Leisure park plan for Mapua toxic site

A waterfront amphitheatre, a promenade area and a heritage orchard are some of the ideas included in the design for a $1 million waterfront park to transform Mapua's former toxic site.

Mapua-based landscape architect and urban design expert Robin Simpson is leading the project and is working with Nelson landscape architect Heidi Stewart on the concept plan.

Ms Simpson said it was exciting to be involved in such a positive project that was giving the site, owned by the Tasman District Council, a fresh lease on life. She had worked on Sydney's Olympic site, which was also a former contaminated site.

"The community has fought for a long time for this site," she said.

The park will be on land previously dubbed the most toxic site in New Zealand, after it was contaminated by a cocktail of agricultural chemicals produced by a factory there. A controversial $12 million cleanup of the area led by the Environment Ministry finished last year.

Ms Simpson said the park's design incorporated some of the site's complex history and stories.

A heritage orchard using old varieties of apple trees important to the area was planned for the area next to Tahi St, while vegetation along the estuary would be native.

However, before work can start, the site has to get the all-clear from an independent auditor, and the Environment Ministry says the earliest the report could be finished is March.

Ms Simpson said events and concerts could be held on a grassed space between the orchard and the estuary, and a public barbecue area was also envisaged.

The amphitheatre and promenade would bring people to the water using a concept popular in other waterfront developments.

She said the huge mound of soil left at the site was less than ideal and she hoped it could be scraped back and redistributed so the estuary was more visible.

Council community services manager Lloyd Kennedy said the park would cover the part of the site that stretched from Tahi St to the estuary.

Mr Kennedy said the remainder of the toxic site, on the other side of Tahi St, had commercial and residential zoning and would eventually be subdivided.

Mr Kennedy said he expected the park would cost more than $1 million.

The work would not be funded by ratepayers but through a levy on developers, known as the reserve financial contributions. The council had already collected over $400,000 for the park through this levy.

Mapua and Districts Community Association spokesman Devin Gallagher said that while there were still a number of hoops to go through before work could start, it was exciting that the "ugly little wart on Mapua" could be turned into something beautiful. He believed it could become a drawcard for visitors to Mapua.

Public submissions on the design close on December 5. For more information, visit www.tdc.govt.nz.

The council is holding an open day on the park design on Saturday at the Mapua fire station from 1-5pm, and a public meeting and presentation will be held at the Mapua Boat Club on Wednesday from 7.30-9pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News