage two can now progress with the funding required.
“While we were keen to get the project finished, we were mindful that the original funding requirements would have used almost all of our available transport fund. That meant that we would have been unable to progress other important projects which we felt would be a real challenge.
“So my thanks to Auckland Transport for agreeing to fund half of the streetlighting element, which means that we still have budget for other projects in different parts of Whau this year.
“It’s a good result for all involved and as a board we, like the people of Avondale, are really looking forward to the project being complete.”
