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Skateboarding by moonlight might sound appealing, but skaters using Orewa skatepark in the evenings this winter have had little choice.
Most of the lights have been out at the skatepark and outside Estuary Arts Centre in Western Reserve for nearly three months, despite ongoing complaints.
The issue was taken up by Estuary Arts Centre Trust chair John Davies, who first raised it with Council on July 6, and complaints were also made by Estuary Arts Centre manager Kim Boyd, skaters and their parents.
Mr Davies says that the skatepark was set up with lighting by the local board so that kids could get as much use out of the facility as possible. He sees families there and kids skating throughout the week, at 9pm or later.
Kim Boyd says that none of the lights between Estuary Arts Centre and the highway are working, which makes leaving the centre after dark risky. “Not only is it about tripping, slipping or falling in the dark, but walking to your car in the pitch black can be scary particularly for the majority of women who attend evening or night events here,” she says. Although there have been no incidents yet, Kim says that she has identified the lighting as “high risk” on her Health and Safety risk assessment. “Feedback that I receive from our user groups is that they most definitely feel vulnerable when leaving the centre due to the lack of lighting.”
Mr Davies says he was told on July 6 that the work would be completed within 14 days. He says that the real issue is a lack of programmed and coordinated maintenance work.
Council’s head of operational management and maintenance, Agnes McCormack, says an electrician has investigated why the area’s lighting is not currently operational. She says estimates for the repair work have been received and once they are approved, the work can take place “in the near future”.
