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Work to fill in and replace deep drainage ditches outside shops in Matakana Valley Road is due to be carried out in April.
The open swales will be replaced by new paving, seating and grassed ‘rain garden’ areas from the village markets down to 44 Matakana Valley Road, outside Jin Jin and Summer Sessions, and new piping will channel stormwater away to a stream south of the village.
Senior Healthy Waters specialist Leighton Gillespie told the February meeting of Matakana Community Group that the rain gardens would essentially be huge sunken concrete troughs filled with soil and hardy grasses, with a new stormwater drain underneath.
Two retailers objected to the timing of the work, which looks likely to take place over the Easter holidays, one of the busiest times for Matakana shops. However, Mr Gillespie said there was unfortunately little leeway on timing, since the work needed to be done as soon as possible, before the end of the financial year and a deterioration in the weather.
“Some parking will be closed while it happens, but most of it won’t be too affected,” he said.
“We try to time works as best as we can … in this case, the earlier we can do it, the better.”
He added that he was working with Ngati Manuhiri’s Fiona McKenzie to incorporate Maori symbols into the paving or seating designs.
The meeting heard that Auckland Transport plans to carry out repairs to Matakana Valley Road would no longer coincide with the Healthy Waters works, as had originally been envisaged, but would happen at a later date. This meant moderate improvements to parking and drainage on the opposite side of the road would be delayed.
