Thoughts with the family of drowned toddler
The drowning of a two-year old boy in the Taruheru River on Thursday is an absolute tragedy says Gisborne District
Council acting chief executive Nedine Thatcher-Swann. "Our thoughts are with the family and the three-year old who has
been flown to Starship Hospital in Auckland."
"Mayor Meng Foon will be meeting with the family to offer Council's condolences."
Staff were at the Atkinson Street Reserve and the river first thing this morning to investigate the facts around the
tragedy.
Kia Kaha Mangapapa Group spoke to Council last year about fencing the reserve at a meeting where general improvements
for the area were discussed. Some money was allocated to the park which has initially been spent on fencing the
stormwater culvert, a skatepark and a community garden.
"It's inconclusive as to whether fencing the reserve would have made a difference in this case until we have done more
investigation," says Mrs Thatcher-Swann. "Around the country and the world it is very unusual to find our natural
environments - rivers, lakes or ponds - fenced."
ENDS