Triangle car-park rejected
The vacant Bridge of Remembrance triangle will be landscaped, with no provision for short-term car parking to serve the Cashel Street business area. But the Christchurch City Council will make a special study of ways to gain more short-term parking in the area. On a 13-7 vote, the council turned down the controversial car-parking proposal put forward by the Cashel Street Businessmen’s Association. Cr Peter Skellerup, who moved that the original landscaping proposal be followed, said it was a unique opportunity to create an attractive piece of open space in the heart of the city. He said that arguments in favour of parking were not strong enough, and it would be “far from a good thing” to put a car park next to a war memorial. Cr David Caygill, who seconded the motion, said the issue would not have been removed from public debate for at least several months, even if the council had approved a car park. Sir Robert Macfarlane, who had originally been in favour of the car park plan, voted against it after say-
ing the business interests were probably “sick and tired of the whole business.” He said their case had been treated unfairly, and there had no doubt been a great deal of antibusiness opposition to the proposal. He said that the legal and town planning ramifications of the controversy had been reported too late, and a decision to proceed would bring up all the old arguments. “The businessmen unconsciously set up the classic confrontation in local government,” said Cr John Bum. “Then the Values Party used it as a platform for the coming election. They did not suggest anything constructive. Then the Labour Party waded into what they thought was a ready-made issue.” Supporters of the landscaping proposals were the Mayor (Mr Hamish Hay), Sir Robert, and Crs Skellerup, Carter, Blaxall, Arbuckle, Caygill, Anderson, Buck, Batchelor, Clark, Alderdice and Sutherland. Supporters of the combined car park and landscaping proposal were Crs Bum, Dunbar, Britten, Garrett, Hattaway, Brittenden and Dodge.
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Press, 24 May 1977, Page 1
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338Triangle car-park rejected Press, 24 May 1977, Page 1
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