Mt Eden Community Liaison Group Minutes
Meeting
Mt Eden CLG
Date
Wednesday 7 July 2021
Time
5.30pm – 7:00pm
Location
Te Manawa Visitor Centre, 1 New North Road
Link Alliance
Helga Sonier, Annabelle Wrigley, Helen Jansen, Piet Ubels, Madison Sturt, Lucy Waite, Tiaan John, Andy Strong, Thibaut L'Hopital, Nick Adams.
CLG Members
Brian Maccormack, Steve Wilson, Jonty Gribben on behalf of Diane Gribben
Agenda: No.
Agenda Item
Presenter
1.
Meeting open
Helga Sonier
2.
Welcome and overview
Helga Sonier
3.
Basque Park works overview
Tiaan John
4.
Mt Eden Station update
Thibaut L'Hopital
5.
Tunnel Boring Machine update
Andy Strong
6.
North Auckland Line update
Nick Adams
7.
Development Response update
Piet Ubels
8.
Q&A session
All Presenters
9.
Meeting close
Helga Sonier
1. Welcome and overview •
Helga Sonier, Mt Eden Community Manager welcomed attendees to the Community Liaison Group (CLG) meeting and outlined that the purpose of this meeting was to share updates from the Link Alliance Mt Eden station construction progress as well as our development response plan.
2. Communications team update • • •
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We held an Urban Realm CLG in June to present what the surrounding streetscapes would look like in the Mt Eden station precinct Urban realm feedback has been received and the Urban Design Delivery Works Plan (DWP) will be presented back to CLG in late August. The team are continuing to meet with residential apartment blocks around the Mt Eden site. These are to introduce ourselves, to understand what construction impacts residents are experiencing and for us to share the timelines and works leading to the completed vision of the station and rail. The team now have the results from the quarterly stakeholder survey that was done in May. This was delivered to over 700 people and we received positive feedback and suggestions on how we can improve our communication shared in the last newsletter. We received a lot of feedback from our last stakeholder survey about our current notifications. A new look to the notifications and how they will be communicated is underway and will be delivered later this month.
3. Basque Park overview • • • • • • • • •
Tiaan John, Utilities Project Engineer introduced the wastewater pipe diversion works that will be performed in Basque Park later this year. As part of the City Rail Link upgrade, a wastewater pipe needs to be diverted to Basque Park. This pipeline will be drilled from Basque Park, under New North Road to Ruru Street. This means that one quarter of the park’s total area will be fenced off for construction for up to 12 months. The reason for diverting the pipe through Basque Park is because the gravity wastewater solution is the asset owner Watercare’s preference Alternative methods have been considered however this is the best solution as it will reduce the ongoing maintenance and operation, separate the storm and wastewater pipes as well as upgrade the existing aging infrastructure. Link Alliance plan to establish work at Basque Park in October 2021 and expect to complete the work in November 2022. The working hours for the Basque Park works will be 7am – 7pm Monday – Sunday. The horizontal drilling will be the loudest activity on site however we have investigated the best drilling rig for the job and expect noise won’t exceed 70dB. To avoid damage, five young trees will be relocated and replanted/replaced at the end of construction.
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We expect from time to time there will be short road closures however these closures will only span over a couple of hours and residents will be notified prior. To create space for the works up to 10 parking spaces will be temporarily removed. Although this work may cause some disruption, we’re committed to minimising the impacts on the neighbours. We’re exploring how we can celebrate Basque Park through artwork, community events and pop ups. Once construction is complete, the park will be reinstated to how it was before, or better.
4. Mt Eden Station update •
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Thibaut L’Hopital, Mt Eden Station Project Manager introduced the main works currently happening at Mt Eden Station. The main works include the Nikau Street utility works, cut and cover tunnel, foundation works for the station and vent buildings and start of the North Auckland Line (NAL) platform. The Nikau Street utility works are part of the Huia II watermain relocation works, currently under construction at Fenton Street, that will go across the Mt Eden site and sit on top of the western cut and cover tunnels. On top of the western cut and cover tunnels will be a ventilation building that will provide fresh air and ventilation throughout the tunnels. This is a permanent structure and will be approximately three stories tall. We are currently making good progress on the Western Grade Separation (WGS). This area is where the new CRL lines will connect with the western lines. So far precast concrete beams have been installed which will support the train lines when we switch over the single line running tracks next year. The NAL platform is the platform that replaces the old Mt Eden western line platform. Currently we are installing the footing of the platform along with the base of the elevator and lifts that will connect the NAL platform to the re-developed station. Once the NAL platform is finished the Link Alliance systems team will come in and install the track and network equipment to support the trains. The cut and cover tunnels that run through site is where the new CRL lines will run. The roof slab has now been placed on top of the western cut and cover tunnel to support the large Huia II pipe and later the ventilation house. In the middle of site, we have excavated a trough for the future CRL lines and to start forming the station building foundations.
5. Tunnel Boring Machine update • • •
Andy Strong, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Project Engineer introduces the key tunneling activities currently happening on site. Andy explained that the TBM has temporarily paused to install the permanent conveyor belt structure. We expect the conveyor belt will be installed by the end of the week and the TBM will restart thereafter. To support the conveyor belt, the team have installed a large structure on site made up of shipping containers. This holds the additional belt for the conveyor and as the TBM gets deeper into the tunnel, more belt will be added from the structure.
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Over the last 6 weeks a temporary conveyor belt has been in place which created some noise issues for some of our surrounding neighbours. This is because the temporary belt kept twisting out of shape creating rattling noises. As the new permanent structure is fixed into the ground and is much stronger we do not expect it to create any additional noise. Currently the team have installed 52 tunnel rings and excavated 86.2m into the tunnel. Today they are in the process of doing the first cutterhead inspection. This is when they open up the chamber of the TBM and inspect the condition of the cutterhead and ensure it is performing correctly based on the spoil conditions. From Monday 12 July, the team will start a 24-hour-seven-day-a-week operation from working previously 24 hours-five- days-a-week. To remove the spoil from the tunnel, the spoil travels on the conveyor belt into a dedicated spoil basin. The spoil travels onto a tipper in the middle of the shed, which tips the spoil off the belt into the basin. Once the TBM restarts at the end of the week it will become a travelling factory operation until they reach Karangahape Station in September. Currently the TBM is driving through the tunnel called ‘MC30/60’ and this is the upmain tunnel. While we’re using the TBM, at the same time we are performing mined tunneling next door on the tunnel called ‘MC50’. We have currently mined 60m deep and will continue until we reach up to 200m. Once MC50 is complete we will begin mining a portion of the third tunnel – MC20. This is the tunnel the TBM will enter for its second drive.
6. North Auckland Line update • • •
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Nick Adams, Deputy Construction Manager for the North Auckland Line shared progress on the western line integration works. Progress we have made include completing the construction of the Mt Eden Road bridge, closed Normanby Road level crossing to vehicles, completed the foundations for Porters Ave bridge and undertaking piling for Normanby road bridge. The closure of Normanby Road rail crossing means we can create a new, safer roadover-rail bridge. This crossing will closed until mid-2022 however the Temporary Services Bridge (TSB) that currently transports utility services over the tracks will be open to pedestrians from Saturday 10 July. Now that Normanby Road crossing is closed, piling has commenced to start the foundations for the new bridge.
7. Development Response update • •
Piet Ubels, Development Response Manager introduced the current development response plans underway for Mt Eden Station. To support the Normanby Road businesses post-rail crossing closure we have created new scrim with business’s logos to put on all our temporary fencing.
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We are currently planning an event in collaboration with Uptown Business Association in October with the Normanby Road businesses. More details about the event will be announced shortly. We are planning to do more pop-up coffee carts to support some of the affected businesses and residents in the Mt Eden Station prescient. New art has been installed on the northern side of the main construction site’s hoardings. We plan to have art along all our hoardings, with more art being rolled out later this year. Currently we have several large silos on site that support the TBM operations. We’re planning on wrapping these with artwork. This year we will be participating in Auckland Art Week again. Part of our involvement with art week will include art tours of our hoardings for public.
Questions & Answers:
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Will the Basque park works affect the Fenton Street works currently operating? o No the Basque park works end at Ruru Street, so this particular work won’t impact the Huia II relocation works happening on Fenton Street
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Will the trees removed during the Basque park works be replaced? o Yes, each tree will be replaced like for like so the same type of tree will be replanted.
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Will the re-developed Mt Eden station building be finished before the tunnels are completed? o No, the station building and tunnels will be completed at the same time.
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What is the large shed structure on site used for? o This is the spoil shed that holds the spoil from the TBM. It has been built like a shed with a roof to stop flooding and keep the spoil dry before it’s transported off site.
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Will there be any affects to the buildings along the TBM route during its drive? o We don’t expect occupiers in the buildings to experience any noise or vibration during the TBM drive. In addition, we have ground settlement monitors along the route that are monitored 24/7 to ensure the ground settlement is within consent conditions.
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What are the silos by Shaddock Street used for?
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They hold bentonite, fly ash and water that will support the production of the TBM.
Have Panuku been contacted for the Urban Realm works? o They are filing their plans and consents to council. Once City Rail Link have finalised their urban realm designs, Link Alliance will present it to CLG, probably at the end of August this year.
Next CLG meeting to be held in September 2021.