Whau Local Board I Te Poari ā-Rohe o Whau

Shade Sails for Playgrounds

We use Henry Street playground, Eastdale Playground and the playground on Chalmers Ave and none of these have shade sails, it would be great to have these to make the playgrounds safer to use in summer.

Volunteering in a new "normal" needs support

COVID-19 has changed the volunteering landscape. The likely scenario for NGOs reliant on volunteers will be a short fall of people unable to volunteer as in pre-COVID days. With seniors [over 65yrs] being the back bone of many of our volunteer activities in the community now unable [unwilling through health fears?] to undertake their usual roles, this will leave a big gap in the ability of NGOs to deliver services at pre-COVID levels. An increasing number of people will also be subsisting on a much reduced income will be accessing community services in larger numbers and the community groups stepping up to support them will need additional people to support the delivery of those needs – these are generally volunteers. The increasing numbers of unemployed people will also be looking to contribute, retrain and wanting to ensure their own good mental health will need support in sourcing community voluntary activities that will best meet their needs. We need to support our community organisations to relook at their volunteer involving programmes and practices, how they recruit, support, identify and allocate voluntary tasks, ensuring the health and wellbeing of both the recipients and the volunteers. Volunteering Auckland is well placed to support the volunteering needs of both the person looking to contribute and those community groups needing support in their volunteer engagement processes and practices. Our database can also track referrals to needs by suburb and by local board. We are able to operate regionally and virtually. Volunteering will increasingly become a way to ensure a resilient community.

Redesign Memorial Square so that it is a useable space for creative actions and community interaction

At the moment Memorial Square is primarily a transition space, the benches are poorly laid out for community activity and interaction, transit rather than dwell is prioritised. The square could be redesigned with power and water, seating shade/cover and natural stage areas so that people can gather, act, interact and perform in the area (people already do do this but they are struggling against the space)

Stop using overfragranced chemical deodorising sprays in all public toilets.

It prevents those with allergies or chemical sensitivities from using them. Most are open to the air so why is this even necessary?!

Do a land swap to save the Canal Road property with all its many trees.