A large number of people took the opportunity to share their views about the future of Cornwall Park at an information and feedback event held at the park last Saturday.

Hastings District Council officers were on hand with information and to answer questions during the two-hour session, part of the current consultation on the Draft Cornwall Park Management Plan.

Covering 8.3 hectares, Cornwall Park is one of Hastings’ oldest and most established parks, rich in culture and heritage and greatly cherished by residents of Hastings and beyond.

Because of the important contribution the park makes to the community, the 10-year plan identifies a sizeable financial investment to be made in the landscape – including new and enhanced walkways and the restoration and enhancement of the duck pond and stream.

In addition there are proposals for an enhanced children’s playground and new toilet facilities.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was wonderful to see so many people taking an interest in the Cornwall Park upgrade.

“It is loved by the community for many events - from families holding their own birthday and Christmas parties to the many concerts hosted in the park. And it has many visitors every day.

“This plan provides a fantastic opportunity to address how we can add more play equipment and make improvements to our community’s experience at Cornwall Park.”

Members of the group Friends of Cornwall Park, whose motto is “preserving and enhancing the beauty, history and iconic status of Cornwall Park, Hastings” were among those who headed along on Saturday to find out more about the draft plan.

The group’s founding co-ordinator Marina Dinsdale said a lot of the members, of which there were about 105 in total, attended and she understood that overall they were happy with the draft plan’s contents and direction.

“There’s a general feeling that the council has listened to us – there might be a few tweaks here and there – but on the whole they have followed what was called for in the original submissions to restore the park to its former glory, particularly in terms of its plants and birdlife.”

She added that everyone, without exception, was pleased that the council was not going to change the historic walkways, such as filling in part of the stream, as was in the original proposed plans.

Copies of the plan can be viewed at the Hastings District Council building, Hastings, Flaxmere and Havelock North public libraries and on the council website’s Cornwall Park Consultation page.

The closing date for submissions is Friday, February 15, 2019 and a hearing will be scheduled in March 2019.

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