Hamilton City Council votes to change Sonning Carpark to Opoia Paa - considers returning land to tangata whenua

Sonning Carpark in Hamilton will now be called Opoia Paa. Photo / RNZ

Sonning Carpark in Hamilton will now be called Opoia Paa following a vote by Hamilton City Council.

Yesterday’s vote is the latest development for the site, which became controversial last year when high-rise housing was proposed on the council-owned land.

Ngaati Wairere historian Wiremu Puke told the council that mana whenua had been waiting more than 160 years to reconnect with Opoia Paa.

“Many of our paa have disappeared under development in the city for the last 160 years and we don’t have many of those old paa to take people to and share that history with them - it’s a continual feeling of anguish for Ngaati Wairere.”

The public was welcome to speak to the council about the motion to change the name.

Former councillor Gordon Chesterman believes councillors were misled by staff over the significance of the park. Photo / Supplied

Former local councillor Gordon Chesterman, who is from the Guardians of Claudelands, said the group urged the council to change the name.

“Take a moment to consider the Treaty of Waitangi, which I understand is displayed in this chamber,” he told councillors.

Councillor Ewan Wilson reminded Chesterman that he had been on the council that put the land up for sale and development many years ago and wondered why he had changed his mind.

“All of us were excited about marketing [Sonning carpark], but I am now very very angry that staff did not in any of those reports say ‘did you know it’s a designated historic paa?’.”

He believed that staff pulled the wool over the eyes of the council at that time.

Waikato Historical Society president Neil Curgenven also spoke in support of the name change and thought the land should be gifted back to mana whenua.

“It would be a decent thing to give it back to them,” he said.

The future of the site will be considered by the Economic Development Committee next week and the council committed to partnering with mana whenua to consider the next steps for enhancing and developing the carpark.