In Auckland.
In Albany.
Not far from the mega mall.
There is a street called Corinthian drive.
It was farmland just a few years ago.
Only one three story business block stood on the top of the hill.
A bit lonely.
Except for a rather dried out old tree, that poked up, mast like, from a nearby mound.
But not for long.
Soon all manner of ugly concrete business blocks were packed into almost every spare space.
But wait.
Had the council thought their building consents through?
Had they ever wondered how all those floors with all those desks would be used?
Had they actually done their job?
Had they planned for a functional area?
When a few of the buildings were built, the streets were tight for parking.
When half of them were built, it was obvious they were at capacity.
Would a developer ever loose land, by supplying their own carparks?
Odds say no.
Yesterday I visited that street again.
Cars were still parked on the grass verges in desperation.
Fortunately it wasn't wet, so the grass verges were not mud holes.
But, something new had appeared!
Solar powered parking meters.
They dotted the footpaths every so often.
Is that it?
Is that the only tool?
Is that how a city plans for effective functionality?
Don't like it, tax it?
Really?
I'm trying hard not to write them all off as bumbling incompetent fools.
But its not easy.
In Albany.
Not far from the mega mall.
There is a street called Corinthian drive.
It was farmland just a few years ago.
Only one three story business block stood on the top of the hill.
A bit lonely.
Except for a rather dried out old tree, that poked up, mast like, from a nearby mound.
But not for long.
Soon all manner of ugly concrete business blocks were packed into almost every spare space.
But wait.
Had the council thought their building consents through?
Had they ever wondered how all those floors with all those desks would be used?
Had they actually done their job?
Had they planned for a functional area?
When a few of the buildings were built, the streets were tight for parking.
When half of them were built, it was obvious they were at capacity.
Would a developer ever loose land, by supplying their own carparks?
Odds say no.
Yesterday I visited that street again.
Cars were still parked on the grass verges in desperation.
Fortunately it wasn't wet, so the grass verges were not mud holes.
But, something new had appeared!
Solar powered parking meters.
They dotted the footpaths every so often.
Is that it?
Is that the only tool?
Is that how a city plans for effective functionality?
Don't like it, tax it?
Really?
I'm trying hard not to write them all off as bumbling incompetent fools.
But its not easy.
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