Pest and weed removal from Taputeranga Island, story-telling and natural environment improvements in Te Kopahou Reserve on the south coast, and a transformation of the former Kilbirnie Bowling Club site have been given the go-ahead at this week’s Wellington City Council meeting.

The Taputeranga Island work and the improvements to the coastal area west of Owhiro Bay will be funded by $700,000 paid to the Council in 2013 by the Crown as part of its Tiriti o Waitangi settlement with Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

Landscaping of the former bowling club site on Kilbirnie Park will be funded by $1.5 million from the Plimmer Bequest.

Mayor Andy Foster says both initiatives are exciting and will enhance two very popular and well-used parts of the city.

“Taputeranga Island is, as we all know, an iconic landmark, the Te Rimurapa area of Te Kopahou Reserve is an area of cultural significance and increasingly popular as a wild and dramatic area for walkers – and the former Kilbirnie Bowling Club is a strategic site that’s ready for a new community use – I’m keen to get these projects under way.”

Councillor Teri O’Neill, the Council’s Natural Environment portfolio leader, agrees, and says she is keen to see the start of consultation with TeRūnangaOToaRangatira Incorporated and Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust in terms of the Taputeranga and south coast proposals, and the eastern suburbs community in terms of the bowling club site.

“These spending proposals, in their own ways, will do a lot to enhance the city. The south coast proposals are aimed at telling the cultural and historical stories of the area – and they aim to help restore the natural environment both on Taputeranga and the former area of the Owhiro Bay quarry and its surrounds.

“And as a Motukairangi Eastern Ward Councillor, I’m particularly excited about the bowling club proposal – it’s a large flat area in a busy part of town with a growing and diverse population – personally I’m in favour of the site being used for a playground – but we’ll be asking the community for views and ideas later this year.”

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