Bridge link to new war memorial

Mayor Steve Chadwick and RSA president John Treanor officially opened the memorial bridge yesterday. Photo / Ben Fraser

One hundred years ago the small nation of New Zealand became committed to the largest war the world had experienced.

Many young men from the Rotorua district enlisted to fight in World War I, thinking they would be home by Christmas - how wrong they were.

Yesterday, Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick, members of the Rotorua RSA, war veterans, MPs, families and friends attended the official opening of a bridge over Sulphur Lake in the Government Gardens dedicated to the men from the district who fought and died in the Great War of 1914-1918.

Rotorua District Council community arts adviser Marc Spijkerbosch addressed the crowd, saying the Government Gardens were an important part of the healing process for wounded soldiers, many of whom would take walks around the lake and gardens as part of the process.

"It's hard to believe that six months ago this area was a forgotten wasteland - the transformation has been nothing short of incredible," he said.

Rev Tom Poata blessed the site, saying it was poignant that a bridge was used as a memorial as bridges were used to connect people and places - which was what the world needed in this day and age.

Mrs Chadwick said the council, in partnership with the RSA, would be holding more commemoration events to mark important dates in the World War I calendar, including a "Field of Remembrance" - a field of white crosses which would honour all of those from Rotorua who died in the war.

In the coming months about a dozen sculptors will be in Rotorua to take part in the Rotorua Sculpture Symposium at the Arts Village. The symposium is themed "The Returning Soldier" and in the next two years the area surrounding the lake will display the collection.