Playground plans for Raetihi resurrected

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 502, 7 September 1993, Page 1

Playground plans for Raetihi resurrected

The reality of deja vu seemed proven at last Thursday's Waimarino Community Board meeting when the board discussed the issue of replacement equipment at the Raetihi Playground. Th§ discussion arose from concerns expressed to the council from the Waimarino Health Watch Committee about the safety of the equipment. Last year the WHWC approached the board, asking it to take out dangerous equipment and replace it with modern playground equipment. They supplied the council with pamphlets and contact details of the chosen manufacturer of the type of equipment they liked, and the WCB endorsed their request.

However, board members found themselves covering old ground, when technical services director Bruce Dobson said council officers were still waiting for details on what the WHWC wanted. "I was of the view that this was already in place," said board member Ben Goddard. "I thought we thrashed this out pretty well last year - why hasn't it been done yet?" Mr Dobson said the council had to investigate the equipment to see that it complied with the appropriate safety codes. He said the council was willing to accept input from the WHWC. "I'm sure they know more about it than we do." Health Watch chairperTurnto page 3

Playground

From page 1 The board heard there had been communications difficulties between council staff and the WHWC. It was agreed that Jertny Dekker would be the contact person in future for the project. According to Mr Dobson' s report on the matter, work was due to start this month, though it was not clear whether he meant physical work or work on investigating options. The board called for Technical Services to 'press ahead' with the project and report back next month.

The board decided against a suggestion that playgrounds at schools should be developed further, to take the place of public ones. Board members heard that school playgrounds were used by a different age group in general, to public ones. son Jenny Dekker said the group was concerned that money set aside for the new equipment had been wasted patching up old equipment which was still not safe. "We are really concerned at the piecemeal way this (project) has been handled, which is a waste of money."