Environment and recreation top priorities for Ahuriri users

Leanne Stead hopes nature comes first for the Ahuriri upgrade. Photo/File

Recreation and the environment are top priorities for people who use the Ahuriri Estuary and surrounding areas.

Napier City Council has recently announced a new masterplan for the area, which contains 19 projects focused on preventing pollution and increasing recreation opportunities.

People who use the area hoped the council would find a balance between upgrades to recreation, and prioritising the environment.

Christina Johnson and her son Sonny Smith were visiting Spriggs Playground, which the council hopes to upgrade into a rocky shore themed playground.

She said she loved the play areas, and hoped that any upgrades prioritised the environment and green spaces.

"I think infrastructure to enhance and help people enjoy areas is great, and as a young family we love parks in beautiful locations.

"But there needs to be balance, and preserving natural environments and green space should always be a priority."

Other parents were similarly excited about the opportunities for updated playgrounds.

"We've been at Anderson Park, which is an amazing facility for kids, so if there's an upgrade all around it's good for us," said Manu Peretti.

He also hoped plans to improve stormwater runoff would prevent pollution in areas like Pandora Pond.

"They've closed Pandora a few times already," he said.

Wendy Jeffares said she uses the Humber Street Reserve a lot in summer, and hoped stormwater upgrades would mean it was safer to go swimming.

"When I walk round the back way you see all the stuff in the water that shouldn't be there," she said.

"Especially when they can't swim in it because it's been polluted. That they have to shut the swimming area down, that's a bit sad."

While recreation opportunities appeared to be one of the top priorities, people said it was important to not upset the environment during the upgrade.

Leanne Stead, who uses the area for her work as a restorative exercise specialist, said it was important not to upset nature in the process of updating infrastructure.

"Upgrading things is wonderful as long as it's not upsetting the environment."

She said new recreation facilities are great, as long as people use them.

""You can still put this stuff out there and they are still not necessarily going to use it.

"I'm all for people adding things but the problem is you add them and people still don't use them."

Trevor and Carol O'Brien said the estuary is already a lot nicer than it used to be. They drive over from Taradale to Ahuriri frequently because they love walking in the area.

"It's far better than it used to be," Trevor O'Brien said.

"A lot of people use it," Carol O'Brien said.

Twelve of the 19 projects which are in the Ahuriri Estuary and Coastal Edge Masterplan have been funded in the council's long term plan.

Major stormwater updates were planned to try and tackle pollution in the area, with recreation and education facilities hoping to increase the number of people using the area.