Successor trees for Masterton park

The Masterton District Council Policy and Finance Committee last Thursday confirmed a tree replanting programme at Queen Elizabeth Park in the town.

Tenders for the felling of 48 trees in Queen Elizabeth Park and maintenance on another 84 have closed but are still being evaluated by Masterton District Council.

At a meeting of the council's Policy and Finance Committee last Thursday it was confirmed a replanting programme will start immediately the trees come down.

Councillor Gary Caffell, who chairs the Parks and Open Spaces Task Group, said 12 trees would be immediately replaced and the others when "hard surface construction" was done.

That meant any areas where trees had been felled that needed such things as paths or bridges built would not be replanted until that work was finished.

Mr Caffell told the committee, since publication of proposals to fell and work on trees, he had been contacted by many people.

In general their comments had been very supportive, especially when callers learned there was a replacement programme.

Tree felling and maintenance is expected to begin at the end of this month.

Mention was also made at the meeting of the near completion of restoring the Archer St entrance to Masterton Cemetery.

At the suggestion of Councillor Brent Goodwin it was agreed to pass a vote of thanks to Masterton man Kevin Fearon for his generosity in paying for the restoration of the vehicle and pedestrian entranceway.