Two key community events in east Auckland won’t be going ahead with the Howick Local Board voting to scrap their funding.
The issue arose at one of the board’s recent business meetings as its members were asked to vote on approval of their Customer and Community Services local board work programme 2024-2025.
The board was presented with a recommendation it approve $22,745 for its Movies in Parks event and $74,058 toward the Celebrating Cultures event, which is held at Barry Curtis Park in Flat Bush.
Member Adele White said Movies in Parks has an audience of about 1000 people, which equates to about $22.50 per person
“On Celebrating Cultures, I support an event of this type.
“However at a cost of $77,000 I can’t support this. Say we had 1000 people attending, and I believe we have a lot less than that, we’re looking at $77 a head for 1000 people.
“I just feel with all the other things in the community we need to spend money on, I think we can do a lot better than that, so I will be voting against both of those.”
Member David Collings asked White if the figure she stated, of 1000 people, referred to the most recent event.
She said she chose that figure as “from time to time” the event has attracted that many people.
Collings said a previous Movies in Parks at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Pakuranga drew 5000 people.
“I think it’s something that will be well attended. I have faith in it.
“We’ve had a really successful one, subject to rain of course, but otherwise I guarantee we will get a good turnout and it won’t be $22 a head, it will be, if it’s five times that, it will be $4 a head.
“I just think we need to provide things for families. I hope most people around this table do support families.”
Member John Spiller said he’s ambivalent about Movies in Parks as the board needs to look at value for money in a tough economic climate.
On Celebrating Cultures, he said he couldn’t support the level of investment recommended.
“I think we need to park it for a year … and reconsider it for the following year, but get some advice around what an event would look like.”
Member Bruce Kendall said he loves movies but the Movies in Parks event is exposed to the elements.
It was held quite late at night and each time a vehicle drove past the event location its headlights shined on the movie screen and viewers weren’t able to see the picture.
“This is a big risk to have this much money literally flying in the wind and the rain, so I’m really concerned about it being outside.”
Board deputy chairperson Bo Burns said she loves Movies in Parks but $22,000 is a lot of money and she wouldn’t support the recommendation.
She wanted the money to go back into the board’s grants and for it to try and work with local schools on covered events to get more exposure.
Member Mike Turinsky said he supports families and he didn’t think it was fair that his and the board’s support of families “is in question, whether or not we support this particular Movies in Parks”.
“And actually Movies in Parks in Barry Curtis Park has been very successful at times, including the Grease event which was very successful, but I just don’t think it’s prudent”.
Board chairperson Damian Light and Collings were the only two board members to vote in favour of allocating $22,745 toward Movies in Parks.
Voting against were Burns, Kendall, Spiller, Turinsky, White and Peter Young. Member Katrina Bungard was not present. The motion was lost by two votes to six.
The board then discussed the recommendation to approve $74,058 toward Celebrating Cultures.
Light said it’s a significant cost but it’s meant to be the board’s premier event.
“We have one of the most culturally diverse communities in Auckland.
“We’ve just seen that recently 52 per cent of our population identifies as Asian, which is massive compared to the rest of Auckland and New Zealand.
“We’ve got a massive migrant population, especially in the Flat Bush and Ormiston area, and this is our signature event to celebrate those cultures, as the name suggests, to bring people together.
“This year was a disappointing turnout because of the horrific weather.
“If we don’t do this, this is the only event we run in the Botany and Flat Bush area so Botany and Flat Bush will get zero dollars for events in the coming year.
“Given there’s 77,000 people in the Botany and Flat Bush area I think it would be a tragedy.”
Kendall said he really likes the event but it needs more investigation as to how the board could do it better and he didn’t want to support it “as it stands”.
The board’s advisor then said the estimated attendance at the most recent Celebrating Cultures event was 600 people and the one prior to that drew about 2000 people.
Burns said she “fully supports all events” but she didn’t back the recommendation because it wasn’t drawing the turnout to justify spending $74,000 on it.
“We’re not losing the event. We’re only pausing it to relook at it to see who we can collaborate with who could potentially come forward and deliver something for exactly the same or better spend.”
Light said he wanted to remind the board that Celebrating Cultures was the only event it runs in Botany and Flat Bush.
“Killing this kills it, and there will be nothing.
“I am telling you now that not running an event in the Botany and Flat Bush area this year, the board is going to receive significant negative feedback, so consider that when you vote.”
Only Light and Collings voted in favour of the motion and it was lost by two votes to six.
- Disclosure: Howick Local Board deputy chairperson Bo Burns is the owner of the Times.
