by Margaret Stevenson-Wright

On Friday as I walked through Mahara Place, a concerned resident drew my attention to a hazard within the update of Mahara Place — and in doing so asked that I photograph her at her point of identified hazard.  Having done so, I urged her to act upon her concern.

Troubled by what this resident had drawn attention to, I returned on Saturday capture a progression of images that illustrate the hazard — a description of which (backed by these images) follows:

Immediately outside the 123 Mart shop an attractive wooden slatted path at ground level invites one to walk towards the Book and Post Shop and Westbury pharmacy and in doing so follow the gentle incline of the slatted path to these businesses.

The reality is that this attractive low gradient wooden slatted path ends abruptly at a height of 0.6 metres above concrete below.  While double this height is often taken as a threshold for railing restraint, consideration of the public that are typically present, their frequently poor eyesight and the potential of wet wood for slips elevates this to a possible disastrous head injury fall (for young children particularly) onto the concrete, even if it occurred infrequently.