Garden hits restart button

Invercargill is set to get a Chinese Friendship Garden after all but a scaled down version.

Work will restart on the Chinese Garden in Queens Park after city councillors voted yesterday for a smaller scale garden to be completed within its original $600,000 budget.

After signing a sister city agreement with Suqian, China in 2013, it was decided a Chinese Garden would be built to honour the partnership.

The project has since caused controversy, mainly because of the increased costs attached to the garden.

In June, the council was advised that the $600,000 budget would not allow for the entire project to be completed. It was decided to instead proceed with a scaled back version focused on a waterside, pavilion, moon gate, and entrance structure.

In December, the council was then told it would require a further $250,000 for the project after it was found that the structures, to come from China, would not easily meet New Zealand building regulations.

In January, councillors asked staff to provide a report on what could be completed within the initial $600,000 budget, with the hope a garden could still be finished.

At yesterday’s council meeting a plan for an even smaller scale garden was presented to councillors.

‘‘While highly desirable, the larger authentic Chinese buildings intended to be sourced from China cannot happen at this stage; the plan excludes the waterside pavilion and the entrance structure,’’ the report says.

Cr Ian Pottinger wanted the Chinese Garden to be completed but questioned what they were now getting for $600,000.

‘‘Basically we started off at $600,000 with a heap of buildings, we’ve been on a merry journey, and now we are back with no buildings at $600,000.

‘‘I really can’t comprehend the financial logic behind this. We’ve ended up with a moon gate, pond, and some paths for $600,000.’’

Cr Lesley Soper believed the scaled back version still had all the required items for a Chinese Garden and said it was important for the sake of the sister city agreement that it was completed.

Cr Karen Arnold said she wanted the Chinese Garden to go ahead but was disappointed council staff had not provided a more ‘‘robust’’ breakdown of the costings.

‘‘We are guardians of the ratepayers’ money, it would be totally wrong of us to say, ‘we’ll put our finger in the air and see what way the wind is blowing’, and if it is blowing favourably, it will be all good. We need more robust information,’’ she said.

When the recommendation to restart work on the scaled down Chinese Garden was put to the vote, just Karen Arnold and Cr Toni Biddle voted against it.

’’We’ve ended up with a moon gate, pond, and some paths for $600,000.’’ Cr Ian Pottinger