City gets a garden makeover

The corners of Tutanekai and Pukuatua Sts are in the process of getting a makeover as part of the council's inner city revitalisation project. Photo / Ben Fraser.

Rotorua District Council is progressively upgrading the Tutanekai and Pukuatua Sts intersection.

The old seating and gardens are being removed to make way for more expansive gardens and landscaping. Rocks will provide the bones of the new gardens, with the first corner expected to be planted later this week.

Council landscape architect Rebecca Cray said the work was another component of the local authority's on-going programme to revitalise the inner city, which was being done in partnership with the Inner City Focus Group, representing retailers and other businesses.

"As a public safety measure "splitter" (traffic) islands on Pukuatua St are also being widened to provide safer crossings for pedestrians and to slow east-west traffic along Pukuatua St."

She said the new corners of the intersection would see a new style of planting, using different types and combinations of plants than typical gardens in the central city.

"By November 23, the first corner at least should be a fully planted attractive new garden with feature rocks added for interest and finished off with black bark.

"Other projects being incorporated into the upgrade of this intersection are the new 'Wood First' public seating designs developed by our high school design competition winner Jake Krebs and new bins for the corners expected by mid-December."

She said the project had been under way in terms of design for more than a year, driven by the inner city revitalisation programme's aims, and in partnership with the Inner City Focus Group.

"This group has been keen to address safety concerns for people crossing Pukuatua St, complaints from shop owners and Rotorua police about groups congregating on seating bays and intimidating other street users and a need to make better use of our wide streets, to provide a cosier environment for visitors and shoppers alike."

Castlecorp staff are completing the demolition, re-paving and replanting work for each corner. They will also be responsible for installing bins once they arrive.