‘Overkill’: Gisborne man upset at closure of garden

The closure of a Gisborne garden to asbestos contamination has upset a volunteer who dedicated more than 20 years of his life to working the soil there.

In late October, Gisborne District Council closed the community-run Turanga Gardens indefinitely after asbestos was found in the area.

It marked the end of a 22-year volunteer project which rejuvenated an area adjacent to the former Cook Hospital.

The demolition of that building in 1988 ultimately caused the downfall of the natural space, after bad weather exposed waste deposits which had been buried in the area.

An independent report prepared in October said following heavy rain events earlier in the year  — including Cyclone Gabrielle — two areas of the gardens slipped and displaced soil, exposing the contents of the landfill beneath.

Asbestos-containing material along with demolition waste in exposed areas raised red flags for the site, and remediation would be required for continued use.

“Exposure of asbestos within walking tracks and pathways poses a significant risk to users of the site, including gardeners, mowers, maintenance workers and recreational users,” the report said.

“Based on this investigation, the entire Turanga Gardens site is considered highly likely to pose a risk to human health.”

The news has come as a blow to 78-year-old Ray Gowland who played an integral role in both establishing and caring for the space.

Mr Gowland said he travelled extensively with his late wife and enjoyed visiting gardens around the world.

He hoped to create something similar for the people of Gisborne, and believed the closure was “overkill”.

“We’ve probably turned over every piece of soil in the area, and none of us have suffered from any symptoms,” Gowland said.

“We don’t do it for rewards and acknowledgements and payments or anything like that.

“We love gardening and we just love to get in there and create something.”

Local Democracy Reporting asked the council if the site should have been tested earlier due to its location on the landfill.

Council director liveable communities Michelle Frey said the gardens had not been subject to any formal monitoring programme because that was not required for sites with covered material.

“Material was exposed in parts of the gardens as a result of rain events. Council closed the gardens and commissioned a detailed site investigation of the site,” she said.

“The area remains closed while considerations are made around the future of the site, and the costs involved.”

Ms Frey said it was unlikely asbestos from the hospital buildings would have posed a risk to anyone walking through the gardens prior to closure.

But there was a potential risk to people who had worked near the source of contamination.

“However, even then, if asbestos was not exposed then there would have been a low risk.”

Prior to the gardens’ indefinite closure in October, the area had been closed following Cyclone Gabrielle.

Options for remediating the site were being investigated by the council, but it was anticipated to be an expensive undertaking.

Aside from the most recent issue, vandalism and plant poaching at the gardens have also made headlines over the years.