Fed-up locals fight for peace and quiet
A group of fed-up Otahuhu locals are banding together to stop would-be partygoers from entering a carpark next to Seaside Park by blocking the entrance with a campervan.
Local residents are taking it in shifts to guard the entrance at night and turn people away on the spot in a grassroots campaign to reclaim their peace and quiet.
The carpark has been a hot spot for revellers for years, but issues with loud music, excessive drinking and rowdy behaviour at the weekend have worsened since Christmas.
As many as 25 carloads gather on weekend evenings, entering through an area locals want the council to block off with a barrier arm.
Jess Denholm, who lives across the road, said neighbours hadn’t slept comfortably on a Friday or Saturday night for months.
“First it was just the usual Christmas stuff which is understandable, but now it’s every weekend,” she said.
“You’ve got the loud music — and it’s really loud. No one’s sleeping; everyone’s calling the police and noise control.”
Fearing an Easter weekend blowout, Denholm decided to take matters into her own hands.
“We knew the long weekend was coming and honestly we’re all just so tired.”
Using fencing left over from a home construction project, Denholm blocked off half of the carpark’s entrance and she blocks the other half once it gets dark with her campervan and trailer.
Using the back of political hoardings which had been on her fence, Denholm painted the “closed” signs.
“Community protected park. Closed at night,” the largest sign reads.
Denholm called around and found her neighbours had been doing the same thing as her: calling police and noise control, but thinking they were in it alone.
So she rallied a group together and they took it in turns to keep watch every night since Thursday, some staying until 7am.
She has also lodged a request with council to block the carpark off with a barrier arm.
Neighbour Shanley Haronga guessed on Thursday they turned away about 60 people trying to come to the carpark to drink. “Car after car was turning up.” Haronga works nights and said it could be tiring to come home late and be unable to sleep because of the noise. She was relieved to see something being done.
Sue Ford has lived in the area for 12 years and said partying by the park had always been an issue, but lately it had gotten much worse.
Like many locals, she wants the council to install a barrier to block off after-hours access to the park.
Ford also said she wanted signage telling people the area was under CCTV surveillance.
Agnes McCormack, Auckland Council’s head of operational management and maintenance, said council received a request for a chain or bollards to be put in at the park last week. The installation work would take a few days.
“In the meantime, we have requested a guard to be onsite at night to stop people congregating to party.
“Aside from this request, we have not received any complaints or been made aware of any other issues in relation to the park.
“If they have any immediate concerns about the behaviour of people in the park, they should contact the police.”