Submitter
Submission id number: 964846
Submitter name:
Antonia Wood
Organisation
Plogging Ōtepoti Dunedin
Do you want to speak to Councillors at the hearings?
Yes
Supporting information
Submission
How are we doing? Is there anything you would like to tell us?
WEST HARBOUR
Kia ora koutou,
We need more rubbish and recycling facilities on the West Harbour Shared Path - and for that matter, throughout the city!
Also dog poo bag dispensers and clear signage about picking up dog poo and where dogs are required to be on a leash.
Follow this up with monitoring so that the signage is meaningful and results follow.
How are you planning to encourage the West Harbour Shared path extension users to be kaitiaki for the path, the surrounding area and our harbour?
What facilities are planned in regards to rubbish & recycling bins, dog poo bag dispensers & signage reminding dog walkers of their responsibility to scoop the poop & keep dogs on a leash?
What are the expectations of path users - locals and visitors - that will be formed from the opening of the shared path extension?
The existing 5km path from town to st Leonards has not had enough rubbish bins, no recycling facilities, one dog poo bag dispenser at the north end that relies on public to supply and use plastic bags rather than compostable bags. And small and often poorly placed signage regarding scooping the poop and dogs on leads.
Until late 2022 the existing West Harbour shared path had 3 bins catering for 5km of path. These were all landfill and no recycling bins.
After a 2021 community clean up that gathered approximately 30kg of dog poo and approx 100kg of rubbish from along the walkway I campaigned the DCC for more rubbish bins and better signage about scooping the poop.
There was an effort by the DCC to improve the amount and size of scoop the poop & dogs on a leash signage which was a slight improvement and despite being told the DCC didn’t want to ‘cater to a lazy few’, 2 temporary landfill bins were added a year later.
Animal Control however sited vandalism of dog poo bag dispensers in the past as a reason for not installing new ones.
I have installed my own dog poo bag dispensers on the shared path that are made from 2 litre plastic milk bottles. Is it the responsibility of community residents to supply council facilities?
What price do we put in caring for our local environment and harbour?
We can and need to still do better.
When I go plogging along West Harbour about half of the rubbish I collect is recyclable. We need recycling options along with rubbish bins at regular intervals along the walkway.
When it comes to dog poo there has been an improvement in the amount of dog poo not being picked up on the existing path.
I put this down to a local community year long effort of tying dog poo bags to fences and temporary bucket bins being supplied and emptied weekly up until council installed their additional 2 bins.
Awareness has been raised of how dirty our shared path has been.
DCC Animal control has $ 2 million annual revenue in dog registrations. Some of this could be invested back into better signage that is well placed, appropriately sized, eye catching, firm but friendly & witty like those in Queenstown -(see pics on the poop - Poo off our paths fb page) and Animal control having a presence on the path extension from when it opens. What about council supplying dog poo bag dispensers the likes we have seen in other towns in nz and at regular intervals along the path?
I have approached Enviroschools with a proposal for West Harbour Schools to be involved as kaitiaki for sections of the path - collecting rubbish and planting etc.
Part of this project could involve Signage to make path users on the whole 10km west harbour route aware that our young west harbour citizens are taking care of our walkway and harbour environment and please respect this by placing your rubbish and dog poo in the bins, or take it home with you.
We can all be kaitiaki and we need our councils support.
Regarding safety on the West Harbour Shared Path extension - how can cyclists and pedestrians safely exit the Port end of the shared path?
Where can cyclists safely continue after exiting the path? (Main Street with trucks is an issue). Many may be navigating to cafes, shops, Carey’s Bay, Port to Port cruises with their bikes - will there be signage? Bike lanes? Bike racks?
Ngā mihi nui kia koutou
What other ideas should we be thinking about to include in future plans for our city?
Drinking fountains throughout the city!
More funding and resources (signage, rubbish bins, recycling bins etc) to educate our community (starting with our tamariki) about being kaitiaki for our environment.
Council initiatives to engage the community with the importance of taking care of our sea life, bird life, water etc. Pick up your rubbish, dispose of it in the right way.
Be proud of the rich and varied wildlife we are lucky to have in Ōtepoti. We need to care for it.