VIEWS FROM THE BEACH with Peter White

Takapuna welcomes building activity

An overview of what is happening in Takapuna Beach from Business Association General Manager Peter White.
Isn’t it great to see some building activity in Takapuna Beach. In this month’s Channel magazine we review what is happening on our main street. We also look at our greatest asset – Takapuna Beach and the implications of the Takapuna Beach Reserve Management Plan. The French Rugby team arrives in Takapuna Beach on August 31st and we have a free bus going to the airport to meet them. The Takapuna Beach Night Market has gained consent and some fantastic stallholders have been secured. This month we also look at the Rugby World Cup and what is happening in Takapuna to celebrate the largest sporting event to take place in the world in 2011. Experienced something special in Takapuna lately? Let us know and you could win a $195 prize with Fly a Jet in Takapuna Beach – read on to find out how.
I hope that you enjoy reading this August edition of Channel and I look forward to seeing you at Takapuna Beach soon – Cheers, Pete.

Takapuna welcomes building activity
The $2 shops have gone and hoardings are up at 19-29 Hurstmere Road. Whilst plans have not been made public, demolition crews are making good progress and the development has certainly got tongues wagging in Takapuna. The attached picture gives some idea of the enormity of the site (2375 square metres) and also of the huge impact that this will have upon the Takapuna retail environment.
Further north the new Visitor Information Centre (next door to Postie) is taking shape and should be finished by mid August. There is a moratorium on all Council building work during Rugby World Cup and as a consequence the old Visitor Information Centre on Hurstmere Green will not be immediately demolished. To ensure that the building does not become derelict, negotiations are continuing with the New Zealand made Rugby World Cup Official Suppliers to establish a destination store in the building after the Visitor Information Centre shifts to its new premises.
The popular Goode Brothers and Copper Room bars are closed to make way for an exciting new hospitality venue combining both premises with a strong north facing aspect, which should prove especially popular during the summer months.
The Takapuna Strip (a 400 metre section of Hurstmere Road and Anzac Street) is the heart of the Takapuna Beach entertainment precinct and this new development will prove a popular addition to the existing quality bars and restaurants.

France - our adopted second team
The French Rugby team arrives in New Zealand on August 31st when they will be welcomed at the airport with a Powhiri at 1.30pm. We have a bus organised to take supporters out to the airport to meet the team. It will leave from the Spencer on Byron at 11.45am and return by approximately 2.30pm in time to watch North Harbour Secondary School 1st XV players greet the team with a Mass Haka/Powhiri under the leadership of Anthony Wilson (Awataha Marae) as the players depart their coach outside the Spencer on Byron Hotel.
There are a limited number of seats available on the bus – please contact me on 09 215 4347 or peter@takapunabeach.co.nz should you wish to greet the team.

Takapuna Night Market
The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board last month granted consent for the Takapuna Night Market to be held in Hurstmere Green from 5pm until 9pm every Thursday night from early September until March next year.
Being Auckland’s only weekday night market and attracting the best operators from weekend markets, it is anticipated to be extremely popular with residents and tourists alike.
For further details visit www.takapunabeach.co.nz.

Buskers to liven up streets during RWC
Takapuna will play a major role in the Rugby World Cup, hosting the French Rugby team for 26 days during pool play.
RWC organisers have also booked the Spencer on Byron to host a team involved in the finals. As a consequence we expect to have many thousands of visitors to our town centre. Talented North Harbour students will have the opportunity to impress these visitors when they busk throughout the town centre during the tournament.
Buskers wishing to become involved are welcome to contact me on 09 215 4347 or peter@takapunabeach.co.nz.

Dressing up Takapuna
We are working with Council to ensure that Takapuna is looking its best over the two months of RWC. In addition to dressing up Takapuna to show our support of France as our adopted second team, we have organised a town centre tidy up on Sunday August 28th from 12noon until 5pm. We are seeking volunteers to help weed, paint and clean.
Please contact me should you wish to assist on 09 215 4347 or peter@takapunabeach.co.nz.

Free transport to/from all matches
To attract further people into Takapuna both before and after games, we have organised free transport to/from all matches played at either Eden Park or North Harbour Stadium. For those without tickets, the Hurstmere Road Macs Brew Bar, Belgian Beer Café, Florrie McGreals and the soon to open bar that replaces the Copper Room and Goode Brothers.

Takapuna Beach Our Greatest Asset

We are most fortunate to live and work alongside New Zealand’s best urban beach. The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board will shortly review the Takapuna Beach Reserve Management Plan. Takapuna Beach is our most valuable asset and as a consequence the Reserve Management Plan is a vital document which will hopefully carefully consider, amongst other issues, the following – (with my personal preferences listed)...
The 28 Storm water outlets polluting our beach – A recent survey found that on average each storm water drain deposits over 50 items of rubbish onto our beaches daily. In addition they scourge our beaches and contribute to sand loss. It is hoped that the after filtering the rubbish, the water can be collected in a pipe, and pumped off headlands at either end of the beach. The pipe would be covered with a board walk which would not only make the beach accessible for the elderly and disabled but also extend the Milford Takapuna coastal walk to become one of New Zealand’s iconic walkways.
A children's playground – Takapuna is in desperate need for a decent children’s playground. Although enjoyable, our only playground at Potters Park is dated, and surrounded by heavy traffic (a bus terminal, busy corner, main road, and the Anzac St carpark) A playground catering for a range of age groups situated near the beach would be a valuable asset for a community that is expected to swell to 30000 residents and workers by 2040.
For the same reason Council needs to make further land acquisitions (or swaps) to extend both the beach reserve and also the north facing Killarney Park - both of which will become the back yards for those living in intensified accommodation.
The building of a wharf – which will not only provide amenity value (people love to walk out and watch the sea, fish, dive and swim from); a public transport option (Kiss and ride – no parking – small 50-80 seater ferry's); safer waters and infrastructure for recreational boaties to launch from the existing boat ramp; to help establish Takapuna as a tourism and convention centre; and to provide North Shore residents access to the Hauraki Gulf (the only other alternatives being Devonport and Gulf Harbour).
Events – Takapuna is the events capital of the North Shore. The many hundreds of events held in our town centre and on the beach provide residents and visitors with a great deal of enjoyment and provide vitality and excitement. However consideration also needs to be made for those who wish to retire to a peaceful part of the beach or reserve and relax. The natural venue for events is on both the reserve and beach alongside the Takapuna Boating Club, whereas further north the beautiful Pohutakawa glade has a lovely walking track, but apart from the somewhat dubious “rock monument” has little infrastructure for people to sit and relax.
The National Ocean Water Sports Centre – will further enhance Takapuna Beach’s reputation as having some of the best sailing waters in the world, and will provide valuable infrastructure in attracting future World Championship sailing events. Sailing is part of our legacy, it is to the North Shore what Rugby is to New Zealand and the NOWSC will assist our fine young sailers to become world champions. The centre will also prove to be the catalyst to turn the Takapuna CBD around to face the beach.
boutique hotel – The North East sector (including Takapuna and most of he North Shore) has largely been neglected in the Auckland Plan. However with over 3500km of coastline but no beachfront resort hotel, Takapuna provides a unique opportunity to assist Auckland to become a tourist destination rather than gateway. Situated less than 10 minutes from the CBD and home to New Zealands finest urban beach, Takapuna with its undeveloped beachfront properties (currently providing some of Auckland’s best carpark views) is ideally placed to fill this void.
The future of the Takapuna Holiday Park – has sparked a great deal of public interest. There are strong arguments that the rear of the Holiday Park is turned into carpark and the existing carpark to reserve. Conversely the Holiday Park enjoys an international reputation as providing a unique opportunity to camp on an inner city beach. Personally I would like to see the park reconfigured to utilise the land efficiently, providing more beachfront reserve land, and through clever design, campers can be accommodated on a reduced space, ensuring that the park is still viable. By providing security of tenure the lease holders would then be able to commit to the desperately needed repair and maintenance required.
Commercial activities on beaches – Both residents and visitors to Takapuna Beach should be able to hire a kayak, yacht or stand up board; to receive lessons on how to windsurf or sail; they should be able to purchase a coffee, cold drink or Ice cream from a vendor without having to trek over 500m to the nearest shop. Commercial activities should be restricted to certain areas – the most obvious on the beach and reserve beside the Takapuna Boating Club.
Beach Cleaning – As an inner city beach, residents and visitors should not have to put up with the stench of rotting seaweed, accumulated rubbish and dead fish and birds. We expect lawns to be mowed in our beach reserves, and should also expect that New Zealand’s finest urban beach is kept in pristine condition.
NB – The views expressed above are those of Peter White and not necessarily those of the Takapuna Beach Business Association.

Why should you
shop in Takapuna?

The Takapuna Beach Business Association are working hard to attract destination retail and quality commercial tenants to Takapuna to complement our existing high quality members. Each month we highlight a Takapuna business which we believe deserves the support of you, our reader. This month we bring to you -

Haydon Optometrists

Haydon Optometrists have been part of Takapuna for 28 years. The store, with its iconic window displays and range of distinctive eyewear, is located at the northern end of the Hurstmere Road shops.
Owner, optometrist David Haydon sees his team as his biggest asset. The knowledge, skill and thoroughness they bring to both the vision examination and the frame and lens selection process is a real benefit for their clients.
The vision examination allows a comprehensive assessment of both the vision and eye health. This evaluation is enhanced by cutting edge technologies such as the retinal camera, which takes digital photographs for retinal assessment and future comparison.
The optical dispensers are experts in the latest spectacle lens technology and frame and sunglass fashions.
The comprehensive eyewear range includes the latest funky plastic styles of Anne et Valentin and l.a. Eyeworks, the unique Dilem range (with their interchangeable temples), and the classy minimalist styles of the Lindberg rimless collection from Denmark. Haydon’s have a range of sunglasses which include Maui Jims (with lens technology assured to give protection, comfort and performance). Many of the sunglasses in stock can be fitted with prescription lenses.
David has seen the comfort and performance of contact lenses improve significantly over his 30 years of fitting them. This has enabled their use to extend beyond the dedicated full time wearer to those who want an alternative to glasses for reading or the ability to attend social functions with a glasses-free look.
In the current climate, with the growth of the optical chain stores, it has become a point of difference to be an independent optometry practice – with the ability to offer the most up to date frame styles and latest lens technology. Haydon’s value this independence and the freedom it gives them to do the very best for their clients.

Haydon Optometrists – 159 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna Beach, Phone 489 5232, Email: haydon@clear.net.nz or visit: www.haydonoptometrists.co.nz