After the closure of several local stations, a new, expanded base has been opened to replace the Mt Roskill Station.

The building formerly housed the motorway construction offices. It offers excellent motorway and arterial road access. Area Commander for Auckland City West, Inspector Grant Teztlaff, says the station will be home to existing Mount Roskill community policing staff and will also act as a hub for other Police staff and support services in the wider Auckland City District.

“Close to 100 staff, including Community Policing teams, district road policing staff, members of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team and CIB detectives, will be based at the station,” he says.

“The new station will mean more room for staff and an improved service for members of the Mount Roskill community, with a front counter staff member ready to help if they need it.” Lynfield and Blockhouse Bay are also serviced by this station, which is open 8am-4pm, Monday to Friday.

It was officially opened on April 20th with an opening ceremony led by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster.
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You can expect to see a greater police presence in the surrounding area as they come and go from the new base.

After the shock news last month that Auckland Council is proposing to sell off a perfectly good and well-loved reserve, residents mounted a passionate campaign to stop the sale.

Following the community action day that Beacon reported on last month, a large contingent attended the March Whau Local Board meeting to support Annie Bradshaw as she presented to the board on their behalf.

From the start Davern Reserve was designed in 1994 as an integrated part of the subdivision. Some of the current residents were foundation buyers and purchased because of the reserve at the heart of the street. They have had families with children who have grown up playing together at the reserve at the end of the street. Now their grandchildren are becoming part of the community.

The Board was sympathetic to the presentation, which noted that the reserve has helped build a community and a sense of place – something that Council spends a lot of time and money on in other locations. The Board had been blindsided by the proposed sale and several members had attended the community action day.
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The period for consultation has now closed. Kay Thomas, Whau Local Board Chair, will be making a presentation against the proposed sale at a Parks, Arts, Communities and Events (PACE) meeting in May.

As a Playcentre with many babies and toddlers, we have challenged ourselves to spend one session per week outside, exploring our natural environment. We wanted these sessions to be focussed on learning through mana aotūroa – exploration – a cornerstone of what we do at Playcentre.
 
Our current enrolment reflects the cultural diversity of Auckland and many of our members are new to the Whau area. This made our outdoor sessions a fantastic opportunity for parents and tamariki to learn alongside each other!
 
We were delighted to be awarded a grant of $1000 from the Whau Local Board to support and enhance our new outdoor sessions! This has enabled us to equip ourselves with some invaluable resources, like our sunshade that protects us from all the elements and provides a shelter for those who are nursing their babies, ropes and pulleys for tamariki to construct their own cubbies amongst the trees, and a trolley we can haul behind us as we embark on our intrepid adventures! Our library is freshly stocked with books about insects, sea life, plants, and birds, and our tamariki have been kitted out with high-vis vests to ensure we stay safe in the great outdoors.
 
This term we have risen to the exciting challenge of outdoor sessions with our little ones and are well on our way to becoming strong kaitiaki of our Whau area. Tamariki are increasingly bold in their now-familiar natural environment and are showing great care for the creatures and native flora that dwell there.
 
As colder weather approaches, we can’t wait to embrace the philosophy that “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes” and continue to learn and grow as a Playcentre. 
 
Tara Colley
Blockhouse Bay Playcentre

An upgraded town square and a new library and community hub are a key part of Auckland Council and Panuku Development Auckland’s regeneration of Avondale over the next 10 to 15 years.
 
Conversations with mana whenua, stakeholders, business owners and the Avondale community in recent years have formed the basis for the draft design.  Four key themes emerged as a priority for the facility and outdoor spaces - community connection, creative uses, learning & development, and community services.
 
These themes have been woven into the draft design to offer:

• A new, integrated library and community hub – a multi-purpose community facility integrating library and community centre services. The hub will have multiple spaces flexibly designed to accommodate and deliver a range of activities.
• Outside spaces – an enlarged and refurbished town square fronting Great North Road, an outdoor space fronting Avondale Central Reserve and a new laneway (beside the new library and community hub fronting Avondale Central Reserve).
 
Architecture and design studios Athfield Architects and Isthmus Group have been working side by side on an integrated design for the new buildings and outdoor spaces since the end of last year.   Their draft design aims for a vibrant, fun and active place that is functional on a day-to-day basis, while also being flexible to allow for a range of activities and events. It’s a place to share, connect and meet, hang out and play in the heart of Avondale.
 
Now it’s time for you to have your say as we are keen to know your thoughts on the draft design.  There are many ways you can provide feedback, both online and in person, until May 17.  We’ll then review all feedback and feed this into a revised design which will then be considered by the Whau Local Board for approval.
 
You can submit feedback through council’s akhaveyoursay.nz website, visit Avondale Library or one of the drop-in sessions listed below.