Footpath outside Whanganui's Kōwhainui Retirement Village causing accidents, locals say

Graham McGrath says he knows of four people who have tripped and fallen on the footpath. Photo / Bevan Conley

A patch of footpath outside the Kōwhainui Retirement Village in Virginia Rd has caused multiple falls over the last couple of years, according to local residents.

Graham McGrath said a lot of older people, including some with walking sticks and frames, walked along it for exercise.

"The slabs of concrete don't quite meet at the same level," McGrath said.

"That doesn't mean there's a four-foot difference or anything, even a quarter of an inch is enough to trip an old person's foot."

Berneice Holmes lives down the road from McGrath in Edith Collier Drive.

She said she tripped on the concrete in mid-April and sustained several injuries, including fractured ribs.

"My glasses went for six. It wasn't very pleasant.

"I said to Graham about a month before that we needed to write to the council about it because someone was going to fall soon.

"I didn't realise it would be me."

Holmes said she didn't think it would take much to fix the problem.

Grinding the ledges down could be an option.

"I've seen it done in Waipukurau when I lived there, and Rangitīkei used to do it as well."

He and Holmes met with a Whanganui District Council representative at the site following her fall, McGrath said.

"The net result of the conversation was 'there are a hell of a lot of footpaths that are worse', including one just down the road.

"Within a couple of days the concrete people were fixing that one but they never touched ours - the one between Kōwhainui home and the drive that goes up to Hospice.

"Berneice is the fourth person I know who has gone flat on their face on the concrete. That's really not a fair go."

Berneice Holmes and Graham McGrath say grinding down the concrete ledges would fix the problem. Photo / Bevan Conley

Age Concern Whanganui manager Michelle Malcolm said her organisation had been alerted to the issue.

"We tell people to keep as mobile as possible but if the footpath is a hazard then that's a concern.

"It's also by a bus stop. Again, we are saying to people 'use public transport', but it has to be safe."

Like Holmes, McGrath said grinding the ledges down would fix the problem.

"Again, they are not high, but there's plenty to catch your shoe on if you're shuffling along, like older people do.

"They're not trying to break the speed record but when they trip they hit the footpath with a wallop, there's no doubt about it."

Holmes said there should be "an element of urgency" in fixing the footpath.

"I'm picking there are a fair few [footpaths] like this around town but a lot of people here are using an aid, whether it's a walker or a stick.

"There is a kindergarten nearby as well. People walk and push prams."

A council spokesperson said repairs had been made this week to improve two other areas identified as trip hazards near Kōwhainui.

"One of these was on the southern side of Virginia Rd, opposite Kōwhainui.

"The other repair was to a small area of footpath at the entrance to Kōwhainui Drive that had been damaged by vehicles.

"This area has been repaired with thicker reinforced concrete to prevent further damage."

Those hazards were reported to the council by a resident who then met with a council officer onsite, the spokesperson said.

"We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced a fall or a near-miss in this area due to a footpath issue."

To report a hazard, contact the council by phone on 349 0001, by email, via www.whanganui.govt.nz/Online-Services/Report-a-problem, or by using the Snap Send Solve or Antenno apps.