Park plans disappoint

Waipa Council have put forward a proposed plan to desecrate the 65-year-old park and have pushed ahead with plans while the public are in lockdown and unable to attend meetings or comment unless you have modern communication technology.

First council want to remove the entrance archway and erect a new memorial in place of the peace foundation. Months ago the public were told the fountain would be put into working order at the same time the bridge was being fixed.

Never a consideration by council but false information to stop the public protesting about the length of time it’s been out of working order. Council’s excuse is that we now need to conserve water, well I’m sure it would cost substantially less to fix the foundation than to build a new feature structure.

Council also propose to eliminate the duck pond and replace it with another playground, one of which has just been constructed about 14 months ago in Selwyn Lane and only a few hundred metres from the pond area, serious safety concerns if built right on the river’s edge.

The next structure suggested to be moved is the amphitheatre, to be replaced by an educational and reflective gathering place. Half of the pergola archway will be removed and on the large piece of vacant land on the northern side of the park, plans are to build a new pavilion, again one of which we already have in Selwyn Lane.

The mayor keeps reiterating that he can’t avoid a rates increase as he must go ahead with critical infrastructure. The proposed new museum isn’t critical infrastructure so council should defer that and the proposal to spend $7 million setting up a computer programme about the Maori wars.

Council don’t seem to want any standing structures left to remember those who gave their lives for this beautiful town we have. Spend ratepayers’ money on maintenance of the park and respect its history. If the duck pond is a problem then downsize it to the main area and eliminate the western end, the springs are there could still drain into the main pond area.

F M Stevenson, Te Awamutu