Castlecliff residents call on Whanganui District Council to install floodlights at their local skatepark

The skatepark at Castlecliff Domain does not have floodlights. Photo / Bevan Conley

Two Castlecliff residents are asking the Whanganui District Council for lights to be installed at their local skatepark to improve safety and attract more users.

Abraham Momoisea and Eden Waitai braved the rain and joined a hearing on the council’s annual plan via Zoom from the Castlecliff skatepark.

Both were born and raised in Castlecliff and have been regulars at the park since it opened.

“My mate here [Momoisea] brings his nephew down quite a lot and that’s the question he gets faced with before leaving in the afternoons — why his nephew can’t skate a little bit longer,” Waitai said.

“We’ve seen a lot of locals and community members use their car lights and flashlights in the meantime.”

More shelter, Wi-Fi, and CCTV cameras would also be good additions, Waitai said.

“The other side of things would probably be either cleaning up the graffiti or, somehow, getting some people that have skill sets in that area to put some proper artwork up.”

Momoisea’s submission to the council suggests installing four lights in and around Castlecliff Domain, where the skatepark is situated.

“It’s getting dark real early and rather than having kids holed up at home screaming at some teen on the PlayStation, I’d rather they be using the park,” he said.

“We park the car down there with headlights, but it’s not great and the flat-battery risk is a pain.”

Many parents didn’t have data on their phones so if their kids were skating, they would leave them there and go home or “sit up by the shops for some [Wi-Fi] connection”.

“I think it would be much better if our whanau can hang out together in the park and all that would take is some Wi-Fi,” Momoisea said.

“I know the [skate] park over the east side right next to Kowhai Park has this [Wi-Fi] and the surf club and Duncan Pavilion have it so [we] figure [it’s] not $1 million to get it to the park.”

Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said the pair’s submission was fantastic and asked if they would consider joining the youth council.

“I would like to contact you in regard to a [council] sport and recreation working group that is about to get moving along,” she said.

“We work strongly with Sport Whanganui and council has things like community contracts and the whole thing of looking at bringing a project together.

“Obviously, Progress Castlecliff will be really interested.”