Dear Mr Oster

Re: Acquisition of land for a reserve

Thank you for your email of 30 January 2020 to Kay Thomas, Chairperson of the Whau Local Board, proposing that Auckland Council acquires land at 52-58 Canal Road and 12 Wairau Avenue for a reserve. Your email has been forwarded to me for a response.

I very much appreciate your work in support of Auckland's parks and open space and your keen interest to protect a mature group of trees in this location.

Parks and open space acquisitions are managed as a programme within the financial parameters set by the Long-term Plan 2018-2028. Any opportunities are assessed against the Parks and Open Space Acquisition Policy (2013) and the Open Space Provision Policy (2016).

An initial assessment shows that there is no shortfall of open space in the area you have identified. Canal Reserve can meet community needs, both now and in the future.

Any proposed acquisition would also need to be prioritised against other opportunities across the region and also in this location. In this regard, we are keeping a close eye on developments concerning the Avondale Jockey Club.

Please also note that the council has been in discussions with the former Housing New Zealand and Kainga Ora about opportunities to improve the small road-side reserves in Bellgrove Place. We expect that we will be able to engage with the Whau Local Board and the community about these opportunities in the coming months.

Currently, there is no dedicated funding to support implementation of Auckland's Urban Ngahere (Forest) Strategy . However, budgets are periodically reviewed during the Annual Plan and Long­ term Plan processes. These reviews present opportunities to advocate for funding to be set aside for projects like the one you have described in your email and for co-funding and collaboration with the community.

Paul Marriott-Lloyd

Senior Policy Manager

Community Investme