Metrowater is pleased to announce the building of a raised boardwalk along the Meola Creek, to address the effects of pollution from wastewater overflow during heavy rain, has commenced. 

Project Manager Caleb Clarke, says, “The Roy Clements Treeway Boardwalk, being developed in partnership with Auckland City Council and Watercare, is a much welcomed interim measure. A permanent solution which will involve a significant investment and a large work programme, is still 10 years away. 

“The raised boardwalk through the treeway, will lift the walkway above the floodwaters and polluted area, providing safe walking access along the much used Meola Creek.”

The area owned by Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) and managed by Auckland City Council, is a popular public walkway and is used daily by many MAGS pupils to go to and from school. It has been the focus of complaints by the School, local residents and The St Lukes Environmental Protection Society, who have campaigned to improve this area. 

“The Roy Clements Treeway Boardwalk has been widely welcomed by the community,” says Mr Clarke, “as a short term solution; along with a Watercourse Management Plan (WMP) developed by Metrowater for the management of the Meola Creek.

“A colleague and myself got the opportunity to promote Auckland City’s WMP when we attended the St Lukes Environmental Protection Society’s (STEPS) AGM in July and presented our plan to a very receptive audience. We feel very confident embarking on this programme knowing we have the support of the local environmental group, who are going to be working along side us in our tree planting programme along the boardwalk; (the first of which was held on Saturday 15th August) and the regeneration of the wetland area at the far end of the boardwalk.

“(STEPS) is very supportive of the boardwalk and the WMP and is developing a restoration plan for the wetland area situated at one end of the boardwalk. Metrowater is supporting this community initiative by providing a weir to maintain water levels in the wetland.” Says Mr Clarke.

The Boardwalk is planned to be completed in November and during construction, access will be limited.  Metrowater asks the public to avoid using the treeway for non-essential access until then.

Metrowater is also constructing a fence on the other side of the Creek bordering MAGS as a safety measure to prevent balls from the sports field going into the Creek; and pupils going into that area to retrieve them.

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