THE Rugby World Cup is well under way and Auckland communities are getting behind the event.

Howick was one of 38 community centres that got a real spruce up. From Wellsford to Waiuku, more than 3000 volunteers, including about 50 in Howick, tidied up more than 21 tonnes of rubbish and gave their town centres a spring clean.

The excitement involved every sector of our Auckland community. For example, Howick’s Peter Watts was engaged to teach local choirs the national anthems of all participating countries, in 13 languages, to sing at matches around the country.

New Zealand invited the world to party, and we’ve all helped to make it one of the best parties our 95,000 overseas visitors have attended.

Once the party is over, we will all go on reaping the benefits.

As well as the local community-building that’s been going on, there’s also been a region-wide boost to the economy, along with upgraded facilities and infrastructure.

Auckland Council set five key goals for permanent improvement during RWC 2011, helping this to become the world’s most liveable city. The first was to make the most of our stunning waterfront, making it a destination for all Aucklanders.

Locals and visitors have flocked to the waterfront, whether at Viaduct Harbour or the newly developed Wynyard Quarter and Queen’s Wharf.

It’s a fantastic spot we can all be proud of, and we should keep investing in it so people will keep enjoying it.