Drive to get Marineland major backing

The Friends of Marineland group has given the Napier City Council a clear message it will not give up its fight to get the facility revamped and reopened and has begun approaching environmental and commercial heavyweights to get behind them.

Friends' spokesperson Emily Otto said the group had also arranged for an architect and a member of the region's transportation industry to check out the concept of combining a wildlife and education centre with a bus depot.

The group had a clear message for the council, she said: "Letting it go and giving up is the easy way out and we have no intention of doing that when there is a chance to create something wonderful on the Marine Parade on the Marineland site."

She said there was a clear groundswell of support for the idea, which was something positive for the city.

"Could they please reconsider the merits of it as another viable option that's available to them."

Mrs Otto said she arranged for the architect and an experienced member of the bus industry to visit the Marine Parade site last Friday. Both had been supportive of the idea and she anticipated that a plan of what the pair envisaged could be created in the near future.

At this stage, however, neither wanted to be named.

The group had also approached Gareth Morgan for support - "hoping he will take an interest, as he did with Happy Feet".

It had also been in contact with the Playmobil company based in Germany, after Mrs Otto's daughters, Brianna, Zarah and Amelia, used the building game to create a 3D idea of what the revamped Marineland site would look like.

They presented the result at a Napier City Council meeting last week.

The company had been intrigued to hear their product had been part of a presentation, Mrs Otto said.

"They were quite impressed and wanted to know more, so that's encouraging."

The group had also received word from Sir Peter Leitch, who considered it "gut-wrenching" that Marineland was not operating and that having the city's bus depot there would be "fantastic".

Mrs Otto said the group had sourced support from a range of people in the construction industry, from builders and plumbers to electricians and bricklayers, who said they would lend their experienced help on the project.

Concrete and timber businesses had also offered to help, she said.

"We aren't doing what the council wanted us to do, which was to let it go and give up.

"One councillor said at the meeting that our submissions were just a desperate attempt by a few people to get Marineland back - but I think with all this renewed support drummed up since then, we've proved that's wrong."

Mrs Otto said the supporters had never been just "a few".

"The sooner the councillors realise that the better, especially with it being a local-body election this year and voters looking for candidates who show they are willing to listen to the public."