Cemetery and gates is still big issue

wta190813lfarcherst01.jpg The entrance to the Archer Street Cemetery that has been blocked off to vehicles. The original gate posts are left and right with a newly erected wall and pillar centre.

The issue of the Archer St gates and the cemetery behind refuses to go away with 11 out of 28 submissions to stage 4 of Queen Elizabeth Park development listing them as a concern.

Submissions will be heard at a meeting of Masterton District Council's Hearings Committee on March 3 with the gates and cemetery being the most commented on issue, asking for the gates to be restored.

The submissions follow a park and cemetery walk organised by council's Parks and Open Spaces Task Group and, aside from the gates and cemetery, many submissions also raise the issue of various trees within the park.

Park Bowling Club, through its president, raises the possibility of removing very large oak trees along the boundary of the upper bowling green, replacing them with ornamental shrubs.

The bowlers would like to see a reduction of between 30 and 50 per cent of the trees along that boundary, and to have an arborist review the "large and dangerous redwoods" near the entrance to the cafe. They are also seeking wider entry to the bowling green from the boat house parking area and the positioning of two white posts at the entrance for a notice board.

Sue McArley has submitted replacing all dead wood trees and considers shutting off the park at night would be a good idea.

Alan Fielding logged 11 submissions, among them being a proposal to use ground search radar in Pioneer Cemetery for detecting unmarked graves. He would also like to see the park lake deepened to reduce toxic algae and for motorbikes to be stopped from being used on the stop-bank path.

One of the more unusual submissions also comes from Mr Fielding who wants consideration to be given to a sculpture celebrating the local tramp Barney White Rats.

Helen Woodford wants Memorial Drive to have a barrier at night and a by-law to be passed making it a public road.

Elizabeth Andrew, who keeps a close eye on the park, has submitted 50 submissions including re-opening the Archer St gates with the former wrought-iron ones being reinstated. Mrs Andrew wants an explanation as to why "they have been narrowed".

She is also wanting to know where a memorial plaque dedicating the kea aviary to Sir Herbert Hart is and said the jasper boulder should be put back on its original site with two seats erected either side, with windbreaks .

Mrs Andrew considers the lake island to be a "shameful mess" and said there are rats under the boat shed.

Lorraine Crothers is asking for more visible "no parking on the grass" signs to be erected and for vehicle access to the area to be restricted to service vehicles and disabled drivers, making it safer for children.