Put more effort into organising the AMP show, do it Friday and Saturday

In an attempt to upgrade we may lose the things that make it special and a facility that can be used in many ways by different age groups. Except for the swimming, I don't think it needs much to change. It needs to be kept as a safe place for all to enjoy.

I am a new member of the Morrinsville community and am very impressed by the cleanness and tidiness of your town.

After having lived in a small community with an indoor swimming pool I just cannot fathom why and how the long term vision for our town would be anything else. The 50m Olympic pool I know and understand is something parts of the community want to hold on to, but it limits the use and users of the facility. There is not a huge amount of shade. It is under-utilised because people in the community have not formed a habit of going there and I am certain that would change dramatically if it were and indoor facility. Towns will benefit from growth if they have amazing facilities and our town has the potential to have something other Waikato towns just don’t have. In Cromwell the community raised 1 million dollars to assist with the redevelopment of their pool complex and I am sure our community would pull together to raise funds for something like this. It would benefit everyone in the town as opposed to a smaller group of people.

If you are going to have a dog exercise area, where dogs are running freely off leash, then make sure that the fence that contains them is adequate to do just that, to keep other recreation users safe. On several occasions I have gone to do a workout on the adjacent soccer fields only to see several dogs slip through the fence from the dog exercise area to the adjacent soccer fields, and also through to the adjacent top walking track above the river. The fencing does not keep the dogs in the exercise area, and this is a potential risk to other users. Also, on the south corner of the dog exercise area adjacent to The Avenue South, there is part of the fence that has been removed, leaving a big gap for any dog loose to get out and this poses a potential threat to other rec users.
The river walk track should be either no dogs or dogs on a leash and dangerous breed dogs muzzled. I have been running and competing now for 50 years in many different countries and represented NZ at the Commonwealth Games and I have only been bitten by a dog twice. Both times were in NZ and the latest was on the river walk at the rec grounds here in Morrinsville last year, resulting in a trip to the doctor for a tetanus shot and antibiotics. But it's the emotional damage and now fear of dogs that remains and I would not want anyone else to go through this, especially a child, as I see families with very young children walking there or with young children on tricycles. If you keep allowing dogs loose on these tracks someone's child will be seriously injured at some stage, or someone else bitten. I have had other incidents where dog owners think it's ok for their dog to jump up on me, not once but several times and they do nothing to control their dog. There needs to be BIG SIGNS up at both entrances to these walking tracks clearly stating what the rules in relation to dogs are and the consequences if they don't obey them. i.e a whopping big fine and of course someone to enforce it.
This is a beautiful park that where all users should be able to feel safe and dogs should be kept under control at all times.
P.S. Holmwood Park has issues too, where you have a dog exercise area that is not contained and a walking/jogging path next to each other. It is instinct for a dog to chase something/someone that is moving, so runners and dogs are not a good combination.