Ocean Sports Centre - Lost Opportunity

So. North Shore City Council is pressing ahead with the proposed National Ocean Water Sport Centre (NOWSC) on public land adjacent to beachfront reserve. There has been one public opportunity to see what is planned. That was on Thursday 29th July. The handout there answers the question: "Was the public consulted about this project...?" with this answer: "While Council has complied in full with Local Govt Act requirements that excuse councils from consultation due to the transition to Auckland Council, the timing of this proposal has restricted the ability of council to consult fully on this matter...." Yeah right. The picture above shows an architect's idea of how the Centre might look like above ground, as the idea is the rest of it is underground, with windows and entry ways directly onto the Takapuna Beach Reserve. I believe the project is a lost opportunity for three reasons, three opportunity costs that need to be taken properly into account in the economic analysis of this project: 1) While a National Ocean Sports Centre is a great idea (and it is true that lots of ocean sports competitions are held off North Shore beaches) putting it on Takapuna Beach is like putting a cuckoo in a sparrow's nest. There is not enough room for it at Takapuna - especially as it's aimed at canoe, kayak, sailing, sail-boarding. There's not enough room for the car-parking requirements which will compete with Takapuna parking for shoppers, shop-workers and office workers. So there will be continuous pressure for NOWSC to stay small and generate tiny effects. It will not be able to develop in this location. It will be a lost opportunity. That is one opportunity cost of putting NOWSC on Takapuna Beach. Because you can bet your bottom dollar there won't be Government money to build another one anytime soon, when this one gets too small (NB: Millenium Institute has just needed to double in size. Remember that.)

(2) The second reason it will be a lost opportunity is explained in these next few maps. This one shows the whole of Takapuna Beach. You can see how little of Takapuna Beach has a public frontage.....

This public amenity is precious, based on a chunk of beachfront reserve paid for at great cost by the Council with ratepayer dollars. Takapuna has a low provision of public parks and beachfront reserves, compared with other Auckland coastal suburbs. This land, how it is fronted and used, becomes more important. If it is taken for another purpose, or alienated, the public will be the loser of this valued opportunity of enjoying Takapuna Beach without being pressured by commercial activities - even if those activities are associated with an ocean sports school.

This aerial photo shows how much of Takapuna beachfront reserve was taken up by a SailBoard Event run out of Takapuna Boat Club. There are structures on the reserve, trailers pulled up, cars parked. Sail boards all about. I estimate about half of the reserve area and amenity was taken by this event. However the public are prepared to accept this on a temporary basis. Event by event permission being given for some times in a year. Strict conditions. But not a permanent facility. Not incurring public opportunity cost. There is no way to offset it.

(3) The third lost opportunity embodied in the NOWSC proposal is that Takapuna risks losing the opportunity of transforming its waterfront space to something that is really stunning by good urban design. Stunning for the public, for the town centre, and for visitors. These next few pictures show the urban design of recognised Sydney beachfronts. The urban layout is exemplary. We need to learn from what the Aussies do well.

Look at this close up of Manly Beach front. You can see how the beach edge of the road is not developed. It is for pedestrians, and some car parking. It is purely public. As is the beachfront reserve. As is the beach itself. Commercial activity - retail and food - is on the other side of the road. Along with verandahs and lanes. The road is the separator between public and private.

And here's a closer view. There's no way Manly Beach residents would allow half its beach width permanent rights for Year round Ocean Sports education for NSW or the whole of Australia. Nor should that by happening on Takapuna Beach.

And here is Bondi Beach. You can see a similar development pattern to Takapuna generally - ie low rise, development, grid streetscape, beachfront reserve, beach. But Bondi has obeyed the same urban design rule as Manly. The street between the beach and commercial area is developed on one side only. The rest is public.

Here's one end of Bondi Beach in closer view. While there's the odd changing area on the reserve grass, all the way from the shop fronts to the waves is public. Pure and simple. And that is the case for the whole length of the beach, apart from a facility in the middle which is a public facility anyway.

But here is an artist's impression of what is proposed in and on Takapuna's Beachfront Reserve. The squares you can see are plate glass windows - eight or ten of them - fronting right the way along almost half of Takapuna Beachfront reserve. A bit like the most expensive house you can imagine, having its windows and deck right on and up against and in your face on the public reserve.

This aerial/map shows the footprint of the NOWSC proposal. It is a very extensive area - most of it underground, with the proposed observation deck above ground on the beach side of the footprint.

This aerial shows the proposed realignment of the road to carry traffic and to provide some parking. It is also proposed that some public walking access be over the top of NOWSC, though the detail of that is unclear. The road shift is needed to make way for NOWSC. It is another indication of the size and demand of NOWSC pushing public amenity to one side. It also comes at a huge opportunity cost to Takapuna.

Let's take a second look at the Takapuna beachfront reserve. Here it is shaded in green. Undeveloped at the moment, and with street space (street reserve) that can also be taken to expand beachfront reserve, or used to deliver great urban design, and a frontage and amenity like Manly and Bondi.

The first building development needs to front the side of the street opposite from the beach and away from the beachfront reserve. So shoppers or whatever can look across the street, across the reserve to the sea and Rangitoto. Following the exemplary urban design of Bondi and Manly. That is the economic and amenity opportunity at risk. It risks being lost, by instead giving in to the enthusiasm of NOWSC.

The next stages of ideal and exemplary development could proceed in time. With laneways extending up into Hurstmere Road, and access laneways between the new "yellow" blocks and the rear of the buildings built facing Hurstmere. Let's not lose any of those opportunities. And by the way, I understand there are some great potential spots for NOWSC on Regional Parkland. Sure they don't have hotels, but then - we only have one Takapuna. The price and opportunity costs are too great.