DCC anger at Historic Places Trust boils over

The New Zealand Historic Places Trust was hotly criticised yesterday by Dunedin city councillors, with two of its proposals described as "stupid", "barmy" and "ludicrous".

Anger at the trust's direction boiled over in public at a finance and strategy committee meeting, exposing the extent of a breakdown in the relationship between the trust and theDunedin City Council.

At the heart of yesterday's outbursts was a trust proposal to register Carisbrook Stadium and the Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute building in Dunedin's Octagon as category one historic places.

Council chief executive Jim Harland wrote submissions opposing registration of both buildings, arguing this scheduling of the sites could curtail future redevelopment.

The council may redevelop the Carisbrook site if the Awatea St stadium goes ahead, and the proposal to register the "pitch, turnstile building and land beneath the grandstands" could curtail that opportunity.

Alternative steps to recognise the history of the ground could include a street or development named after the stadium; or the turnstile building could be retained and relocated, his submission said.

The trust's proposal to register the Athenaeum, including its interior fixtures and fittings, could prevent the council redeveloping the site for an 800-seat theatre.

During debate on Mr Harland's submissions, committee chairman Cr Richard Walls told the meeting the Carisbrook proposal was only on the trust's agenda because of what he described as an "election stunt", and the Athenaeum because opponents of that project wanted a theatre elsewhere.

Awatea St stadium funding opponent, former councillor Lee Vandervis, and fellow Open Democracy council candidate Michael Hurley, nominated Carisbrook for registration during last year's election campaign.

Cr Walls said nobody had thought of registering Carisbrook before then.

Cr Dave Cull described the registration as "ludicrous".

If the ground under the stand was a historic site, the whole of Dunedin would be.

The registration made a mockery of the trust's work, and there was a need for a more sensible attitude from the organisation.

Cr Kate Wilson wondered whether the trust really wanted to protect the "pitch", which she said was the cricket wicket, and suggested the trust be given the drop-in pitch now used.

"It does not make sense. It's stupid", Cr Neil Collins said of the Athenaeum proposal, describing the building as "held together by borer".

Cr Chris Staynes observed the trust's move seemed "mischievous".

The committee, except Cr Teresa Stevenson, voted to approve Mr Harland's submissions.

Trust Otago-Southland area manager Owen Graham said on Sunday he would not comment on the council report until submissions on the proposals closed on Friday.

He could not be contacted last night.