Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

Here is the transcript of Pippa Coom’s

Presentation on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill

on behalf of Grey Lynn2030

9 July 2009

My name is Pippa Coom I am on the steering committee of Grey Lynn 2030.

Thank you for this opportunity to talk to our submission.

I would like to go into more detail about who we are so that I can highlight practical examples of why it is so vital for community groups like Grey Lynn 2030 to have a working relationship with Local Boards that have a real and meaningful role with adequate resources and funding

I would like to be brief to allow time for questions.

The transition town movement came out of a response to the twin challenges of an energy-constrained world and climate change. However rather than focus on the doom and gloom it has been a catalyst for practical positive initiatives that respond to local issues. What we have found is that a majority of our 500 supporters are drawn to Grey Lynn 2030 because of the opportunity to be involved with a group promoting and engaging in building neighbourhood spirit and cooperation while working towards a vision of a self –reliant, positive, connected and sustainable community.

I would also like to emphasise that there are now estimated to be over 2 million groups around the world working towards complimentary objectives borne from concern for the environment. We are not in any way a fringe group that is unique to trendy Grey Lynn.

So I hope I have now set the scene to provide a couple of practical examples.

Grey Lynn 2030 supports initiatives as simple as a group of neighbours getting together to transform a vacant section into a community garden or clean up a local stream and undertake tree planting. We can make a lot of progress relying on the enthusiasm of volunteers but to make meaningful progress at some point we need to interact with a local board. For example the Grey Lynn Farmers market which came out of GL2030 and is starting in September in a temporary location at the community hall needs to work with a board with powers to decide location and funding.

The local board should be able to make decisions wherever possible on local issues such as parks, roads, street design, community development, events, recreational facilities, footpaths, resource recovery options, food production and water management. These are the issues that get people excited and engaged at a local level and should be encouraged to develop community identity.

Yes there are aspects of regional governance that will benefit from a unified structure but it is critical that local communities are sustainable, resilient, positive and able to engage on a meaningful level with local boards. The bill provides an excellent opportunity to correct the mistakes of previous restructuring by giving an appropriate number of boards the ability to act locally, with real funding to support grass roots initiatives, set their own policies and have a meaningful say over their own governance.

1

Dear Grey Lynn 2030,

You may have heard about our Campaign, SOS Enviroschools.

Earlier this year, National decided to cut the $19million Enviroschools funding by the end of 2009, while simultaneously giving $35million of funding to ‘Private’ schools.

Enviroschools, as you are probably aware, is a sustainability education programme that helps students in primary and secondary school learn a variety of skills that will help them later in life- including how to sustainably manage resources and how to plan group projects. Enviroschools helps thousands of students, from 158 schools in the Auckland Region, plus many more across the nation. We believe that sustainability education is vital in our society, particularly in a country that prides itself on its ‘clean green image’.

As part of our campaign, we will be speaking at a public meeting on July 30th.This meeting is being hosted by the NZ Association for Environmental Education and facilitated by Green Party Education Spokesperson Catherine Delahunty. It is a meeting for all those parents, teachers and students who are keen to work together to try and get the funding for Enviroschools back from the government, or find an alternative source. We have 6 months until the funding runs out so we need to work hard and in a coordinated fashion during that time – please join us! This is not just a meeting for Green Party members so please pass it on to all of your acquaintances who you think might be interested.

Date: Thursday, July 30, 2009
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Location: Garden Room, Grey Lynn Community Centre
510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn

If you are interested in being involved in this campaign to Save Enviroschools, but can’t make it to the meeting please email us at sosenviroschools@gmail.com.

We will keep you updated with our plans after the meeting.

An Auckland group  Massey Matters has put together a guide for organising a BBQ or party in your street.  The rules and regulations for working with the council etc This guide is available for download from the Inspiring Communities website.

So what are you waiting for? How about organising a spring BBQ in your street?

And from the home of the Street Party – Have a look at how the Brits do it with bunting http://www.streetparty.org.uk/

or check out this  Very Big Lunch  – http://www.thebiglunch.com/

The idea was to have a party in your street,and  in everyone’s street.

On 19th July 2010, Britain is being asked to stop what they’re doing and sit down to lunch together. Wonder how they will get on?

Mental Speed Bumps – the smarter way to tame traffic

David Engwicht, artist, write, street philosopher, story teller, was in Auckland last week at the invitation of the council’s urban design group inspiring people to re-think their presumptions about traffic calming and their relationship with vehicles.

David was given an enthusiastic reception by the 70 people who turned out on Saturday afternoon at St Columba church community hall to hear his presentation about alternative ways to calm traffic. Grey Lynn 2030 was the only community group lucky enough to host David during his time in Auckland. After hearing David’s ideas many locals (and those who had travelled long distances to the meeting inspired by David’s interview with Gordon Harcourt in the morning on National Radio) made personal commitments to take actions that will result in traffic calming.

Here is an attempt to summarise David’s presentation.

David’s has discovered that “the speed of traffic on residential streets is governed, to a large extent, by the degree to which residents have psychologically retreated from their street”. So the less activity and uncertainty that occurs on the street the more likely that motorists will be speeding and present a danger to residents. This happens, for example, where residents build high walls at the front of their home, don’t use their front gardens – to relax, eat or play – and park their cars off the street thereby creating an environment that “invites” the motorist to go faster.

Communities can reverse this retreat with low cost solutions and without the need to wait for the installation of road signs or speed bumps. David suggests that, in the first instance, neighbourhoods should look to take personal responsibility for traffic calming rather than wait for the council to take action. For example, we can all be positive citizens who can rebuild lost community connections just by getting to know our neighbours and walking to local shops.

Where communities have put David’s ideas into practice they have found that the dynamics of the street change. A motorist is far more likely to drive slowly where they know the neighbourhood children and expect to see them playing and their parents socialising on the street.

He also asks residents to consider their own behaviour when they get in the car and become “motorists”. We are probably all guilty of driving like the stereotypical Aucklander whose time is suddenly more important behind the wheel and is not tolerant of cyclists and pedestrians. He suggests a friendly wave at the speeding or inconsiderate motorist rather than an angry fist.

David calls for an “outbreak of civility” as the first step to transforming Auckland!

After his presentation, David asked what actions we were now going to actually follow through with. The responses included organise a street party, talk to the local children, and plant veges in the berm.

His ideas really resonated for many involved in Grey Lynn 2030 because of a common vision seeking to create vibrant, positive and connected communities. So we definitely don’t want to lose momentum now that David has filled us up with fantastic ideas and possibilities.

This is also a great opportunity to officially launch the GL2030 traffic calming group which will operate as a “support group” to foster and encourage any initiative that contributes to calming the traffic. We would like people involved who are keen to be part of the solution and want to take practical steps. It really can be as simple as talking to a neighbour for the first time.

We will keep a register of actions on the website and post photos of traffic calming measures (like street parties and re-designed front gardens). If you would like to be on the email contact list for the traffic calming group please send an email to greylynn2030@gmail.com.

If you would like to read more about David check out his website http://www.lesstraffic.com/

We are really pleased with the amazingly positive response we received to the idea for creating Great Rides in Auckland (which we like to call Great Urban Rides).

Everyone we have shared the concept with have been able to appreciate the huge potential in making Auckland part of the NZ Cycleway Project and a cycle friendly city for tourists and locals.

For your information here is a link to the proposal that went to the Ministry of Tourism.

We already know it is not going to be picked up as part of the first announcement of initial rides to receive funding (expected any day) but we have taken significant steps towards developing routes and gaining support.

We will next be seeking the official support of Auckland City Council as a potential co-funder and key stakeholder so we are ready to make an application once the Ministry announces the proposed funding criteria.

Thank you for support, interest and feedback

We will keep in touch as we make progress.
Regards
Pippa & Julian
Pippa Coom
Membership secretary
Cycle Action Auckland
ph    021 926 618
www.caa.org.nz
Julian Hulls
Director
Nextbike New Zealand Ltd
021 154 8371
www.nextbike.co.nz

Walk Auckland will have a presentation from council officers on the shared space concepts.  Sue Evans and the project manager Nazla Carmine for Elliot and Darby streets will answer questions.

Walk Auckland is meeting:

Tuesday, July 14th

5:30pm

Leys Institute upstairs Hall Supper room

St Marys Rd at Three Lamps, Ponsonby.