Park thinking an empty space

I am concerned about the fragmentation of our public parks in the city.

Forty years ago the council maintained parks as generic spaces which were non-specific. Instead today, market urbanism defines the council’s modus operandi, with a first tier given prioritised spending on transformation projects under public-private partnerships, at the expense of the second-tier ‘‘poor man’s parks’’ space.

One example of public-private development is the transformation of Denton Park in Lombard Lane, the once dingy park infamous for anti-social behaviour.

The modified space has now been reduced from a park to mere feature complete with hostile architecture; it is ostensibly designated for boutique cafe businesses adjacent, instead of public space in its own right.

By contrast is the council’s own unwillingness in addressing Te Aro Park’s (Pigeon Park’s) aesthetic and practical issues, which make it inhospitable. It has in turn led to a rough element becoming embedded, whose physical presence and activities have hastened decline furthermore.

I believe the council’s action doing these ‘‘improvements’’ with private business, where interests converge, is totally remiss towards stewardship in maintaining parks as public spaces in their own right.

This fragmentation of public space under market urbanism’s ideology drains our city’s social capital.

MAX MARSHALL Rongotai