1 December 2009

Wood Street Land Purchase Will Enhance Central Park

• New entrance to lead from Railway Street West into park
• Purchase complements plans for adjacent land

A new entrance to Central Park will result from work under way at 69 Wood Street.

The land was bought by Papakura District Council in October and is being levelled and landscaped to establish a new, welcoming entry way bringing people from Railway Street West into the popular park.

Councillor Peter Jones, who chairs the District Development Committee, says consultation on the purchase was included in Progress Papakura, the 2009-2019 Long-Term Council Community Plan in March 2009. There was strong support for the project from most of the residents who made submissions.

“The ten year plan set aside funds to make this purchase, and the project received approval from the Auckland Transition Authority. It’s great to see progress being made on the project before Christmas. This is a significant and valuable addition to one of Papakura’s most popular parks and it gives us flexibility around future ideas for community facilities to be located in the park.”

The new entrance pathway crosses diagonally through the 3372 square metre block of land at 69 Wood Street and follows an existing “informal” access track made by local residents walking between the park and Railway Street West. The project will foster better pedestrian links between the park, its facilities and the Papakura train station.

“For residents of the area, this will create a new and very pleasant walk to the bus or train.

Council contractors are already removing fencing and old tree stumps. The larger oaks on the site have been evaluated by an arborist and will be trimmed and retained, creating an “instant parkland” environment. Grass seed will be sown during December.

The Wood Street land adjoins another area owned by Council, the former bus depot at 18-22 Railway Street West. Both are seen as strategic purchases, with 69 Wood Street enhancing Central Park and 18-22 Railway Street West purchased partly to secure land for a new road that reconnects Railway Street West with the residential streets to the south of Central Park.

The work at 69 Wood Street is expected to be complete by April 2010; the road reconnection project using part of the Railway Street West site is likely to be completed by April 2011.

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