Public consultation on the land use policy ran from May 11 to June 8, attracting 342 submissions from 329 submitters.
Mount Business Association manager Jay Banner told the committee commercial activities “absolutely” had a place in the park.
This was provided they complemented existing businesses rather than disadvantaging them or limiting opportunities for others, he said.
“Between the 23rd of May and the 30th of September this year, one organisation had secured bookings for 14 of the 19 available weekends at Coronation Park.”
Banner said that wasn’t just a “busy events calendar” and meant one of the Mount’s “premier public spaces” was unavailable for most of the winter period.
This year, the association’s vintage car show had to be split between Te Papa o Nga Manu o Porotakataka and the carpark behind the Mount’s main street because Coronation Park was unavailable.
“We suddenly had to squeeze in vehicles, making it hard for the volume of people that attended to move freely.”
He said display vehicles were relocated to alternative parking areas, where exhibitors – and even band members – were issued parking tickets.
“Admittedly, council did waive them, but it still shouldn’t happen.”
Banner said that event in particular highlighted the consequences of having little flexibility in the use of one of the Mount’s “most important” public spaces.
Mount Business Association manager Jay Banner. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford
“We support the markets and we recognise the important role they play; what we are asking for is balance.”
He said a public space should never unintentionally become dominated by one organiser through a cumulative effect of repeated bookings.
“The new policy gives council an opportunity to reinforce two important principles: that commercial activity should deliver genuine public benefit; and the public spaces should remain freely accessible for a wide range of users.”
Te Tuhi Mareikura Charitable Trust and Mount Business Association board member Julie Paama-Pengelly said the trust previously used the park for international, national and cultural events but now found it difficult to book.
“We can’t get bookings because it’s overused for particular priorities.”
Te Tuhi Mareikura Charitable Trust chairwoman Julie Paama-Pengelly. Photo / Andrew Warner
She said the future use of Coronation Park should give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi by recognising the area’s history and strategic significance.
“I believe that we’ve got used to a particular model in that park.
“If we lock it up in one type of event and we don’t make it open to be inclusive, then we lose that diversity.”
‘Community benefit should be evidenced’
Chris Duffy, a co-director of The Little Big Markets alongside Rachelle Duffy, spoke to their submission.
Chris Duffy said the Mount Maunganui precinct needed “proven activation” and the Little Big Markets provided exactly that.
The markets had been at Coronation Park for the last 13 years.
“We’re not asking for special treatment. We are simply asking for the same standard of evidence to be required for every decision made under this policy.”
Duffy said no evidence existed when the two-per-month cap was introduced, so the business commissioned Marketview to gather data across 20 market days.
The written submission said Marketview found there were, on average, 4.3% more card transactions in the Mount precinct on market days compared to non-market days, and 1% higher daily spend. Spending from visitors from outside Tauranga was 3.5 percentage points higher.
“New money, not displaced local spend, and we’re happy to be held to that evidence, we’re simply asking that everyone else is too,” Duffy told the committee.
He said good decisions about public land required a consistent standard.
The Little Big Markets directors Chris and Rachelle Duffy.
“Community benefit should be evidenced, not assumed, and proven operators should carry meaningful weight in allocation decisions.”
He asked councillors to amend the policy so commercial impact would be balanced against “holistic public benefit”.
“Public land belongs to the public. Decisions about it should be made transparently on evidence, and with all the right voices at the table.”
Martin Kalabza, a regular Little Big Markets vendor, said the markets had been a “blessing” for his business.
A graphic designer with 15 years’ experience, Kalabza sells custom-designed stickers at the market.
“The Little Big Markets for me was really a starting line, it was a training ground, and there are so many young people, very brave people, who go there and really try.”
He said Mount Maunganui needed more “creators” and the markets helped those businesses.
“They do such great work for the community, for creators who want to make a change.
“We should really try to collaborate and help each other, rather than fight, it’s [Coronation Park] literally an incubator, a place where dreams come true.”
The committee will deliberate on the policy at its August 18 meeting.
Kaitlyn Morrell is a journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.