New map aims to attract more youth to Auckland CBD

The launch of a new map of the CBD is aimed at making Auckland city centre more youth-friendly.

The MY AKL City Map has been developed by the Waitemata Youth Collective, part of Waitemata Local Board. It aims to provide a voice and perspective for young people who live, study, work and spend time in the Waitemata Community.

Alex Johnston, youth representative for the Waitemata area on the Youth Advisory Panel, said the main goal is to get young people more engaged in the central city.

“We wanted to coordinate in one place all the things that are out there for young people, that they may or may not know about, along with practical services like where to top up your HOP card. We found the best way to do all that was by creating this map,” said Mr Johnston.

Alex Johnston holding a MY AKL City Map at the Youth Advisory Panel meeting. Photo: Alannah Pfaff

The featured places were chosen by surveying around 200 young people about what spaces they love to use in the city centre.

“We did have to go through quite a refining process because we couldn’t include everything. In the end we had to prioritise with a good geographic spread, along with what we thought were some good independent businesses and community groups.

“In the future we are looking at creating an app, so the map will be accessible to all the youth of Auckland,” he said.

The map covers an area from Western Springs to Parnell, including the CBD, up to Grafton Bridge. It features things like cheap places to eat, sports and recreation and quirky independent music and record stores.

It also includes general services like where to top up a HOP card for public transport, public bathrooms, and numbers for support groups such as Youthline.

Janice Auvaa, the youth representative for Henderson-Massey Local Board, thinks the map is a good idea.

“It will help young people know what’s happening in Auckland, let them know what’s out there. You don’t really discover as many things walking down the street so the map is really great,” she said.

Kate Cleaver, a representative for Auckland’s business association Heart of the City, thinks the map will be beneficial for local youth.

“It is a wonderful initiative, and I love the idea of it turning into an app,” she said. “I think it is really important that we distribute this information and share what there is for young people in Auckland.”

The map will be free, and available from businesses featured in it from Friday.