Roskill Community Voice

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Revive Roskill Town Centre

In July and August 2019 we ran a community discussion about the future of the Mt Roskill Town Centre (aka Mt Roskill shops, “Big Roskill”, corner Mt Albert and Dominion Rds) called Big Ideas for Mt Roskill Town Centre.

We had an overwhelming response with over 400 ideas suggested through postcards, email, online form, sessions with intermediate students, Facebook and at a well-attended public meeting hosted by local Member of Parliament Michael Wood.

We’ve now collated and analysed those ideas into our vision to Revive Roskill Town Centre – addressing the four themes of:

  1. Supporting a thriving area for local businesses
  2. Developing a place that attracts our vibrant and diverse community
  3. Securing the transport future of Dominion Road
  4. Creating a safe and flourishing Roskill Town Centre

Each area has specific ideas for actions we hope to take, with the community, like investigating the possibility of a food court (the most popular suggestion!), working with real estate agents on temporary opportunities like pop-up shops, and seeking certainty about the light rail project that will come to Roskill at some point.

Watch this space for progress and updates!  #ReviveRoskillTownCentre

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Media statement: Community’s Big Ideas lead to vision to Revive Roskill Town Centre

Community’s Big Ideas lead to vision to Revive Roskill Town Centre

“We have heard the frustrations and ideas from our local community, and now we’ve distilled it all into a vision to set the Mt Roskill Town Centre back on the right track,” says Bobby Shen, Roskill Community Voice candidate for the Puketāpapa  Local Board.

Today Roskill Community Voice, with City Vision candidate for ward councillor Mark Graham and Member of Parliament for Mt Roskill Michael Wood, launched their vision to Revive Roskill Town Centre.

The booklet lays out four focus areas and specific policy ideas to address each:
– Supporting a thriving area for local businesses
– Developing a place that attracts our vibrant and diverse community
– Securing the transport future of Dominion Road
– Creating a safe and flourishing Roskill Town Centre

“It was so encouraging to see the many locals participate in our Big Ideas for Mt Roskill Town Centre discussion. We had over 100 people at the public meeting and over 400 ideas collected online, face to face, and through postcards. It shows just how much the folks here really care about Roskill Town Centre and want to make it a place for people again,” says Mark Graham, City Vision candidate for Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa.

Printed copies of the Revive Roskill Town Centre vision are being given out to all the businesses in the area this week, and the online version is available now at this link on the Roskill Community Voice website.
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“Getting all these ideas on paper and presenting a way forward back to the community is really just the beginning of a very big job, and I’m looking forward to working together to get it done in the years to come,” says Bobby Shen.

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Media Release: Seeking Big Ideas for Mt Roskill Town Centre

For immediate release

“It is time for action to turn the Mt Roskill Town Centre from a scruffy strip to an inviting hub – a place that is safe and inviting, supports our local businesses, and reflects the vibrancy and diversity of our people,” says Bobby Shen, architectural designer and Roskill Community Voice candidate for the Puketāpapa Local Board.

“It’s one of the top issues constituents raise with me,” says Michael Wood, Member of Parliament for Mt Roskill. “There’s a real frustration that our town centre is so much less than what it could be, and so I’m working with Roskill Community Voice to host a public meeting on the matter, Sunday 28th July, 3.30pm at Winstone Park Tennis Club.”

“Mt Roskill Town Centre has faced many years of decline owing to the pulling power of the malls, the loss of major businesses that generate foot-traffic, uncertainty over transport planning, and a lack of private and public investment. The forthcoming footpath and streetscape improvements due to happen later this year will help the town centre, but a more comprehensive and planned approach is necessary to really revitalise it and give it a future as a people-place in our community,” says Harry Doig, current Chair of the Puketāpapa Local Board.

Roskill Community Voice is seeking “Big Ideas for Mt Roskill Town Centre” through a local postcard campaign, where people can drop their ideas into Copies Plus in the main shops, Foxie Hair at 887 Dominion Rd, or give their thoughts online at www.roskillcv.org.nz/bigideas.

“We need some community ideas and community action to turn our town centre around, and make it a real heart for our people. I’m looking forward to hearing what locals think and working together to make a real difference,” says Bobby Shen.

Contacts:
Bobby Shen – ph 0211725235
Email bobbyshenpuketapapa@gmail.com

Harry Doig – ph 0272412209
Email Harry.doig@gmail.com

Michael Wood MP – ph 0226506360

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Better footpaths blitz

Have you come across broken or damaged footpaths in your neighbourhood?  Well we’ve created handy form for you to report these issues so that we can log them into the system to be fixed up.

Create your own user feedback survey

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Media statement: Three Kings Cover-up: Council staff refuse to act on Council resolution

On the day of a major community meeting about the Three Kings Quarry case, Roskill Community Voice members of the Puketapapa Local Board are expressing grave concerns after the Council organisation refused to act on a legitimate Local Board resolution seeking planning advice about the Three Kings quarry case.

“In a democracy, it is fundamental that staff follow the properly constituted decisions of elected members. It is utterly extraordinary in this case that Auckland Council staff have closed ranks to try and shut down the Puketapapa Local Board’s advocacy over Three Kings” says Roskill Community Voice representative Harry Doig, who is also Deputy Chair of the Puketapapa Local Board and holds the Three Kings Planning portfolio.

The Puketapapa Local Board requested planning advice on the interaction of the Three Kings Plan and the interim Environment Court decision on Plan Modification 372 (the Fletchers Plan to redevelop Three Kings Quarry). After initially being told internal planning advice could not be provided in the necessary timeframe, the Local Board has now been blocked from seeking external advice, despite having a validly made resolution seeking the advice, and a Local Board budget line to pay for it.

“Once again we feel that the Council organisation is lining up against the community on the future of Three Kings. The community worked with the Local Board to come up with the Three Kings Plan and the Local Board has invested in further work to progress the outcomes agreed in that Plan. Yet the Local Board is continually stymied by officers who seem determined to block local input even after Fletchers themselves have backed down from their original position in the court,” says Mr Doig.

 “Auckland Council was embarrassed in the Environment Court when key points such as the depth of the development, that had been raised by the Board and community, but ignored by Fletchers and Council, were affirmed by the Court. To now have Council officers decide to simply not implement a legitimate Local Board decision feels like an organisation closing ranks to protect itself. The actions appear to breach basic democratic norms and we reserve our options to progress matters” says Julie Fairey, Chair of the Puketapapa Local Board.