Call to clean up Square

Press, 19 February 1988, Page 7

Call to clean up Square

By

CHRISTOPHER MOORE

The Canterbury Regional Labour Party Council has called for measures to improve the environment of Cathedral Square and prevent antisocial behaviour there. Recent assertions that many visitors, including overseas tourists, were afraid to use the Square have led to a discussion by the regional council and support for Labour City Councillors working to improve the area’s environment.

The party’s regional chairman, Mr Mike Morley-Bunker, said yes-

terday that the regional council supported Labour councillors in a determination to make the Square “a place of pride for all Christchurch residents.” Behaviour in the area remained an immediate problem, he said.

“Unacceptable behaviour is often illegal. The public and visitors to Christchurch have a right to expect the police to attend to incidents in Cathedral Square. The public should not acquiesce in allowing illegal behaviour to go unreported and unnoticed. The public should feel

that they are entitled to report any offensive and illegal incident to the police,” he said. The regional council opposed the concept of “no-go areas” which it described as symptoms of social division, hostility and intimidation. “The community must confront both the symptom and the causes. The symptom can be banished, but without an attempt to cure the social problems it is almost certain to reappear perhaps in a slightly different form elsewhere in Christchurch. The efforts of socia’ workers and agen-

cies to reduce social division, hostility and deprivation have to be supported. Cathedral Square remained the city’s central focus. The City Council should not hesitate to make sure that the public felt at ease in the area at all times.

“Physical improvements can make people feel more comfortable and secure in the Square. Lighting to make sure that all areas are well lit is one measure. Open and wide visibility to prevent people feeling cut off and vulnerable is another important design feature.”