City Focus change 'sad' for former Rotorua mayor (+video)

Former mayor Grahame Hall says the City Focus revamp is scandalous. Photo / Stephen Parker

"Scandalous and a very sad day for Rotorua" is how former Rotorua mayor Grahame Hall has described the decision to change the City Focus.

Mr Hall was mayor when the City Focus was built in 1994 and yesterday spoke to the Rotorua Daily Post about the issue.

"I think it is a tragedy for Rotorua not because I put it there but by taking it down they are going to end up going back to the bad old days 20 years ago with traffic driving through and little regard to pedestrians.

"More and more places are taking traffic out and ... we are doing the opposite."

Mr Hall said when the City Focus was built, it was considered innovative and Rotorua was one of the first cities in New Zealand to make such a move. He said the current City Focus certainly needed revamping, but a less expensive tidy up leaving in place the sails and the inability for traffic to drive through it was a better and more financially wise option.

"For me, it's an absolute waste of money we don't have," he said.

"The City Focus should be revamped, not destroyed. You don't want traffic going through it. It think it's scandalous and a very sad day for Rotorua.

"I believe a majority of people in this city will be bitterly disappointed ..."

Mayor Steve Chadwick could not be reached for comment.