Kim Taylor, the project manager for the 18-lot Wakefield Wynd subdivision, said yesterday he was prepared to give $5000 to the fundraising campaign for a new Mosgiel aquatic facility.
But the offer was conditional on the Dunedin City Council approving Wakefield Wynd as the name of the subdivision’s cul-de-sac, he said.
The council would also have to match the $5000 donation towards the pool project dollar-for-dollar, drawing on development contributions paid by AKGO Ltd, the company behind the subdivision.
‘‘It’s a constructive way to show our goodwill to the community,’’ Mr Taylor said.
‘‘I’m happy to put that on the table.’’
Council infrastructure services and networks committee chairwoman Kate Wilson was non-committal about Mr Taylor’s offer.
It was a ‘‘novel’’ suggestion, but she would need to take advice from staff before commenting further, she said.
However, the council was prohibited by law from using development contributions for specific community assets, she said.
Irene Mosley, chairwoman of the Taieri Communities Facility Trust, which is raising money for the Mosgiel aquatic facility, said the money would be ‘‘fantastic’’ but any donation needed to be unconditional.
‘‘Every dollar counts, but ... we can’t be pulled into something that looks to me like it might be political.’’
Mr Taylor’s offer was the latest twist in a long-running public fight over the street name.
The name was already used to market the sections, but the council last year rejected a bid by the developer to adopt the same name for the subdivision’s cul-de-sac.
The council was concerned the use of ‘‘Wynd’’ could be confusing for emergency services, and suggested ‘‘close’’, ‘‘place’’, ‘‘road’’ or ‘‘way’’ would be more appropriate.
Mr Taylor rejected that, and last week threatened to install his own street sign with his preferred name.
Yesterday, he said concerns the name could confuse emergency services was a ‘‘complete untruth’’, when it would be unique in Dunedin.
The real concern for emergency services was the use of the same street name in different parts of the city, such as George St in Port Chalmers and central Dunedin, he said.
The $16.5million subdivision would provide jobs, and rates and fees for the council, and developers ‘‘should be able to name the street and roads that they construct and pay for’’, he said.
