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Hazardous open drains outside shops and businesses in Matakana could be replaced with a smart new streetscape later this year if a $2.2 million collaboration between Auckland Council, Auckland Transport (AT) and the Rodney Local Board gets the go-ahead.
The scheme will include removing deep drainage ditches from the northern side of Matakana Valley Road, between the village markets and JinJin restaurant, plus channeling stormwater away from the village, repairing the road surface, expanding the footpath and improving parking.
The preferred option would see cobbled drains replace the open swales, giving a safer and wider area for pedestrians, and potentially allowing for outdoor seating areas.
AT would be responsible for the road repairs, Council’s Healthy Waters the drainage, and Rodney Local Board the footpath and amenity improvements, though exact funding levels are yet to be confirmed or allocated.
Board chair Beth Houlbrooke says she is confident that it will happen next financial year as it would be a cost-effective use of the Board’s footpaths budget.
“Everyone is keen to have it done as early as possible,” she says. “It hasn’t been approved, but I’m hopeful.
“It’s good value because Healthy Waters would be doing the bulk of the work. For what their asking from us, which I think is around $178,000, we couldn’t build a footpath anywhere else for that sort of money.”
On the other side of Matakana Valley Road, the drains would be replaced with shallow grass swales with sleepers to prevent cars from parking on them.
Matakana Community Group chair Simon Barclay says he is thrilled that something is going to happen after three years of trying to get the issue sorted, and he is looking forward to finding out more detail.
“Any reduction of any of the open drains is an enormous leap forward and something the community has been fighting for for ages,” he says. “From the artist’s impression, one would have to say it’s an enormous improvement on what’s there at the moment. I’ll be very interested to see a little bit more than what’s represented in that drawing. On the surface it seems too good to be true, but hopefully it isn’t and we’ll do well.”
The group is also keen for its planned cycle path circuit of the village to be acknowledged and somehow incorporated into the plans for the southern side of Matakana Valley Road. The Rodney Local Board is expected to discuss the matter at its business meeting next month.
