Attitude disappoints

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 528, 22 March 1994, Page 6

Attitude disappoints

• I feel very sad and disappointed after reading last week's letter from the Ohakune retailers regarding Jubilee and Christie Parks. On both a personal level and as an Ohakune Plunket committee member I have spentmany hours over nearly three years working towards improved safety at Jubilee Park playground. Ohakune Plunket put in annual plan submissions, wrote letters and spoke to Ruapehu District Council staff, asking for improved maintenance and offering to provide safety matting (Plunket had funds for this.) We also got advice from a horticulturist regarding pruning of some trees, as the park is too shady . The RDC did do some pruning, and then placed bark under the play equipment. At this stage we had support from the local Lions group. The Plunket committee then realised there was a need for a better playground, in

both site and type of play equipment. I personally put in annual plan submissions to the RDC last year, for maintenance at Jubilee Park to be a priority, and for consideration of new playground equipment at Christie Park. The Waimarino Health Watch Committee were also looking at playground safety and both committees decided to work together. Then last year the W aimarino Community Board discussed thepossibility of new playground equipment in Ohakune. It is very disappointing that the retailers have rushed into print with wrong facts: □ Neither com-mitteeha ve ever asked that Jubilee Park be abolished (how is a publie park abolished?) All we wanted was improved maintenance and safety. □ The money for a new playground would not all come from the RDC - Ohakune Plunket has funds. □ Young adults do play touch rugby at Christie Park, and often small children are with them, who could make use of a playground. Why separate them? Christie Park

is a very large area with enough space for many us- . ers. Why make petty comments such a siting a playground on the ffont lawn of the Plunket Clinic, or labelling mothers as ' segregated ' ? I stress here that the local d retailers have never communicated with either the Ohakune Plunket or Health Watch committees about the parks. Not even when I asked, through the Bulletin letters column, for support a few f years ago. Have the retailers ever written to the RDC asking that Jubilee Park be maintained better? Do they put in submissions for the annual plan? Have they done anything recently to improve Jubilee Park? If not, why not? What exactly is the point of their petition? To write a letter like that, in my opinion, casts a slur not just on the local Plunket and Health Watch committees, but on all volunteer workers in this community who try to improve anything, get something new running, or just do something for others.

Cathy

Horne.