Case Study: City streams brought back to life

Auckland consistently ranks highly in lists of the world's best cities but is never number one. So what would it take to turn Auckland into a first-class city? This week the Herald begins a 10-day series examining some of the biggest hurdles Auckland faces, from housing and transport to entertainment and education. We look at what we are doing, what we need to do, and why Auckland's success matters to the rest of the country. In the second part of the series we look at the environment.

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• WORLD CLASS AUCKLAND - Part 1: Housing

A fresh approach to environmental restoration is literally reviving waterways in Auckland's suburbia, transforming what are empty and often ugly spaces to glittering little gems.

In what's called daylighting, streams that had once been piped underground to make way for housing developments are being restored to the surface, with surrounding streambanks and parkland being re-planted with trees and flax.

These rejuvenated reserves aren't just offering havens for wildlife, including tui and kereru, but are restoring the quality of watercourses in the city, while also providing a natural solution to local flooding issues and stormwater management.

What's become a landmark daylighting project, restoring the Parahiku and Waitahurangi/Avondale streams, is revitalising the health of the Whau catchment and the connection it makes between the Waitakere ranges and the Waitemata Harbour.

Much of the success of this effort relies on local residents doing their part - and there's been perhaps no better example of this than the West Auckland suburb of Green Bay.

Moana Cook, of the Green Bay Community Centre, said when locals were told of an effort to transform around 180 metres of the Waitahurangi Stream in the La Rosa Garden Reserve, the response was unexpectedly heartening.

With funding from the centre and 30 fruit trees donated by Auckland Council, neighbours mucked in and turned what was an overgrown area which people avoided into a picturesque parkway.

The new wetlands - although temporarily fouled last month by what was suspected to be wash-water from water blasting - is now acting as a filter to prevent harmful pollutants from reaching the sea.

"The place had a reputation not so much as a dangerous place, but walking through it could be a bit daunting at times," she said.

"It's awesome that the community has taken ownership of it - they appreciate it so much more now because it's become a useable space."

Ms Cook said it was inspiring to see what could be done if a community banded together - and believed this could happen anywhere in Auckland where people cared about their local environments.