Additional youth initiatives, development of a Parks Management Plan, and progressing the renewal of Heard Park in Parnell are a few of the projects being funded in the next year by Waitematā Local Board.
Each financial year (which runs from from July-June), the board agrees on a plan to spend its budget.
This year the board is putting extra funding into the younger generation, working with community organisations in the board area to create spaces and opportunities that encourage youth participation, connection and wellbeing.
“The funding helps to address recommendations from the Youth Deliberative Democracy Pilot which took place in 2023,” says local board chair Genevieve Sage.
“The pilot brought a group of 14-24 year olds from the Waitematā area together to understand their ideas about what would help them thrive in the community. We listened to their feedback and have reflected this in our budget.”
This new funding complements ongoing work to boost community empowerment and local Māori aspirations, and address homelessness, including contributions towards a Youth Specialist Advisor role to deliver rangatahi and youth activities.
Another new project is the creation of a multi-park management plan that will help the local board in managing the use, development and protection of all the parks, reserves, and other open spaces which the board is the decision-maker for.
This will give the board a better overall view of its park management issues and priorities, while ensuring consistency across the local board area and park types.
Management plans are required by law for most types of reserves.
“The decision to create a single plan that covers all the parks and open spaces in the area is a time and cost-effective solution which can keep up with the changing needs of our community,” says Genevieve.
One of the many open spaces in the Waitematā Local Board area, Heard Park in Parnell has received $610,000 towards upgrades this financial year, with another $220,000 expected to finish the project next year.
Work to revitalise the civic space as per the concept plan will provide a refreshed and welcoming space for locals and workers in Parnell.
The board continues to work with the Parnell community to finalise certain elements of the design.
Find the Waitematā Local Board’s full work programme for 2024/2025 in the attachments for the board’s June business meeting here.
Stay up to date
Sign up for the Waitematā Local Board E-news and get local news direct to your inbox each month.
