It has been a busy week for me as I conduct some TV interviews over some hot button issues in Auckland.
On Tuesday I was with Transport Blog’s Patrick Reynolds talking Auckland’s Transport (and Auckland Transport as well) especially in light of the Day Passes now available and Auckland Transport facing budget reductions in light of the Long Term Plan rejection by Council. You can see Dr Levy’s reaction to the Budget situation here: All About Auckland Show Episode 23 – Dr Levy gives a lesson on Tectonic Budgeting.
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Today I will be back at the studio talking about the Southern Initiative which has again become a hot button issue especially with the Councillors. Those who follow Talking Auckland know that in November last year I delivered a public critique against the Southern Initiative. In May this year the Councillors initially rejected more funding towards the Southern Initiative until a few issues were cleared up first. Now my critique against The Southern Initiative has not been against the Initiative itself nor its place in the Auckland Plan.My critique has been on lack of publicly available information and a portal like Facebook and Twitter so we can see and interact with the Initiative. For heavens sake The Southern Initiative affects all of South Auckland. It would be nice if we could see some clear information (that is not in job vacancy descriptions), a chance to interact on the Initiative like we can with Shape Auckland and the regular updates that we get with the City Centre (see A Story of Downtown Auckland [Updated] for the latest).
So where and when is this show?
It is here:
All About Auckland Show
Episode 24
SkyTV Channel 83 FACETV
Monday at 7.30pm – Repeats Tuesday 12.30pm
On This Week’s Show:
Special Housing Areas and Housing New Zealand
The 10 Year Budget Rebuild and Development Pressures in the South East
As for the Transportation chat:
Next Week
Transport Matters
A New Series looking at current transport issues around Auckland.
Next week Auckland Commentator Ben Ross and TransportBlog.co.nz Patrick Reynolds joins me in the studio.
I shall update you on the Southern Initiative shoot and when that will screen.
Nice for the free trains Auckland Transport but one small catch…. From Voxy: Opening of MIT campus milestone for Auckland Transport Friday, 27 June, 2014 – 10:09 Auckland Transport’s … Continue reading MIT Open Day Tomorrow
But at a cost to MIT. Also renewed pressure on getting the South Link built Yesterday the MIT Manukau Campus in Manukau City Centre opened for business. Next … Continue reading MIT Now Open
I mention the place Otara and I bet most people will think of negative connotations. A real shame as I have never felt threatened walking throw Otara Town Centre but see quite a melting pot of different cultures all blending in together going about their business. Otara like the rest of South Auckland often gets downtrodden on by the rest of Auckland. However, as noted last year South Auckland (and Otara with it) is fast becoming a rising jewel in Auckland’s crown despite the Council continuously dumping what is perceived to be too much resources into the City Centre and Waterfront at the expense of wider Auckland (I will get another post on this up later today). See my South Auckland – The Rising Jewel in Auckland’s Crown on the rise of the South.
A Community Initiative Bringing Pride to Otara
I saw this come up on Twitter last night buried amongst the political chatter:
— The Roots Creative (@roots_creative) June 18, 2014
In short it is a set of four micro-projects enhancing Otara Town Centre while also giving educational tips on waste reduction, recycling and re-using existing materials.
Taking a look at the webpage this is what The Roots are wanting to achieve with Otara Town Centre:
ROOTS WASTE
KAUPAPA
The purpose of this project is to grow creative ways of working that mobilise young people to inspire their friends, family/whanau and wider community to tace action towards zero waste in ways that foster:
• Responsibility to be part of the waste solutions
• Respect for self, family, community and the planet
• Resourcefulness of waste as a resource and entrepreneurship
Creative Community Engagement includes:
• Generating awareness through making that instigates the above
• Harnessing energy of young people to communicate, demonstrate and lead the above
• Showcasing products and means of production that value waste as resources
• Creating a context for creativity around waste minimisation to flourish
NOTE: This initiative will compliment a project with Otara Health for a community waste facilitator/educator who will be working with residents and the wider community to prepare them for the changes to waste collections in 2015-16.
• Creatively engage with young people (with a focus on Maori and Pacific youth) to catalyse and mobilise them to be part of leading a movement of change for reduction of waste to landfill
• Initially focus activity in the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board area
• Work collaboratively with Otara Health, Cross Power Ministries, MIT, other youth / community focused networks and organizations, and Council to develop an integrated team approach to working in Otara.
A key focus will be to work in ways that foster youth leadership, strengthen Otara / Papatoetoe communities and contribute to social, cultural, economic and wider environmental outcomes. It is envisaged that over time this approach will be extended to work with other communities within the Auckland region and potentially other areas. RECYLED GARDEN
To develop a collaborative process to encourage community input to create a Recycled Garden at the Te Puke O Tara Community Centre, to showcase simple innovative ways to grow food and reuse waste material. KEW LANE
To beautify our community by creating four Murals led by local artists working with local high schools in Kew Lane at Otara Town Centre, which will reflect the four main themes: Otara, Cultures, Zero Waste and Matariki. PALLET PARKLETS
To build and programme a ‘pop-up’ temporary installation(parklet) which aims to create a sense of community by re-purposing part of a street (carpark) into a public space for creative community conversations with a focus on environmental and waste issues. CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
To create seven stars that represents Matariki. These stars will be made from plastic bottles, and lit with LED solar lights. This collaborative piece will be installed and suspended in the Otara Town Centre – Fish Canopy “the body of the fish”
This really looks like a great initiative that will take place on July 5. I might pop down on the 5th and have a look.
Also to note that the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board are due to start their Area Plan which will include the Otara Town Centre later on this year. Shape Auckland will have the date of when consultation starts on that Area Plan so keep an eye out for it.
Any other local projects out there you think needs a shout out? Flick me an email at view[dot]of[dot]auckland[at]gmail[dot] com or flick me a Tweet at @BenRoss_AKL
Inside MIT Atrium on Monday morning at sunrise. I can’t credit the photo as none was provided in the Scoop piece
MIT Manukau Blessed ‘Te Waonui O Te Mātauranga’
17th June, 2014
At sunrise on Monday morning the 16th of June, Mana Whenua blessed MIT’s new ‘smart’ Campus in Manukau.
About 120 people attended the Blessing from MIT, Hawkins Construction, Architects Warren & Mahoney, local Iwi and Kāhui Ariki, Ngaire Lasika (Muru) represented the Māori King, Tuheitia Paki.
Manukau Institute of Technology Kaiākau, Kūkupa Tirikatene invited Mana Whenua to bless the Campus by quoting The Tapestry of Understanding.
THE TAPESTRY OF UNDERSTANDING TE WHĀRIKI KIA MOHIO TĀTOU KI A TĀTOU
The Tapestry of Understanding
E kore e taea e te whenu kotahi
Cannot be woven by one strand alone
ki te raranga i te whāriki
kia mōhio tātou ki a tātou.
It takes the working together of strands
Mā te mahi tahi o ngā whenu
The working together of weavers
mā te mahi tahi o ngā kairaranga
To complete such a tapestry.
ka oti tēnei whāriki
When it has been completed
I te otinga
Let us look at the good that comes from it
me titiro ki ngā pai ka puta mai
In time take a look at those dropped stitches
Ā tana wā me titiro i ngā raranga i makere
For there is a message there also.
nā te mea he kōrero anō kei reira
MAORI NAME
From the beginning of Semester Two, in mid-July, MIT Manukau will be home to the Faculty of Business & IT and School of Logistics which represent MIT’s fastest growing study areas and NZ’s most needed skills & in-demand vocations.
The revolutionary cloud-based, ‘flipped-learning’ campus can accommodate up to 5,000 students and connect 20,000 wireless devices at any one time.
The wide range of courses to be taught at MIT Manukau – free community computer lessons right through to post-graduate degrees – plus its position in the heart of Manukau were two important considerations when giving it a Maori name.
‘Te Waonui O Te Mātauranga’ was chosen, translated it means ‘The Forest of Learning’.
The Maori poutama or ‘staircase of knowledge’ has been integrated into the building design by Architects, Warren & Mahoney.
MIT Senior Lecturer Peter Boyd and Artist Matt van Sturmer led the art project and say the concept for the designs originate from the Campus’ kaupapa or themes.
“We put together the three important strands; people, environment and knowledge. The carved steel and glass lintel above the main entry is based on the creation of knowledge and the graphic application in the wind lobby below, Haumihiata, “Fragrance of the Dawn or Dawn Chorus – welcomes you into a learning environment”, says Peter Boyd.
“The ground floor represents Tangata Whenua. The dark colours symbolise earth and as you go up the levels there’s a change to the greens and blues of water and air until it turns to magenta at the top which signifies the spiritual realm. Moving up through the levels also moves one through all the communities who will use ‘Te Waonui o Te Mātauranga’ and the knowledge systems they bring with them”.
The huge, screen-printed art panels mounted as wall elements in the teaching areas were designed by MIT Creative Arts Lecturers, Deborah Crowe and Emma McLellan and the third was designed by graduate, Sheree Stone.
“These panels also talk about the natural world, people and knowledge”.
OFFICIAL OPENING & PUBLIC OPEN DAY
Minister of Tertiary Education, Steven Joyce and Auckland Mayor, Len Brown will officially open MIT Manukau this Friday.
On Saturday the 28th of June it will be open to the public. With the new Manukau Train Station directly under MIT, Auckland Transport have announced they will provide free tickets for anyone wanting to attend the Open Day Festivities by train.
I might go along to the open day and have a look. Nice for Transdev and Auckland Transport to have free trains going to and from the Manukau Station on the open day. A real bugger that the Manukau South Rail Link is not built yet (being worked through the final hoops in Council with a public announcement due later this year) to serve around the 67% of the expected patronage levels for Manukau Station…
No – we just have to be more proactive instead I saw this from Stuff come up earlier this morning: Airport rail may fail to fly JAMES IRELAND Last updated 05:00 … Continue reading Is Airport Heavy Rail Dead?
Talking Southern Auckland 