Investigation and Design
I will do my best to keep you apprised of the Pocket Park idea for Lot 59 in Manukau City Centre.
Recap:
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:
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
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:
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
————
Source: https://voakl.net/2014/12/11/pocket-park-in-manukau/
Since the original emails there has been a flurry of communication between myself, the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board, Parks and Recreation, the Auckland Design Office (Ludo’s office), and with Auckland Transport being tagged on.
I can say that all parties that have communicated back they are very enthusiastic of the idea and want to get the ball rolling.
This is where we are thus far:
- Parties interested in idea and want to carry it forward
- Parties to carry feasibility investigation out
- Awaiting final decision from Auckland Transport on whether the Manukau Transport Interchange will be built 2015 or shunted to 2021 owing to budget cuts in the Long Term Plan. In any case owing to the Lot 59 partitions (see below) we could shift the pocket part to an area in yellow (the blue is where the interchange is to go).
- As Lot 59 is a desolate car park that stands between Manukau Mall and MIT/Manukau Startion it is being discussed the area does need “activation” until Lot 59 is fully developed
- Remedial improvements made to Hayman Park across the road with plans looking at turning Hayman Park into an active recreation area
- This would mean the pocket park that would connect MIT/Manukau Station, Hayman Park, M Central mixed use tower, and Manukau Mall allowing for informal recreational activities
- Discussions to start next year on full feasibility and possible concept designs
- We are parked allowing for Christmas break, and decisions from the Governing Body tomorrow on the Long Term Plan
Now there are a few things we need to consider if the feasibility investigation does say the pocket park is a ‘Go!’
- There is no Council money, not with the Long Term Plan as is shunting and gutting projects thus:
- This will need to be funded from private money whether crowd-sourcing and/or corporate sponsorship
- The pocket park will be sitting on land between 1,300m2 to 1,745m2 in size
- To be viable the park does need to be mobile and modular. Moving it around to fill holes in urban landscape before a permanent development takes place is the idea. That said the parks could become fixed into the landscape as well
- The Lot 59 area is windswept from the South and West. So wind breaks are going to be necessary
- The pocket park will be for informal recreation; that being walking, sitting, socialising, even reading or having food or drink
Pocket Park idea?:
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
Manukau Metro Town Centre MK 1 4 pocket park 2. Reference for the Sketch Up Pocket Park: http://land8.com/photo/athens-urban-park-exparking/next?context=user
Manukau Metro Town Centre MK 1 4 pocket park 3. Reference for the Sketch Up Pocket Park: http://land8.com/photo/athens-urban-park-exparking/next?context=user
Manukau Metro Town Centre MK 1 4 pocket park 4. Reference for the Sketch Up Pocket Park: http://land8.com/photo/athens-urban-park-exparking/next?context=user
Manukau Metro Town Centre MK 1 4 pocket park 5. Reference for the Sketch Up Pocket Park: http://land8.com/photo/athens-urban-park-exparking/next?context=user
Things to all think about over the Summer break. We will come back to this in late January.
The area where the pocket park could go (in red)
Alternative sites (yellow) if the Transport Interchange (blue) goes ahead 2015:
Source: Auckland Council
Talking Southern Auckland 