Mangawhero Terrace carparks

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 567, 20 December 1994, Page 4

Mangawhero Terrace carparks

• The situation regarding turning part of Mangawhero Terrace road reserve into car parks worries me, and also appears to worry a few other local residents. I was assured verbally by Mr Jeff Page that it was not a 'fait accompli' and that further investigation will take place but I suspect it is, even if investigated further. Any way only time will tell. My concerns are: □ This situation should never have arisen, but since it has it must be addressed. The present roadside parking is dangerous and should be stopped. However two wrongs do not make a right. □ The 'green belt' is a very special asset in Ohakune and the beech trees are almost unique for any town in New Zealand and provide shelter and picnic and recreational opportunities for everyone. □ There is land available, albeit at a price and probably at considerable inconvenience. □ Any disturbance of tree roots can eventually kill large trees (for example see the trees that died on the T e Ponanga Saddle Road, National Park to Turangi, many years after the road was constructed). Tree roots spread as far as the leaf 'drip-line' and as beech trees are shallow rooted, their disturbance cannot possibly be avoided using the car park dimensions as on the plan and in fact one tree trunk will be within lm of the proposed kerb. □ The rare whio or blue duck frequents this river and may be disturbed by: more noise; more litter; more stormwater discharge. A possible partial solution would be to provide up to 30 angle car parks using 5m of the road reserve directly off Mangawhero Terrace. This would enhance traffic flow and stop roadside parking as at present. I know this is well short of the required number but the other options eg Tyne Street, there is vacant land near the creek, Thames Street, Station Road just over the bridge and Mr Scarf s own land in Railway Row, may all be available and should be thoroughly investigated and used first. All these may seem a long way from the complex but are no further to walk than in a large city supermarket car park. Acceptance of a sum of money in lieu of Mr Scarf providing car parks is absolutely no answer and must not be considered. After all the car parks are still going to be required somewhere and the money generated would not pay for them. Before he started the construction he knew car parks would be needed and note the plans are dated May 1994 so why has it taken six months for this to come to a head?

Evelyn Cooper (Mrs)

# Whenever I return to Ohakune I am filled with a sense of pride and joy at what a beautiful town it now is. I am sure there are many others who feel the same. The first annual budget for landscaping the then Borough was $1500. That together with the genius of Gordon Collier was sufficient to start what is now a landscape feature of inestimable value, the banks of the Mangawhero River in Mangawhero Terrace. To even consider desecrating part of that feature fills me with absolute horror. Up until now I have admired Paul Scarf s work in developing a valuable amenity in Ohakune. However, to even contemplate developing a car park as suggested in the Bulletin of 29 No vember i s an outrage and must not be allowed to proceed. A lesson learned by Council, very early during the 70' s

development of Ohakune, was that the long-term interests of the town had to be preserved. Then we were seen as fair game by get-rich-quick artists who thought council would accept anythmg in the name of development. They were wrong and today's administration has to prove Mr Scarf wrong. Failure to do otherwise will only confirm council' s incompetence in maintaining and administering a sensible District Scheme already made apparent by the statement: "Given the way the Thames Street commercial area has developed, for many of the businesses compliance with the parking requirements of the District Plan is impracticable or impossible" ( Bulletin 29 November). I am apalled and I am sure others will be also. An alternative obviously exists (Tyne Street) and it should be followed. To do otherwise will only create a precedent which will ultimately desecrate the whole of Mangwhero Terrace. John T Gould, Mayor of Ohakune 1968-1981.