Music for new river park knocked back

Plans to put movies and music into Hamilton’s new city park have been knocked back.

Victoria on the River (VOTR) opened in January and is proving a popular downtown spot.

Mayor Andrew King wanted to spend $19,200 on musicians, movies, a PA system, outdoor games and the like to bring more life to the space for the rest of the summer.

His Hamilton City Council colleagues weren’t so keen and voted against the plan 8-4.

Putting entertainment in now would be ‘‘a bit like dad suddenly turning up at a party and dancing for entertainment’’, Councillor Mark Bunting said.

The park got great publicity, people were going there and council could seem ‘‘a little bit too late and try-hard’’.

Bunting had earlier asked why Garden Place couldn’t get some cash and movie events, saying he was worried it was becoming a poor cousin.

He was one of several councillors to give a nod to Nancy Caiger and her citizen-led Garden Place ‘‘activation’’ programme, which has included a picnic reading day and petanque competition.

‘‘That’s the way we should be working as a council, working with those people who want to do this, who drive it, and supporting their initiatives,’’ he said.

Cr Angela O’Leary disagreed with finding money for King’s suggestion in the risks and opportunities budget.

It’s not a budget of invisible money, she said, it’s for emergency things, unforeseen things.

O’Leary supported activation of the area, but thought Hamilton Central Business Association would be better placed to get business sponsorship.

Businesses and developers in the VOTR area could sponsor entertainment, Cr Rob Pascoe said.

‘‘If we start off being the promoter and the financier for it, then it’s unlikely that we’ll get any support going forward.’’

Garden Place doesn’t get money for summer events, Cr Paula Southgate said, and council should avoid undermining it by doubling up on things.

The central square has plenty of upcoming community bookings, city events manager Tracey Wood said.

The two spaces work in different ways, she said, and can complement each other. VOTR’s waterside spot would make it a winner without help, Cr Geoff Taylor said. That was the difference between it and Garden Place, and why council didn’t need to spend $20,000.

He praised the previous council for coming up with VOTR and was proud to inherit it.

King agreed on the spot’s drawing power. ‘‘Do people really want to come to town and sit in Garden Place on an evening while the sun’s going down? Or do they want to sit at our premium facility on the water for their event, where they’re out of the wind, where the sun’s going down, the river’s going past, and they’re eating a Duck Island ice cream from the arcade next door?’’

Part of council’s job is to fund public events that all people can afford to enjoy, King said.

But the price was too high for Cr James Casson, who wanted council to be an enabler, not a funder. ‘‘I can’t vote for

$19,200 for a one-and-a-half-month period.’’

Cr Leo Tooman wasn’t impressed by a suggested $8200 budget for musicians, suggesting buskers do it free of charge.

Councillors voted 8-4 against spending

$19,200 to activate the park.

Those in favour were King, Deputy Mayor Martin Gallagher and Councillors Dave Macpherson and Paula Southgate.