Upset over proposed pony club move

A former riding teacher says a proposal to move an established North Shore pony club is a ‘‘big mistake’’.

Riding veteran and Long Bay Pony Club founder Jill Hillhouse says she is against Auckland Council’s proposal to close Rosedale Pony Club (RPC) and relocate it to Wainoni Park in Greenhithe.

The club, which has been situated on the corner of Bush and Rosedale roads for 35 years, is being impacted by the Northern Corridor Improvement (NCI) project. Costing more than $700 million, the project also affects other community groups including Harbour Hockey and North Harbour BMX.

The new motorway interchange encroaches onto Constellation Reserve where Harbour Hockey is located, affecting a current hockey turf and and future plans for expansion.

When options were worked through with the Upper Harbour Local Board in August 2016, a preferred outcome was proposed to move Harbour Hockey to the pony club’s site at Rosedale Park West. This meant both RPC and the neighbouring BMX club would be displaced, with the pony club moving to Greenhithe Pony Club.

As a former member of RPC herself and with a daughter who still rides as a casual, Hillhouse says it makes more sense to move the hockey club only, and doesn’t understand why additional sites nearby cannot be found.

‘‘To me, [the pony club is] a massive asset, and I just can’t believe they would just close it down,’’ she says. She says she’s also concerned about the facilities at Greenhithe Pony Club and fears many riders will ‘‘probably just give up’’ as getting to Greenhithe with their horse will be too difficult due to the travel and traffic.

Auckland Council general manager parks, sports & recreation Mace Ward says in an email statement New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and council looked at numerous sites in the Albany area to accommodate the displaced hockey club. Cost has been a factor in the proposal to move the clubs. Ward writes that the preferred option, that did not impact on other users as much as the other options considered, was $40m more costly than the next best option [to relocate Harbour Hockey to Rosedale Park West]. The view of the project team was Wainoni Park was the best location in the area and would ensure future tenure for the pony clubs, he writes. A relocation package from NZTA would be provided to the consolidated pony clubs. The Upper Harbour Local Board hasn’t agreed to a preferred location option.

The final design for NCI was publicly notified on February 22. Submissions accepted until 22 March, 5pm. See epa.govt.nz for more.

AMY BAKER/FAIRFAX NZ Rosedale Pony Club has been at the site for 35 years.