Goahead for parks given

A PROPOSAL to overhaul Balclutha’s Centennial and Naish Parks has received the goahead from the Clutha District Council along with a $45,000 boost from the council’s Parks and Reserves Depreciation Fund.

Naish Park Coordinating Group chairman Jared McPhee presented an outline of the proposal at a meeting on Thursday.

There was a unanimous vote in favour of funding the project, which has been in the works for the past 18 months.

Mayor Bryan Cadogan said ‘‘We appreciate your efforts and the enthusiasm you’ve brought to the project.’’

In response to the decision, Mr McPhee said: ‘‘That’s what we went there for, so we’re quite happy.’’

The proposal grew from public submissions fielded by council in the most recent longterm plan.

Proposed features for Centennial Park included a fenced dog park, a pump track and bike area for cyclists, a playground and a halfcourt basketball area.

Potential highlights of Naish Park could be a heritage orchard, a ‘‘rejuvenated’’ pond area, and garden rooms.

Seating, tables, walkways, sheltered barbecues, drinking fountains and picnic areas would feature across both parks.

The group would now speak to designers so they could ‘‘present a full scale plan of the park.’’

Other parts of the proposal, for $10,000 funding for a rebuilt band rotunda, and increased mowing frequency at Naish Park, with an estimated cost of $1016 per month, were tabled for later discussion.