Accomplishments

As you may be aware over the last few years the Springs Stadium Residents Association has been campaigning for an improvement of the noise management of the Western Springs Speedway. We have been engaged in what can genuinely be described as a David Vs Goliath struggle against the Auckland City Council who have continuously failed in their duties under the Resource Management act to monitor and police the levels of noise coming from the stadium and Springs Speedway Ltd.

Without SSRA, people living within earshot of the stadium would be subjected to racing many times the current level.

The current enforcement order, which was accepted by SSRA, applies constaints to race activity including:

• Racing is limited to 14 race events (incl practices) per year
• Mechanical carpark sweeping must not take place on Sundays
• Grading of the track may only occur in the week of a race meeting between Monday and Saturday from 12 pm to 6 pm
• The public address system cannot be used for calling races while the races are occurring
• Race meetings must finish by no later than 10.30 pm
• Sounds from races is limited to 90 dBA L10 for 60% of the number of actual races for each night and 88 dBA L10 for the remaining 40%
• There can be no race meetings on Auckland Anniversary Weekend or Waitangi Day (think Groove in the Park)
• Rain outs may be held only on the day immediately following the scheduled race day

Recently as a result of our efforts we obtained a mediated agreement with the Council and the Promoter which allowed for a report from a Retired Judge (Hon. Peter Salmon QC) into the best practice for the continued operation of the speedway at Western Springs. His report release last year was an insightful document that detailed a way forward for both the Speedway and the Residents.

The report can be read on line at:  http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/services/noise/docs/commissionersreport.pdf 

This will be the base document for rules and regulations for coming years. It is vital that the new district plan takes into account the Salmon Report and it recommendations for the future noise management of the speedway and Western Springs as a facility. This is an issue that directly affects everyone with in hearing distance of this facility.

Up till now the Council have proven that they are simply not to be trusted on this subject. They need to be scrutinized now more than at any time before. If you are interested in this issue and would like to be kept informed and perhaps even take part in the Springs Stadium Residents Association please make contact with us soon.

Donations

Please donate. As a residents group we have only had resources available to us through the aegis of the Environment Court and any money we can raise directly through our membership and the good offices of those living in the neighbourhoods affected.

Donations can be made directly to our bank account:
SSRA
National Bank
Ponsonby Branch
Account 0601990162575-00

Contact and Membership

SSRA can be contacted though our contact form or by post:
PO Box 5805
Wellesley St., Auckland 1141

To join SSRA, fill out and send in our membership form. (PDF)