Pocket Park To Be Named Davidson Park

The new pocket park in Queen Street is to be named Davidson Place in honour of Marlborough’s first female mayor Liz Davidson.

Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman says Mrs Davidson’s remarkable record of civic service should be acknowledged and a park in the centre of the town she served for so long is a very fitting tribute.

“There would be very few local body politicians able to match her length of service across the community, not just to the council itself, but to the many other organisations to which Liz committed her energies,” he said.

Mrs Davidson was first elected to the then Blenheim Borough Council in 1983. She was mayor from 1995 to 1998 serving a total of 27 years on the council, a record of local body involvement which continued until 2010.

A firm believer in public recreational facilities and healthy lifestyles, Mrs Davidson was always a strong advocate of civic amenities like cycleways and walkways. She was an early backer of the Wither Hills and the Taylor River walkways and a key supporter of the Stadium 2000 complex.

A member of Marlborough’s various hospital boards and area health boards during the 1980s and 90s, she was also a founding member of the Women’s Refuge movement and a supporter of various drug and alcohol recovery programmes.

In 1991 Mrs Davidson was the inaugural chair of the Marlborough Conservation Board, serving on it for eight years, and she was also a founder member of the District Council’s Significant Natural Areas project.

The naming of the pocket park was an initiative from CBD councillor Terry Sloan who said he was very pleased to see Marlborough recognise Mrs Davidson’s contribution.

“Liz was an enormous force for getting things achieved for this town and I’m pleased that we have found a way to remember that and the fact that she was a bit of a trailblazer in terms of getting women to stand for Council.”

Mrs Davidson said she considered it a real honour to be remembered in this manner.

“It’s a particular honour to think this month, with Suffrage Day coming up, that the Council has chosen to announce this. Remarkably few women have participated in local government in Marlborough over the years but I am pleased to see this is changing,” she said.

Mrs Davidson also said she had always strongly believed in the Council providing good amenities for the public.

“I’m very pleased to see that councillors have recognised that a pleasant and attractive town centre is important not just for visitors but to all of us who use the town every day.”

Councillor Sloan says the redesigned park is intended to provide a family-friendly spot close to the retail area which will also double as a market and events venue.

“The park will be laid out in a way that lends itself to performances; with controlled lighting and a stage area. With movable bollards, it will also be easy to double the size of the park area and open up the space through to Market Place. It will create a far more user-friendly public space than currently exists,” he said.
Councillor Sloan says it’s important that people look at the pocket park as one component of a far larger picture.

“This park is just the first step of a major upgrade of the CBD which will be completed over the next 10 to 15 years as part of the town’s Urban Design Strategy. It may be difficult for some people to imagine how the town is going to look by 2025 but Davidson Place is going to be a key element of our future townscape.”

It’s hoped the new park will be completed by early December although that will depend on the weather.