Anticipated upgrades for Dunedin's three destination playgrounds may require the community to dig in to become a reality.
Dunedin city councillors on Thursday confirmed their desire to go ahead with refurbishment of the playgrounds at Marlow Park (the dinosaur park), Woodhaugh Gardens and Mosgiel Memorial Gardens.
They approved a total draft budget of $16.8million for playgrounds in the council's nine-year plan.
The dinosaur park would be upgraded in year two of the Dunedin City Council's nine-year plan, Woodhaugh Gardens playground in year five, and Mosgiel Memorial Gardens playground in year eight of the plan.
Focusing on upgrading the destination playgrounds - $6.6m from the playgrounds budget would be for that - would effectively mean a reduction in the originally proposed renewal component of the total playgrounds budget.
Cr Andrew Whiley said Dunedin's playgrounds had a history of community effort in their development, and the community would again support their redevelopment where needed.
"There are people in our community that want to support our playgrounds," Cr Whiley said.
"Whether it's through raising funds, bequeathing money, getting out and actually helping with community groups and doing the work and putting a shovel in the ground, there are many groups around our city that love our playgrounds and want to be a part of them."
The original design concept for the dinosaur park was drawn by a member of the Rotary Club of Dunedin South in 1966.
He then engaged the club and other community groups to get the playground built, Cr Whiley said.
Cr Jim O'Malley said the development of cycleways in the city was another example where "community groups can get in and do work much more cheaply than we can do it as well".
"I think this is a really good outcome."
Cr Christine Garey said she supported the plan because "it delivers on the process we have been through with the community over an extended period of time".
"It delivers on that but it also manages the budget which we are called upon to do in this very difficult long-term plan.
"The community has been consulted and consulted and consulted and quite frankly if we did that again, apart from this going in the consultation document, I doubt we'll get a lot of feedback because we've been there, done that and we've got to manage the funds to deliver."
Cr Brent Weatherall, who along with Cr Lee Vandervis opposed the plan, said the council's $6.6m budget for three playgrounds "spreads the spend too thin".
Cr Vandervis said as a builder's son he had an appreciation of "what things cost to build".
"My real worry is that we are going to see a repeat here of the kind of value that we didn't get in the George St playground," he said.
"If you look at the breakdown of what it cost to build the George St playground, to me those costs were indefensible, and I believe we've got the same problem here with these costs being indefensible."
Councillors asked staff to with community groups and benefactors to support fundraising activities to enhance work and increased investment in playground equipment and amenities.
After consultation council deliberations are due to take place in May.
* This story has been altered to reflect the fact a later version of the report to the DCC's long-term plan meeting on this topic, which did not include any staff recommendations, was circulated to councillors; and to correct the $16.8 million budget to being for playgrounds only.
