Wake Park in focus
Public asked for views
An online poll has been launched to canvass the public on the Aotea Lagoon wake park by former mayoral candidate Brian Collins.
The poll asks people to vote on whether they support or oppose the venture or if they would support it on the condition of a reduction in rates.
Wakeboarders would be propelled around the lagoon by cables connected to five 11m high pylons. Porirua City Council has granted Aquacom NZ Ltd a nineyear lease and applications for resource and building consents are pending.
Mr Collins says he hopes to stimulate wider discussion on the venture and, should a large enough sample take interest, give weight to the argument for publicly notified consent hearings.
He opposes the wake park, believing the reserve should remain a passive recreation space but says he tried to not show bias in the poll or its supporting information.
On the webpage he cites a 2009 survey that found 57 per cent of users did not want the lagoon reserve changed and estimates income to council from the venture at $ 60,000 per year. To account for just 1 per cent of the rates take, it would need to bring in $420,000.
The majority of Porirua residents opposed the wake park when public submissions were sought in 2010 but the webpage does not mention that of the 1000 submissions nation-wide, 62 per cent were in support. Nor does it acknowledge the facility would be the first of its kind in New Zealand and be a regional – if not national – attraction.
Aquacom project manager Paul Marlow is dubious of the poll, which is hosted on Mr Collins’ own website, where users must register if they wish to vote.
Mr Marlow says it only serves to provide Mr Collins and the wake park’s opposition the ability to data mine the contact details of those who may object to Aquacom’s application. He says the poll clearly shows bias, is misleading and untruthful.
He says the 2009 survey, which those opposed to the venue regularly refer to, did not provide any scope for additional activities. People surveyed were not given a list of any ideas or attractions to consider.
Mr Marlow is confident the wake park will be granted its consents and that it receives con- siderable support from within the city. The opposition so far has been a noisy minority of ‘‘scaremongers’’ armed with misinformation.
‘‘People who are against something always say more about it than those who support it, they have to pull anything out of it they can to shoot it down.’’
Mr Collins says he attended a recent PCC Older Persons Advisory Group, where members expressed concern on whether they would still be able to walk safely around the lagoon. He is adamant water will be splashed onto the walkway.
‘‘Young people like to push the boundaries, I know I did. They’re going to kick up a splash.’’
But Mr Marlow says the cable will be 23 metres from the shoreline, with a 7m deviation for where the wakeboarders or skiers will ride. Should the wind be strong enough to spray wake onto the path from that distance, it would be too windy to operate, he says.
‘‘There’s absolutely no way it’s an issue.’’
The wake park poll is at your opinion.co.nz. Mr Marlow asked that we also provide the the web address for the PCC page on the venture, so the public could access factual information on Aquacom’s application. Visit: pcc. govt. nz/ Public- Consultation/ ProposedCableway.