6 July, 2025

THE FLAGSTAFF NOTES

A little bit of a flurry on the corner of Victoria and Albert Rds this week with the installation (pictured) of a new clock – a replica of the previous model – at one of three historic clock towers in Devonport. The other two are at Duder’s Beach on King Edward Pde at Church St and on Marine Sq near Victoria Wharf and the ferry terminal.
In the Super City shakedown, Auckland Council has ended up being responsible for the clocks and must be growing tired of their unreliability. But a Flagstaff check last Friday revealed they are now all keeping good time. I’m glad they are. In a historic suburb, it’s important to maintain the fabric of heritage and tradition: Memorial Drive, the flower garden beds – and the clocks – are all part of that.

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You might have thought officials would have let us and the wider public know in advance that the Victoria Rd clock was returning. Then again, Auckland Council and Auckland Council aren’t great with communications. We had cones arrive in force in our street last week, without warning.
They had tow-away zone signs attached and AT’s traffic-fine car was suddenly out patrolling our cul-de-sac. A chat to the road workers revealed footpath replacement was in order. Trouble was, the footpath replacement turned out to be in nearby Victoria Rd. Abbotsford Tce was untouched. A few days later the cones disappeared into the night from whence they came.

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Off-and-on over the years, the Flagstaff has attempted to get the Auckland Council and AT to provide a list of public works happening around Devonport and their purpose. No go, it seems. A few hundred dollars to publish a schedule would surely mitigate the hours of local authority time spent on the phone with locals calling to ask what is going on.