Whangarei District Council’s Blue/Green Network Strategy report is a creative way of saying the WDC are finally going to start looking after the city’s natural waterways. The rationale in the Strategy is that paths along improved waterways will deliver:  

• reduced risk of flooding,
• enhanced ecological corridors and riparian margins,
• improved water quality,
• better connectivity,
• extended walkways/cycleways/shared use paths,
• increased tourism and migration,
• protection of cultural and spiritual values of Maori.
• Promoting tourism
• Mitigating flooding

That’s all well and good, but an unintended consequence could be that we are putting walkers in unsafe areas. The whole city has been talking about safety in public spaces since a jogger was attacked in April in part of the Hatea Loop which wasn’t then protected by CCTV. The Blue/Green Plan does pledge to discourage crime by making walkers and joggers highly visible through sightlines in the design of the trails. The report goes on to say that “a more vibrant atmosphere” and a “sense of ownership” should minimise vandalism.

What’s missing here is a pledge to use CCTV. The Blue/Green plan does pledge to follow Ministry of Justice CPTED Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principals (sic) and council did rush forward the implementation of CCTV on the Hatea Loop following April’s ghastly attack, but in the new urban walkways, CCTV cameras are only likely to be installed where CPTED is “unable to be used.”

The plan even says “Walkways/cycleways/shared use paths that are not intended for use at night should have low to no level of lighting to discourage users.” So the council appears to be saying that having no lights on a path will make it safer and with the right urban design, joggers will keep themselves safe.

Yeah, nah.

Whangarei's council may be putting people into areas where they can't be seen from any other location, just as with Mair Park, where there are pockets of bush in which people feel unsafe.

If WDC wanted to truly prevent crime they shouldn’t put walkways under the motorway in Raumanga. It’s not just about crime prevention – the city’s waterways flood constantly due to urban runoff, tidal water and winter’s huge rainfalls. Therefore, installing riverside and harbourside walkways just above the waterline is ludicrous.

Council directing people to enjoy Whangarei and Northland suburbs through scenic walkways is not a terrible idea but if WDC is going to do it, they shouldn’t look at it just from an aesthetic point of view. Safety comes first, and one attack on a jogger is one too many.