Shearer: Listen to your future Auckland

‘‘We need highenergy people who want a city that's gorgeous, streamlined and built to last: all the things being articulated by young Aucklanders.’’

for a pedestrian and cycle path on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, saw it through to council approval, and now we’ll be able to walk from one side of our magnificent harbour to the other.

It was young people who articulated the need for higherdensity housing at the Unitary Plan’s Independent Hearings Panel in February. They’ve stepped up, and good on them – they’re the ones being priced out of their own city, and they’re going to live the longest with Auckland’s current planning decisions.

People who say Auckland should grow at its periphery and somehow we’ll all drive to work along clogged motorways just don’t get it.

In my neighbourhood I’ve advocated a wide green-belt and cycleway from Mt Owairaka, through Chamberlain Park and Western Springs to the volcanic lava flow at Meola Reef: an environmental treasure Aucklanders could enjoy, on foot or bike, from one end to the other.

I have received great feedback, the bulk of it from young Aucklanders.

They want affordable apartments near work, entertainment, parks and public transport. They’re calling for a Europeanquality cycle network, sleek public transport, and investment in our parks, ecologies and streams. Their hopes and expectations align more with the great international cities than the Auckland of the past. They’ve travelled the world and they know how great high-density cities can be.

Others have expressed fears about high density. I believe that’s a result of design mistakes Auckland has made in the past.

Yet at times our city has excelled. I remember the government apartments being built at the bottom of Beresford St in Freemans Bay. They were written off as nothing special.

But history has shown they were ahead of their time: compact, affordable, built with inviting shared spaces and solid materials.

Half a century later they are more popular than ever. Actually too popular: the young families they were designed for have mostly been priced out now. We need a whole lot more of them.

So, this year’s election will be critical. We need high-energy people who want a city that’s gorgeous, streamlined and built to last: all the things being articulated by young Aucklanders.

Decisions made by the people we elect now will determine the way Auckland looks and functions for generations to come.

My and your question to every candidate should be ‘‘what’s your vision for Auckland?’’ and if their answer excites you, vote for them.

This is the first in a series of columns from different personalities in the lead up to the elections.