The Communities and Residents team has announced it will prioritise fixing the troubled Mt Albert village centre upgrade which long-time councillor Cathy Casey and her City Vision team championed.

The $6.5 million upgrade promised a safer, more appealing environment with better transport. Council candidate for the area Mark Thomas says many businesses and residents say it has achieved little of this.

“Mt Albert is a special part of Auckland with a unique character. It is also home to a terrific range of businesses with engaged residents. Yet they have been let down by the upgrade which Cathy Casey and her City Vision colleagues drove without adequate community oversight.”

“The new pocket Park has been called an “eye sore” by a business leader. Residents complain of delays and confusion at the intersection. The partial “cycle-lane-on-a-pavement” is scarcely used and ongoing safety issues were reported at a recent community meeting with the Police.”

“Mt Albert residents and visitors have been let down by the upgrade. The original community-consulted design was changed without reference, the transport solutions were compromised resulting in the ludicrous cycle-lane to nowhere, and one business is now trying to sell because of the decline the upgrade has caused.”

“At the upgrade opening, the Chair of Auckland Transport admitted that it was “a job not well done” and Auckland Transport needs to accept some of the responsibility, and their share for funding the repair.”

“The Communities and Residents team will support a Mt Albert community-led project to agree and prioritise the sensible steps to take to repair what we can of the damage caused by the City Vision upgrade.

Thomas says Aucklanders should continue to visit this vibrant part of the city - to enjoy the wide range of services and to learn how not to upgrade their town centre.

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