Western Springs Speedway

I am running for Whau Ward Councillor for many reasons, but probably the biggest is that I live here. My kids go to school here, and I have great neighbours who I hang out with here.I know which of our three libraries to go to for which purpose, the places I feel safe to cycle to and the places I’d rather drive, bus, or train to. I know the playgrounds my kids like the best and the ones I like going to the best (spoiler alert – they’re not the same ones!). Our whānau goes to swimming in Kelston, piano lessons in Blockhouse Bay, see my sister and walk her dogs in Green Bay, get our hair cut in New Windsor (shout out to Hina!), shop in New Lynn, and live, work, and go to school in Avondale. The Racecourse is our playground, running track, kite-flying and bird watching space, and where we learned to think twice before challenging Brazilian neighbours to a soccer match!

The Racecourse and protecting its future for all this and more is a big responsibility the new Whau Ward Councillor will need to take on, and that’s occupied a lot of my thoughts this campaign. However, Ward Councillors are faced with Auckland’s many and varied challenges, not just the ones on our own backyards, and I’ve also been asked to share my position on the future of another significant site not too far down the road: Western Springs Speedway. Given this isn’t an area, a sport, or an issue I’ve been involved with much at all till this point, I wanted to do my homework before weighing in. If it were a candidate from another Ward giving their take on Avondale Racecourse for example, I’d certainly hope and expect for no less. The same goes for if the issue related to a pastime I was passionate about. I have spoken to residents in the area, Speedway Association members, and Councillors past, present, and future. It’s been a lot to untangle.

However, I have had the benefit of going through a related process within Whau regarding Rangimatariki/Rosebank Domain. A space which, just like Western Springs, is important to several different groups for several different reasons, and so when it came to lease renewal was a similarly fraught situation. I am quite proud of how we, as a Local Board, have come to a positive next step for that Domain that acknowledges, works with, and respects these different interests. Having said that, we made mistakes in that process. We relied on stakeholders to come to us rather than the other way around, putting too much of the onus on them. As a result, some voices weren’t given the opportunity they were owed to be part of those discussions from the start.

When it comes to Western Springs, similar issues appear to have occurred, and clearly, several key elements have changed since the recent Auckland Council consultation process. And so, my position is this:

The Expression of Interest process regarding the codes and activities that take place at Western Springs must begin again and it must do so in a way that directly reaches out to those we know have a stake in this at a minimum. Sending out an email and hoping it gets to the right place on time does not suffice. These different interests must be openly and transparently brought to the same table so a plan can be made for the medium- and long- term future of this space and the activities currently enjoyed there.

While I accept that cities grow and change, and what was once remote is now central, for an activity that means something to a lot of people to be moved after nearly a century, both its new home and what would become of the old one would need to be extremely well thought-out, resourced, supported, and prepared. In my view, this is not currently the case. However, I do not believe the current impasse is one that can’t be worked through, and I am committed to being a part of that.

If you’ve read this far, I can imagine it’s frustrating that I haven’t given an unequivocal yes or no, but I wouldn’t feel right doing that. In my experience, there are few issues that can be answered in that way, and this is a particularly gnarly one. However, I hope this makes it clear what my position is and what I believe the best next steps are.

If you vote for me as Ward Councillor, this is what you will get. I will do my homework on each issue as it comes up, listen to as many angles as possible, and work to get to the next step fairly, openly, and for the benefit of Auckland.