Students call on local board to fix open drain: South Auckland
Pupils from Papakura Normal School have appealed to the local board to fix an open drain along Walters Rd, which neighbours their school.
Kaige Chase, Gabriel Moaate-Minhinnick, Olivia Kim, Genesis Blakelock and Angelina Tuiono asked the board to take their concerns to Auckland Transport after incidents involving children walking to school.
"We realise this is probably about money but saving money in the old days has just stored up problems for today," they said.
The students told the board a six-year-old boy fell into the drain.
Another boy failed in his attempts to rescue him.
But a motorist intervened and pulled him to safety.
In another incident, a driver leaving the carpark opposite drove into the drain.
“The incident with the boys led to temporary fixes that involved some orange plastic fencing, but it just seems to have become a permanent solution," the students said.
"Now it is breaking down and probably ending up polluting our sea.”
The drain had become overgrown, with the school spending money battling gorse and weeds and building a large fence to keep students safe, they said.
The pupils urged the board to infill the drain to create more parking and drop-off zones.
Board chair Brent Catchpole said he was impressed with the amount of research that went into their deputation.
"These young people did not just come along to complain," he said.
"They gathered evidence, thought about the problem and even outlined possible solutions."
The board will refer the matter to Auckland Transport and Healthy Waters, asking for a quick response, he said.
Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?
We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.
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91.4% Yes
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8.2% No
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0.4% Other - I'll share below!
Lest we forget...
On this ANZAC Day, let's take a moment to remember and honor the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.
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Trucks Parking in Residential Streets
How do people feel about truck and trailer units parking in our residential streets? Manuroa and Airfield Roads in Takanini are truck parks every night. This is a safety issue as trucks and buses cross onto the wrong side of the road to pass them. They also block sight lines for people leaving their properties and turning out of side streets. Parking beside reserves and playgrounds means children are stepping out from behind these vehicles to cross our busy streets. The empty flatbed trailer units are hard to see at night, especially in wet weather. There have been at least two accidents in Takanini, one fatal, involving cars hitting these trailers. The Takanini Residents Group have raised this with the Papakura Local Board and Auckland Council, but as these vehicles are legally parked, we are told there is nothing that can be done. I know this is a problem in other areas in South Auckland, so I would like to hear what people think about this issue.
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