A last-minute plea from Ataturk Turkish Kebab shop owner Jahn Ozgur has deferred the removal of “parklet” dining platforms from carparks on The Strand.

Whakatāne District Council was to have made a decision last week about removing the parklets, which have been in the town centre since March 2021.

However, owners of two restaurants currently using the parklets, Mr Ozgur and The Wagon owner Alex Potter "caught wind” of the meeting the night before and were there to plead their case in the public forum.

Mr Ozgur told the council they were happy to pay a lease for the parklets to stay and pay for improvements to them as he saw them as a benefit to the town centre.

The parklets were one of three projects the council developed, funded by New Zealand transport agency Waka Kotahi’s Innovating Streets for People programme.

Three movable wooden platforms, each taking two angle car parking spaces, were initially introduced as a three-month trial.

Once the programme ended, the parklets were placed under the management of EPIC (Events, Promotions, Initiatives, Community) Whakatāne Town Centre, and were to be rotated around various businesses on a six-monthly basis.

More than two years later, after a survey of the community, EPIC has recommended to the council that the parklets be removed.

A report to yesterday’s full council meeting included a statement from EPIC saying feedback showed "limited public support” for the parklets with the majority of complaints being that they were unpleasant to look at, not used during the day and blocked parking unnecessarily.

The report also stated that, with one exception, there had been a general unwillingness from the businesses using the parklets to invest in the appearance of the parklets. They were described as “dirty and not well-furnished'.

EPIC chairwoman Lani Thompson told the meeting all the businesses that had used the platforms since the initial trial had been sent invoices of $1500, which included the costs of moving and maintenance of the platforms and none had paid, despite the invoices being followed up in person.

Mr Ozgur later told the Beacon he had never received an invoice from EPIC related to the parklets.

“I’m happy to take over the management of the three platforms, cover all expenses, shifting them, maintaining them, plus doing them up, because we think it is good for the town centre,” he said.

He was critical of the way EPIC had managed the parklets.

“EPIC has been approached because we wanted to pay a lease to keep the platforms but they never responded. They don’t respond to emails.”

Mrs Potter from The Wagon said she had received an invoice for about $1500 from EPIC some time ago.

“I emailed back asking them to outline exactly what this is for, because they had only moved one (parklet) and $1500 seemed a little bit excessive and then I didn’t hear anything back in regard to that invoice, so I didn’t pay it. I am happy to pay something for the parklet, there’s just been really bad communication in regard to it all.”

She had received no follow-up about the unpaid invoice.

“In February I did have someone come in from EPIC and speak to me but she didn’t say anything to me about the invoice, she was just asking whether we want to keep [the parklet].

“I said, if another business wants it, by all means share it around, but we were keen to keep it.”

She said she was also willing to spend money to make the parklet more attractive, but she hadn’t because she had been told it was being removed.

During discussion of the report, various suggestions were made by councillors about how businesses could be charged an upfront fee or bond to have the dining platforms to cover any expense to council and guarantee they were well maintained.

Council decided to delay any decision on the parkets, one of which is currently in storage.

Mayor Victor Luca said it was clear some new information had come to light and maybe further deliberations were in order.

He proposed that EPIC go away and explore some of these other options and come back to council with another recommendation.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.