Waitemata: Long Walk Home – Vision 2026

Resilient Grey Lynn

Improving emergency preparedness in Waitemata stemming from the experiences of the January 2023 floods.

Here’s a breakdown of the key points and some potential considerations:

Key Points:

• Triggering Event: The January 2023 floods highlighted vulnerabilities in transportation and community preparedness.
• Identified Need: Our community recognises the need for pre-planned strategies for returning home during emergencies.
• Target Scenarios:
  • Practicing evacuation from the City Centre when transportation is disrupted.
  • Commuters practicing their routes home from the City Centre.
• Inspiration: The Wellington Emergency Management’s “Long Walk Home” event served as a model.
• Proposed Initiative: Three simultaneous events in Newmarket, Grey Lynn, and the City Centre, aligned with the Wellington event, to raise awareness and encourage participation.
• Goal: To build community capability, strengthen networks, improve communication, and foster local leadership.
• Funding Application: A $10,000 funding request to the Waitemata Local Board was unsuccessful. Do we apply again for March 2026? No feedback as to why application for funding declined.
• Alignment with Community Recovery: The initiative aligns with the principles of community-led recovery planning, emphasising self-determination and resilience.
• Local Board Responsibility: The Waitemata Local Board is responsible for community emergency readiness and resilience and is a stated aim for projects which are funded by WLB Grants.

Potential Considerations and Further Development:

• Alternative Funding Strategies:
  • Explore alternative funding sources, such as local businesses,  or partnerships with other relevant organiaations like Auckland Emergency Management. We have approached the Surrey Hotel and the Grey Lynn RSC.
  • Consider increasing the budget and make it Auckland wide and take this idea to the Governing Body
• Community Engagement:
  • Continue to engage with the community – March 2026 will be 3 years since the floods. Nothing has happened in the community for emergency readiness in this time. There is some frustration over the lack of action and community preparation.
  • Utilise social media and local networks to promote the initiative so that in March 2026 it goes ahead.
• Partnerships for the Events
  • Collaborate with Auckland Transport, emergency services, and local businesses.
  • Partner with Auckland University and AUT to involve students and staff.
  • Publicise the funding partner
• Educational Component:
  • Incorporate educational elements into the event, such as first-aid, emergency preparedness information on hyper local resources.
  • Create information packs for participants.
  • What to do if there are no mobile communications
    Coordinate with Auckalnd Emergency Management to ensure appropriate support.
• Documentation and Evaluation:
  • Document the events, gather feedback from participants to improve future initiatives.
  • Record the routes taken, and the time taken, and any issues that arise.
  • Record peoples stories for future events and publicity
• Long-Term Sustainability:
  • Develop a plan for long-term sustainability so the event is held annually like in Wellington, including regular practice walks and ongoing community engagement.
  • Create emergency response groups – Resilient Grey Lynn
• Advocacy:
  • Continue to advocate to the Waitemata Local Board the importance of community lead emergency readiness.
• Resource Sharing:
  • Create a local resource for emergency readiness, that can be shared online, and in paper form.

 Our community wants to enhance its emergency preparedness and build resilience in the face of future emergency events.