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Westhaven Marine Village


ScottiE

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So you need to turn out in force- not just boat owners but all of your crew too, so they can see how many people are affected and what you could be losing

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I've got a "squad" going to the lunch one, and roused a few to go to the evening one. All booked in.

 

 

And if you guys and gals spot anything else in the plans that maybe the dummies like me haven't spotted (eg - didn't see the ramp going!) then please drop them on this forum - the ones that go to the meetings need all the info/ammo we can get.

 

And you don't have to submit written thoughts until after the meetings - by 12 April - so I suggest those that go to the meeting wait until after before putting it in writing - you/we will have more answers/lies/deceptions from the meetings to add to the submissions................ :thumbdown:

 

Not all the plan is bad - but a hell of a lot just doesn't make sense.............

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I understand water will still flow in at the existing western entrance (a series of culverts?? under the road) , but to be sure they need to r4etain or increase the existing tidal flow. If they don't do so the marina will turn into a pustulant sore reeking with the combined stupidity of the entire planning department.

 

Maybe thats what they want?

Have it become such an eyesore that they can fill the whole thing in, and make a carpark out of it. From what I gather carparks are quite a good investment - probably make more dosh than marinas and not have to put up with the whinging boaties...

 

Come on all you conspiracy theorists, time to show yourselves.

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The big question nobody here is addressing is what letter of the alphabet will the five new pontoons to the north be given? AA is out for a start - just sounds like repetition of "A" on the VHF. It's a harder problem than you'd think, they will probably have to abandon the whole project when they realise this major omission from their plan. They were so keen to give the new pier "Y" it's rightful letter but very quiet about these other new piers!

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I've just spent the afternoon writing feedback (in a document... their feedback form is too pathetic for words). I doubt they'll listen, but I feel like I've got to do my bit and at least try. :crazy:

 

Have you seen the "Presentation" document that's linked to from this page?

http://www.waterfrontauckland.co.nz/Waterfront-Auckland/WesthavenPlan.aspx

 

Here's the direct link to that PDF: http://www.waterfrontauckland.co.nz/wa/media/Documents/Westhaven%20Master%20Plan/Website-Presentation_130313.pdf

 

They want to:

-- Make the area more interesting all year round, with Yoga, Tai Chi, Christmas markets, and random other sh*t. (Um, planners, there's stuff going on all year round already... yes, it's marine-related, but that's kinda the whole point of a marina, is it not?!)

-- Open the pier gates during the day. (Been there, done that, stuff got stolen... that's why the gates are locked.)

-- And this one really takes the biscuit... they want to install luxury houseboats!

 

Here's the artist's impression in the presentation:

 

8583991423_be0ab7627e.jpg

 

:evil:

 

And nothing in the plan relates to my needs as a berth holder, e.g.:

-- Marina dredging: my boat sits in the mud at low tide... all the talk of a “world-class marina” is laughable if they think it’s acceptable for boats to get stuck in the mud. (And I’ve seen larger yachts get stuck in the mud in the fairway too, so it's not just me with this issue.)

I’ve enquired with Westhaven Marina office a number of times over the years about dredging, but have always been told it’s too expensive; there’s no budget for this. But yet the Council seems to have $6.1m to burn on cycle paths and walkways (where the users pay zip), but nothing is done for paying customers? It’s crazy.

-- Mast gantry and other facilities: It’s bad enough that the mast gantry has been moved to a highly tidal area of the marina, where it can only be used at high tide. No mention is made of the mast gantry in the plans: will it remain? Or will it be moved to a more sensible part of the marina? And what about the Floating Dock? This is a vital service, and needs to remain as it is. I do not see any mention of this in the plans.

-- Security: Increasing public access is all well and good, but at what cost to the berth holders? More people wandering around the marina will necessitate a greater investment in security (of car parking areas and of boats) – and I bet it’ll be the berth holders that end up funding this through increased rental fees. Ugh!

-- Closing the Western Entrance and the Marina within a Marina: Closing the Western Entrance will be dangerous enough, but imagine going out the main entrance where (no doubt) there will be people fishing off it. Fishing lines round your keel, anyone? Or maybe crazy fishing people throwing beer bottles at boaties for fun? Oh, and they want to put a hardstand in the reserve, that doesn't sound like a hazard/safety issue - much! Will all the families strolling through the reserve on a Sunday afternoon be issued with a hardhat, respirator and safety briefing?!

 

These people are crazy! Goodbye, sailing as we know it, hello yuppie hell...

 

:sick:

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PS. Here's the PS I included in my feedback document...

 

PS. Some numbers for you…

 

Since the draft plan seems to have been written by profit-focused accountants, here are some numbers for you:

• A person strolling through the marina and buying a latte every Sunday is worth $234 a year to Westhaven Marina.

• Me, a berth holder with a 10m non-finger berth, is worth $6,022.50 a year to Westhaven Marina (and that’s just the marina fees – it doesn’t include the money I spend on other suppliers in the Marina, e.g. Floating Dock, yacht club membership, yacht club race entry fees, contractors… and maybe even a latte every now and again at the Sitting Duck Café, or a meal at Sails restaurant).

 

Therefore a berth holder is worth 25 times more (at least) than a walker or cyclist buying a latte once a week. Please remember that.

 

:roll:

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I attended the presentation yesterday.

Tom Warren general manager of marinas for Waterfront Auckland gave a reasonably comprehensive outline of the proposed changes being proposed for the marina and surrounding lands.The first project to be tackled will be the public access promenade and then most probably the Marine Village buildings to area 2.Design work and associated consents are presently being worked on with no residential apartments to be built.

The longer term intentions are to relocate the marina operations office to the upstairs of the old Westend rowing club with the remaining lower floor area and all tide pontoon becoming available for youth sail training programs as presently run buy the PCC.

Toms view of the likely tenants for the marine village are the established chandlery and marine related outlets along with a sailmaker presently sited at the other end of Westhaven.These businesses will obviously be looking to relocate when the developmental pressure puts the squeeze on for retail premises in that area.

A cafe is to be included also.

Provisions for a marine related service sector facility are also being proposed for one of the four new buildings to be developed.The potential short fall in parking will be addressed by freeing up access to Transit NZ land on the western side of the harbour bridge.Look forward to smart card only access areas along with barrier arms for berth holders and specific areas will attract the normal public parking costs as much of the waterfront reclamation area already has.

The expansion of x pier will proceed and obviously the floating dock will once again be relocated.

Interestingly the pile mooring redevelopment sits within the medium to long term outlook for redevelopment and 200 new piles will be installed to extend the life of that area for some years to come.When pressed about the obvious loss of low cost berths within the marina facility Tom Warren has the view that some potential future arrangement could see greater uptake of the existing smaller marina fingers that now lay vacant.

The extension to the sea wall and associated bridging of the western entrance are a work in progress along with the proposed relocation of the existing club facilities.

In summary Waterfront Auckland has determined that enhanced public access is a key objective along with the berth expansions and commercial building development.

Mr Warren made special mention that funding and therefore attached costs for the enhancements would sit separately from the marinas books and costs would not fall to the berth holders.

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I went to the lunch meeting today. Gotta say I was pretty impressed with the reasoning behind most things including the removal of the pile moorings.

Cuppla things (answering some of the things raised in this thread): The launch ramp isn’t being removed, nor is the gantry – but the gantry will be relocated to a better position that doesn’t dry out (yeh, I know, back to the future). The parking is going to get better in most areas – too long to write all the detail but rest assured that overall, it will be at least as good as now. I’m pretty confident of that from my understanding.

 

There’ll be a dedicated area for the training yachts etc – so these facilities wont be removed – they’ll probably shift from where they currently are though.

 

They have had detailed reports done on the effect of closing the western access – the reports reckon this will in fact improve the water flow and help with less silting at the western end in particular. Don’t ask me how that works but they have the research to say so. :think:

 

There’s no intention of having the pier security gates open at all. Will be coded (or some similar system) as they are now. So security isn’t being compromised.

 

The pretty picture of the house boats on the drawings is not going to happen either. They are looking at improving facilities for liveaboards and encouraging a few more per pier – this will - apparently - have a by-product of better facilities for ALL boat owners in that toilet facilities/showers/pump out facilities will improve.

 

And the first pile moorings wont be gone for at least 4 years, and they’ll probably be done in stages over 15 – 25 years. They are looking into ways to reduce the costs of the 8 – 10 metre berths in a number of cunning ways – eg user pays on power and water use – logically the bigger boats use more? But they are still working on this among other things – with a view to bringing some of the smaller boats on the piles into the marina piers at a reasonable cost. Can’t be bothered explaining how they justify removing the piles, might come back to that tomorrow.

 

Almost all my concerns were answered I think. Or perhaps I’m just gullible. :roll:

My biggest complaint is that they didn’t explain this stuff on the website etc – then most of us might not have got so hot under the collar. And some of the “artists impressions” were horribly wrong (if you look carefully you can see some of the piers don’t have any access – by water!), house boat piccies are an example I think (but I could be wrong on that).

 

Just read what I’ve written – looks like I’ve been converted! I’m a believer, a born again believer, Hallelujah!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

And, I stand by everything I wrote, but at my age my memory of events may not be that good so I stand to be corrected! :oops:

 

Meeting report finished. Time for a beer. :thumbup:

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Well I'm about 25th on the waiting list for a berth in Westhaven and as far as I'm concerned the extensions couldn't come quick enough. Similar discussions were had over the impact of T - Z berths and how they would change things forever. I don't hear anyone complaining of that extension.

 

I do find it a little on the nose for those who actually have a berth (rental or otherwise) to think that it's all sweetness and light to have what they have without the faintest regard for other boaties who can't actually berth boats in Auckland.

 

I do think that the northern marina extension should include a reclamation rather than the 300m of walkway and golf cart access only. I can't see any time in the future where the council could so easily "make land" as they can from the western entrance eastwards this time round. Reclamation gets more expensive and more difficult the longer its put off. Golf carts to get to your boat? Really?

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To those that are waiting for a berth.

How about thinking about those folk you are turning off their swings or piles for you to have your berth. What right do you have over the current users of the space? You likely own a larger boat and able to spend more dollars than the young and many older folk currently using the space. Many of these older users have a very long history with Westhaven and I believe they are being treated very badly.

Shame on those that are killing off the history of Westhaven and those that think this is exceptable.

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There are some boats on the swing moorings and probably the piles that are in shameful nick, occupying a huge amount of prime sea room. If you can't be bothered to use or look after your boat, stop bleating about someone else wanting to use the space and pay the market rate for it.

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I've never bought into that argument, if you pay rent for the space it's up to you what you put there and how you look after it.

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There are some boats on the swing moorings and probably the piles that are in shameful nick, occupying a huge amount of prime sea room. If you can't be bothered to use or look after your boat, stop bleating about someone else wanting to use the space and pay the market rate for it.
Seen the number of big flash 1,000,000 plus boats with big growth on their props from lack of use? More of those than old shitters.

 

Be nice to our environment - Sink a Riv 60 and replace it with 2 Piedies :lol: :lol:

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