Playgrounds go to waste in eastern suburbs

By Grace Cabell for the Christchurch Mail

Eight playgrounds in red-zoned eastern suburbs lie abandoned, annoying some who say the play equipment could be used elsewhere.

Burwood-Pegasus Community Board chairwoman Andrea Cummings said she was frustrated that the playgrounds had been simply left to rust.

“Better decisions could have been made.”

The playgrounds in Anzac Drive Reserve, Brooker Reserve, Donnell Sports Park, Brooklands Domain, Halberg Reserve, Cedarwood Reserve, Harold Henry Reserve and Sullivan Park remain cordoned.

Cummings said the materials should have been reused and recycled.

“We could have used it at a kindergarten or something.”

Christchurch City Council manager of parks operations Ross Campbell said maintenance had been scaled back in those areas “to reflect the reduced demand as residents leave the red zone”.

Where playground equipment posed a risk to the public it was disabled or cordoned off. Where practical, it would be relocated to other city parks with a need, but it had to be compliant with the current New Zealand Playground Standards, he said.

“The first option is to relocate equipment from within the ward it originally came from.”

If no suitable site could be found then the council would look at other sites across the city, he said.

As soon as funding was available, the playgrounds would be taken down.

Cummings said she wanted to see something happening with the playgrounds. ”It’s not good for the city’s moral when we drive past and see playgrounds in a cordon.”