MacFarlane Park South Play Space

1. MacFarlane Park | North, South & Footpath
1.1. MacFarlane Park | North
North of Acheson Avenue: Acheson Avenue Shopping Centre, MacFarlane Park Community Centres, Kidsfirst MacFarlane Park Kindergarten, Full Basketball Court, Playground, Public Toilets & Sports Fields.
1.2. MacFarlane Park | South
South of Jebson Street: Public Toilet, MacFarlane Park Community Garden & MacFarlane Park South Playground with Flying Fox.
1.3. MacFarlane Park | Footpath
– The footpath starts off on Riselaw Street at the back of Shirley Primary School, which is located on the north side of Shirley Road, opposite the Shirley Community Reserve.
– This footpath is used daily by students & their families to travel to/from school, through MacFarlane Park.
– Children often stop at the flying fox to play after school.
– See: 6.2. ‘The Listening Post’ at MacFarlane Park Community Garden.
– The footpath crosses over Jebson Street & carries on north to Acheson Avenue, where the Shopping Centre is located & MacFarlane Park Sports Fields.

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2. MacFarlane Park | Skate Facilities
– 2.1. ‘Papanui-Innes Skate Facilities’ Blog Post (Timeline from 2001-2019)
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/papanui-innes-skate-facilities/

– 2.2. ‘New skate facility planned for MacFarlane Park’
Press Release: Christchurch City Council, Tuesday, 4 March 2003
“In response to requests from Shirley residents, a skate path is being planned for MacFarlane Park next to the flying fox on Jebson St.
The path and obstacles have been designed with input from local young skateboarders, to provide a recreation asset for the local community.
Parks & Waterways Area Advocate Kirsty Patten said that several sites within the park has been investigated.
‘The Jebson Street site was selected as the best option because it is visible from the road, is co-located with another youth facility, has new toilets and a drinking fountain, and has plenty of space.
The area will be landscaped and have seating provided for family and friends to come and watch the skateboarders,’ said Kirsty Patten.”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0303/S00015/new-skate-facility-planned-for-mcfarlane-park.htm

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3. Shirley Community Reserve | Pump Track
– 3.1. ‘Proposed Pump Track for Shirley’ Blog Post
The 10 Shirley Road site in Richmond was chosen, as there are no suitable locations in Shirley, that have the required 40m setback from residents, due to the noise levels associated with the modular pump track design/construction.
Due to these restrictions it cannot be installed in MacFarlane Park.
Local children in Shirley know there is an ‘invisible boundary line’, they are free to play unsupervised, as long as they don’t cross the major roads and stay within MacFarlane Park.
The proposed pump track will be mainly used after school and on the weekends, when the crossing lights (red light runners) from Shirley Primary to 10 Shirley Road, will not be supervised by a teacher.
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/proposed-pump-track-for-shirley/

– 3.2. ‘Shirley Community Reserve Temporary Pump Track’ Blog Post
Consultation Feedback & Staff Answers to ‘Key Topics Raised’ (2019)
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/shirley-community-reserve-temporary-pump-track/

– 3.3. Replacing ‘Temporary’ with ‘Permanent’ Pump Track at the Shirley Community Reserve
The ‘Temporary’ Pump Track is rarely used at the Shirley Community Reserve.
Creating a larger, ‘Permanent’ Pump Track at this location is not sensible due to safety issues with Shirley Road & not what Shirley residents continue to ask Council/Board for: to locate skate/pump track facilities in MacFarlane Park, Shirley.
See Consultation submissions: ‘Do you support the plan?’ & ‘Safety concerns at the park with crossing the road’.
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/shirley-community-reserve-temporary-pump-track/

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4. MacFarlane Park South | Playground
MacFarlane Park South Playground is located on Jebson Street, near Emmett Street.
There are public toilets located on Jebson Street, near the MacFarlane Park Community Garden.
The Flying Fox (west side of the footpath) has recently been upgraded to a twin flying fox.

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5. MacFarlane Park | Tree Planting
CCC Let’s Talk Consultation: MacFarlane Park | Tree Planting
https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/macfarlane-park-tree-planting-plan
Consultation Document:
https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/download_file/9310/3246

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6. MacFarlane Park South | Community Garden
– 6.1. MacFarlane Park Community Garden
The MacFarlane Park Community Garden (east side of the footpath) has raised garden beds, a pergola with table & seating.
https://shirleycommunitytrust.org.nz/activity/community-garden/

– 6.2. ‘The Listening Post’
“The Listening Post is 2:30 – 4pm on school days near the community garden in MacFarlane Park (off Jebson St).
There is afternoon tea, friendly faces and always a listening ear.
Start and end of school terms often have a special event such as a bouncy castle for the kids and we have regular theme days also where different organisations come to connect with Shirley locals.”
https://www.shirleyvillage.org/initiatives/listening-post

– 6.3. CCC Let’s Talk Consultation: MacFarlane Park Community Garden Lease
“The formal lease would expand the garden area from approx. 579.99 m² to 1422.84 m². This will include a food forest area with a new fruit orchard, foraging plants, compost bins and additional trees.
Natural seating (made from local wood), a potting table, tunnel house, a berry grove and open areas where people can gather and connect will also be included.”
https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/macfarlanegardenlease

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7. MacFarlane Park | Skate Area/Pump Track/Skills Loop
– 7.1. Reserve Classifications
The Shirley Community Reserve is a ‘Local Purpose’ Reserve (site for a Community Centre), while MacFarlane Park is a ‘Recreation’ Reserve.

– 7.2. Shirley Community Needs
The ‘Skate Area, Pump Track & Skills Loop’ activities proposed for Shirley Community Reserve, should be located in MacFarlane Park a ‘Recreation’ Reserve, where residents have been asking Council/Board for over 25 years for these facilities in the heart of the Shirley community.
“…this area has been recently rezoned to Medium Density Residential (MRZ) & High Density Residential (HRZ)…projected future increase in population signalled by the recent urban intensification zonings.”
Family homes with big backyards are being replaced with multiple townhouses on the same section, with small or no gardens.
Many new properties have no driveway or a shared driveway, which is not a safe option to practice learning to ride/scooter/skate.
MacFarlane Park Sports Fields (North of Acheson Avenue) are extremely busy during the weekends in winter.
Creating a new family friendly space in MacFarlane Park South, would allow local families & children to get outside to play, away from the Sports Fields.

– 7.3. ‘Shirley Community Reserve Development Plan – Draft Plan’
The Consultation Document for the ‘Shirley Community Reserve Development Plan – Draft Plan’, includes a Concept Plan for a Skate Area, Pump Track & Skills Loop.

–7.4. Skate Area/Pump Track/Skills Loop | Suggested Layout
The ‘Skate Area/Pump Track/Skills Loop’ would be better located in South MacFarlane Park by Jebson Street.
As planned for in 2003, see: 2.2. ‘New skate facility planned for MacFarlane Park’.
With the recent changes to the CCC District Plan, the population in Shirley will continue to grow, as older standalone family homes are replaced with multiple townhouses on one section.
Opportunity to create a destination space with the existing MacFarlane Park Community Garden, Nature Play area & new Twin Flying Fox.
This location is already a family friendly space, well used after school to help children destress from their day, before going home.
The addition of three different skills options (A., C. & D.) for children learning to ride/scooter/skate, would help to extend outdoor play time in Shirley.
Adults can work in the Community Garden, while their children are occupied playing in the playground, safely within sight.
Children who come to the playground to play, may take an interest in gardening while watching others participate in the Community Garden.

– A | ‘Skills Loop’ Area:
Replace the existing footpath that curves around the flying fox area with a new wider ‘Skills Loop’ path.

– B | ‘Flying Fox’:
The previous flying fox wooden structure has recently been replaced with a new twin flying fox.

– C | ‘Pump Track’:
Create a new permanent ‘Pump Track’ located in MacFarlane Park, as advocated for in the Shirley Primary School students petition (2019).
A pump track at this location will be used by more local children, as they don’t have to cross busy Shirley Road.

– D | ‘Skate Area’:
Shirley residents have been asking for skate park facilities in MacFarlane Park “with unmet demand going back to 1993” according to the staff memo to the Board (Date: 10 June 2022, Reference: 22/701171).
Highly visual location (CPTED). Good natural surveillance (residents, community garden, other park users using the footpath), into the park to deter any antisocial behaviour.

– E | ‘MacFarlane Park Community Garden Proposed Extension’:
See: ‘6.2. CCC Let’s Talk Consultation: MacFarlane Park Community Garden Lease’.