Pond barrier to stop falling kids and coin thieves
A barrier erected around Pukekura Park’s fernery pond has been dubbed ‘‘health and safety gone mad’’ by its visitors.
But park curator Chis Connolly deemed the transparent blockade a necessity following multiple reports of children falling into the pond.
The popular water feature in the New Plymouth garden house is home to a number of fish and used as a wishing well by park-goers who toss money into it.
Having the barrier installed had been on the park’s to-do list for awhile, Connolly said.
Previously there were metal bars in place which worked to keep visitors from the water’s edge.
But throughout the years many incidents had occurred where children had made their way past the bars and fell into the pond, including a preschooler just recently, he said.
‘‘The mother retrieved the child without any incident,’’ he said.
‘‘It just gave us a reminder that around water it can be dangerous and we thought we would be proactive.’’
The solid barrier, which measured about one metre in height, was put in last week.
The decision moved one woman to leave a note in the fernery’s visitor book calling it ‘‘health and safety gone mad’’.
Another woman took to social media expressing a similar sentiment.
‘‘Our much loved fish pond at Pukekura Park has had a health and safety makeover,’’ Kate Facey posted to the New Plymouth District Council’s Facebook page.
‘‘My boys used to love looking at the fish, and throwing their coin in. It was one of their favourite spots.’’
She was disappointed with the change, she said in her post.
But Connolly said it was a needs must as young children would try and get too close to the fish.
‘‘It’s a special situation here. ‘‘Being able to see the fish right there - they’re tantalisingly close.’’
He said the barrier was a ‘‘one off’’ and visitors should not expect there to be more installed around other water features at the park.
Connolly said it would also work to stop people from stealing money that was thrown into the pond.
‘‘That will be an extra bonus,’’ he said.
Penny-pinchers have long been an issue for the park with the most recent spate being reported in July this year.
A handful of fernery break-ins has seen about $15 lifted from the pond, with the clean-up costing hundreds of dollars and many hours of time.
The break-ins resulted in a hike in security.