Tree felling angers business owners

By CHERIE TAYLOR in Rotorua
A decision by the Rotorua District Council to remove trees lining the road at Whakarewarewa has upset some local business owners.

They fear the character of the area is being destroyed - although the council is adamant its plans will eventually pay off.

Hei Tiki Gallery owner Ngawara Gordon arrived at work this week to find council workers chopping down camellia and silver birch trees on a median strip leading into the tourist area.

The trees have been felled as part of a redevelopment of the area which includes new paving, smaller traffic islands and more carparks for tourists and shoppers.

Mrs Gordon said shop owners had been consulted by the council but it appeared their concerns had been ignored.

"We have been talking to them for months now and told them how we saw it but they haven't listened to us all. All it was was lip service," she said. "We don't need any more carparks here. We have a sea of them now."

Removal of the trees had created an eyesore with a public toilet block on the traffic island, Mrs Gordon said.

"All you can see now is the dunny," she said. "These trees provided shade for the tourists and shelter from the heat for the shops. There is nothing conducive to Maori in this work. It's a concrete jungle with dunny in the middle now."

Hei Tiki Gallery trustee Gay Kingi is concerned the changes will not portray the Maori character of the area.

"It's terrible," she said. "We don't want this area to look like England with paving stones. This was a park-like area before."

Acorn Flower Market owner Sue Edward said while she was impressed with the redevelopment work, she wasn't happy with the felling of the trees.

"It's sad," she said.

Mrs Edward's store was named after the acorns that lie on the ground beneath an oak tree outside the shop. According to her, the tree was nearly chopped down by a chainsaw-wielding council worker.

"We only just stopped them," she said.

Council works manager Peter Dine said the redevelopment had gone ahead after extensive consultation with business owners and residents. "It was part of an agreed-on plan," he said.

Mr Dine said new trees would be planted on the site in April or May.

The redevelopment also included new paving, an upgrade of the stormwater drains, more parking, new gardens and a reserve along the riverbank.

"This will be a big improvement. There is going to be extensive landscaping to beautify the area and the plan is to have carvings and artwork included," he said.