Update on the Pocket Park in Manukau City Centre

Written by Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Investigation to begin

 

Yesterday I blogged on an idea someone gave on Twitter about establishing a pocket park in Manukau City Centre.

From Talking Auckland

Pocket Park in Manukau?

A fellow Tweeter had read my commentary on the Manukau and Otahuhu Transport Interchanges facing six-year delays (see: Updates on the Manukau and Otahuhu Transport Interchange Situation) and asked:

https://twitter.com/JusSumWun/status/542766672310849536

 

So I decided to email our Auckland Council Design Champion Ludo Campbell-Reid:

………..

An idea for you and your team.
While we wait for the bus interchange to be built on Lot 59 in Manukau City Centre (latest dates have it at 2021) why doesn’t Council along with the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board, and some private sponsors build a temporary pocket park in one corner of the desolate car park.
The suggested area is in red

Area for suggested pocket park at Lot 59 Manukau City Centre

Currently the area is more used as a public car park and that particular area either does not have leaseholders or so few they could be reallocated else where in the car park.
It is also to note that the area in red is also a public car park in the weekends (but not used).
As for the pocket park why not something like this:

Manukau Metro Town Centre MK 1 4 pocket park. Reference for the Sketch Up Pocket Park: http://land8.com/photo/athens-urban-park-exparking/next?context=user

Simple, effective, can be made modular so it can be moved when needed, and stylish.
As I know we having funding pressures I am sure one could find some private sponsors to help facilitate the pocket park in CAPEX and OPEX.
So what do you say Ludo? Some love in the corner of a desolate car park right opposite MIT, Manukau Station, and the soon to be opening of the M Central mixed use tower

 

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Source: https://voakl.net/2014/12/11/pocket-park-in-manukau/

 

I had already emailed Ludo (the Design Champion) and he said he will look into it from his end and get back to me. Ludo also recommended contacting the (Otara-Papatoetoe) Local Board to give them a heads up and bring them into the idea. So I emailed the Local Board last night and got a reply from Deputy Chair Ross Robertson (yes the former Manukau East MP Ross Robertson) this morning.

 

Robertson is keen on the idea but like all ideas they need to be feasibility tested first.

After that I linked Ross and Ludo up into the conversation and we now wait for their respective replies post-investigation. It is most likely that such a reply will come back early next year.

 

So progress and some fast progress at that. 24 hours to go and start a feasibility investigation for a pocket park while four years and still running to get Auckland Transport to build the Manukau South Link. Just shows you the polar opposites of our local authorities…

More as the updates come in