Amanda Ross, of Aranui, went to take her children and a client to the Dallington Landing to have a fish-and-chip picnic, but was disappointed with the lack of parking close-by to allow disabled people easy access.
Unable to leave her young children unattended while she tried to find a car park, Ross had to resort to parking partly on the cycle lane along Gayhurst Rd.
“It just seems ridiculous to have no parking there at all,” she said.
“It stops the disability community being able to enjoy the places that everyone else can enjoy really.”
“It’s hard enough sometimes to get to different places with disabled people and then you feel kind of excluded because you can’t go everywhere,” she said.
“It would be nice to see them put in some parking and make them more accessible because it’s quite a nice place there.”
The city council said after receiving community feedback the option for car parking at Rupert Pl was removed.
“We’ve listened to what the public has told us and made some key changes to the design, usability and amenities of the Dallington Landing,” said city council head of parks Andrew Rutledge.
Coastal-Burwood Community Board chairman Kelly Barber said while car parking at the landing wasn’t something he had thought much about, it could possibly be added in the future.
“The landings have been done quite early,” he said. “There’s a lot more development to go in the red zone and so I guess it’s something that could be added down the track. I don’t know if it’s going to be in the short term.”
Barber said the footbridges were the first phases of development and called it a “watch-this-space” project.
“These landings and these bridges are amongst the first pieces of infrastructure being put in,” he said. “I’m sure down the track there will be greater access.”
