‘Every hour of every day’: The central Wellington park that's a magnet for violence and sexual assault
Thursday, 24 September 2020
A central Wellington park has become a magnet for “anti-social behaviour” in the city, with a new report detailing reports of drug dealing, violence, and sexual assault.
The Wellington City Council report, published on Thursday, found “a consistent level of anti-social behaviour” at Te Aro Park on Wellington’s Golden Mile, which was higher than other central city parks.
Behaviours reported include intimidation, violence, defecation, graffiti, harassment, physical harm, aggressive behaviour, loud music, drug dealing, and sexual violence.
Some issues were being reported every hour of every day at the park.
To combat the issues, the report recommends redesigning or removing the toilet block, removing a nearby bus shelter and a telephone booth, installing pedestrian crossings on Manners and Dixon streets, and removing parking from Dixon St on the park side of the street.
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Local business owners and their employees, residents and the public are facing financial and psychological harm as a result, the report says.
Anti-social behaviour at the park has also increased sharply. Nearly a third of all complaints about the park since 2013 came over a nine-month period in 2019, the latest figures available.
Despite being a small area, Te Aro park accounted for more than a third of all complaints in the city related to parks.
The report highlighted the proximity of the park to 12 bars or bottle shops and the design of the toilet blocks on site as contributing to anti-social behaviour.
“Lighting in the park is ineffective and is worsened by the location of the large low hanging tree. The tree conceals both sight lines and camera lines and provides a sheltered location for those gathering for social purposes. This coupled with infrequent enforcement of the Alcohol Ban bylaw, makes the park a highly attractive drinking location,” the report said.
Previously, nearby business owners and employees said they feared for their lives, claiming that sooner or later someone would die at the park, calling it “the elephant in the room of the city”.
A group of businesses has been working together to install more CCTV cameras and provide more support for emergency housing clients.
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Behavioural changes identified to improve anti-social issues include an increase of food and coffee carts which could bring more pedestrians and “legitimate users” into the space, and community-led activities such as community gardens.
Pukehīnau/Lambton Ward city councillor Tamatha Paul previously said the park was of historical significance to local iwi as it marked a section of a major Māori pa in Wellington, Te Aro, and restoring its mana was important.
Paul, who holds the city safety portfolio, says she is committed to delivering the recommendations and working with stakeholders to ensure they are happy.
“From a political perspective, it’s important we commit funding in the long term plan, so we can follow through with the recommendations.”
Councillor Nicola Young has said the park was a “magnet for crime”.
“It is the epicentre of all that is wrong late at night. Everything bad in Wellington happens there.”