Campaign to stop funeral home

 

More than 30 South Street residents have already signeda petition to stop a funeral home

from being built at Patiti Point. Stu Piddington reports.

Concerned South St residents are mounting a serious campaignto stop a proposed funeral home on Patiti Point.

On Saturday Betts Funeral Services owner Dick Ireton announcedin the Herald his plans to place a "tribute centre" on the. 63ha site which neighbours the Patiti Point recreationalarea.

Mr Ireton will need to get a resource consent to changethe zoning of the land under the Timaru District Plan.

Sue Lowe, who has organised the protest group, said theywere not anti-progress but did not want a funeral home onsuch prime sea-side land.

"It is zoned recreational two and should be used for that."

More than 30 South St residents have already signed a petition opposingthe funeral parlour, she said.

Mrs Lowe said it was the recreational value of the landthat was important as hundreds of walkers, cyclist and alikewent past it as they enjoyed the Pacific Ocean outlook.

"You can't tell me people will like looking at a funeralparlour no matter how dressed up. If the council allowsit no-one's going to be using the area around here."

Mrs Lowe said if it was to be developed for commercial usea simple cafe or campervan park would be plenty and in linewith its current recreational use -- "it certainly doesn'tgell with death."

The council have spent thousands on walking tracks to encourage peopleto South Beach and this would be a blot on the seascape,she said.

"I can just imagine the kids with their buckets and spadeslooking up and asking their mother what is that.

"My 14-year-old daughter loves going down there and she'salready said she will not use it if there is a funeral home."

Mrs Lowe also questioned the tactics used by the funeraldirector.

"I'm disturbed Mr Ireton has put a spin on it that it isfor the community's good -- the land and area is alreadyused by the community.

"It's the last bastion of recreational land beside the oceanin Timaru."

Questions over height, access and actual useage of the funeralhome still remained unclear, she said.

Mrs Lowe said they had met Mr Ireton but his plans werevague including no guarantee of when the cafe would be builtor exactly what height the proposed structure was.

"It's simple, he's a businessman and that waterfront propertywill make good business sense."

Mrs Lowe said they had written to mayor Janie Annear withtheir concerns a month ago but were still awaiting a reply.

"I asked her how one man's desire for business supremacyand money-making can run rough-shod over the need for youthareas and recreational or prime coastal residential land."

Resident Scott Vincent said he would be disappointed ifelected members of the council moved to change the zoningof the land.

"How much sea-front property does the council have in Timaru. Theyhave just cleared up a large piece next door costing tensof thousands because they finally saw the value in it."

Mr Vincent had no doubt Mr Ireton would build a magnificent funeralhome but believed it was not the right spot.

"If he needs a couple of acres that's tranquil why not buildbeside the crematorium he already owns and no-one wouldcare.

"Also this talk of a tribute centre to minimise it. It'sa funeral parlour. I can call my car a motorbike but it's stilla car to everyone else."

Mr Vincent was also concerned at whether the infrastructurearound the area was suitable.

"The big issue is the sewer overflows already so there would needto be a significant upgrade -- at whose cost I wonder. Youwouldn't want body bits floating around."

Access also needed to be seriously looked at including thethe South St bridge and viaduct, he said.

"The bottom line is that it is a wonderful recreationalarea that doesn't a funeral parlour."

South St resident Pam Booth said there was also a questionon whether it was a significant archaeological site withthe Historic Places Trust which they were looking into.

"Anyway recreation and death do not go together, it wouldbe turning another green area into grey."

 

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