| / From Frosty Beginnings to Stronger Together. Looking Back on a Decade Together |
| It feels strange writing my final newsletter column. When I think back to 2016 and how far we have come, I feel a real sense of satisfaction and pride in what we have achieved together as a town and community. When I started the role, it was brand new and there were not many guidelines about how it should be done. I shared an office at KGA Accountants and my main task was to help heal the rifts caused by the previous Business Improvement District (BID) ballot. At the same time I needed to grow membership and start putting events in place. All of this was to be done within the 23 hours a week I was paid for. During conversations with the Chair and Deputy Chair, Chris Murphy and Mark Macky, I did say it would require much more time. I was more than happy to give that time freely because I believed we had the foundations of something special. This meant becoming involved in the wider community and joining a number of local organisations. I have always believed we are more than a Business Association. We are also a community association because our members are part of this community. I had my Chamber of Commerce experience to fall back on and over time we built our membership to around 250 businesses. We began introducing networking events including Business Women’s events and slowly we started to make progress. Someone asked me recently how I was received around town when I first started. The word I would use is frosty. There was a lot of anger and frustration about the BID. Some people wanted it and others were strongly opposed, and people were very honest in their feedback. As I walk around town now and enjoy the positive interactions with people who have become friends, I realise how far we have come. When I look back at what has been achieved over the past ten years I am always reminded that it has never been about one person. Everything has been achieved by working together. Over the years we have been involved in many issues affecting Warkworth and the wider Mahurangi area. The Matakana Link Road stands out. We hosted a public meeting with the Deputy CEO of Auckland Transport, where alternative options were presented. These included a four lane solution at a lower cost and the use of local contractors. In the end those ideas were picked up and we saw a great piece of roading completed on time and on budget. Mahurangi River dredging was another important moment. Through involvement with the River Restoration Trust and support from our local MPs, particularly Marja Lubeck, funding was secured to dredge the river. It was a very positive result for the area. Hill Street was another long journey. I was part of the design team with Dave Stott, Roger Williams and designers from Auckland Transport. There were many robust discussions when we were far apart in our views. Eventually, we arrived at a design that was not perfect but was the best compromise we could achieve. The frustration came later when the Transport Minister cancelled the project based on what we believe was poor advice. We are still working on it. The tolling of the new motorway was another major issue. A number of people worked hard to convince the Government that tolling would be damaging for our area and for Northland as a whole. We estimate that effort has saved the region around twenty million dollars. The Watercare proposal was one of the most difficult challenges. I remember being told by a retailer that I did not care about the outcome because I had no skin in the game. That comment came at a time when the stress of the issue was already affecting my health and sleep because of the potential impact on our businesses. I wrote to the CEO and Chair of Watercare explaining that our town would not simply accept the proposal and that we were prepared to take strong action if needed. The feeling when the Watercare Board finally accepted our proposal and agreed to tunnel instead was incredible. It remains one of the most satisfying moments of my time with One Mahurangi. Another highlight was the Emergency Services Dinner. As far as we know this had not been done anywhere else in the country. It showed the true character of this community when so many businesses and individuals stepped forward to recognise our emergency services personnel. We welcomed 180 emergency services staff to the Town Hall and everything was donated by local people and businesses. Locals cooked, served and hosted the evening. It was an extraordinary night and something I will always remember. I cannot finish without thanking the many amazing people I have worked with through One Mahurangi and One Warkworth. From those who first made the decision to hire me, to the committee members and others who have worked alongside me over the years. I have made some wonderful friends and none of what we have achieved would have been possible without the support and guidance of so many people. I leave feeling quietly proud of the past ten years and still loving this wonderful township called Warkworth. Thank you all for your support, your guidance and your friendship. I look forward to seeing you around town as I move into the next chapter of life. |
 — Murray Chapman Manager, One Mahurangi, Warkworth Business Association murray@onemahurangi.co.nz | 0274 966 550 |
Read the full newsletter HERE>
