Mackays Crossing entrance at Queen Elizabeth Park now has automated gates.
Mackays Crossing entrance at Queen Elizabeth Park now has automated gates.
Replacing original zinc coated steel main gates at the Mackays Crossing entrance to Kapiti's Queen Elizabeth Park with lightweight steel automated gates hasn't impressed a local resident.
The new gates, which now close and lock automatically every day at 6pm, are part of a wider redevelopment project at the entrance area.
The old gates were removed by the Wellington Regional Council because they were in "very poor shape", assets principal ranger Bronek Kasmierow said.
But Mike Alexander felt the gates could have been easily fixed to enable them to be retained at the entrance.
"What would happen if the gates by the war memorial arch in Paraparaumu were removed?"
He said the old gates had been an icon of the park since the entrance was opened during a "huge ceremony" by former Prime Minister Keith Holyoake in August 1963.
Mr Alexander said four main events had taken place at the entrance including in 1943 US President Franklin D Roosevelt's wife Eleanor visited, in 1953 Queen Elizabeth II visited, in 1963 Prime Minister Keith Holyoake opened the entrance, and in 1993 the 50th anniversary of US Marines stationed in the park was held.
A plaque at the Mackays Crossing entrance noting US Marines present in Queen Elizabeth Park during World War II.
He said the entrance should be retained as a commemorative site, especially in recognition of the US Marines stationed in the park during World War II, and a new entry/exit entrance created nearby.
And he noted the entrance had four plaques, two of which are pictured, but the other two weren't there anymore, including one marking Holyoake's opening of the entrance and the other in memory of a US Marines lieutenant run over in the entrance during the war.
Mr Kasmierow said the new gates were "a key factor in ensuring park security and protection of council and other assets".
"We have installed automatic gates at other regional parks and realised a range of benefits from these, with more timely opening and closing, lower contractor costs, more ranger time available for park management and more flexibility for out of hours access including emergency services.
"Their replacement also provides vehicles with a little more room as cars have regularly bumped the gates in the past."
Looking at automating the original gates had been investigated but "they were in very poor shape, having been driven into and damaged over their lives, and this was ruled out early in the planning stages".
"The heritage elements such as the brick pillars and the plaque have been retained fully, and the southernmost pedestrian gate leaf has also been left in place."
He said advice was received to construct a purpose built replica of the original gates but as a slider style.
"Huge efforts were made to replicate to the finest detail the design of the gates."
The old gates would be "repositioned elsewhere in the park, ideally with further interpretation to give visitors more of a picture about the history of the park".
And as part of the wider entrance development project, a second entrance would be created allowing a dedicated entry and exit, enabling vehicles to come and go simultaneously, which isn't the case at present.
