Fall on Te Puke slippery surface causes broken wrist for Carolyn Symmans

Carolyn Symmans slipped and fell on the wet surface of Te Puke's Heritage Walkway, breaking her wrist.

A second fall in Te Puke town centre has prompted Maketū's Carolyn Symmans to demand action.

Around a year ago, Carolyn slipped and fell at the Jellicoe St entrance to the Te Puke Heritage Walkway. She complained to Western Bay of Plenty District Council and shortly afterwards, a ''caution - slippery when wet'' signs appeared.

On March 28 this year she slipped and fell again with far more serious consequences - this time she broke the radius and ulna in her left wrist.

She says having already fallen on the wet surface, she was being cautious.

''It's not as if I was walking fast. I was being super careful,'' she says.

''When I stood up I saw my arm was all deformed and I was in a bit of a state of shock.''

There was no-one able to help at Ngā Kakano health centre so she rang Maketū Hauora who sent someone to pick up her car and someone else to take her to Bayfair Doctors.

She had to pay $39.50 for the consultation and $30 for an x-ray.

A post on Facebook drew comments from others who said they had also slipped on the wet surface.

Carolyn rang Western Bay of Plenty District Council and was told a service request would be lodged.

''My concern is, if a person was carrying a baby or a small child and went over, what would happen to the baby or child?''

She would like to see a non-slip surface put down.

Carolyn says it is likely her wrist will be in a cast for six to seven weeks.

''The first couple of nights I couldn't sleep. The pain was through the roof.''

The place Carolyn slipped is outside Te Puke Jewellers and co-owner Jannine Pearce says the slippery surface is an on-going issue.

''We've complained hundreds of times and have had to call the ambulance three times in the past five years because people have fallen and broken bones,'' she says.

''But nothing had been done except for the signs. As soon as it gets rain on it, it's dangerous and it always has been since it was done.''

Jannine's daughter Grace slipped and fell last winter and suffered a concussion.

Council's group manager infrastructure services, Gary Allis, says the walkway opened for public use in 2015 and was designed with community input to be attractive and pedestrian-friendly.

''When the walkway was constructed a special non-slip coating was put on the concrete.

This product had been used in a number of other locations and proved to be effective.''

Since the opening there have been nine service requests regarding the surface with one person tripping on a raised light fitting, three slipping on pavers or cobbles, two slipping on the concrete surface and three not stating a specific cause.

Gary says in October 2017 the walkway area was water blasted and a two-coat ultra-seal product with polypropylene aggregate was applied.

''The site has recently been re-inspected by Council staff to determine if existing treated surfaces were adversely affecting pedestrian safety. The inspection did not highlight any issues with the surface.

''A further inspection will be undertaken in the next period of wet weather to check the surface.''

He said no decision had been made on what further work could be done to the existing surface and the council will continue to monitor community feedback.