The city council has confirmed it will fund the $23,000 installation of five cameras on the corner of Mariner and Burgess Sts before the end of the year.
Safer Sumner started advocating for the equipment in December 2017 after a spike in crime.
The group’s spokeswoman Kath Preston said it is “rapt” to have closure after what has been a “very long and confusing process.”
“We’re very excited about it. It’s taken a lot of perseverance, but all we wanted was this result,” she said.
Safer Sumner raised $4000 for the security cameras in 2017, but was told to approach the Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board for funding when the cost jumped to $20,000 after police requested the cameras be aligned with its system.
However, there was confusion when a report in July recommended the community board decline the group’s application for $16,187 to help pay for the cameras.
The report was then pulled from the board agenda at the “last minute” before its meeting due to Safer Sumner’s difficulty meeting the criteria within the application.
Now city council head of community support, partnerships and governance John Filsell said after discussions with police, the decision to fund the cameras was delegated to city council staff.
The equipment, which aligns with the police system, will include four static cameras and one camera able to pan 360 degrees with zooming capability.
Mr Filsell said the location was chosen as it will achieve the best coverage of Sumner Village.
Community board member Darrell Latham, who has been pushing for the crime cameras, is “thrilled” they will now be installed.
“Gaining approval has been a difficult process due to ongoing bureaucratic challenges. Nonetheless, a successful outcome has been achieved for the community and that is what is most important,” he said.
“The struggle to achieve a positive result has been worth a few bruises and upsets along the way and I am absolutely delighted with the result.”
