Welcome to water world

The "chopped off" version, the "lawn option" or the "wet one."
These were the choices presented to an invitation-only audience yesterday at the Masterton District Council, keen to learn the Hosking Garden's fate during the second phase of Queen Elizabeth Park's rejuvenation.
It was the wet option that caught everyone's interest.
Chairwoman Jane Terpstra told the meeting the council "had seen fit to hold the presentation outside of normal action" because of the public interest in the garden's fate.
The only option to retain part of the garden was the first one presented, where the garden front walls facing Dixon Street would be opened up to the promenade and the present side entrance sealed off.
The other two options would see the demolition of the garden walls and a "footprint" marked out on the ground to show where it used to be.
Option two would see the creation of a flat lawn, while option three would include jumping jets of water, either across a flat surface or into a shallow pond.
Landscape architect Sarah Poff outlined the options. Whatever option is accepted the promenade will have a kink in it, as it passes by the Hosking garden site.
Initial suggestions from the council that it should be demolished alongside its former neighbour, the information centre building, had been met with protests from several quarters.
Some of those critics were at yesterday's meeting but most got quite excited when the options were presented.
Beth Sutherland, who was among those who established the "Friends of the Park" group, thought the multiple jets of water were "very exciting" because it continued the water theme the sunken garden had portrayed. The site was formerly the Hosking baths for women, donated to the town by Dr William Hosking.
Mrs Sutherland said she did not like the idea of cutting open the existing garden as it would open what is now a peaceful area.
"People would not want to go in there with all the cars jazzing by. Technically it's really a walled garden, not a sunken one. I think the water feature is the way to go."
Allan Williamson, convenor of the Master Putt committee, also loved the water feature proposal.
"The idea brings back the baths concept and such a water feature would be stunning."
The Hosking Garden was not the only feature under the microscope.
The proposed new main entrance to the park will be opposite Aratoi where the information building used to sit. It's planned to restore the Victorian fountain, currently sitting in the sunken garden and move it to a prominent site at the entrance and have water flowing through it again.
The mini-putt grounds are to be moved back from being "hard up" on the Dixon Street frontage and its land area will increase from 660sqm to 800sqm. The kiosk would also be moved and public toilets included within a new building to reveal the old oak tree and open up a picnic area behind the playground.
The croquet club members were also happy with the proposals coming their way. The clubrooms would remain but would receive a revamp making them more in keeping with the Victorian theme of the park.
"The idea is to open up all vistas of the park as much as possible and so there will be no such thing as backs of buildings," said Ms Poff.
She said she was aware of security issues facing the park and so the emphasis of her design was "accessibility and permeability."
At the end of the meeting, Mrs Terpstra said the decision on which option would be chosen would be made by the full council on November 29, based on a recommendation from the task group.