Monday, May 18, 2009
Super City? We're a Super Town!
So, what's in it for Helensville when we become part of the new Auckland Super City? Not a lot, I suspect.
It's a fairly common feeling around these parts - and arguably justified - that we are already something of the 'poor cousin' within Rodney District (in a Helensville website poll in 2006, 94 percent of respondents said Helensville wasn't treated fairly compared to other Rodney communities for civic amenities and design, while in another in 2002 75% thought the area was treated either only averagely or poorly).
I don't see our treatment improving once we are lumped in with every other town all the way down to somewhere in the nether regions of South Auckland (will that become South Super-City I wonder?).
But am I worried?
No, not really, because we already live in a super little town - and while the benefits of belonging to the super city may prove to be thin on the ground, the detriments probably will too. Perhaps the best thing would be for the super city powers to largely ignore Helensville, and let us keep our historic little town pretty much the way it is.
My dream would be for the 'super council' to set up something like a new 'heritage zone', designating a town like Helensville as an area where 'big box' chain stores like The Warehouse and fast food outlets like McDonalds aren't allowed. I realise it's already too late for that, what with Placemakers, Mitre 10 et al already lining Mill Road. But maybe we can keep the town from losing any more character.
My opinion on the super city may be a minority one, however - judging by the (so far small) number of votes on the current Helensville website poll ("Will Helensville suffer when Auckland becomes a single 'Super City'?") almost 80 percent of respondents think Helensville will be worse off once the super city comes into effect.
Is that just natural pessimism? Time will tell, I guess.
It's a fairly common feeling around these parts - and arguably justified - that we are already something of the 'poor cousin' within Rodney District (in a Helensville website poll in 2006, 94 percent of respondents said Helensville wasn't treated fairly compared to other Rodney communities for civic amenities and design, while in another in 2002 75% thought the area was treated either only averagely or poorly).
I don't see our treatment improving once we are lumped in with every other town all the way down to somewhere in the nether regions of South Auckland (will that become South Super-City I wonder?).
But am I worried?
No, not really, because we already live in a super little town - and while the benefits of belonging to the super city may prove to be thin on the ground, the detriments probably will too. Perhaps the best thing would be for the super city powers to largely ignore Helensville, and let us keep our historic little town pretty much the way it is.
My dream would be for the 'super council' to set up something like a new 'heritage zone', designating a town like Helensville as an area where 'big box' chain stores like The Warehouse and fast food outlets like McDonalds aren't allowed. I realise it's already too late for that, what with Placemakers, Mitre 10 et al already lining Mill Road. But maybe we can keep the town from losing any more character.
My opinion on the super city may be a minority one, however - judging by the (so far small) number of votes on the current Helensville website poll ("Will Helensville suffer when Auckland becomes a single 'Super City'?") almost 80 percent of respondents think Helensville will be worse off once the super city comes into effect.
Is that just natural pessimism? Time will tell, I guess.
