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News
Reserve yes, funding no
Monday, 19 March 2007
By NIC DALEY
• Howick and Pakuranga Times
FEEDBACK has poured in about plans for a Howick reserve, but one councillor warns money to redevelop the site may not flow as easily.
Manukau City Council has received 85 submissions to the proposed redevelopment of 108 Picton St, the site of the former police station.
Parks project manager Kevin Kingston says the submissions represent a mix of opponents and supporters of the future concept.
The council’s parks team will consider the submissions with a sounding board of interested parties, before a tentative decision is made.
Howick city council Jami-Lee Ross says whatever the redevelopment’s future, locals should make annual plan submissions in order to procure funding.
He says despite his attempts to raise it as a funding priority, there’s presently no money allocated to upgrade the site.
“The plan, whatever it ends up being, can’t be implemented unless the council allocates a budget to do that. Unless the council puts a budget in the plan, it will just stay as an ugly piece of grass in the middle of Picton St.
“It won’t be developed, which was the very purpose that the Howick Community Board and council purchased it for,” Mr Ross says.
He says an allocation request for $300,000 was turned down, as was his next request for $100,000.
“My concern is the council agreed to purchase the reserve for a not insignificant amount of money and now they’re not willing to follow through with the intent of the plan.”
He says residents should lobby for funds to be provided in the council’s annual plan. “I would ask if Howick people want to see the reserve developed into a nice park, that they put in a submission for council to do just that.”
The cash would not come from rates money, but cash in lieu funds from developers, he says.
The council purchased the property late 2005, after Howick residents Sh’ann Reid and Malcolm Smith suggested the idea 18 months earlier (
Times
, December 13, 2005). Site demolition began in June 2006, and a community group was formed to compile site concept plans. They include small gardens, a water feature, covered walkway, giant chessboard and paving.
The council will consider the reserve’s submissions later this month.
