Let’s come up with our own playground idea

WHAT an extraordinary, ill thoughtout concept proposed by Cr Benson-Pope (ODT, 11.12.18) — against all principles of play and playground design.

To copy a playground from elsewhere based on equipment for that space, or one taken from a drawer in city hall and without any community of interest, and suggest it could be placed in a windswept, cold space is crazy.

A destination playground is more than that and at least requires consultation with the people who are potential users — families, children, people young and old, and those with some knowledge of play.

Natural environment, mature trees, spaces for different activities, shelter, seating, parking and a community nearby are all essentials.

There needs to be community ownership in the planning and indeed the placement of another destination playground rather than something plonked down as a temporary measure — a copycat from Christchurch!

We have skills here through the College of Education, Otago Polytechnic and schools. We could even have the suggestion of Mornington Park (editorial, 14.12.18). We may even have a unique Dunedinbased playground plan and design with our own expertise.

Dame Elizabeth Hanan Dunedin

WHO else woke up on December 11 thinking it was April Fool’s Day when reading in the ODT how the council was planning a kids’ playground at the Harbour Basin?

Having worked in the area for over 40 years, I know how it’s always windy, most times bonechilling windy, yet the council is planning some crazy scheme to build a playground thinking that’s what families want at the end of their

$20 million walkway.

Perhaps, while asking the Government for funding, they add in funding for arctic suits for the kids to wear when they turn up to play at the park.

Perhaps David BensonPope should take a walk down to the harbour basin and find out how cold and windy it is. Perhaps he may think about making the existing parks in Dunedin more attractive and interesting to encourage families to have barbecues and fun within the areas of town. How many barbecues at present are in local parks?

Better still, why not have this wonderful playground built out in Mosgiel? At least it will be used, and the weather is always 2 to 3 degrees warmer and far less windy.

Graeme Hunt Dunedin [Abridged]

Car chaos

COULD I offer my congratulations to the DCC and NZTA. I can only assume that their intention was to make Dunedin as carunfriendly as possible; they have succeeded admirably.

We now have a situation where traffic lights are uncoordinated, creating substantial tailbacks and hindering flow. Parking is becoming a rarity and expensive and then we have the underused, badly designed and disruptive cycle lanes. All funded by the longsuffering rateand taxpayers whether they want it or not.

Now, they have come up with another crackpot scheme, a playground (possibly temporary) on Wharf St which will entail closing the on/off ramp and moving the road. This to complement a vastly overpriced bridge to nowhere. Are they really trying to waste as much of our money as possible before they all get voted out of office? David Tordoff Macandrew Bay

BIBLE READING: Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord . . .

— Leviticus 25:17.