Dunedin’s community boards are returning to the serious business of serving local communities during 2018. The Star reporters contacted the chairs of the community boards and asked them to respond to two questions:
1. What were the board’s biggest achievements last year?
2. What are the board’s priorities for this year?
Waikouaiti Coast Community Board chairman Alasdair Morrison
ACHIEVEMENTS
With six separate residential communities in our area, we don't usually tend to highlight one particular thing.
However, we were pleased with the turnout at a well-advertised public meeting in Waikouaiti late last year to discuss the replanting project for the former forest on Matanaka Dr, and the development of the transfer station and recycling centre at the former landfill site in Waikouaiti.
As a result of the meeting we have two teams of volunteers ready to participate in the two projects which will be getting under way in the next few weeks.
PRIORITIES
During the year we will be keen to see how the new reserves and beaches bylaw will minimise damage to the beaches in our area once implemented.
Freedom camping has been an issue for us.
Over the past two years we have pretty much got on top of previous rubbish and sanitation issues at Warrington Reserve, but the main problem is that there are far too many visitors arriving.
We will continue working with Dunedin City Council in an attempt to spread the load by identifying other locations city-wide which can be adapted for freedom campers.
Another recent issue which has occurred is the erosion of the spit at Karitane.
When this happened in 2001 there was significant damage to the Karitane foreshore after a storm at sea.
We are discussing this with DCC staff.
We hope that 2018 will finally see the arrival of the long-awaited public toilet facility at Waitati.
We have been frustrated by the delays to this project, but hope springs eternal that we will see the facility in place fairly soon.
