Safety In Our Communities

Safety is always a concern in many communities.  Ensuring your children and family members are safe is always the top priority for many families and community organisers.  As I look around Auckland, crime seems to be going up, theres always something in the news about another killing or armed robbery, and they always seem to be happening in lower income communities such as those in South Auckland.  I am not trying to be bias against this particular region, as people are always associating organised crime activities with this part of Auckland, but it is evident, as neighborhoods in Otara and Papakura are constantly making headlines with the number of murders and gang related offences.

Therefore, I believe that a number of steps must be taken by community boards and the council to try and stomp out some of this crime.  As seen in the picture below, this is a bus stop directly outside my residence and always plays host to a number of teenagers consuming alcohol, being rowdy and harassing anyone who happens to be walking by.  

This bus stop is usually populated at night by rowdy drunk youths
Source: Ben Christian-Webb, Author: 2011

This street can be quite dangerous at night, due to the limited lighting.  It has been the scene of many assaults, and has resulted in many police visits on my doorstep at night
Source: Ben Christian-Webb, Author: 2011

Therefore I think it is necessary for the majority of areas frequented at night, to be adequately lit and ensure there are a limited number of places for groups such as this to populate.  Also this relates back to providing youth with something to do, and give them an activity or sport they can regularly participate in to keep them busy and too preoccupied to conduct in anti-social behavior.  

Community Centers

The importance of community facilities is unmatched and is an absolute necessity for a community to develop and thrive.  Here in Oranga we have a brilliant community facility in a public domain known as Ferguson Park.  This serves as a structure that is used for community presentations, plays, information and education nights, and as a place for people, in particular younger children, to congregate and engage in recreation activities.  The location makes it easy to access for most people in the area, as it is located in a park with a multitude of entry points by both car and on foot.  I find this is one of the only things in my community that I am actually proud of and the fact that there are always people there interacting makes it even more effective.  

Ferguson Domain
Source: Ben Christian-Webb, Author: 2011

Entry to Oranga Community Center
Source: Ben Christian-Webb, Author: 2011

Adjacent Childcare center and Playground
Source: Ben Christian-Webb, Author: 2011

Easy to access community center
Source: Ben Christian-Webb, Author: 2011

The presence of a facility such as this in many areas of Auckland that may suffer from disconnected communities, can help reform them.  I have witnessed on many occasions, people meeting each other for the first time, as families take their children and close friends to the park for a game of rugby or something, and end up meeting others who have done the same.

Wide open spaces for recreational activities
Source: Ben Christian-Webb, Author: 2011

                                          

Essentially, I understand that providing a facility as good as this one is hard in many communities, especially those who are lower income and do not receive enough attention from the council.  But even something similar, such as using an old building and doing it up, is taking the initiative and the first step that usually catches the eye of interested parties who may be willing to help out

Public Transport

I believe we need to look at public transport as a way of improving the movement and environment in our communities.  I understand this is hard to do in New Zealand as we are a very car dependent society.  But I also understand why this is true, as public transport, especially in Auckland, is terrible.  I catch the bus to university almost every day, and I have to be honest, I don’t think it is avery good service and there is not much in the way of options.  With regard to my bus schedule, I either end up at uni an hour early or twenty minutes late which irritates me quite a lot.  I also understand that by encouraging more public transport, it means a safer environment for children in the community who walk to and from school and play along the footpaths adjacent to the road.  

Even walking school buses like this one in Pt Chevalier, Auckland can be effective for safe mass transport within a community, and of course, it is environmentally friendly

Walking school bus in Pt Chevalier
Source: Pt Chevalier Property Blog

I understand implementing an effective public transport system in New Zealand is hard because we are such a small country with limited access to funds.  But we could be doing so much more if we reinvested the money we are using to widen roads and build new motorways on new public transport initiatives.  Even creating carpooling and car sharing programs can limit the number of cars on the road and may even to a small degree create relationships among people whose children go to the same school.  These types of strategies can surely benefit us, and with a little more resource allocation from the council, it could happen, we just need to move away from the single user private vehicle system we are so accustomed to.

Ideas from: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/MotoringAndTransport/PublicAndCommunityTransport/index.htm 

Picture source: http://unconditional.co.nz/ptchev/2008/08/03/walking-school-bus-its-cool-to-walk-to-school/ 

The Presence of GANGS

Gangs of New Zealand

As I drove down to the Mad Butcher in Onehunga, I came across two Tribesmen gang members who hold a significant presence in communities such as mine.  I feel as though these gangs such as Black Power, Tribesmen and the Killer Bees degrade communities and bring a number of negative amenities like crime.  Everyone knows that gangs such as these are bad, but no one really knows how to get rid of them as they hold such a strong grip on youth and the unemployed.  Therefore I believe we must look at the root of the problem and stop role models who glorify gang affiliations, which younger generations may see as cool.  Younger gang members have gone from small time thugs to career criminals and end up participating in organised crime such as the drug trade with methamphetamine and assault. 

This is unacceptable and degrades communities a tremendous amount to the point where some are held ransom by their local gangs.  Intimidation and violence usually results from the presence of these groups, and no one likes seeing the Armed Offenders down their local road.  Therefore we must deal with this issue directly and stop taking such a light stance when trying to rid our communities of these individuals and groups. 

Ideas from: (Police Association: 2007. Available: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0707/S00115.htm)

Video from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOWF6eIVqqI

Education and Career Opportunities

Building on the “community Day Project I feel as though it can be used to bring opportunities into communities in the form of employment and education possibilities.  By inviting a number of organisations from the public and private sector, they can set up activities or information stalls that can lure people who may not be employed or possess no skills.  Labour companies or even military branches such as the navy and army can provide pamphlets or information regarding how to pursue a career in their chosen profession.  This may encourage people to join these service units and obtain new skills such as mechanic or plumbing trades that they utilise once they leave the military.  

Stalls that provide eye catching and stimulating attractions such as the NZ Army stall seen below will attract people: (Photo by: A-dit-ya: 2007)

NZ Army Stall at a convention
Source: A-dit-ya: 2007

Other organisations such as MIT or other Polytechnics can offer trade opportunities that younger unskilled youths may not have considered or even known about.  This will definitely have a flow on effect into the local community as more people hold down jobs and more money is pumped into the local area.  Also as unemployment and the number of uneducated drops, crime and other negative social amenities should fall as well

Source: (A-dit-ya. 2007 Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53752777@N00/495724842/in/photostream/)

Community Day

As I have previously posted, one of the main factors for a thriving community, is the development of strong lasting relationships.  Something that makes a community unique, such as the street art in Katikati or the huge L&P bottle in Paeroa, help to set those communities apart and bring a sense of pride to the residents in the area.  When I look at Onehunga for example, I don’t really see much that sets us apart from the rest, other then Dressmart or a Mitre 10, but everybody has one of those down the road.  Therefore, I am exploring another avenue that coincides with another planning course I am taking, and that is the formation of a “community day” that brings people together to take part in activities that can form relationships.  I took the idea from the Cornwall Park School Fair, which was a school I attended when I was younger. 

Cornwall Park School Fair - Activities for all ages
Source: Cornwall Park: 2011

Interested Parties and investors such as LJ Hooker participate in the event
Source: Cornwall Park: 2011

Cornwall Park has been hosting this school fair every year and with great success.  It generates a lot of money for the school while also bringing people together to participate in activities and events that range from lucky dips and raffles to coconut tossing and horse rides.  Therefore I believe that an event such as this can ensure the formation of relationships in a number of communities throughout Auckland.  This is just an idea and something that can be built on.  I also understand the Cornwall Park School Fair is quite a large scale event, and much smaller ideas can be implemented in smaller communities

Cornwall Park School Fair Info: http://www.cornwallpark.school.nz/index.php?mid=0,cornwall_pub:10164 

Pictures: http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2011/apr/greenlane/cornwall-park-school-fair

Community Gardens?

Co-operation and participation are essential for a community to grow and reach its goals.  Therefore to bring the people in a neighbourhood together, I believe activities that can build relationships are essential.  As I go about my life I try to keep an eye out for ideas that can bring people together under a common interest or out of curiosity.  The idea of community gardens is one that is widely used throughout a number of different communities in a number of different countries around the world.  By setting up these gardens in parks, schools and public areas, it will attract the most amount of attention and people can interact to try and keep them up to scratch. 

Community gardens as big as this one need co-operation to succeed
Source: Growingourown.com: 2011

Another example of a large community garden
Source: Thelmagazine.com: 2007

Now I understand the concept of maintaing a garden may not be everyones cup of tea, but it can encourage some members of the community to participate.  Essentially this just an idea to try and bring as many people together to interact and form relationships that can develop after the gardening.  So this could be used as a meet and greet, and everyone could have a barbecue or a few beers afterwards to try and cement these relationships.  As these relationships develop, there are obviously a number of flow on effects such as neighbourhood watch as people care more about each other, and therefor look out for members of their community

Picture Sources

1st Pic: http://growingourown.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/mor-bab-comm-garden-0031.jpg

2nd Pic: http://www.thelmagazine.com/images/blogimages/2010/08/09/1281374325-gardens.jpg