Residents angry over Pasifika plans
The prospect of a Pacific Islands cultural centre being situated in their Hamilton neighbourhood has outraged a small group of nearby residents.
Eighty-eight submissions were received by the Hamilton City Council on the proposed Pan Pacific Hub, earmarked for construction on the corner of Mill St and Seddon Rd, in the midst of a connected series of parks and green spaces running through the central city.
Eighty of the submissions supported the proposed community centre. Seven were opposed. On Wednesday, the council’s hearings and engagement committee got a taste of each side’s ardent advocacy and ire, prior to pondering a proposed land use change from ‘‘recreation’’ to ‘‘local purpose’’, to allow the centre to go ahead.
If granted consent, the centre will be constructed on the premises of the defunct and now-deserted Stadium Bowling Club, across the road from FMG Stadium Waikato.
The bowling club site sits smack in the middle of what is known as the ‘‘West Town Belt’’, an expansive 54ha network of parks and gully on the edge of Hamilton’s central city. The council is now in the final stages of work on a masterplan, to protect and maintain the belt.
The council decided back in September 2018 that the K’Aute Pasifika Trust was the ‘‘preferred applicant’’ to take over the bowling club site, and the trust has since been taking steps towards getting the public on board with their vision.
However Lynley Woods was one submitter who preferred the location remain untenanted.
The once-suburban neighbourhood and the nearby green belt were increasingly being dominated by apartments, she said.
‘‘The population is increasing greatly in the area, and with all the mental health issues and things, there is a greater and greater need for such a piece of open land where people can walk, see the trees and the changing colours. It’s good for the soul.
‘‘This is an area to be enjoyed by all. It’s not this particular group that I’m opposed to. It’s any group that wishes to be allocated part of the green belt.’’
Another nearby resident, Anthony Smart, was more direct in his disparaging of the Pan Pacific plans.
‘‘I am completely and utterly dumbfounded by the fact the council are even considering rezoning part of Hamilton’s green belt.
‘‘The green belt of the 21st century is becoming surrounded by high density residential development, which results in even greater need for wide, open public spaces. Rezoning Hinemoa Park will not only deprive future residents of a public park, but also deprive existing residents of the peace and quiet they thought a green belt location would always provide.
‘‘I am appalled at the lack of public consultation over this proposal. There has been an alarming trend in recent years of council staff pushing through agendas with the minimum of public scrutiny. It’s time our elected representatives show some backbone and stand up to senior staff in this organisation.’’
However K’Aute Pasifika Trust chief executive Rachel Karalus said the centre would assist in the connecting of the green belt and only the area of the park that the hub would occupy was proposed to be changed.
‘‘The project proposes to bring to life a largely unused area of the park. We propose to open up the space so it is publicly accessible and to remove fencing around the bowling club.’’
The centre would be ‘‘a place of healing and learning and a place from which all people from all walks of life and backgrounds can be supported for free across all the wellbeing domains . . . a place filled with activity and music, a place for all activity groups.’’
The old bowling club remains a meeting place and practice space for the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra, Rusty Orchestra and Youth Orchestra members, who will inherit use of the new facility.
Trust chairman Edgar Wilson – who also chairs Trust Waikato, a funder of K’aute Pasifika – said the centre would be a boon for the city.
‘‘This is an opportunity to show we are a city of diversity and we embrace diversity. We don’t just talk about it.
‘‘Sometimes some of us behave as if we are embarrassed that not everyone is like us.
‘‘All I can say to that is thank goodness for that.’’
The re-zoning proposal will now go before the February 20 sitting of the council’s community committee for discussions and a decision.