Media release

12 July 2011
Auckland’s big spruce-up begins

Auckland will look its best come the start of Rugby World Cup 2011, thanks to the city’s Town Centre Tidy-up initiative.

People in 39 town centres from Wellsford to Pukekohe will be rolling up their sleeves in the next few weeks to tidy up their main streets in time for the Tournament’s kick-off on 9 September.

The tidy-ups will involve anything from painting shopfronts and planting or weeding gardens, to water blasting and rubbish removal, and will be carried out by volunteers from the local community.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says RWC 2011 is Auckland’s chance to shine.

“From picking up rubbish to making shop windows sparkle, communities can get together to ensure that the tens of thousands of visitors are welcomed with pride.”

Business associations will lead the tidy-ups and will determine the specific needs of their areas. The tidy-ups will generally be undertaken in half a day, but in addition property owners and businesses will be encouraged to make their premises sparkle.

Auckland Council will help town centres by providing a project co-ordinator and additional resources such as rubbish bags and rubbish collections, paint and cleaning supplies.

Len Brown says the tidy-ups will have benefits well beyond the final whistle of RWC 2011 and he encourages Aucklanders to spare a few hours to help out.

“These sort of activities create community pride and strengthened local networks. I’m sure anyone who takes part will be pleased they contributed to making their town centre shine.

“If we get RWC 2011 right, all our visitors will return home singing Auckland’s praises and New Zealand will feel the benefits for years to come.”

The tidy-ups will be completed in time for town centres to start displaying their dressing materials as part of Auckland’s Adopt-a-second team programme where 34 Auckland communities will adopt one of the visiting teams.

People interested in volunteering for their local tidy-up should contact the business association on the numbers below. The list is also available on www.auckland2011.com

Auckland’s participating town centres are as follows:

Town centre Date of tidy-up Contact
Avondale Thursday 4 August
Time: 9am-1pm Duncan MacDonald
Birkenhead TBC Kae Condon
Blockhouse Bay Thursday 18 August Jan Pitout
Browns Bay Sunday 7 August Heather Bell
Clevedon Saturday 6 August
Time: 1pm-5pm Angela Fulljames
Dawson Road Saturday 30 July
Time: 8.30am-12.30pm Audrey Williams
Devonport Saturday 27 August Eddie de Heer
Dominion Road TBC Gary Holmes
Eden Terrace Saturday 20 August Deborah Harcus
Ellerslie Sunday 28 August
Time: 2pm-4pm Sally Eustace
Glen Eden Village Sunday 14 August
Time: 1pm-5pm Gayle Marshall
Glen Innes Saturday 30 July
Time: 10am-2pm Gary Holmes
Greenwoods Corner Saturday 30 July
Time: 2pm-6pm Joy Stirling
Grey Lynn Sunday 17 July (West Lynn) 11am-2pm
Sunday 31 July (Surrey Cres)11am-2pm Soala Wilson
Howick Saturday 13 August
Time: 1pm-5pm Jenny Foster
Hunters Corner Saturday 6 August
Time: 8.30am-12.30pm Donna Lee
Kingsland Tuesday 9 August
Time: 9.30am-12pm Christine Foley
Mangere Bridge Village Saturday 23 July
Time: 1pm-5pm Carol-Anne Armitage
Mangere East Saturday 23 July
Time: 8.30am-12.30pm Audrey Williams
Manukau Central Thursday 18 August
Time: 10am-3pm Stewart Heine
Manurewa Saturday 27 August
Time: 8.30am-12.30pm Angela Dalton
Milford Sunday 24 July Murray Hill
Mt Albert Friday 26 August
Time: 10am-2pm Pauline Anderson
Mt Eden Village Sunday 21 August
Time: 9.30am-1pm Claire Siddens
New Lynn Saturday 27 August Dinesh Mani
Northcote Sunday 21 August Dean Wilson
Old Papatoetoe Saturday 20 August
Time: 8.30am-12.30pm Donna Lee
Onehunga Sunday 21 August
Time: 2pm-6pm Amanda Kinzett
Orewa Saturday 6 August
Time:1pm-4pm Leanne Smith
Otahuhu Saturday 13 August
Time: 8.30am-12.30pm Graham Mullins
Otara Saturday 30 July
Time: 1pm-5pm Philip Newsome
Papakura Sunday 28 August Kathleen Lindesay
Parnell Saturday 13 August
Time: 12pm-3pm Kristen George
Ponsonby Thursday 25 August
Time: 3pm-5pm Vivienne Rosenberg
Pukekohe Sunday 14 August
Time: 9am-2.30pm Kendyl Gibson
Sandringham Saturday 27 August
Time: 10am-1pm Elesia Ogg
Takapuna Sunday 28 August Peter White
Waiuku Sunday 21 August
Time: 9am-1pm Fiona Baker
Wellsford TBC Julie Hawkes

For more information on Auckland’s preparations for RWC 2011 visit www.auckland2011.com

ENDS

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