Public to be heard on new home for Napier's memorial

An architect's impression of a new Memorial location in place of the Marine Parade Floral Clock, which appears to be the most popular option. Drawings/Supplied

After months of concern over a lack of consultation on the removal of Napier's war memorial items, the public will soon be able to have their say on the items' new home.

On Tuesday a public meeting will be held at MTG Hawke's Bay, just across the road from the redeveloped Napier Conference Centre, which has been at the centre of the furore.

There was public outcry over the removal of the two items and the "War Memorial" title from the centre during its multimillion-dollar redevelopment.

So, the public have been encouraged to provide feedback on three proposed new Marine Parade locations for the memorial items, which will be discussed at Tuesday's meeting.

Unlike their former home, the options would ensure the memorial was accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each option envisioned the Roll of Honour being inscribed on "vertical elements" with the Eternal Flame at height.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton said that, so far, the feedback was that people were "generally very comfortable" with the preferred options for the new memorial location, and the suggestion to return the centre's original name to it, by renaming the large hall inside as the "War Memorial Hall".

His preference, and that of the hall's original architect, Guy Natusch, was to locate the memorial in the place of the Floral Clock next to the centre.

The Floral Clock - gifted to Napier by A.B. Hurst - would be relocated to the Sunken Gardens. The Hurst family had been consulted and had agreed with that.

Of the 32 responses received on the council's website, 20 stated this option was also their preference.

"As my first choice of reinstatement inside the Napier War Memorial building is not an option the floral clock has to be the next best choice," one response said.

Another supported this option as "it serves as a wonderful link through to the original building and I am pleased to see it has been mandated by Guy Natusch.

"The memorial will be able to be seen and visited at all times and respects paid and that is also very important to me. No point having it locked up in a building. Let's move forward with this very respectful option for a beautiful new memorial."

The "Tennyson Link" was the next most popular, with 14 appearing to support this.

This option was the most "ambitious and largest scale" concept, and would be visible from Tennyson St, with a pathway created through the lawn to access the area, with the cenotaph relocated there from Memorial Square.

"It's ambitious, bold and love the idea that it connects the CBD with this crucial memorial in a dynamic and engaging way," one wrote. "It would likely provide additional security to the pier as well."

Only three indicated a preference for the Sundial option between the lawn and skating rink leading to the Sound Shell.

"The area of the Sundial has been used for Dawn Parades for Yonkeys Donks," Hardie wrote.

"It is the only hard standing place that is large enough. All the others would require major work. Moving the Floral Clock would only lend ammunition to the nay sayers. I see the Floral Clock option as merely a sop to tone down the grizzling."

Whatever concept was chosen, it was hoped to be completed by Anzac Day next April. Although $50,000 has been set aside, some sites are more complex than others and are expected to cost more.

-The meeting will be at the MTG Century Theatre at 5.30pm on Tuesday, August 1.

-Provide feedback at napier.govt.nz/our-council/consultations/have-your-say/napier-war-memorial/