Parks withering in suburbs

Three quarters of parks in some of Auckland’s wealthiest suburbs have been neglected, a review has found.

O¯ ra¯ kei Local Board members reviewed 121 parks and reserves in their east Auckland area and found more than 75 per cent were in an substandard condition.

The area includes O¯ ra¯kei, Mission Bay, Kohimarama, St Heliers, Glendowie, St Johns, Stonefields, Meadowbank, Remuera and parts of Ellerslie.

The review, carried out from October 12 to 16, focussed on mowing and gardening maintenance but also hazards.

O¯ ra¯kei Local Board deputy chair Kit Parkinson said the results were ‘‘extremely disappointing’’ and many parks were ‘‘not in a condition where people could use them’’.

Only 34 out of 121 neighbourhood parks and reserves were mowed, Parkinson said.

For example, Mary Atkin Reserve in Kohimarama had not been mowed since July 1, he said.

Several parks were ’’dangerous’’ with broken glass, rusty corrugated iron and rubbish.

A member of the public cleared five 10 kilogram bags of broken bottles from Ladies Bay in early October, Parkinson said.

This has raised questions about the quality of service from Auckland Council’s cleaning contractors Ventia, he said.

Auckland Council signed a five-year-long $266 million contract with Ventia in June. Ventia would not comment. Auckland Council general manager community facilities Rod Sheridan said council officers agreed the situation was unacceptable.

Auckland Council was working with the contractor to lift its performance, Sheridan said.

‘‘The mobilisation of these contracts, along with the continued wet weather conditions has impacted on the outcome we need to achieve,’’ he said.

Marist Brothers Old Boys Rugby Club member Floyd Ormsby said he had watched Liston Park deteriorate to the point where he did not want his grandchildren to play there.

‘‘There is not one window that is not smashed to pieces - it is a disgrace and it is simply unsafe,’’ Ormsby said.

‘‘The wooden seating is unsafe to sit on because it is rotten and the veranda railings have fallen onto the sports field because they are rotten,’’ he said.