New recovery ‘PACT’ for Sunnynook, Totara Vale and Forrest Hill

A new people-led ‘PACT’ for Sunnynook, Totara Vale and Forrest Hill will help guide the community through the next steps of its long-term recovery from the major 2023 storms. 

When the floods hit, neighbours carried elderly residents to safety, the Sunnynook Community Centre and others opened their doors within hours, and local groups rallied around those who needed help.  

Many residents were displaced and are still hoping to return to the area they call home. And while some impacts were hard to miss, others have stayed hidden. Many locals simply didn’t realise how many households were affected, or how many are still on their recovery journey nearly three years later. 

Nearly three years after the storms, locals are still working through the long tail of recovery - but also holding onto the powerful sense of unity the floods revealed.  

Sunnynook Community Centre manager, Bronwyn Bound, says that collective response has shaped everything since. “People didn’t wait to be asked, they just acted. The PACT builds on that same spirit. It’s about making sure we’re connected, informed and ready, together.” 

To support the ongoing recovery, a community working group was set up. A key part of this mahi has been community-led recovery planning, spearheaded by the Sunnynook Community Centre, with support from the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Office.  

Led locally, for locals 

“The goal has always been clear: this is about listening to locals, capturing their experiences, and helping them shape priorities for the years ahead.” 

Engagement reached deep into the community, including a group activity sheet that helped people visualise what was possible, prioritising example ideas and guiding how allocated funds could be used. 

The team also interviewed homeowners and renters, including many with English as a second language. With help from groups like the Sunnynook Chinese Community, they translated interviews and connected with local residents and homeowners living overseas. This ensured people who are often left out of engagement had the chance to participate. 

Events played a big part too, from storm recovery dinners to a local skill-share day where people swapped everything from lash services to minor repairs and crafts. These gatherings helped collect feedback, but they also enabled people to reconnect and rediscover the strengths already in their neighbourhood. 

“It’s not just about planning what comes next,” says Bronwyn. “It’s about acknowledging what people went through and making space for them to be heard.”