Phase one - Ōrākei plan update

Thank you to everyone who shared ideas, insights and gave feedback on what the Ōrākei Local Board should include in their next three-year plan. It has been great to hear from you and see your creative ideas and passion for your communities and neighbourhoods.

Who we heard from

We coordinated 12 different opportunities for the community to have their say. One with Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei, and the rest with a range of local community organisations including the Eastern Bays Network, Meadowbank St Johns Residents Association, Stonefields Residents Association, Youth of Ōrākei group, Kohimarama School, St Kentigern Boys' School, Auckland Central Chinese Community Coalition, Remuera Chinese Baptist Church and local environmental groups.

We heard from you face to face at the 10 events we held across the local board area, and received the results of two surveys coordinated by community groups. We also surveyed Ōrākei Local Board residents through the Auckland People’s Panel and gathered your ideas here on our online ideas hub.

In total we received nearly 1000 contributions from around 530 people.

Due to COVID-19, we were unable to proceed with seven of our community events. We look forward to continuing the conversation now and in the future

What you said

These are some of the key themes we heard from all the feedback received:

• moving safely and easily around our neighbourhoods is a key priority. You want to have safer access to a range of transport options such as bikes and scooters to travel locally
• you want more frequent and reliable public transport, as well as more parking and better transit around Tāmaki Drive
• protecting and enhancing our local environment is important, and many of you have told us you are ready to take action to restore our natural assets. You want your communities to be empowered to look after the environment, and this includes working with Māori to lead this process
• our parks are a priority. You want a wider range of options for recreation and play, including for your four-legged friends
• you said clean beaches and waterways are a priority and we should continue to partner with Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei and community groups on water quality initiatives so everyone can enjoy them into the future
• you want facilities that reflect the changing needs of our communities, including spaces for youth recreation, diverse cultural needs and upgrades to existing spaces
• you want us to support growth in the local economy by attracting shoppers through organised events and making our town centres a destination
• you want to keep informed and engaged with our decision-making processes, and asked for more diverse opportunities to provide feedback on the issues that are important to you
• the wellbeing of communities is important to you. You want to see more development opportunities for young people and for seniors to connect with each other.
• you want to celebrate local heritage, the arts and cultural identities of our communities.

What happens next?

All 21 of Auckland’s Local Boards are developing their new 2020 Local Board Plans based on what we heard and other inputs such as the Auckland Plan 2050, Long Term Plan, and Annual Budget.

We have yet to fully determine the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our communities and it may mean some of our plans and aspirations may need to change as a result. Our response will be delivered via the annual budgeting process but the decisions we make will focus on ensuring the benefits for our community.

In July we will come back to you with an opportunity to have your say on the draft Ōrākei Local Board Plan. We will be back in touch when phase two opens.