Tourist centre plans snagged

John Mathieson at Coronation Park’s inconveniently placed historic grove.

Proposals to locate the new ‘iconic' tourism information centre at the eastern end of Coronation Park may have been dashed by information presented to the Tauranga City Council Annual Plan submissions by John Mathieson.

Locating the new i-Site beside Nikau Crescent will require chopping down some of the trees in the grove planted there to mark the park's creation says John.

Coronation Park was created in 1937, converted from the old railways workshop land with the help of the native plantings. The timing coincided with the Coronation of King George VI In 1937, says John. Which is why the park is named Coronation Park.

'The planting of the unique native tree grove and the Pohutukawa trees on the northern side of the Park was made to commemorate the occasion,” says John.

'Some of them are out the front. What do you proposed to do with those, chop them down? Goodness knows.”

He suggested moving the proposed new i-Site further along Maunganui Rd to the middle of the park.

A basic centre costing $4m or an ‘iconic' centre costing $5m can only be justified if it is located in a prominent, visible location, says John. Such a site exists on the Mount Maunganui Rd frontage in the open area about halfway between the historic planting and the plantings to the north of the park. This site would still be on the bus route and provide parking along the full length of the park frontage.

But that has been ruled out, he says, with the only option left being Site B is on the western side of Coronation Park in Salisbury Ave where the former i-Site building still stands.

John's says his submission is supported by Forest and Bird and perhaps the Tauranga Historical Society, but he's unsure if the full membership was notified before his Tauranga city Council Annual Plan submission was made.

'There is no comparable planting of a grove of major notable native trees within the town centre or the wider Mount Maunganui area,” says John.

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4 comments

John

Posted on 20-05-2017 14:46 | By overit

Good on you mate. I will chain myself to a tree if it comes to that. Its a beautiful green space and the pointy heads at Council can rethink their plans.


I agree

Posted on 20-05-2017 16:47 | By Border Patrol

I still don't see why the old i-site can't be upgraded for a lot less cost than some flash new building- it seems to be a logical solution. Isn't one of the reasons they are going to be digging up part of the Phoenix carpark to create a green space? Ironic really to then look to chop down lovely mature trees and build on green space in Coronation Park.


Agree with John

Posted on 21-05-2017 08:50 | By JRB

Leave those beautiful trees alone!! Their beauty and value lasts much longer than most buildings around here. Why have they dismissed the Mount Maunganui Rd frontage ??


Border Patrol

Posted on 21-05-2017 09:52 | By overit

You nailed it, but it seems as though you have to be a brain dead person to work at the Council.


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