Draft Town Belt Management Plan - Wellington City Council
Draft Town Belt Management Plan - Wellington City Council Draft Town Belt Management Plan - Wellington City Council
6 Recreation The play area at Central Park, Brooklyn. A flying fox and bike skills area are also provided. Guiding principles The Town Belt is for all to enjoy. This concerns equity of access and use of the Town Belt. The Council believes that the Town Belt should be available for all Wellingtonians to enjoy. The Town Belt will be used for a wide range of recreation activities. The Town Belt should cater for a wide range of sporting and recreation activities managed in a way to minimise conflict between different users. Co-location and intensification of sports facilities within existing hubs and buildings is supported where appropriate. 6.1 Recreation role of the Town Belt The Town Belt as we know it today was set aside in trust for the people of Wellington through the 1873 Town Belt Deed (Appendix 1). This deed identified that the Town Belt was to be: “ever hereafter used and appropriated as a public recreation ground for the inhabitants of the city of Wellington …” Interpretation of ‘public recreation ground’ has been the cause of disagreement and subject to changing perceptions over the years. Recreational activity on the Town Belt was restricted in the latter part of the 19 th century as much of the land was undeveloped and leased for grazing. In 1881 Newtown Park was officially opened as the first sports ground on the Town Belt and as sporting activities increased by 1910, Nairn Street Park, Kelburn Park and Wakefield Park were established. As part of this development private sports clubs developed and leased land for buildings. There was concern this exclusive use of Town Belt land was contrary to the principle of free public access. In 1908 legislation was passed through Parliament allowing the Council to lease up to a maximum of 100 acres (40.47ha) to sports clubs. This was followed by land being leased for a range of sport and recreation activities including bowls, dog obedience and croquet. In 2012 there are 39 leases for recreation sports and community groups on the Town Belt occupying 5.9ha (14.6 acres). Walking for pleasure, running, and mountain biking has continued to increased in popularity as Draft Town Belt Management Plan October 2012 41
the benefits of regular exercise on general health and wellbeing have been recognised. A 2009 survey of 1000 Wellingtonians found that nearly half use the Town Belt monthly for this type of informal recreation activity; 28 percent use it at least monthly for organised sport. Other research has identified the benefits to mental health of interaction (whether active or passive) with natural environments. The importance of children being able to play in an unstructured way in natural environments has also been widely documented in recent times. When given options, the top three values of the Town Belt for Wellington residents (2009 survey) were: 42 • views from the Town Belt • ability to enjoy nature/the outdoors • protect native habitats for birds and other animals. These all emphasise the value placed on the natural unbuilt environment of the Town Belt. 6.2 What is recreation? Mt Victoria lookout Although the intent of ‘recreational purpose’ is clear in the Town Belt Deed, attempting to decide what is (and what is not) a ‘recreational activity’ and whether it should be permitted on the Town Belt is not so straightforward. Definitions of ‘recreation’ change over time and, in 1873, were likely to have meant something different to present-day interpretations. Many modern recreational activities (such as skateboarding, mountain biking and others) were not even conceived of at that time and it is also unclear whether leisure activities such as gardening would be classed as recreation. The lack of guidance in the deed on recreational activities means that it is up to the Council to try to work out what is – and what is not – permissible through rules in the management plan. The 1995 Town Belt Management Plan defined recreation and put an emphasis on outdoor informal recreation because of the original instruction from the New Zealand company to set aside land that “no buildings be ever erected upon it”. It recognises, however, that many clubs carry out formal (indoor and outdoor) recreational and sporting activities on the land. The problem of defining what is and isn’t recreation has led to some conflict at times over the type of recreation activity permitted. It is proposed that rather than set out a specific definition of recreation the Council uses the broad purpose of recreation reserve as outlined in the Reserves Act 1977: “… for the purpose of providing areas for the recreation and sporting activities and the physical welfare and enjoyment of the public, and for the protection of the natural environment and beauty of the countryside, with emphasis on the retention of open spaces and on outdoor recreational activities, including recreational tracks in the countryside”. Draft Town Belt Management Plan October 2012
- Page 1 and 2: DRAFT TOWN BELT MANAGEMENT PLAN Oct
- Page 3 and 4: 6 Recreation 41 6.1 Recreational ro
- Page 5 and 6: huge range of direct and indirect e
- Page 7 and 8: 4 Town Belt between the suburbs of
- Page 9 and 10: 6 Wilton Victoria University Ow hir
- Page 11 and 12: 8 • A weed-control programme for
- Page 13 and 14: 10 F3 Investigate opportunities to
- Page 15 and 16: 2 Town Belt legislative and policy
- Page 17 and 18: 14 2. The Town Belt will continue t
- Page 19 and 20: Powers to grant easements: The Coun
- Page 21 and 22: The Council will no longer hold a g
- Page 23 and 24: 20 These criteria must be taken tog
- Page 25 and 26: The Waitangi Tribunal found that at
- Page 27 and 28: Many individuals who live in houses
- Page 29 and 30: flanks of the ridges. The Town Belt
- Page 31 and 32: picnicking and family outings or ca
- Page 33 and 34: 30 Te Ahumairangi Hill is the highe
- Page 35 and 36: 4.3.9 Sector plans will identify sp
- Page 37 and 38: the summit ridge. This suggests the
- Page 39 and 40: 36 Karo ri Ow hiro Bay Highb ury Wi
- Page 41 and 42: public use of the area. This is als
- Page 43: 5.5.14 Restore and manage these are
- Page 47 and 48: Karo ri Ow hiro Bay Highb ury Wilto
- Page 49 and 50: Table: Sports and recreation parks
- Page 51 and 52: 48 • Chinese Cultural and Sports
- Page 53 and 54: Vehicle access is acknowledged as n
- Page 55 and 56: city suburbs, several neighbourhood
- Page 57 and 58: 6.6.16 The walkway system will be a
- Page 59 and 60: known by some as the kahui tipua, w
- Page 61 and 62: 1980: Former Town Belt land behind
- Page 63 and 64: Aro Valley War Memorial: The memori
- Page 65 and 66: 7.5 Policies Recognition and protec
- Page 67 and 68: 64 . Karo ri Ow hiro Bay Sector 1 T
- Page 69 and 70: There are two water reservoirs with
- Page 71 and 72: 8.1.2.2 Upper Weld Street - To surv
- Page 73 and 74: Dog walking is a very popular activ
- Page 75 and 76: Wilton Rd Pembro ke Rd Northland Al
- Page 77 and 78: Sector 1 - Te Ahumairangi Hill Land
- Page 79 and 80: Table 1: Town Belt land additions,
- Page 81 and 82: Site name Legal description and are
- Page 83 and 84: Kelburn Park is mainly used for for
- Page 85 and 86: 8.2.3 Landscape and ecological mana
- Page 87 and 88: Northland Glenmo re St North Tce Up
- Page 89 and 90: Sector 2 - Kelburn Park Landscape a
- Page 91 and 92: Table 2: Town Belt additions, remov
- Page 93 and 94: 8.3 Sector 3 Aro Valley/Polhill Gul
6 Recreation<br />
The play area at Central Park, Brooklyn.<br />
A flying fox and bike skills area are also provided.<br />
Guiding principles<br />
The <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> is for all to enjoy.<br />
This concerns equity of access and use of the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong>. The <strong>Council</strong> believes that the<br />
<strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> should be available for all <strong>Wellington</strong>ians to enjoy.<br />
The <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> will be used for a wide range of recreation activities.<br />
The <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> should cater for a wide range of sporting and recreation activities managed in a way<br />
to minimise conflict between different users. Co-location and intensification of sports facilities<br />
within existing hubs and buildings is supported where appropriate.<br />
6.1 Recreation role of the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong><br />
The <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> as we know it today was set aside in trust for the people of <strong>Wellington</strong> through the<br />
1873 <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> Deed (Appendix 1). This deed identified that the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> was to be:<br />
“ever hereafter used and appropriated as a public recreation ground for the<br />
inhabitants of the city of <strong>Wellington</strong> …”<br />
Interpretation of ‘public recreation ground’ has been the cause of disagreement and subject to<br />
changing perceptions over the years.<br />
Recreational activity on the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> was restricted in the latter part of the 19 th century as much<br />
of the land was undeveloped and leased for grazing. In 1881 Newtown Park was officially opened as<br />
the first sports ground on the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> and as sporting activities increased by 1910, Nairn Street<br />
Park, Kelburn Park and Wakefield Park were established. As part of this development private<br />
sports clubs developed and leased land for buildings. There was concern this exclusive use of <strong>Town</strong><br />
<strong>Belt</strong> land was contrary to the principle of free public access. In 1908 legislation was passed through<br />
Parliament allowing the <strong>Council</strong> to lease up to a maximum of 100 acres (40.47ha) to sports clubs.<br />
This was followed by land being leased for a range of sport and recreation activities including<br />
bowls, dog obedience and croquet. In 2012 there are 39 leases for recreation sports and community<br />
groups on the <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> occupying 5.9ha (14.6 acres).<br />
Walking for pleasure, running, and mountain biking has continued to increased in popularity as<br />
<strong>Draft</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Belt</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> October 2012 41
Change language