May 19, 2004

North Shore City to open new access to Kennedy Park

North Shore City Council is to open a new access to Kennedy Park from Beach Rd, across land it bought in 1999, making it easier for pedestrians to get to the southern end of the popular cliff-top park.

A house on the council's property at 117 Beach Rd is shortly to be demolished and the section cleared and grassed to provide pedestrian access.

The council bought the 1038 sq m section for $400,000, but until now a house on the property had been tenanted and the land was off limits to the public.

The chairperson of North Shore City's community services and parks committee, Margaret Miles, says the new access will be a welcome addition to the park. "Over the years we have looked carefully at ways to extend and improve this park, but we have also have to balance that against the high cost of coastal land.

"Much of the vacant land neighbouring the park is likely to be built on in the near future, so clearing and opening up this section will make it much easier for folk wishing to get up to the southern end of the park," Councillor Miles says.

Earlier this year council bought an 811 sq m section neighbouring the park at 137 Beach Rd for $950,000.

The land was vacant and for many years the public had used it as though it were part of the park.

ENDS

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