Editorial: Jury out on city changes (+video)

In the space of a few hours on Monday night, the inner city's skyline was changed forever.

It was only the sails, but their removal from the City Focus meant there was no going back. It's full steam ahead for the redesign of the area, part of what the Rotorua Lakes Council has dubbed #InnerCityMakeover on its social media.

The building in the City Focus is ready and waiting for demolition, as staff removed posters from windows and loaded rolls of carpet on to the back of a ute as three contractors worked into the darkness to detach the sails from the pillars. The pillars too will come down before Christmas, with the construction of the new-look (as yet-unnamed area) to happen next year.

As the contractors worked, one remarked he'd had "about six" passersby tell them to leave the sails up.

That view was echoed on social media with many calling it the wrong decision and a sad day for Rotorua. How many of those commenting actually made a submission or voted on their preferred design is another question.

Many nearby retailers and, of course, the mayor and councillors reacted much more positively, commenting on the light and bright space and how great it was having an unobstructed view down the Tutanekai St spine.

Having joined a few others going for a wander and a nosy yesterday, I personally liked the open feel. It was a beautiful day and it was nice to see the sky (whether I would have felt differently had it been teeming with rain, who can say).

It was easy to imagine office workers sitting in the grass on their lunch breaks, soaking up some sun before heading back to their desks.

Change is never easy, especially when it's major, big change - rather than the minor, gradual changes many are more comfortable with. The mayor and her councillors haven't shied away from making big decisions. Gutsy and forward-thinking or arrogant and frivolous? You be the judge.