Merivale not priority for city’s parks

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 6

Merivale not priority for city’s parks

Merivale is not a priority on the Christchurch City Council’s parks and reserves list The council’s parks and recreation committee yesterday turned down a request for $240,000 from the Merivale Precinct Society to buy the parkland area of its Merivale village project. While acknowledging that the village design was an exciting one and that Merivale had no small local reserves, the committee decided there was no money available for the proposal above present commitments. Cr John Burn, the committee’s chairman, said that the council had bought a large park area of 60 acres at Sockburn for $lBO,OOO. That, he said, was the level of buying that the council could look at.

The sum of $250,000 for a small reserve in a shopping area was not justifiable in relation to other needs for parks within the city. The reserve contribution would provide only a fifth of the park area, said the director of parks and recreation, Mr Neiel Drain. Matters of design and the proposed lake as well as the financing of the project would have to be investigated by the council, he said. The council’s town-plan-ning committee last week recommended supporting a reserve in this location. A delegation from the society to that committee asked for the spending of some of the $78,000 collected in cash in lieu of contributions in the area within the area. That money, Mr Drain reported yesterday, was all

committed and there were several other projects which should take priority over the Merivale village. He made three points: • A small reserve in Merivale might be justified as there were no local reserves. • Other reserve needs had higher priority than Merivale’s and there were no funds at present, anyway. • The society’s proposal needed thorough investigation in terms of practicalities, other commitments, and funds. The committee’s recommendation to the council is that no financial assistance to the project be given. The proposal will also go to the council’s policy and finance committee, which will consider an application for a remission of rates for the public area in the pro-

Mr Kim Pettengell, chairman of the Merivale Precinct Society, said last evening that the society was very disappointed about the committee’s decision. The society was trying to provide parks for its own area, he said. Land was scarce and the village project offered the council a unique opportunity. “It is an area that the council staff have suggested would be ideal for a park and it could be some time before another opportunity presents itself.” He called on the committee to reconsider a council contribution to the project If the committee did not see the park as a priority the society would have to call on residents to give money to ensure a green space in the area.