North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Bridleways welcome in plan
Consultation is underway on a greenways plan for the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area.
Such a plan identifies routes that connect key open spaces and destinations as well as the potential and current walkways, cycleways and bridleways that connect them.
Auckland Council parks advisor Don Lawson said at an open consultation meeting that a current example of a greenway is the coastal walkway stretching from Long Bay to Campbells Bay and on to Devonport.
He said the board is also eager to include bridleways in the plans, particularly in more rural areas such as Okura and the Hibiscus Coast subdivision.
President of The North Shore Riding Club Julia Nevill says members of the Redvale-based club often ride in Okura and bridleways would be welcome.
‘‘Safety is the number one priority,’’ Nevill says.
‘‘We don’t like riding on the road, it’s really scary and we know that drivers don’t like us on the road.’’
She also says that cost inhibits where horse owners can ride as if they don’t have a float, they can’t transport the horses.
‘‘It would be really good to have them [bridleways] close to areas where horses are grazing.’’
Nevill says creating pathways for horses will also connect them to the community.
The local board chairwoman Julia Parfitt says it’s important to gather local knowledge to help form the greenways plan.
‘‘We want to hear about routes, away from busy roads, that people would like to use to get around,’’ Parfitt says.
Greenways can be on streets, through parks, along the motorway corridor or coast and formed in partnership with other landowners.
The plan will be used by the local board, council, community and volunteer groups and private developers.
The feedback will be reviewed and plan updated for adoption by the local board in October. Funding applications and construction will take place from 2017.