The fallen tree proves an obstacle and entertainment for foot traffic at Park Island. Photo / Paul Taylor
The fallen tree proves an obstacle and entertainment for foot traffic at Park Island. Photo / Paul Taylor
Walkers who were 100m from a large pine tree that fell across a walkway on a calm Napier afternoon say it was an accident waiting to happen.
"We should be buying Lotto tickets," Taradale residents Patricia Brooks said after the near-miss with the path of a falling tree in ParkIsland about 12.45pm on Tuesday.
Napier City Council says it does regular checks of the trees in the area, but this one, which was rotten, was missed.
Brooks, her partner and their golden-doodle Roxy were walking in the area near Prebensen Drive when they watched ahead of them as the tree fell across the path and the Taipo Stream with "quite a crash and a thud".
"It broke in a couple of places when it hit the ground," Brooks said.
"We were far enough back to not be frightened, we were about 100m away but our dog was close enough that she was completely undone by it.
"There were no branches, it was obviously a dead tree. We thought about how this easily could have been much worse, depending on our timing."
Spenser, 9, and his sister Sienna Simpkin, 7, of Taradale, investigated the fallen pine before it was removed by Park Island staff. Photo / Paul Taylor
The couple called Napier City Council, which quickly acted on the path block by removing the pine tree, but Brookes believes more preventive measures could have been in place to ensure the safety of walkers and cyclists.
"In hindsight, there should be a check of trees in similar conditions to the one that fell to ensure public safety," Brooks said.
"This was an accident waiting to happen. The tree was rotten and broken at the base."
A Napier City Council spokeswoman said tree work had been undertaken in the Park Island area recently, and trees in the locality are frequently assessed, like all the trees on council parks and reserves.
"Our teams are on site regularly in these areas and do try to identify problem trees.
"Unfortunately, this one, which was rotten, was missed and therefore not on our tree register, which helps us to keep track of those which are of concern," she said.
The spokeswoman confirmed the council will be checking this site in the future to ensure there are no other trees in a similar condition and if any trees are found that could be a risk to the public, they will be removed.
"In the long term, we will be removing and replanting much of these areas when budget and resource allows, similar to what we have been doing in the nearby Wharerangi cemetery."
