Masonic Park gets revamp

Masonic Park is undergoing a $150,000 makeover as Tauranga City Council attempts to rectify stormwater issues and better utilise the park's recreational ability.

Contractors work on the Masonic Park upgrades.

This week diggers and temporary steel fences appeared as contractors began work on the two month project, removing the parks larger palm tree and grass verge in the process.

Key works will see improvements made to the footpaths surface and its width, flattening the grass area on the Wharf Street side of the park and additional stormwater infrastructure installed.

The stormwater infrastructure is seen to helping managing the stormwater issues that exist on the northern boundary of the park.

The Masonic Park site was historically home to the Masonic Hotel from 1865 until it was demolished in 1993, with council deciding the site was to become an open space reserve in 2010.

'What we are doing is a bit of landscaping over there and at the same time we are resolving some of the stormwater issues that are at Masonic Park because it's the lowest level between the two buildings and the car park,” says Tauranga City Council project manager Tony Bodger.

'So we are just putting in some stormwater pipes and linking it to the stormwater network on The Strand.”

Tony says the flattening on the Wharf St side means the 'two hills” will be made level with the rest of the park offering a more user friendly public space.

A concrete plaza is also being constructed and installed adding another dimension for the public to use.

Pedestrian access through the park will be maintained throughout the works, expected to be completed by the end of June.

But Tony says the removal of the palm tree is permanent.

'The palm tree has been removed that was pretty much dying anyway. When we pulled it out from the ground we found out why because it still had its plastic cover from when it was put in 10 or 20 years ago.

'The whole area is going to look good when it's finished.”

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6 comments

concrete jungle

Posted on 04-05-2014 14:46 | By yikes61

Concrete plaza added? at least the grass soaked up some of the rainwater. Well done planners and designers, little by little you remove the need for ecology maintenance.


I think we are being treated like mushrooms again ...

Posted on 04-05-2014 18:50 | By Murray.Guy

The park functioned. To spend $150,000 to allegedly level grass and address a storm water issue has the ring of the 'Mayor and CEO' knowing something they aren't prepared to divulge! Council would have us believe this expenditure is of greater value than the mobile library bus service to low docile schools, to the transport restricted in our community; more critical than the provision of basic grass cutting and access to our swimming pools! No doubt in my mind, we're getting the 'mushroom treatment'!


YOU ARE RIGHT GUYS

Posted on 05-05-2014 08:57 | By ROCCO

Never mind the environment lets level and concrete everything. One just has to laugh out loud and hope its a bad dream. Unfortunately it isn't but it is sheer financial stuffwittery and a waste of ratepayer funds.


The toothless grin of the CBD

Posted on 05-05-2014 09:52 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

This gap in the strand has always been an eyesore. Council throwing more money after bad "investment". Sell the land to a developer, then many problems will be solved, least of all adding some badly needed $$ to the coffers.


council

Posted on 05-05-2014 11:13 | By Capt_Kaveman

saving money??? where????


Not sure if Murray Guy remembers

Posted on 05-05-2014 11:45 | By Councillorwatch

But I seem to remember the Council he was on getting involved in a Speedway and catering business at unknown cost and putting some $5 million into Baypark?? So I'm a bit amazed to see him writing about money that could otherwise have gone to a library bus serving low "docile" schools and other things. What about all that money that went into Baypark? Or is that somehow ok? By the way, what is a Council doing providing library services to schools. I thought that was governments job. I think all these things should be cut, including the money to do whatever to this park.


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