Ideas abound for council’s $3m

An expired $3 million worth of funding, originally earmarked to build a controversial sailing facility on Takapuna Beach, has sat unused in Auckland Council’s budget since 2012.

The old North Shore City Council assigned the $3 million funding to the Harbour Access Trust, a group of private parties interested in delivering the Yachting New Zealand (YNZ) sailing facility, in 2010.

However, in the ‘‘Relationship Agreement’’ between council and the trust it clearly states the $3 million depends on a list of conditions that ‘‘must be completed or performed to council’s satisfaction in all respects within two years of the signing of agreement’’.

Intense community objection to a YNZ facility on the Takapuna Beach Reserve, over the past six years, has meant these conditions have not been met - making the funding void in 2012.

Auckland Council general manager of parks, sports and recreation Mace Ward says the first step of the agreement, confirming

‘‘The council has been working with the Harbour Access Trust and YNZ to determine a suitable site.’’

Auckland Council general manager parks, sports and recreation Mace Ward.

a site for the sailing facility, has held up any use of the $3 million.

‘‘The council has been working with the Harbour Access Trust and YNZ to determine a suitable site for the facility development. At this stage, a suitable site is still to be confirmed.’’

Ward did not clarify whether the 2010 Relationship Agreement for $3 million was still valid.

A brief status update from Auckland Council chief operating officer Dean Kimpton on the $3 million has been provided in the September 22 council finance committee meeting agenda.

North Shore residents offered their own ideas on spending the $3 million.

‘‘They could probably better spend it on preserving the green environments around this area which are fast going. Just offering something that the whole public can use that’s not something so exclusive as yachting,’’ Orewa resident Chris Sutton says.

‘‘My children are very interested in science, which is probably unusual in New Zealand, but I would love for the council to spend more money on initiatives that promote science or engineering or technology to kids,’’ Devonport resident Bettina Sinclair says.