Council turns down fun park petition

Leisure Island back in its heyday. Photo/Warren Gifford

A lack of community understanding has been blamed for the popularity of a petition to build a water fun park on Moturiki Island at Mount Maunganui.

The bid to turn back the clock on the island, also known as Leisure Island, was soundly defeated by the Tauranga City Council yesterday.

The petition, signed by nearly 1700 people, harked back to the days when Moturiki was home to a marine attraction and water park.

Mayor Stuart Crosby says Moturiki Island was not an appropriate site for another Leisure Island.

However, the council unanimously agreed to not support the petition, with Mayor Stuart Crosby (pictured) saying that Moturiki was no longer an appropriate site for this type of activity.

Councillor Rick Curach said a lot of people reminisced about the old days but things had progressed since then.

He cited various Acts and council policies that protected Moturiki.

A report to the meeting said the petition from Mount resident Catherine Hunt did not contain any supporting information.

The report said Moturiki was a conservation zone and special ecological area in the council's City Plan, with outstanding natural features and landscape values.

Councillor Matt Cowley said there was no way the project would have got through an Environment Court appeal process if the council had supported the petition.

Councillor John Robson said the petition showed there was a lack of understanding in the community of the constraints on the council.

Someone had spent a lot of time and energy on the petition, with the community frustrated that the fun park was not a flyer on Moturiki.

"We need to get the community more informed about what is possible so they can put their energy into something with a reasonable chance of success," he said.

Moturiki (Leisure) Island history

* Originally a defended Maori pa with terraces visible until 1940

* Quarry established 1910 and closed 1926

* Quarry site leased out for Marineland Park in 1966

* Marineland replaced by Leisure Island in 1981

* Waterslide, bumper boats and hot and cold pools closed in 1990