The display house was high on the list of contentious issues in the council's draft 10-year plan that also included the controversial decision not to spend $500,000 to help fund the Tauranga leg of the walkway/cycleway from Omokoroa.
Councillors will be hearing submissions from 144 people and organisations on the Long Term Plan, starting today and ending on Friday. The council received 656 written submissions. Part of the rationale for closing the display house, also known as the Begonia House, was that the visitor book showed it was getting only two visitors a day.
However when Mrs Malcouronne took the petition to a recent meeting of the University of the Third Age, nearly all 95 people put up their hand to say they had enjoyed the display house. But only one hand went up when she asked who had signed the visitors book.
"A lot of them had happy memories of the display house but they did not feel they needed to sign the visitors' book because they lived locally."
Mrs Malcouronne said the council was missing the plot because the display house was in a wonderful spot near heritage attractions like the Monmouth Redoubt and The Elms. She believed the many elderly people holidaying on cruise ships would be interested in seeing the subtropical plants.
Club members were amazed at the support they received.
The petition said visitors needed to be made more aware of the "treasure" which produced colourful displays all year round.
Tropical Display House
• Opened 1954
• Rebuilt 2007 at a cost of $55,000
• Possible demolition 2016
