KEY POINTS:
An ongoing Herald series is shining a light on what has been achieved by Auckland's civic planners to make this a better place to live.
"Auckland Success Stories" makes a happy change from reports on the problems that this city shares with many of the world's major metropolitan areas, some of them amplified by a particular dysfunction in governance. Most compellingly, it emphasises the enhancement of a lifestyle that was already the envy of most other cities.
From the likes of Vector Arena's re-establishment of Auckland as a venue for major touring artists through the expansion of the regional parks network to the sand replenishment on major city beaches and the creation of the Britomart rail terminal, these have been reports on initiatives that went right, often spectacularly so.
The number of people attending concerts, enjoying the regional parks, travelling by rail or returning to beaches such as Kohimarama attests to their success.
But a recurring theme of the series is how controversial many of these ventures were, or could have become. Sometimes the costs, in particular, raised eyebrows. Yet their success has largely silenced any quibbles. Much-maligned regional and city planners had accurately gauged a demand and created facilities that are enjoyed by many.
None enjoyed so difficult a birth as Britomart. The original scheme, mooted in 1995, was criticised not only for its scope, which involved the Auckland City Council heavily in property development, but for punting on Aucklanders taking readily to rail.
The final, scaled-down product, while not perfect, has been pivotal in sparking a dramatic upswing in rail patronage. Not only that, but it has helped revitalise the surrounding area without committing the
council to significant risk. Railway stations like that of Milan and New York bear testament to their communities' pride and dynamism. Britomart offers evidence of a wish to be in the same company.
The Vector Arena had a similar troubled start, with building delays and sound problems. But Auckland's possession of a roofed arena means it no longer loses out to Wellington, Christchurch and even New Plymouth. Auckland was always a logical stop for major touring artists. Now, in a mainly hassle-free environment, that logic has been restored.
The cost of resanding many of Auckland's beaches provided reason enough for an initial blanching. The most expensive exercise, at St Heliers, cost as much as $4.3 million.
Yet beaches that had become little used because of their barren, rocky character are now crowded on the best summer days. Planners gauged correctly that Aucklanders love going to the beach, and that the result of this expenditure would be widely enjoyed.
These inner-city beaches provide Auckland with a lifestyle that is guaranteed to be attractive to people looking to escape overseas cities, most of which provide nothing comparable.
That sentiment is used by Sandra Coney, the Auckland Regional Council parks chairwoman, to also justify, in part, the near $60 million spent on developing the regional parks network. The lack of consternation about this rapid expansion programme suggests Aucklanders share
her enthusiasm for the chance to enjoy the outdoors in the many parks within a relatively short drive from the city.
Similarly, they will surely appreciate the development of a protected wildlife sanctuary on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. A Herald report highlighted the tantalising prospect of bellbirds and kakariki popping up in suburban backyards.
It would be a shame if, like other success stories, it was not fully recognised. Too often, these are lost amid the fractious cacophony that so often envelops Auckland.
