Hosking Garden hotly debated

Division over the proposed demolition of Hosking Memorial Garden came to a head before a commissioner's hearing at Masterton District Council yesterday.
Wellington commissioner Richard Fowler addressed the procedure of the hearing to the almost 40 submitters, councillors and public before handing over to Mayor Bob Francis to speak.
The council has received regular feedback over many years through submissions to the Annual Plan on how "tired the park looked and about the manner in which it had been maintained", he said.
"This feedback questioned council's vision for this unique park and urged it to consider developing a rejuvenation plan for the park in order to maintain its iconic status in our district and region."
Wellington landscape architect company Boffa Miskell was asked by the council in December 2000 to prepare a landscape rejuvenation study for Queen Elizabeth Park, he said.
Boffa Miskell landscape architect Sarah Poff said the original donation by William Hosking of the Alice and Christina Hosking memorial baths is one of the most important social and cultural aspects of the site.
"The intention of the original donation for the development of baths for public use was a great gift to the town.
"The proposal to redevelop an interactive water feature for public enjoyment within the site of the old baths respects and reflects the original intentions of Dr William Hosking."
Opening up the current "walled garden" will make the area far more accessible, "both physically and visually", she said.
"From my observations the site is occasionally used by people for passive recreation. Given the location and historical use as a public swimming pool, I believe it would be better utilised as both an active and passive space."
Friends of Queen Elizabeth Park chairman Grant Harper spoke in favour of the proposed water feature, saying the garden is rarely utilised.
"Their maintenance costs are out of proportion to the number of visitors the garden attracts.
"Few people make any tangible link between the baths and the sunken garden and no Victorian or historic qualities exist beyond the inoperable central fountain."
Hosking Garden supporter and family descendant Liz Waddington said the Greater Wellington Regional Council is setting examples of water conservation in a time of water restrictions and so should Masterton.
"Fountains and water features are notorious for ongoing maintenance with problems like algae, litter building up and other water issues. Why do you think Palmerston North removed theirs?"
Gerald Blathwayt, of Masterton, spoke as "a citizen that will be expected to pay" for the upgrade which he said is "extravagant and preposterous".
"This consent application is just one facet of the overall scheme of extensively upgrading Queen Elizabeth Park. Contrast this with the way Henley Lake has been wonderfully managed by local people. It seems the views of the people are being dismissed for what some experts think the people should want."
Friends of the Park founder Beth Sutherland said from a landscape point of view "the garden does not fit into the design at all".
"It is very much an addition, as indeed it was and it certainly is not what I would call history as it was built only 40 years ago.
"I expect Colin Pugh did his best with what was available and I, for one, have enjoyed the garden over the years even if very few others have even been aware of it. The steps successfully negated any invitation to enter the area."
Mrs Sutherland said the time has come for Masterton to take a step forward and "the water feature is an exciting concept".
Mr Fowler will review the submissions and reports from the hearing and report back to council within 15 days with his decision.