After Cyclone Gabrielle a number of parks and reserves in the Hastings District will remain closed while the council works on cleaning up and safety checks. Photo / Supplied
After Cyclone Gabrielle a number of parks and reserves in the Hastings District will remain closed while the council works on cleaning up and safety checks. Photo / Supplied
Cyclone Gabrielle turned many parks and reserves into ponds, slips blocked access roads, and mature trees were brought to the ground, making once popular family spots now unsafe.
Most of Hastings District’s 706 hectares of existing parks and reserves are now safe and open, however, there are still several green spaces across the district that remain closed, the council says.
Hastings District Council said it was a priority to return as many parks to a safe condition, with the premier parks and sports grounds being the first focus.
Pekapeka Regional Park just outside of Hastings was also hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle and remains closed due to storm damage. Photo / Warren Buckland
The council said tree risk assessments were conducted by arborists, while playground safety inspections had been completed and sports grounds prepared for use.
A council spokesperson said, “Due to heavily sodden grounds, heavy machinery usage has been delayed to avoid further turf damage.”
The council asked members of the public to keep clear of hazard-taped areas. Some areas had been taped off as they presented a risk of injury from falling branches within partially opened reserves.
The natural area reserves in the Havelock North Hills and some rural parks had suffered the most damage, with many trees falling and large slips making access difficult or dangerous. These would remain closed until condition assessments determined the best way forward.
Damage after Cyclone Gabrielle means Te Mata Park will stay closed while the team cleans up. Photo / Supplied
Te Mata Park was also heavily hit by Cyclone Gabrielle and remains closed, with repair work on tracks and trees continuing.
The park had sustained major damage with slips and fallen trees on the vast majority of tracks. Some tracks were completely blocked and required substantial work to clear.
There was also damage to many fences and gates and there were precarious, partially fallen trees and dangerous slips on exposed tracks.
Although closed for the first few weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle, Te Mata Park will now partially open.
Te Mata Park Trust has announced a partial reopening of Te Mata Park, with an interim walking track established from Tauroa car park to the summit and return.
More tracks will be opened over the coming weeks as areas are cleared and made safe following the cyclone. The park will be closed to mountain bikers until March 11.
It was important that park users strictly adhered to the outlined routes for both visitors’ safety and to allow contractors and volunteers to continue their work to restore more access, the park’s spokesperson said.
