The ‘jewel in the crown’ opens for viewing
Access to Percy Scenic Reserve is set to improve for summer with the official opening ceremony of the Dowse to Petone Upgrade project on 20 November.
“It is the jewel in the crown that has been locked away for the past 25 years,” says Petone Community Board chairperson Gerald Davidson.
With the old custodian’s cottage on the site moved, the Percy Reserve entrance is now safer to access and more available to the community. The new entrance location has allowed Hutt City Council to develop the visitor arrival area and the existing operational buildings, at the northern end of the scenic reserve.
“The reserve used to draw huge crowds; all sorts of activities were held there in the 1950s and 1960s.
“They used to hold wedding parties there for the pictures, and Sunday would see bands playing.
“But then traffic increased and the highway went in,” says Mr Davidson.
The cottage, now on its new site, will also be available for community and education purposes relating to the reserve.
“The new entranceway is just one part of the deal; the Percy Reserve management plan is awaiting ministerial approval before historical aspects of the park can be upgraded.
“The reserve is more significant than the Otari [Open Air Native Plant] Museum in terms of history,” he says.
The new carpark is a vast improvement from the original. With safer and easier access from both directions of SH2 it provides parking for up to 40 cars and also has allocated areas for larger buses and tour couches.
“They are working franticly to have everything ready down there for the opening ceremony.
“Jonathan Coleman, the Minister of Transport, will be opening the project and anyone with an interest in it will be down there,” Mr Davidson says.
Meanwhile, Porirua City Council manager of leisure assets and services Karyn Stillwell says no major projects are planned for summer, and the last major work they undertook was the upgrade of Colonial Knob. Upgrading work over summer includes redevelopment of walkways near Pukerua Bay.
“Goats Track and Te Onepoto walkway will be upgraded.
“Goats track was not a proper walkway, the public had hacked it out of the bush, so we’re going to make it more user friendly,” says Mrs Stillwell.
