VPS&CT submission on Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan

Submission/written suggestions on matters to consider in the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan.

5 December 2024

Thank you

Thank you for this opportunity to submit on matters to consider in the Waitemata Local Parks management Plan. This submission is focused on Victoria Park. One of the key themes we would like to get across is the use of the park should first and foremost be for organised sports and recreation, not for events that are commercially focused. The history of Victoria Park shows that these two uses do not mix well, and sports and recreation end up as the losers.

Who we are

The Victoria Park Sports and Cultural Trust (VPS&CT) owns and administrates the Pavilion/clubrooms that are the focal point for the users of Victoria Park. The membership includes the Grafton United Cricket Club, Auckland & District Pipe Band Association and the Northern Regional Football (Auckland Football Referees Association).

The VPS&CT leases to the Auckland Council the changing room facilities, toilets, and groundsmen facilities, for the benefit and use of the public who enjoy the use of Victoria Park. These users include the Ponsonby United Rugby League club and Auckland Touch Rugby competitions.

Therefore VPS&CT has an important part to provide sporting opportunities for the current population and expected growing inner-city community. The welfare of Victoria Park is at the heart of what we do.

One of our members, the Grafton United Cricket Club was founded in 1862 making the club one of the oldest in New Zealand. The club has a membership of about a 1,000. Being one of the biggest senior clubs in New Zealand with over 20 teams. Interestingly almost half the membership at senior level are made up of those from Indian sub-continent heritage.

Victoria Park has been the home of GUCC for nearly 70 years, and cricket has been played at the park since its creation almost a 120 years ago.

History of Victoria Park (from victoriapark.nz)

• 1905: Opened and named after the Queen who had died four years earlier.
• 1908-1911: Hosts first class cricket (Auckland Cricket Association).
• 1910: First ever match of international rugby league played on New Zealand soil when Great Britain played against the New Zealand Māori.
• 1918: During the 1918 flu pandemic the park was used as an open-air depot for the storage of the bodies of the many hundreds who died. The Pavilion was used as a temporary morgue.
• 1942-1945: During WW2, the park was used for accommodation of US Armed Forces and covered with temporary huts.
• 1960: The kindergarten moved to Tahuna Street, and the vacated building was occupied jointly by Grafton United Cricket Club, Ponsonby Soccer Club, and the Auckland & District Pipe Band.
• 1962: The four-lane Victoria Park Viaduct was constructed overtop of the park, as a part of the Auckland North Motorway.
• 1989: Auckland City receives ownership of Victoria Park from the Auckland Harbour Board.
• 1992: The Victoria Park Sports and Cultural Trust was formed.
• 2007: Auckland Football Referees join the VPS&CT
• 2024: Today, Victoria Park is the most well recognised sport and recreation destination in the Waitematā Local Board area. It has been the home of GUCC for nearly 70 years and offers a unique opportunity for central city residents and visitors to experience organised sport.

Sports & recreation vs commercial events

The VPS&CT strongly believes that Victoria Park should be a sports and recreation park only. We believe that one off events especially commercially run events should not be allowed on Victoria Park. These one-off events, mean that organised sports are moved off the park for this time, not only impacting on the playing of sport, but also sports practice and the club spirit. If the weather also does not play its part these events may cause longer term damage to the parks fields which may ultimately lead to more weeks with no organised sport.

Organised sport is a highlight for many families and is a critical part of any vibrant community. Sport is one of the best ways to bring together people from different backgrounds and the sports that use Victoria Park are an example of this. The growing population in the CBD will also put more pressure on people wishing to play organised sports.

VPS&CT along with GUCC, lead a campaign 15 years ago to remove “Taste Auckland” from using Victoria Park. This was successful and the then Local board implemented an event management plan for Victoria Park with the intent to drastically restrict events from using Victoria Park especially those of a commercial nature.

We were therefore disappointed when the Local board agreed to “Plane Sailing” being granted a 5-year resource consent to use Victoria Park over the summer with the park out of action for 10 days. The Victoria Park management plan was not adhered to. From what we can see the events department at Auckland Council outsmarts the sports department. Then a recommendation is put forward that supports events and is then signed off by the Local board. Hopefully the weather is fine and there is no lasting damage to the park.

Parking

Over recent times it has become very difficult for the users of the clubs that make up the VPS&CT to access the car park that is situated beside the pavilion (Halsey Street entrance). There are 30 car parks and during the day most of these are full, yet there may only be 2-3 people using the Park. This is especially true at around 4pm when junior practices start. Therefore, we can only conclude that this car park is being used for parking for people to visit the CBD, waterfront or work etc.

When the VPS&CT rebuilt the pavilion in the early 1990’s, the carpark was also built (formerly a tennis court was situated there). Therefore, it was built for those who use Victoria Park and the pavilion i.e. the members of the Victoria Park Sports & Cultural Trust. We strongly feel that a solution needs to be found that potentially limits the parking for those who are not members or guests (opposition teams) of VPS&CT. The reality is that the car park was built (when the VPS&CT built the pavilion) for those who use the park and pavilion, not those who then go to the waterfront or CBD.

Trees

Victoria Park is famous for its London Plan tress that surround the park. This is a great asset for Auckland. However, if they are not regularly trimmed the branches do intrude onto the sports field and impact on the playing space. This impacts on the integrity of the games and is also a possible health and safety risk. The council arborist team has done an excellent job this October in trimming the tress. It is important that the trees are trimmed annually.

Homeless

Since the new pavilion was built in the early 1990’s there has always been homeless people using the Victoria Park pavilion as a home. This does put off some people of using Victoria Park from a perceived safety factor, especially when children are using the pavilion (note GUCC have an indoor cricket centre within the pavilion). Unfortunately, the pavilion does attract graffiti, rubbish and other bad things left by humans (however we have no proof if this is done by the homeless who use Victoria Park or others passing through).

To be fair, the majority of the homeless do try and respect the pavilion and park, by hiding their belongs and moving on when the pavilion and park is in use. We have also never been broken into.

We are not sure what the solution is on this topic.

Nicholas Albrecht

Chair

Victoria Park Sports & Cultural Trust

www.victoriapark.nz