Council makes move in road name dispute
THE public spat over a road name inside a North Taieri subdivision has taken another twist, after the Dunedin City Council voted to make up its own.
Kim Taylor, the project manager for the 18lot Wakefield Wynd subdivision, has been locked in a battle with the council over the name of the subdivision’s culdesac since last year.
Mr Taylor wanted the subdivision’s culdesac to also carry the name Wakefield Wynd, but the council was concerned ‘‘Wynd’’ could be confusing for emergency services.
There were also concerns about the questionable past of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who set up the New Zealand Com pany to organise settlement in New Zealand.
Mr Taylor had been asked to consider ‘‘close’’, ‘‘place’’, ‘‘road’’ or ‘‘way’’ instead, but he rejected them, refused to provide an alternative and threatened to install his own street sign.
Instead, councillors at yesterday’s infrastructure services and networks committee meeting voted to adopt their own preferred name for the street — Cuddie Close.
The name, suggested by Cr Aaron Hawkins, recognised Mary Cuddie, a Scottish immigrant who came to Otago in 1874, farmed on Saddle Hill and later developed a business career.
A report by council staff, considered at yesterday’s meeting, noted the council had the power to name the road under the Local Government Act.
Staff had made several requests for alternatives to Wakefield Wynd, but none had been forthcoming, and naming the road ‘‘is now considered to be urgent’’, the report by council transport planner Grant Fisher said.
Some properties within the subdivision had already been sold, but, without a name, ‘‘landowners are faced with the uncertainty and inconvenience of having no street address’’, he said.
Mr Taylor could still challenge the new name, either by applying to the council to change it or by seeking a judicial review, the report noted.
Mr Taylor did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.
Yesterday’s decision was one of four road name decisions signed off by councillors.
Also approved was ‘‘Abbeyfield Close’’ for a new private way servicing an 11lot subdivision off North Taieri Rd, and ‘‘Errols Court’’ for a private way servicing another 11lot subdivision off Esplanade, in Warrington.
The developer of the latest stages of the Silver Springs subdivision off Anderton Cres, in Mosgiel, also won approval for the names of two new roads — ‘‘Marjorie Lane’’ and ‘‘Mellay Mews’’ — and one private way, ‘‘Aviation Lane’’.
WHY not here? That’s the question South Dunedin businesses and residents have been asking following the return of Barnes Dance intersections to the city centre.
The Dunedin City Council is not discounting the possibility of installing the diagonal crossing method at the intersection of King Edward St and Hillside Rd in the future.
The lack of a Barnes Dance in South Dunedin was regularly brought up by submitters during the hearing on the council’s 10year plan last week.
Before the installation of the two Barnes Dances in the Octagon last month, the last Barnes Dance in Dunedin was in place at Cargill’s Corner in the 1980s.
South Dunedin Business Association president Craig Waterhouse said South Dunedin businesses wanted the return of a Barnes Dance to the intersection .
‘‘We would definitely like it back. I think it would markedly improve the traffic in the area, particularly at peak times.’’
There had been some excitement about two weeks ago when a control box next to a traffic light on the intersection was replaced, Mr Waterhouse said.
‘‘It could have just been part of general maintenance but we hoped it would be something to do with a Barnes Dance.’’
Council transport group manager Richard Saunders said Cargill’s Corner was considered to be an intersection where a Barnes Dance might be installed, but was not in the group of eight to be installed first.
The eight crossings, all in the city centre, were related to the proposed bus hub and were upgrades that needed to be made, Mr Saunders said. Once they were installed, the council would look at other intersections in the city.
‘‘We’ll assess Cargill’s Corner, along with other intersections, to see if a Barnes Dance would be appropriate there.’’
The council would announce any further Barnes Dance crossings later this year.
❛ We would definitely like it back. I think it would markedly improve the traffic in the area, particularly at peak times
MARGARET van Zyl is still waiting for her money.
The Mosgiel pensioner turned up at the Dunedin City Council’s infrastructure and networks committee meeting yesterday to voice her displeasure during the public forum.
She was upset by the council’s continuing practice of adding fluoride to drinking water, in line with Ministry of Health guidelines.
And she was also upset at the council’s decision to switch the source of Mosgiel’s water from an untreated bore to the city’s fluoridated supply in December, following public health advice.
But, most of all, she was miffed by the council’s refusal to pay for the $240 water filter she bought and had installed after Mosgiel’s water supply changed.
Mrs van Zyl told yesterday’s meeting she had sent the bill the council, but received a response from council chief executive Sue Bidrose declining to cover the cost.
Not good enough, Mrs van Zyl told councillors.
‘‘I expect to be paid. Your cheque, I hope, will be in the post.’’