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Council has begun work on making the D’Oyly wetland reserve look more like this.
Following Hibiscus Matters’ March 17 story about the state of D’Oyly Reserve wetland in Stanmore Bay, and ongoing complaints from residents, Auckland Council has acknowledged that the area has been neglected.
Council says this is partly due to financial constraints caused by the Covid-19 lockdown last year.
The wetland was created in the reserve, also known as Arden’s Park, three years ago by Council, at a cost of $1.5 million.
The project was partly funded by $1.1 million from the developers of 20 Link Crescent, McConnell Property but because this was not enough to cover the cost of the work, Council’s Healthy Waters (stormwater) department stepped in to finish the wetland. Healthy Waters is also responsible for maintenance of the area, along with Council’s Community Facilities team.
Recently Council’s project engineer, Peter Brooks, said he accepts that the site “is overgrown, unkempt and appears unloved”.
“We are working to remedy this,” he said. “The maintenance of D’Oyly Reserve was affected by Covid-19 and the resulting Emergency Budget which affected many projects.”
However, he says that has now been remedied and in the 2021/22 financial year $55,500 has been approved for maintenance work – weed control and planting – at the wetland.
Spraying, clearing and replanting work is to start this month and be complete in June or July.
A schedule has been drawn up that shows maintenance work taking place four times per year over the next five years.
Pest control will continue to be undertaken by the volunteers of Pest Free Hibiscus Coast, supported by Council.
