Mount Maunganui information centre plan stirs up fears for future of Coronation Park

City councillor Rick Curach on the site of Mount Maunganui's Coronation Park where a new iconic visitor information centre could be built. Photo/John Borren

A high profile piece of parkland in Mount Maunganui could be lost if the council opts to build an iconic gateway visitor information centre for cruise ship passengers and tourists.

Tauranga City councillor Rick Curach has revealed the Maunganui Rd frontage of Coronation Park was the council's preferred site for the culturally significant option costing up to $5 million.

He said the site at the Nikau Crescent end of the frontage had been the council's clear preference because the alternative location in Salisbury Ave, where the i-Site used to be, lacked the profile needed for such an iconic building.

A council workshop last week was held to discuss the project. Mr Curach said he arrived at the conclusion after the meeting that the frontage was too precious.

''It is important to retain that visual corridor through there - the openness of the area."

He recalled all the work and public consultation that had gone into decisions made about 10 years ago to revitalise and open up Coronation Park.

"With all the intensification at the Mount, the need to retain green space is critical. That is why the original location is the best location, it is replacing an existing building. It will encroach into the reserve but not dramatically and was not in such a high-profile area."

Well known Mountie Allan Goodhall feared a visitor information centre fronting Maunganui Rd would add to the clutter and spoil the welcoming green space as people approached the main shopping centre.

"That open space has to be guarded."

Councillor Catherine Stewart had no fixed views on where the visitor information centre should go. Her priority was that the council should not make a decision to put the project into the Annual Plan until all the ducks were in a row.

She said a key consideration was whether the port company would allow a new gate directly into Coronation Park for cruise ship passengers to access the information centre.
It was premature for the council to be making a decision next week on putting the project into the 2017-18 Annual Plan.

Monika Geister, the owner of the Gourmet Night Market held on Coronation Park, was concerned about whether the building would restrict the visibility of the market to passersby. However, she did not think it would impact too much on their area, depending on the final design.

"Mount Maunganui has been lacking a proper information centre, so it is a good thing."

Mrs Geister said the disadvantages of the corner location could be outweighed by the good aspects of having a cool building with all the trimmings.

Mayor Greg Brownless said there had been reasonable support for the park's corner site because the building would stand out and more people would come to see it. No vote was taken.

Until the council had explored its options with the port company it could not even begin to think about the site, he said. "The real biggie is the $5 million and who will pay."