Freedom camping, landscape, stormwater
Warren Iggo and Graeme Beardmore from the Collingwood Boat Club photographed on the new reclamation and boat-rig park. “There used to be space for about seven rigs so the overflow used to end up in the main street and on people’s lawns,” said Warren
The Golden Bay Community Board had a full agenda and a busy public forum at its March meeting in Collingwood last Tuesday.
Outstanding landscape values. The board heard more about the broken agreement between TDC and the joint friends groups (Friends of Nelson Haven and Tasman Bay, and Friends of Golden Bay). Speaking on behalf of the Friends of Golden Bay, Don Mead expressed his disappointment about council’s delayed action on landscape policies in areas of development in the Bay.
“Council said it would be done by the end of last year but now we’ve been told it won’t be finished till June of next year,” he said.
Board chair Joe Bell responded: “When a promise is given in Environment Court, formal steps should be taken to ensure it’s honoured. It was far better for everyone that it was settled via promise. Now it needs to happen.”
Pohara walk/cycleway. Cliff Turley spoke on behalf of the Heritage Golden Bay group about the plans for the proposed walk/cycleway at Pohara and its potential impact on the band rotunda.
“I support the proposed walkway,” he said, “but I have a particular interest in the alterations to the rotunda. Two plans have been sent over and a 1.2-metre adjustment is planned. Although it’s described as “a minor trimming” it makes a considerable difference. It’s more like rotunda slaughter.” Built in 1934 with band funds, the rotunda has been mostly maintained by the public, said Cliff, with important contributions from Barry Cashman and Derry Kingston. As the building of the walkway may go ahead in April, Heritage Golden Bay wants council to consult widely on the plans. Cliff referred to a 2007 auditor general’s report on TDC’s consultation, in which it was stated that through consultation, “sometimes the community itself provides the solution”.
Mr Bell explained that the board did not have the detailed plans at its last meeting and therefore asked council’s community services manager Lloyd Kennedy to consult with Barry Cashman and Derry Kingston. The board decided to consider the matter as a late agenda item.
Collingwood boat ramp. Several speakers praised the newly completed reclamation and parking area adjacent to the Collingwood boat-ramp. One, Alan Blackie, wondered whether the new amenity would be further enhanced by the provision of a public toilet.
Swiftsure Street. Residents of Swiftsure Steet in Collingwood expressed disappointment that stormwater problems there still have no solution. Keith Ballard said: “TDC has agreed that it is damaging our property, and 10 days ago an engineer proposed an interim solution that made problems for others, so we declined. The long-term solution could take two years. It’s not a good thing to have a problem that takes this long to solve.”
Mr Bell said that the road could be reconfigured and the stormwater could go to Washington Street. “Everyone who has seen the problem agrees that it needs fixing sooner rather than later.” Tasman Mayor Richard Kempthorne explained that the solution may not be simple.
Freedom camping. Freedom camping issues were raised by more than one contributor. Taupata Creek and Puponga have been popular with freedom campers, though it seems people are also staying in the Collingwood new boat ramp car-park and sneaking in to use the campground’s facilities late at night.
Recycling collections. Board member Leigh Gamby raised the issue of the recycling contractors’ performance in the last two months, during which time the Bay has not seen a complete collection of recyclables, he said.
“We have a contractor who is not fulfilling his contract and the people who are supervising the contract need to do something about it.”
“We’re paying for a full service and not getting it,” said board member Karen Brookes.
Pakawau sea erosion. Fiona Wilson asked whether it was true that a large rock wall was about to built in the vicinity of the former Pakawau Camp and, if it was true, whether the public would be notified. Mayor Kempthorne said that he had received a letter from some Pakawau residents asking for permission to work on their erosion issues. Council staff apparently do not favour a rock wall.
“I will be replying to that letter very shortly,” said Mr Kempthorne. “I will be saying ‘Yes, we will be working with the community,’ but there is no clear intention to build or not to build a rock wall. There is an intention to work with the community to get a solution.”
Neil Wilson
