But in August, the council voted against a $7 million proposal to urgently put fences up around Wellington\u2019s waterfront.<\/p>\n
A new council has since been elected, helmed by Andrew Little.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Little posted a video on social media announcing that the fencing was coming down, standing on the waterfront.<\/p>\n
This prompted an email from Sandy Calkin\u2019s father, Roger Calkin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find it sickening that you have used the spot where the body of Isaac Levings was recovered from the water to choose to make a Facebook video celebrating the removal of the temporary fencing,\u201d Calkin emailed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour choice to shoot this video in that place is a just a further kick in the teeth to victims and their families. Do you have no empathy or understanding of the situation at all?\u201d<\/p>\n
Calkin said the video showed a complete lack of judgment.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe could have just gone online and made his announcement anywhere. He didn\u2019t have to do it in a place that is likely to offend people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Little said what happened to Calkin\u2019s son was a tragedy and had his sympathy.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWellington City Council has made a number of significant improvements, including lighting, and will continue to invest in safety along the waterfront.\u201d<\/p>\n Little said it was time to take down temporary fencing and open up the city\u2019s waterfront again.<\/p>\n He said a permanent solution was still being explored for the Kumutoto and Queens Wharf precincts, which were higher risk, but he said in front of Frank Kitts Park and around Te Papa there was already a wide path.<\/p>\n \u201cPart of visiting Wellington is to be able to go down to the waterfront, enjoy Frank Kitts Park, enjoy those areas around Te Papa, and so you want people to enjoy that, enjoy what that amenity is.\u201d<\/p>\n