Background

[patumahoe village incKeymaster]

Using the figures compiled in 2004, Patumahoe is oversupplied with recreational facilities and parks, according to Franklin District Council. Do you share their view?

In late 2010 Franklin District Council has updated their own figures, and have a revised figure of 940 residents (from 639 in 2004) and applied their expected growth to 2050 to be only 2%. For those wondering how this is calculated, it is not, the Franklin District Average is applied to areas that have not been individually researched. Such as Patumahoe.

In terms of current planning and funding practices, a trend has emerged that supports multi-use and community facilities, rather than creating and maintaining facilities will singular or limited use.

To see what can be achieved in a community of our size, a rural community in Nelson of a population of 500 has been successful in amalgamating their sports clubs and community facilities and can provide a starting point on what would be possible. Go and have a look for yourselves: by visiting the Moutere Hills link on our Patumahoe Village Inc pages.

So far, Patumahoe residents have come up with the following ideas (a reminder: these are ideas about the future of Patumahoe, they do not reflect a collective desire to grab a key and start up a bulldozer!):

* add on to existing sports complex/combine all sports under one roof and obtain land for future requirements while still available and reasonably cheap;
* a multi-use community facility – providing for all age groups, arts and culture as well as some sports, and providing adaptable spaces inside. eg. small auditorium that could be used as stage, amateur theatre, conference room, movie venue for Patumahoe residents;
* facilities for teenagers – Ron Gordon, Principal of Patumahoe School – thoughtfully proposed that consideration needs to be made to provide for the older children/teenaged group who currently have no community facilities specifically targeted towards them. Some ideas are music room/recording studio/video editing room, non-alcoholic lounge and skatepark;
* community reserves that are not sports oriented, ie. picnic areas, seating areas, playgrounds, catering to younger families and older residents;
* designed cycleways, walkways around the heart of the village to reduce reliance on vehicles and to promote the vitality of the village centre.

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