KEY POINTS:
Recreational aviators have made a last-ditch appeal for their former airfield at Pikes Pt, Onehunga, to become a multi-use and educational park, instead of a Ports of Auckland business development.
More than a dozen supporters of the recreational airpark idea formed a deputation to the Auckland Regional Council on Friday.
They represented the Auckland Regional Microlight Aero Club, the Sport Aircraft Association and Roskill Modellers.
In late 2005, the clubs were evicted after 23 years on the former rubbish tip beside the Manukau Harbour. Their clubrooms and 19 hangars were removed and their grass airstrip had piles of clay dumped on it.
"The ARC offered help to find suitable alternative sites but the search was totally unsuccessful," said Brian Wigley, who is chairman of the Auckland Recreational Airparks Trust.
He said the trust aimed to provide aviation-related recreational and educational facilities for the region.
"This city needs recreational facilities which are accessible to us all, especially our young. Many boys grew up building model boats, cars or planes and youth must be encouraged to take up hobbies and interests which will put them on the right path for their future wellbeing."
Trustee Gordon Sanders said the small airfield at Swannanoa, Christchurch, had become a popular "classroom" where volunteers taught children aged 10 to 13 years about science and physics, loosely woven around aviation.
"Pikes Pt would be a perfect site for this and the trust would like to lead the way," said Mr Sanders.
"It can be changed into a park. We can raise the necessary finance. But a facility must be based on an operational airpark so it is accessible to school groups and draws the experienced people who will be the organisers and presenters.
"Should this be a green park or just another drab warehouse monument to council indifference?"
The ports company terminated the clubs' tenancy so that the 18ha could be developed as a processing centre for imported vehicles, freeing up space at the city wharves where the vehicles are unloaded.
The company said yesterday that the site, as a former landfill, had to be sealed with clay. About $2.5 million of the estimated $10 million project cost had been spent.
A resource consent for further development of the site by the lessee was recently granted.
Once the lessee's building consents for the proposed bond store were granted the lease agreement would be unconditional and further development would resume.
Operations would be screened by extensive planting beside the public walkway on the foreshore.
The company is owned by Auckland Regional Holdings, which is the investment arm of the Auckland Regional Council.
