New alcohol restrictions approved for Auckland reserve

The lid has been closed on drinking in an Onehunga park after a new alcohol ban was approved at a local board meeting.

The Taumanu and Seacliffe Road Foreshore Reserve was completed last year and designed to give the Onehunga residents new recreational opportunities and facilities, according to Auckland Council.

The new restrictions took effect after a meeting last Thursday night, where the Puketāpapa Local Board unanimously voted in favour of a ban on alcohol consumption between 10pm and 7am, during daylight savings, and 7pm to 7am outside daylight savings.

The park lies within the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board and Puketāpapa Local Board areas which previously had different restrictions for differing areas of the park.

Under the old agreement the park had different alcohol restriction times. Photo: Supplied

The Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board had previously requested that the Puketāpapa Local Board changed their restrictions to meet their own.

Puketāpapa Local Board chairperson Julie Fairey said the new alcohol ban on the Seacliffe Road Foreshore reserve will hopefully clear up any previous confusions.

“They have taken a different approach and they have chosen different hours for that particular park,” said Ms Fairey.

“As a result, our hours didn’t match up with theirs and we just needed to smooth out those edges.”

Fellow Puketāpapa Local Board member Michael Wood said the decision was made after public consultation which detailed evidence and feedback about anti-social behavior in parks.

“We’ve taken that feedback on board and put in place a night-time ban on alcohol in parks to ensure people feel safe and comfortable,” said Mr Wood.

Local resident Matt Jones believed the restrictions would be great for the community.

“You don’t really want to go into a park and see drunk people or cans and litter everywhere,” said Mr Jones.

“It might stop binge drinking and drunk people in public.”