Push for playground to keep children safe

SAFETY FIRST: Reva Ngapoe of Kilkee Terrace in Flaxmere with some of the kids she wants to keep safe. To do this she has asked Hastings District Council to put a playground on the reserve at the end of the cul-de-sac, hoping that will stop the children playing on the street.PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

Reva Ngapoe is a mum on a mission to keep the kids on her street safe.

The Flaxmere resident approached Hastings District Council this week asking it to put a park on the Kilkee Terrace reserve in a bid to keep children from playing on the street and to enhance a sense of community among residents.

"I would love to have this park for the kids because I have three kids of my own, two teenagers and a 2-year-old," she told councillors at the public hearings for the annual plan round.

"I would love to see her and them playing almost every day after school instead of her going down the driveway playing on the road with the other kids."

She said the park would also be a chance to get to know the neighbours better.

Ms Ngapoe has the support of councillors Henare O'Keefe and Jacoby Poulain, who both said it was a great example of local leadership.

"We need more mums like this standing up for the community and looking out for the kids," Ms Poulain said.

Mayor Lawrence Yule said he had a great deal of sympathy with making small local parks.

"We'll ask officers to look at that but - we can't build a park in every street, so it is a bit of a balance," he said.

In their response to the submission the officers said they understood the push for a playground but given its location and limited accessibility, and one nearby at Len Harlen Park, it would not be a recommended site.

But Ms Ngapoe said her neighbours did not want to send their kids elsewhere, because they didn't know if they would be safe.

The officers said there was also no funding available for the location. "So any desire to develop a playground would necessitate a change in priorities," the officers reported, adding $60,000 would be needed for such a playscape.

While not wanting to speak for councillors before a decision was made on the submission, Mr Yule said green areas such as Kilkee Terrace Reserve had been set aside for future use.

"So they could actually be made available for a park [and] so it t is a logical play to want to put a park and some play equipment," he said.

Mr Yule said the council would have to work out where the priorities for funding were to see if they accommodate Ms Ngapoe's request. A decision will be made by the council on Tuesday.