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The height of the speed bump in Woodcocks Road is just one of the issues that One Mahurangi has been involved in over the past year.
Few could have predicted the challenges that the One Mahurangi business association would face in the first year of the Warkworth Business Improvement District (BID), introduced on July 1 last year.
The BID is funded by all business property owners in and around Warkworth and last year collected $134,000 through an Auckland Council targeted rate. This moved the association from a voluntary membership and sponsorship model to a position where all businesses who benefited from its work contributed.
Association chair Mark Macky says the first 12 months were “very interesting”, trying to support members through a Covid environment.
“It’s certainly had some challenges, but we believe that we’ve come through it well,” he says. “It’s great to see many of our businesses doing well and we’re still working to support those who have some challenges. We’ve continued to run events to connect our members, providing opportunities to share learnings and experiences.”
Association manager Murray Chapman says last year’s lockdown saw the association facilitating a lot of information for businesses about the wage subsidy and other employment issues.
“Obviously all events were cancelled and we are only just starting to put an events calendar back in place,” he says. “A programme of networking events is also warming up.”
An issue on the horizon is the impact the opening of the new motorway will have on Warkworth retailers next year.
Murray says that in the short-term, it probably won’t be favourable, as most people won’t want to turn back to come into town.
“We will need to come up with ways to make the town a destination in its own right, so One Mahurangi will be talking to retailers about how to make this happen. Events will be a key part of this strategy.”
Mark Macky says One Mahurangi’s advocacy efforts continued strongly over the year.
“We still have many concerns about the lack of investment in infrastructure as our town grows. Hill Street has taken a lot of focus and Dave Stott, our deputy chair, has been working hard with various local groups, Auckland Transport and NZTA.
“We hope to have good news on the funding for Hill Street in the coming weeks.”
Mark says there are still many other issues to work on – tolling on NX2, a centre plan development for Warkworth, reverse sensitivity issues with future urban land, and more roading issues with a southern off-ramp for the motorway, the Sandspit link road and also traffic volumes through Matakana.
Warkworth businessman Alistair Mason, who has been a long-time supporter of the principle of a BID, says Covid has underlined even more the reason why One Mahurangi is needed.
“When times are tough, that’s when you need advocates to press our case,” he says.
“I’ve belonged to a lot of trade organisations and with anything like this, it’s not one single achievement that you point to, but the progress made over time.
“If you don’t keep the squeaky wheel turning on issues like Hill Street then nothing happens.”
ITSS director Hugh Harvey says it is good to see new blood joining the One Mahurangi committee.
“We have a good team and the association is a huge asset to the town,” he says.
“It might not always be obvious what One Mahurangi is achieving because a lot goes on behind the scenes. For instance, the speed bump in Woodcocks Road is being remodelled thanks to our efforts, although we would have preferred to see the work done at night. It will be pretty congested when traffic is diverted up Morrison Drive and down Glenmore.
“We’ve also been meeting with Auckland Council about the existing industrial boundary and the new residential areas.
“Covid has made a difference, but I think the association is definitely heading in the right direction.”
