Lake link behind road revamp

Rotorua motorists may have been wondering what's been happening to the roundabouts on Fenton St - they now provide a visual link to Lake Rotorua.

Former Rotorua District Council landscape architect Joby Barham presented the designs to councillors late last year. Mr Barham says in his report that when Rotorua was originally laid out Fenton St was aligned to form a "viewshaft" of Lake Rotorua to the north and Pohutu and Waikite geysers to the south.

"Today's arrival experience from the south into urban Rotorua begins with Hemo Gorge and the palisade entranceway. Both features are prominent, complementary and create a very memorable arrival experience."

The landscaping is part of a planned theme across all Fenton St roundabouts, from Sala St down to Arawa St.

Mr Barham says while the original "viewshaft" to the south and north of Fenton St had been maintained, the street has also been enhanced with avenue planting of pin oak trees.

He says the roundabouts would be planted with a range of plants which reflected the change from a geothermal landscape at Whakarewarewa to the garden-like and lake edge environment of the city centre.

Plants will include perennials for colour, wetland plants and box hedges towards the city centre and geothermal vegetation towards the south. Pumice mulch and mown grass will be used as surfaces.

"Bold geometric patterns have been developed to provide clear, memorable and interesting forms when viewed as a pedestrian or motorist," Mr Barham says in his report.

With regard to traffic, council works manager Peter Dine said staff would monitor how well the new roundabouts were working before plans to build more along Fenton St were discussed. "We may not need them if the ones already in place do the job they were made to do by reducing the number of accidents along the entire length of Fenton St."

Mr Dine said a roundabout at the Robertson St intersection could be built in the next few years and the Malfroy Rd intersection roundabout would be built if and when the Victoria St Arterial project went ahead.

The paving stones used on the original roundabouts have been recycled and will be used elsewhere in Rotorua.