One decision hangs in the balance for new, public fitness gear at a Botany Downs playground. Rowena Orejana explains.
A large, open area of grass stretches across the middle of Gosford Drive in Botany Downs. Behind it, tall pines fence off a bush-covered gully.
Andy Wilson jogs over to the children's playground, stopping at the monkey bars to pull himself up. Another walker comes up the path. She stops to do a set of stretches by the swings.
"What we've got here is actually pretty good for exercise.
'The only bad thing is, when little children play, you won't be able to use it," says Mr Wilson.
The Friends of Gosford Park is asking Howick Local Board to put in exercise equipment for grown-ups at the playground, too.
"It seemed an ideal place for this - with many fitness walkers going through the paths at pace, especially early in the mornings," says Colleen Wright, a longtime resident and group member.
"Plus, there is already a really good children's playground. It would be great as the adults could exercise while keeping an eye on the children as they play nearby."
Mrs Wright says these sets of equipment are found at the Howick Domain, Meadowlands and Somerville Reserves.
"Most of the housing in the Howick area is high-density and many with tiny cross-leased sections which make it difficult for children to run around, kick a ball, fly a kite. So it's not surprising there is a serious general obesity problem which was previously unheard of," she says.
The Friends of Gosford Park has been zealous in making sure the park remains an open space. There were attempts to build in the area in 2003 and again in 2007 but they have successfully campaigned to thwart those.
"It is important to keep this open. Schoolchildren use them as short cuts to school, mums bring their babies in their buggies, people exercising their pooches. Even some elderly folk were seen there recently from a local rest home on their walking frames," she says.
The addition of exercise equipment also defines the use of the park and, it's hoped, will help to keep it open to all.
Howick Local Board is looking into the request keeping in mind other, similar requests within the ward.
Shirley Warren, board spokesperson for parks and open spaces, says it's a matter of priorities.
"We have to do a balancing act. Funds will be tight in the next couple of years so we have to plan carefully, especially when it comes to ratepayers' money," she says.
Mrs Wright feels the equipment would serve a very good purpose.
"People come from quite a way off to visit this pretty park and there will be many more when we get our exercise equipment," she says. "There will most likely end up being a queue of people waiting to use the items."
Space guardians
The Friends of Gosford Park was formed in 2007 after blocking a bilingual children's playgroup request for space to build on. The group members keep an eye on the park's behalf, reporting vandalism, graffiti or faulty street lights around it.
The group also pick up rubbish and keep items found in the park for the people who've lost them to collect.
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