Fresh bid to create new Auckland regional park

A volunteer community group has revived its bid to merge three Auckland local parks into a regional park, despite being turned down four years ago.

Chelsea Heritage Regional Park Association (CHRPA) representatives say a regional park, stretching across Chatswood and Birkenhead, would provide a diverse coastal habitat with bush walks, close to the city.

The group faced Auckland Council's Community Committee last Thursday to launch its proposal for merging the three parks: Chelsea Estate Heritage Park, Kauri Point Centennial Park and Chatswood Reserve.

CHRPA chairperson Pam Templeton said amalgamating the three parks into one would mean better protection and management of the heritage and ecology of the headland.

Templeton said the parks had not been well cared for in the past, despite some parts having heritage protection.

"We've had fires on the pā site, we've had heritage assets and brick paths damaged by storms and for 10 years we have asked for it to be looked at, and it's only just recently that that has been done," Templeton said.

"In a practical sense, these protections are only on paper, they're not actually being enforced and checked, there is no schedules of maintenance. So we are hoping that a regional park might offer more because it would be over arching protection for the whole park."

The group was turned down in 2022 by the council's Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee because it didn't meet the criteria for a regional park status.

Group treasurer Harvey White said the Waitematā deserved its own regional park that was close to the city centre, and easily accessed by public transport, especially for tourists.

The proposed 71-hectare park would be similar in size to Manukau's Ambury Farm, he said.

If amalgamated, the regional park would have the largest and most diverse coastal habitat in central Auckland's urban zone, and have access to the Te Mātārae ō Mana Pā, Chelsea Sugar Refinery and bush walks.

"This park, which is rich in biodiversity, heritage and taonga, will provide countless recreational and educational opportunities, both in central and regional Auckland," he said.

"Thanks to the City Rail Link, access to the central zone is now literally a walk in the park."

The campaign of amalgamating the parks has been proposed since the 1990s.

In 2022, the Parks Committee voted against it because of insufficient evidence that the parks' maintenance would improve with a regional park status.

The council's director of community, Rachel Kelleher, said the assessment then was that Chelsea Estate Heritage Park lacked some of the characteristics typically associated with regional parks because of operational constraints associated with the adjacent Chelsea Sugar factory.

It also had limited recreation opportunities, she said.

"The committee also concluded that changing the park's status would not necessarily lead to increased maintenance, protection of heritage and ecological values, management planning and public awareness."

She said regional parks were intended to be large, predominantly natural spaces that represented the special natural and cultural qualities of the Auckland region.

"They provide opportunities for recreation activities, conservation and attract visitors from across Auckland, with many also being tourist destinations."

Templeton said despite failed attempts in the past, they wouldn't stop asking council to investigate a regional status for the parks.

The time was right now as council prepared to review the Regional Parks and the long-term plan, she said.

"We just want the parks to be well protected going forward."