Another substantial month’s work has been completed to deliver the new civic space at 254 Ponsonby Road. The contract for works has been agreed upon with Cassidy Construction*, a company with a record of completed work in Ponsonby, including the 56 Pollen Street development. Their team will be on-site in early September to commence work. Bravo!
In keeping with the project’s theme of ‘building sustainability capacity’ in New Zealand, the Community-Led Design Group (CLDG) is collaborating with Robyn Simcock** from Manaaka Whenua – Landcare Research, to document the soil restoration at 254 Ponsonby Road. Robyn specialises in research in the area of Soil and Compaction and is involved in other urban soil-sponge / soil-compaction projects in collaboration with Healthy Waters and the Ministry for the Environment (MfE).
The new civic space at 254 Ponsonby Road adds another dimension to Robyn’s existing work, as the site is not only compacted but has also had most of its surface ‘sealed’ thereby preventing water from entering the soil. This is due to the asphalt, concrete, roof, and buildings, that have covered the site for decades. De-paving*** and replacement of some of the impervious surface is the twin to soil de-compaction. Paved surfaces contribute to stormwater pollution, as rainwater carries toxic urban pollutants to local streams and rivers, greatly degrading water quality and natural habitats. Soil organic carbon may also be lower under impervious surfaces. Happily, several metric tons of carbon per year can be sequestered in planted and rehabilitated soils, especially where trees are planted in areas that have been restored.
The rehabilitation and greening of the new civic space site at 254 Ponsonby Road will allow rainwater infiltration and this, alongside some of the underlying soil being de-compacted, will provide a comprehensive demonstration of the twin approaches needed to mitigate stormwater runoff. This will be further enhanced through the capture and reuse of rainfall from the canopy roof for irrigation. Robyn will record the restoration of the site, which is anticipated to be an exemplar of remediation work. So assisting NZ research around sustainability is yet another benefit provided by the development of the new civic space project. Brilliant!
And regarding sustainability, Auckland Council has received the Resource Recovery report**** which they commissioned from the contractors that deconstructed the commercial buildings at 254 Ponsonby Road. During the deconstruction, which ran from March to June 2024, 186.8 tonnes of materials were removed from 254 Ponsonby Road, and 174.4 tonnes were recovered. The total project resource recovery rate at the end of June 2024 is 93.4%.
The Community is still waiting to hear back from the Waitematā Local Board following the deputation***** presented at their 18 June business meeting, on behalf of 3 local schools and Places for Good. The presentation was a comprehensive proposal to establish a modest Community Garden at the rear of the site, as this is a desired community outcome for the civic space. We look forward to hearing back from the board soon.
But for now, be excited! The new civic space at 254 Ponsonby Road is under development to provide the heart that Ponsonby has wanted and needed for so many (long) years. Bring it on!
For more information or to contact the CLDG see our Facebook pages; Ponsonby Park, or 254 Ponsonby Road.
* https://www.cassidy.co.nz/portfolio/56-pollen-street-2-2
** Robyn Simcock B.Hort.Sc (Hons) PhD (Soil Science & Restoration Ecology) http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/
*** dePave group https://www.depave.org/resources/
**** http://www.254ponsonbyrd.org.nz/urban-design/254-ponsonby-road-resource-recovery-report/
***** http://www.254ponsonbyrd.org.nz/urban-design/waitemata-local-board-deputation-18-june-powerpoint/
Leave a Reply