A park load of your money
Sophie Schroder2/12/2009 11:30:00 a.m.
THE re-development of Cobblestone Park is a waste of ratepayer money, says a local businessman.
The man, who doesn’t want to be named, is unhappy the Wellington City Council is spending $1 million of borrowed money to revamp the park on Vivian Street park, which he says was perfectly adequate.
He says it’s not appropriate to spend such a large amount in the current economic climate on something of “low priority”.
“I like parks, but instead of doing up this one, the money could easily have been used to provide more parks by buying some of the little properties which are coming up for sale, putting some trees on and enhancing the city rather as they do in London” he says.
“Council’s approach is too narrow focused. I feel it gets a budget each year and feels it must spend the whole amount.”
The man says the old Forest and Bird building site on Taranaki Street, which has been called an “eyesore”, is an example of land the council could enhance instead.
The council sent out 146 letters to people and businesses within 100m of the park, which is next to the Victoria University Faculty of Architecture.
The man, who owns a business nearby, wrote back highlighting his concerns.
He never received a reply, and 10 months later noticed diggers had begun work on the park.
Council project manager Geoffrey Sneddon apologises for the delay in getting back to the man.
“A complete oversight on my behalf,” he says. “I thought that we had written to all the submitters, thanking them for their submission on the project. I was unaware that one of the submissions had specific questions.” He clearly hadn’t read it [ed].
Sneddon says the redevelopment is a council priority because it will increase the usage of the park, improve the perceived safety of the area, and enhance flexibility and pedestrian routes.
Cobblestone Park, which will include a series of terraces, a playground, a hard court for ball sports, new seating, lighting and a main spine footpath, will be finished next March.
The council received 22 submissions on the revamp – six from rate paying businesses or people, and 16 from non-rate paying groups such as the Architecture School.
While the council’s proposal letter asked for feedback on the specific design plan, four submissions were clearly opposed to any development on the park.
Other submitters were sceptical that the revamp actually would increase use of the park, were unhappy that it would go from a green space to a “concrete jungle”, and felt that the only people who would benefit directly would be Vivian Street residents and the Architecture School.
More positive comments included praise of the extra lighting, appreciation of the proposed “spine” which will provide pedestrians with a route from Dunlop Terrace to Knigges Avenue through the park, and enthusiasm for the “half-court” area.
But the annoyed business owner says he would like to see a clearer process to the council’s capital works projects, and a fairer balance to the decisions made.
“I know we’re absolutely and desperately short of swimming baths in areas of Wellington.” He thinks something like this would be $1 million more wisely spent, because it would benefit a wider community, rather than just a street.
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