Identity crisis for residents

Press, 1 June 1989, Page 9

Identity crisis for residents

By

KAY FORRESTER

The residents of Fiona Place have an identity crisis — in which suburb do they live? The telephone book says the Densems at No. 5 live in Upper Riccarton, the Robinsons at No. 3 in Hei Hei, and the Blacks at No. 6 in Hornby.

The Universal Business Directories Christchurch street map offers another choice. It lists Fiona Place in Sockburn. Four different suburbs for 15 houses in one street has Mr John Densem confused. He says others are too.

Mr Densem has come up with the name Riccarton Park for the area. He believes this clearly identifies it with its landmark, the Riccarton Park Function Centre. The name should cover the houses in the area circling the Riccarton Racecourse, bounded by Yaldhurst Road, Carmen Road, Buchanans Road and Racecourse Road, he believes.

The Paparua County Council had no objection to the name, Mr Densem said. “But they say a suburb name only becomes just that with common usage.” The Survey and Land Information Department will only recognise the new name if Telecom and New Zealand Post agree on it. “Telecom has gone to Wellington about it and are to get back to me. So is New Zealand Post,” Mr Densem said. “Telecom listed the different suburbs in the phone book. I’m asking people to use Riccarton Park when addressing mail so it becomes the common name and can become the official one.”

So far there have been no problems in Riccarton Park mail getting through.

About 200 residents of “Riccarton Park” to whom Mr Densem has talked say they are happy with his suggested name. He is now toying with asking the Riccarton Racecourse — “which is nowhere near Riccarton” — to change its name to Riccarton Park Racecourse to tidy things up completely.