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Auckland Council has launched a new open space strategy that promises better parks, more accessible recreational areas, and greener urban neighbourhoods for the region.
Manaaki Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland’s Open Space, Sport and Recreation Strategy aims to improve how Aucklanders experience outdoor spaces, while also tackling challenges like population growth and climate change. However, it also hints at possible user charges and allowing greater commercial use of open spaces.
Chair of Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee, Councillor Richard Hills, says making sure residents have space to get active and enjoy the natural environment is essential for any healthy, growing city.
“Our city is changing, and the new strategy recognises that we need to do things differently if we want Tāmaki Makaurau to be a green, active and liveable city in years to come,” Hill says.
“Aucklanders support intensification if it is coupled with good infrastructure and green space. The strategy aims to improve access to a wide range of open spaces and unlocks greater access to smaller parks such as pocket parks, as well as walkways along coasts and waterways.
“It will also help us direct future long-term plans and budgets to secure funding to acquire and upgrade our parks, reserves and open space,” he says.
The strategy places a priority on working with “community and mana whenua to design spaces and facilities that are welcoming, safe and inclusive, meet community needs, foster a sense of belonging and respectfully honour mana whenua culture heritage and identity”.
Aucklanders can expect a range of upgrades and new developments. Existing parks will see improved facilities with an emphasis on equitable accessibility and access. In high-growth areas, the council says it will work with developers to ensure new neighbourhoods include quality open spaces for play, exercise and relaxation.
The strategy should benefit coastal communities such as the Hibiscus Coast through increased investment in erosion protection and nature-based solutions. This includes designing open spaces to adapt to, and cope with, climate change and building resilience into the network by making it greener and spongier.
It also aims to develop the blue-green network to manage stormwater, enhance waterways, and accelerate the use of nature-based solutions in parks, open spaces and the built environment to increase water capture and storage.
A blue-green network is a system of waterways (blue) and parks (green) that give stormwater space to flow and help reduce flooding where people live.
Tree planting and native biodiversity are also key priorities, with plans to plant more native trees across the region, particularly in urban areas, to improve shade and support birdlife. Efforts will continue to restore ecosystems, with projects connecting bush reserves and coastal areas to create wildlife corridors.
One example of this is the Matakana Coastal Trail, which will connect Puhoi in the south, via Matakana Coast to Mangawhai in the north. The trail will offer walking, cycling, mountain biking and horse-riding paths for residents and visitors.
The strategy also aims to make the most of existing council assets. Council facilities, such as carparks, will be adapted for multi-use, and schools encouraged to open their sports and recreation facilities courts outside school hours. In addition, community clubs and local organisations will be supported to share spaces and deliver services.
To fund these plans, the council is exploring a broader mix of revenue sources. These include leasing small park areas for food trucks or bike hire, encouraging philanthropic support for local projects, and forming partnerships with iwi, community groups, and private operators. There are also plans to revise funding policies to better support growth-related infrastructure like sports fields, and optimise land use by disposing of low-quality open space (defined as, open space that is the wrong size, shape, or location) to fund the acquisition of land that is better suited, or open space development within the same local board area.
The council is also exploring making greater use of user-charging where “users are able to pay and where the desired community benefits can still be achieved”, but it remains to be seen how Aucklanders will receive this option.
Read the full document at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/topic-based-plans-strategies/parks-sports-outdoor-plans/Pages/auckland-open-space-sport-recreation-strategy.aspx
