‘We could have a game of cricket on Queen St. Imagine that.’
Auckland’s roads could be closed for street parties, live music, games and other community events as part of a programme being developed of temporary street closures — known as Open Streets — introduced across the city.
“It might be a car-free day, it could be a number of open streets on one particular day,” said North Shore councillor Chris Darby, Auckland Council’s planning committee chairman.
“Brussels and Paris did it last week. It’s been done in Buenos Aires . . . in Vancouver they have street hockey. We could have a game of cricket on Queen St. Imagine that?”
Currently, groups wanting to close off streets for events are faced with council bills of thousands of dollars, and their events are not part of a wider strategy.
But Darby hopes the plan will cut through red tape.
Mayor Phil Goff and finance and performance committee acting chairwoman Desley Simpson this month wrote to Auckland Transport that “the development of an open streets events programme in conjunction with council parent” was on councillors’ minds.
Darby said AT was in the early stages of developing a toolkit for communities to create “open streetesque initiatives”.
“My idea for Open Streets Auckland is that it is communitygenerated and council-facilitated.”
Kathryn King, AT’s walking, cycling and road safety manager, said an Open Streets policy with the council would be further developed in the next few months. “Many cities close streets to traffic for people to walk, cycle and hold events on a regular basis.”
Goff also backed the initiative. “I’ve lived in cities which close off streets for market days and recreation purposes and I’d like to see Auckland explore those options.”
For the past two years, Devonport Business Association has organised the closure of Clarence St for the GLOW light installation in ArtWeek.
Association board member Ken Davis said: “We would consider running a series of regular weekend open streets, especially in summer
. . . with live music, street games, street art and activities to attract visitors, but the cost and bureaucracy is prohibitive.”
The cost of closing the street for 12 hours in 2016 included a $2500 fee to AT and working up a health and safety plan. Last year the street was closed for four hours with compliance costs around $1900.
AA spokesman Barney Irvine said they were “pretty comfortable” with temporary street closures, as long as they weren’t too disruptive.