Gentrification of Onehunga

Yesterday we - Tony, Tim, Maria, Lachlan, Maeve and I- took dogs to explore the newly redeveloped Onehunga Beach. I think it was nearly 2 years ago we sat watching CGI impressions of how the beach excavation and reclaimation would occur; it looked incredible or to channel Nana "out of this world". I am in awe of planners and designers who can see spaces like Onehunga swamps or Chaffers St car park and turn them into the amazing public spaces - Taumanu Reserve and Waitangi Park respectively. Onehunga Beach was historically an important port and recreational spot. Up until the 1970s it was a swimming beach. The building of the Mangere Bridge and motorway cut the beach off and it languished. Apparently the original motorway plans included developing beach and recreational area and linking these by footbridge to newly created Onehunga Lagoon. I think cost overruns on motorway meant the non essential recreational spaces were cut. That is what has now been added - probably at much greater comparative cost. We thought the only thing it lacked was ice cream/coffee/wine bar There are plans now to redevelop the port area into a cafe precinct In just a few years this will be trendy part of the city.

Not only is it beautiful but v close to our house at Stephen Lysnar, probably increasing its value. Onehunga is no longer the dodgy part of Auckland city.