I was staggered this week when the elected Council pushed the “Pontius Pilate” button. They decided, from reading this article https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/115361237/council-sits-on-fence-over-fasttracking-changes-to-hagley-oval#comments, that they would not make any recommendations to Regenerate Christchurch on whether or not they support the changes to the Cricket pavilion in Hagley Park. If ever a Council abdicated its responsibility as trustees of Hagley Park this would have to be up there.
It would appear that our local politicians were spooked by the cricket heavies standing at the end of their table. Quite frankly our elected reps’ stance is pathetic. They had staff recommendations advising them to decline the application.
I just hope that the Minister Megan Woods speeches in Parliament in the past show how the Government will act and that this will prevail. Here’s what Megan Woods said when, speaking to the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act, she moved an amendment in 2016 (passed unanimously in Parliament) excluded actions which would by bypass the statutory Hagley Park Management Plan:
:…but what we are saying is that when it comes to Hagley Park and the protections that have been built up over that piece of land, it actually is time to return to business as usual. When it comes to that particular taonga in the centre of our City, we do need to be able to say “it is as if the earthquakes never happened, and it is as if the bespoke legislation that is put in place to aid our recovery and our regeneration does not exist…”
she later continued:
“…there are a number of instruments that are used in this legislation, and what my amendments do ensure that the management plan of Hagley Park is the primary instrument and that it is not overridden by anything else that might be in this legislation…”
Basically, Megan Woods said that the Hagley Park Management Plan should prevail. If that is allowed in this case these lights are in breach of this plan.
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