Our Council
Albany Lakes Project To Open With A Bang
North Shore City will launch one of its biggest combined developments on Thursday 5 November at Albany. The $16.6 million projects include the Albany Lakes Civic Park, which combines stormwater control with a public leisure amenity; and the development of Civic Crescent, with new bus shelters and priority bus lanes to maintain reliable bus services for the park and the shopping centre. The completed development (see banner image above) will be launched by the council at a great evening of entertainment including a spectacular fireworks display put on by Westfield Albany. More

Award For Local Schoolboy Tsunami Hero
Albany Junior High School student Maxwell Wilson has received a national award from Mayor Andrew Williams for his quick thinking during the Samoan Tsunami. Twelve-year-old Max and his family saw the sea go dead calm and begin to drain out over the reef. Max ran through the beach resort, shouting a warning that gave most people the chance to run for higher ground before the deadly wall of water struck. A similar award was presented to Abby Wutzler, a 10-year-old Wellington girl who was staying at the same resort. More

More Details About Auckland Council Released
The powers of local government - and Auckland's electoral boundaries - are both under review as the Government works toward reshaping local government in Auckland. A proposed staffing plan for the new Auckland Council has also been released. More

North Shore Leisure May Offer Activity Alerts
North Shore Leisure centres are offering their patrons the opportunity to receive email alerts for activities. A survey is under way asking people who use the leisure centres to indicate whether they would like to receive alerts about such features as school holiday programmes, swimming term dates, dance and other class details, and membership renewal notices. More

Statistical Breakdown Makes Numbers Easier
North Shore City analysts have collated demographic information collected about the city and presented it on www.northshorecity.govt.nz in a way which will be more accessible and easier to understand. Much of the information was collected from Census 2006 and is displayed in ways which will allow comparisons within North Shore City and with Auckland Region averages. More

Annual Report Published
The North Shore City Annual Report 2008/09 has been published. The document sets out our progress and achievements over the last financial year, and compares this to what was planned to be achieved in our Annual Plan 2008/09. The report shows the council's financial position is sound with assets valued at $4.4 billion and liabilities of $0.4 billion. More

What's On
Summer Fun Under Way
The 2009/2010 Summer Fun programme has been kicked off featuring more than 300 free events across the city between November and March – including preschool play in parks, kids’ athletics, kayaking, summer strolls in parks and more. The programme is about encouraging community enjoyment of North Shore City’s fabulous parks, and healthy and active lifestyles. More

Conference On Social Issues And The Super City
On 20 November a groundbreaking conference on social policy and community development will be held in the North Shore. The conference, “Passing Go”, will look at social issues in Auckland and how the ‘Super City’ changes in local government will affect the delivery of services to the community. More

Wood Sculpture Opportunity For Hauraki Corner Showpiece
The opportunity is open for artists, experienced in working in wood, to put forward their ideas for a wood sculpture in the new Hauraki Corner Plaza. A large Norfolk pine that was removed earlier this year as part of the road upgrade was purposely preserved for the artwork. The log is approximately eight metres high and 1.5 metres wide. More

Our Neighbourhood
Castor Bay Makeover Benefits Kids
Historic Kennedy Park beside the old gun emplacements in Castor Bay has received a modern make-over, with state-of-the art play equipment for kids of all ages and all abilities. The playground was opened by Mayor Andrew Williams, Takapuna Community Board Chairman Martin Lawes, and the chairman of the Potter Masonic Trust, Mike Pope. The facility is complete following six months work installing the new equipment and landscaping. More

Protect Your Pets At Guy Fawkes
This year’s fireworks season is almost upon us, and the North Shore City Council is warning pet owners to ensure their animals are safe during this time. Typically, November brings a spate of incidents in which distressed dogs escape from homes and bolt onto busy roads or get lost. More

Warning: Beware Door Knocking ‘Arborists’
The North Shore City Council is warning people to be careful when dealing with door knocking "contractors" wanting to offer tree-trimming services for low prices. The Council has had reports that people wearing high visibility vests and claiming to be “tree contractors” may not be all they claim. More

Did You Know?
The council GIS tool has a wealth of information for North Shore residents and the newest addition to this tool is the ability to find out about potential private drainage issues on your property.  The viewer can display data about such features as flood zones, coastal inundation zones, overland flow paths and other key details. Find out more

Let It Flow
Knowing about drainage issues on your property can help you plan for stormwater run-off during heavy rains. There are a few simple things that you can do to prevent stormwater damaging your property or our environment. Let it flow! Make sure paved areas slope away from the house and are at least 150mm below the floor level. Provide low points for water to run to and don’t rely on pipes that might block or overflow. Remember – rainwater is a natural and frequent feature of Auckland’s environment – we can’t stop it but we can allow it to flow away from where we live so it causes the least damage. More

Road Rule Changes Affect All
New road rules which went into force this week have implications for all road users including drivers, motorcyclists, taxi drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.  The council is urging all road users to familiarise themselves with the changes.  More