26 August, 2025

Sunnynook community group reactivates, invites participation

First steps towards re-energising the Sunnynook Community Association (SCA) started with a meeting where ideas were tossed around for key projects to work on in the area.
Priorities include pushing for a lift to make accessing the bus station easier, installation of lights on Sunnynook Park’s pathways and seeing the long-planned skatepark finally delivered by council.
Sunnynook Community Centre manager Bronwyn Bound and former SCA chair Soriya Em are driving forces in getting the committee up and running again. But they want new people involved.
Around 10 residents, including Neighbourhood Support representatives, attended the discussion last week, along with four local-body candidates. Other ideas raised were a pump track, dealing with waterlogged park areas and building safer streets and stronger connections.
A second meeting will be held in October, with the hope some of those at the first session will join the committee. Bound and Em are reaching out to community groups, including local walkers, and are happy to field questions to encourage more participation at snook.com.cen@xtra.co.nz or through the SCA Facebook page.
Bound told the Observer the committee, which had been active for around a decade, was affected by the January 2023 floods, with a number of its members focusing on flood recovery. But now was the time to look ahead. Its past record showed community efforts and lobbying could yield results, such as the rehabilitation of Lyford Reserve and lights at Sycamore Dr. With fresh voices, new projects could be tackled and pressure applied to finish work such as the skatepark.
The Sunnynook Plan, a 2018 council document for the area, set a foundation to build on, said Bound. It also covered neighbouring Forrest Hill and Totara Vale, whose residents were welcome to join the committee or go on its database.

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