Looking back on two years of serving the Green Island community, Leanne Stenhouse is proud of making a difference to the lives of local people.
A member of the Saddle Hill Community Board, Ms Stenhouse left the Green Island Community Network last month and is ‘‘looking forward to new challenges’’ in a new community-based role.
While she would miss working with fellow network worker Amanda Reid, Ms Stenhouse said looking back she was ‘‘really proud of what we’ve achieved — particularly in relation to road safety and the new playground’’.
‘‘I’m grateful to have been in a position to help the community,’’ she said.
Ms Stenhouse and Mrs Reid joined the network two years ago, taking over from previous community worker Linda Davidson.
After a questionnaire asking the Green Island community to name its priorities was distributed, Ms Stenhouse and Ms Reid were involved in collating the results and highlighting the community’s priorities.
These included concerns around traffic and intersections, footpaths, walkways and cycleways, bus services, playground facilities and places to meet.
After extensive lobbying and information-sharing, the workers were able to help encourage the development of a $1.8 million project by the Dunedin City Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency to build three roundabouts in Green Island — a project which is nearing completion.
After months of hard work and fundraising, Ms Stenhouse said she and Mrs Reid were thrilled to reach the $210,000 target for a new playground and recreation area in Green Island.
It is hoped the facility will be completed by Christmas.
Along with these major projects, the pair have also been involved in organising community events, surveying local people on streetscape designs and more.
‘‘Being involved in these projects has been a great privilege and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the different organisations and the community,’’ Ms Stenhouse said.
‘‘It has been really good working with Amanda, we have achieved a lot together.
Mrs Reid said it had been a very good two years, and it was ‘‘amazing that we have achieved so many goals in a short period of time’’.
Both women lived in the Greater Green Island area, Ms Stenhouse in Brighton and she in Abbotsford, so they had been able to represent different parts of the community, Mrs Reid said.