Stephen Forbes, Local Democracy Reporter, steve.forbes@stuff.co.nz
Auckland Council is being asked to finish what it started after a multi-million dollar upgrade of Ōtāhuhu’s town centre was put on the back-burner.
Richette Rodger standing on Great South Rd near the intersection with Mason Ave where the work on the upgrade project stopped two years ago. Photo: LDR
The council first announced plans for the $16 million upgrade in September 2019.
It said the project would make the town centre safer and more connected and would see pathways widened, native trees planted and the installation of new street lighting and stormwater infrastructure.
The upgrade was focused on the main street, along Great South Rd, from Princes St to Atkinson Ave and Station Rd.
However, the project was one of many postponed across the region due to a council revenue slump caused by Covid-19.
The work has stopped just after the intersection of Mason Ave, Avenue Rd, and Great South Rd, and the remainder, which was due to start in July 2020, has been deferred for at least 12 months.
Richette Rodger. Photo: LDR
Ōtāhuhu Business Association manager Richette Rodger said instead of deferring the project, the council appeared to have forgotten about it.
“It’s like the project disappeared and we haven’t heard anything since.”
Rodger said the upgrade was important for Ōtāhuhu.
“There’s no way we will be able to grow like the other town centres in South Auckland without it,” she said.
The council submitted a list of 73 key shovel-ready projects to the Infrastructure Reference Group in April 2020, which included the Ōtāhuhu town centre project. However, it did not get government approval for funding.
Ōtāhuhu Business Association chairman Rajesh Lal, who runs Stonex Jewellers, said the stretch of Great South Rd outside his store has not had a makeover since 1992.
He said upgrading the footpaths, adding new seating, street lighting and trees would help make the area more attractive to shoppers.
Sheraz Dean, who runs Pasifika Barbers, said he liked the improvements the council had done outside his store to date, and was not as concerned about the work being completed.
“I’m not too worried about it at the moment because it’s been a tough time for everybody,” Dean said.
“We can wait.”
Some of the work that has been completed further down Great South Rd includes wider footpaths, seating, gardens and street lighting. Photo: LDR
In a statement, an Auckland Council spokeswoman said the main street makeover was done in sections so it would only proceed when there was available funding. Finance was not available in the 2020 emergency budget.
“The project team has explored alternative funding options to progress the town centre upgrade, including applying to central government’s shovel-ready initiative. No alternative funding options have been identified.”
Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers’ Association and NZ on Air.
