Harbour parking needs resolution

Craig Miller

Opinion

Inner harbour redevelopment plans continue to frustrate business stakeholders and boat ramp users, with the council seemingly unable to listen to concerns surrounding the project.

It has finally come to light that the council envisages making the inner harbour look like Auckland’s harbour viaduct! While many stakeholders are not opposed to beautification of the inner harbour, they do think the level proposed is over the top.

The consultation process has been a stuff-up from day one. Senior council staff and the project team have sought to divide and conquer the stakeholders each time a meeting was called.

A plan to do away with angle parks opposite the fishing club in favour of parallel parking is ridiculous and needs to be reviewed before work begins on the Esplanade (not to mention the number of rain gardens proposed).

I understand the Esplanade will also be narrowed to six metres wide, which doesn’t leave much room for vehicles towing bigger boats to pass side by side.

Apart from the boat ramp at Tatapouri, which is unsuitable for many of the larger trailer boats, the inner harbour ramp is the only viable ramp we have.

An issue that greatly affects me as a boat owner is the allocation of 22 parks for boat trailers. This is insufficient to meet demand now or in the future. I have reiterated this each time meetings were held, in letters to The Herald and in emails to the Mayor and councillors.

Added to this, the council says there aren’t 22 parks but 44, as the parks designated for trailers can accommodate two vehicles without trailers.

I would argue that parking for boat trailers should not be counted in the overall figure for parking. This would give a clearer picture of parking supply.

The council needs to recognise that with some 500-plus boat owners who use the inner harbour ramp, these trailer parks need to be dedicated parks — with vehicles without boats ticketed.

Or at the very least, the trailer parks should be designated a 6am-6pm time zone. (The only issue would be patrons to the area parking overnight to avoid drinking and driving and, when boat owners turn up the next morning, single vehicles will occupy the parks. The council would face ongoing parking issues from frustrated boat ramp users.)

The council has only one chance to do this right and not have to revisit the project in future. This will only happen with the total agreement/support of all inner harbour stakeholders, as I believe stakeholder needs outweigh the community’s needs — otherwise, what’s the point of having businesses there?

A meeting was recently held by the Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club to discuss the parking issues facing the club and many of the stakeholders. All attendees were opposed to many of the proposed parking changes.

One councillor also came and said they weren’t aware of much of what was discussed, and had thought all stakeholders were happy with the proposals. So have councillors themselves been misled by the project team?

Some stakeholders are seeking a legal perspective to challenge the council. I would urge inner harbour ramp users to let councillors know the parking changes will affect your day out on the water.