It comes after a man verbally abused a teenage Scarborough Parkrun volunteer and Templeton, claiming the runners take up too much of the pathway.
Callum Templeton founded Parkrun two years ago. It typically attracts about 200 participants who meet at Scarborough Park every Saturday at 8am for a 5km walk or run.
Templeton spoke at the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board meeting last week about putting four markings on the esplanade to remind pedestrians to stay on the left side.
“For us, it’s about the safety of the community, the safety of our participants and making sure we can all use the space,” he said.
Templeton said the man who abused them was asking the volunteer why they were there, why they were running and why they could not do it on another day.
"He was going to call the police, he was going to call the fire department, he was going to call the council, he was going to get us shut down, he was going to wear a body cam, he was going to have us on sticks,” said Templeton.
The volunteer sent the man, who was in his 70s, to Templeton.
He gave Templeton an earful, filled with superlatives as he pushed him with his finger.
Templeton told him they are only there for an hour once a week, but the man was adamant he should be able to walk where and when he wants.
He also told the man they would be happy to have him as a participant or a volunteer, the man was not receptive to the idea.
"Some people get up in the morning and they have those kind of days. You just have to work your way through it,” he said.
Templeton posted a reminder to runners on the parkrun Facebook page to stay left. He has also since been placing cones on the pathway to indicate where to run.
Templeton saw the man in the village following the incident. He told him what the parkrun has done to make it more accommodating and his plans for the esplanade markings.
"He seemed relatively happy the last time I spoke to him,” he said.
