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Albany is a northern suburb of North Shore City, one of several cities in the Auckland metropolitan area in northern New Zealand. The name derives from Alba (Gaelic for Scotland) and its Latinisation. It is located to the north of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre. One of the city's newest suburbs, it was until relatively recently a town in its own right, and still has a feeling of not being truly a part of the city, which lies predominantly to the southeast of it. Much of the land to the north of Albany is still semi-rural. The Māori name for the area was Okahukura (literally, 'place of rainbows' or 'place of butterflies'). The town was originally known as Lucas Creek, but was renamed in 1890 after Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, a son of Queen Victoria.[1]
[edit] Overall City PlanningIn 2005, there were plans to turn a major swath of Albany into a planned mini-urban center, described as a "happy mix of businesses, hotels, shops, apartments, and entertainment (including) an environment of parks and lakes and of tree-lined streets, paths and cycleways linking to the new Albany park-and-ride bus station and the rapid-busway lanes along the Northern Motorway to downtown Auckland," according to a newspaper report.[2] It would be home to 10,000 people.[2] Authorities wanted sound-proofed apartments against outside noise.[2] Initial plans called for hotels, library, municipal swimming pool as well as the headquarters for the North Shore City Council.[2] In some respects, development has proceeded accordingly, but the 2008-2009 economic downturn has blunted some of this activity. [edit] DemographicsThe population was 2,169 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 1,224 from 2001.[3][4] There were 780 occupied dwellings in 2006.[4] Demographic makeup of Albany is 66% European, 5% Maori, 2% Pacific peoples, 22% Asian, 2% Middle Eastern/Latin American/African, and 10% other.[4] The median income of $29,200 was higher than for the Auckland Region of $26,800.[4] 47% of persons age 15+ have a post-school qualification, compared with 43% of Aucklanders in the general region.[4] There is a higher percentage of person describing themselves as "managers" in Albany, compared to the Auckland region, and fewer describing themselves as "machinery operators and drivers" or "labourers".[4] But unemployment in Albany at 6.6% was somewhat higher than for the Auckland region (5.6%).[4] 77% had Internet access and 83% have cell phones.[4] Cars are prevalent.[4] A near majority (48%) were born overseas.[4] Ethnically, in keeping with the wider North Shore, Albany is predominantly Pakeha and Asian, and has a relatively high proportion of recent migrants from both elsewhere in New Zealand and overseas. [edit] Retail and Commercial activityAlbany has become, in some respects, a substantial shopping and retail zone within the northwestern Auckland area. The area (the future 'Albany Town Centre') is fast-growing in terms of its population and the development of the built environment, following planning decisions and land sales made by central and local governments in the 1980s and 1990s. Through the 1990s industrial and retail areas were rapidly produced, predominatly owned and occupied by local and foreign corporate capital. A major shopping centre hub was opened in the late 1990s and has since expanded, with Westfield Albany becoming New Zealand's largest shopping centre. The so-called supermall opened August 2007 on McKinnon Drive costing $210 million with 142 shops built by over 3500 workers, which features has 1800 cinema seats and an indoor area of 7ha.[5] There is parking for 2300 vehicles.[5] K-mart, Farmers, and New World stores are anchors.[5] The mall claimed it provides "free space for community organisations for awareness and fundraising activities" but one volunteer claimed he was ejected from the premises while trying to raise money for veterans because of a dispute with mall management.[6] There has been development of a substantial retail project anchored by a 10,000 square meter 10 Mitre Mega store on Oteha Valley Road, across from the North Harbour Stadium, run by Symphony Projects Management.[7] Albany has been the site of a $500 million so-called Super City showcase development project. Plans in 2006 featured a 200-room hotel, apartment complex with three 30-story towers, and up to 15 office blocks rising 10 levels high.[8] But in the economic downturn of 2008-2009, the project was having trouble; one report suggested up to 350 investors (many elderly) risked losing up to $20 million.[9] Albany has a site for Sky Television's "Prime News" on Prime TV but in March 2009 90 jobs were cut as well as programme and operating budgets, although a spokesman for Sky Television said "Prime News will continue to be produced and presented in Albany."[10] There are movie theaters[11] including the 1800-seat multiplex inside the new mall, although there were reports of roof problems and weathertightness.[12] A large furniture store opened in May 2009 creating up to 30 jobs.[13] High tech firms such as Garmin, a firm specializing in satellite navigation and communications technology, has a showroom in Albany.[14] There are upscale restaurants.[1][15] Surf-wear fashion retailer Billabong has an outlet store in Albany.[16][17][18] [edit] Residential real estateConsiderable housing development has also taken place since the early 1990s, which has been facilitated by the extension of the Northern Motorway through the area. There are upscale properties; one large property (318 sq m) on 2ha of land, with a six-bedroom three-bathroom five-car garage house with a pool and solar-powered stable for horses including a "hoof soaking path" cost approximately $1.5 million in 2006.[19] In 2005, the rent for a two bedroom apartment (part of a four bedroom house with a two car garage) was $300 per week.[20] [edit] SportsAlbany has one of the Auckland Region's newest sports facilities, North Harbour Stadium. It draws 25,000 spectators to games.[2] Albany has a gymnasium where New Zealand taekwondo Olympic representative Logan Campbell, under the guidance of his coach Master Oh, trained in 2008. [21] It has a tennis park.[22] Rugby teams practice regularly.[23] [edit] TransportationAlthough a busway station was opened in 2005, in common with most of Auckland beyond the CBD-fringe the suburb has a poor public transport network, with its planning premised on a population of car-owning families. [edit] ParksThe North Shore City council has expanded Albany's parkland; in 2007, it paid $3 million for new land totalling 7000 square meters.[24] There is approximately 1200ha of parkland across the city.[24] Kell Park reserve next to the new Albany Village Library was known for its free-range Bantam chicken population and pirate ship flying fox playground. A Council notice stated: "It is prohibited to abandon chickens or to uplift them from this area." It also listed chicken "re-home" options. The city has traditionally allowed chickens to roam free; according to one newspaper report, "chickens are undeniably something of a traditional presence in Albany ... Poultry have been roaming free there for more than 30 years, acquiring an iconic status and helping to attract visitors while inspiring a bronze rooster statue and a logo that's proudly emblazoned on local lamp posts."[25] But in 2008 the SPCA objected, causing controversy.[25] There were health issues as well, with bird droppings on playgrounds and seats and picnic areas and incidents of birds being run over by vehicles.[26] But when North Shore City Council officers were ordered to shoot chickens, it caused controversy including an outburst from Auckland City Mayor John Banks, saying the shootings were "an act of wanton destruction and an animal rights outrage."[26] In 2008, while Albany village continues to have a rooster on its logo, the free-roaming chicken population is no more, although there was talk of a managed population at Kell Park.[27] [edit] EducationAlbany School is a contributing primary (years 1-6) school with a roll of 644.[28]. Pinehurst School is a private composite (years 1-15) school with a roll of 729.[29] The Appleby Road Middle School was under construction in 2005.[30] Albany Senior High School is due to open in 2009 for year 11-13 students.[31] Due to delays in completing the Senior campus, the Senior High School will initially share the Albany Junior High School site at North Harbour, New Zealand.[32] Albany Senior High school was under construction in 2008 but there was controversy about cost overruns.[33] The new building was scheduled to open in 2009 and would serve 1400 persons.[34] All schools are coeducational and have a decile rating of 10. Albany contains the northern campus of Massey University. It offers 70 majors plus specialised programmes including Mathematics and Information Sciences, Fundamental Sciences, Food Technology, Engineering, Design, Jazz, Social Sciences, Business and Education.[35] The school has three areas: (1) East Precinct off State Highway 17 (2) Oteha Rohe, off the Albany Highway and (3) Albany Village Precinct off Kell Drive and State Highway 17 where the Schools of Design and Psychology are located.[35] It has a campus shuttle bus between the three campuses leaving every 40 to 45 minutes.[35] There are bus routes to Albany.[35] The former Centrepoint commune was on farmland near the town centre. After Bert Potter, its founder and spiritual leader, was imprisoned on drug and sex abuse charges in 1992,[36] it declined and in 2000 it closed. It was replaced by the Kahikatea Eco-Village and Art-Space.[37] It has been converted into a research centre for natural medicine, offering courses in aromatherapy, nutrition, naturopathy, herbalism, yoga and ayurvedic medicine.[38] [edit] OtherIn contrast to the suburb's relatively bourgeois orientation, New Zealand's main maximum security prison is located at Paremoremo, five kilometres to the west of Albany, although this locality is increasingly being gentrified. Cabinet MP Steven Joyce lives in Albany, who has an important position in government regarding infrastructure.[39] [edit] References
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