Confusion over council work

 

BY JULIA WADE

Residents in Kaiwaka have also been scratching their heads regarding two council-led projects which seemingly have appeared from nowhere. KaiwakaCan chair Derek Christensen says members of the community organisation have ‘been puzzled’ about recent footpath activities in the area.

"The most alarming was the sudden appearance of a new pavement on the road outside the Kaiwaka School, running some 70 metres down the hill with a crossing anticipated at the end,” he says. “It is close to the brow of a hill and in the morning, eastbound traffic faces sunstrike just at that point… students have been told not to use the new path.

“The school actually already has a path down the hill to a far safer crossing point. It is a very disappointing use of $83,000 in a community struggling to get funding.”

Christensen says the community were given no prior warning about the new pavement and, on contacting the principal of the school, found they also were not consulted, ‘although council initially affirmed that there had been consultation’. 

A footpath which ‘suddenly appeared’ under the southern bridge on SH1, and links to an already existing picnic area established by council, is ‘more welcome’ Christensen says.

“However we would have liked to talk with council as to how the path fits into the wider plan for Kaiwaka which includes providing a footbridge and wheelchair access across Oneriri Road.”

A little reserve on the corner of Settlement Road, established a couple of years ago, also leaves the organisation wondering about the research involved in the project ‘as it is practically never used’.

“We believe local residents asked for it but in two years I have seen only one person sitting at the picnic table,” he says. “This reserve is also apparently the only leash-free dog exercise area for Kaiwaka, it is small, unfenced and borders SH1… so only for very brave dog owners.”

In a statement KDC replied: ‘In 2018/2019 Kaipara District Council carried out a district wide investigation into safety issues around school zones/routes. Safety improvements for Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road were subsequently recommended in an associated Safety Review and Options Report. The improvements were planned after staff and parents raised safety concerns and consulted on as part of the Safety Review. This is part of a wider programme of work, and there is still a number of projects being investigated to improve the safety of the school children walking. This budget is part of the Roading Safety Improvements. The Settlement Road project was completed in 2018. Initially, a community group raised it with council to see what could be done to improve the bus stop that is used by school children and others. This resulted in the improvements to the bus shelter and the path leading to the playground area’.

Settlement Road Reserve, a small grassy dog-friendly leash-free unfenced corner park bordering SH1. Was it wanted and is it being used?