Bins to go from Rotorua city parks

Rotorua's council is planning to remove bins from parks and reserves to see if the city's residents are prepared to clean up after themselves.
It is also one way for the Rotorua District Council to save some money.
The trial will take place over a two-year period in eight parks and reserves in the district, including Ray Boord Park, next to the Rotorua International Stadium.
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The council's parks asset and planning manager, Eric Haycock, said in his report to councillors that litter from parks and reserves was collected by Castlecorp at an annual cost of $480,000.
The litter was taken, unsorted, direct to the Atiamuri Landfill.
The aim is to make all of Rotorua's parks and reserves litter-bin free.
"Rubbish bin-free parks require people to take responsibility for their own rubbish by taking it away for recycling rather than leaving it on a reserve, where it ends up in the landfill.
"It should increase park users awareness of their impact on the environment and encourage them to reduce, re-use and recycle," Mr Haycock said.
He said signs would be erected in each of the parks in the trial so people would know there were no bins on site.
For the first year of the trial, that began in February this year, Castlecorp staff would continue to empty the bins and record the amount of rubbish collected.
In the second year of the trial, bins would be removed and staff would then record the amount of rubbish left behind by users.
Keep Rotorua Beautiful co-ordinator Christine Findon said it would be a long process but was confident Rotorua residents would eventually take to the idea.
"I know it works in Australia and I encourage children in schools to get their parents to take their rubbish home with them.
"It will take time but it's a matter of education, will increase the life of our landfill and encourage recycling," Mrs Findon told The Daily Post.
Firth Place resident Amber Singh, whose property backs on to Ray Boord Park, said she was not confident the idea would work but was prepared to wait and see.
"When Raggamuffin and some rugby games are on there's a lot of rubbish left behind. There's a bin down there now that has been burnt and melted, it's been like that for two weeks."
Mrs Singh said the park was generally left tidy but after events bins were full to overflowing with all sorts of rubbish.
"When they take the bins away I think it will get a lot worse ... it takes away from the idea of a public park ... I'm not 100 per cent sold on the idea," she said.
The council's parks and recreation manager, Garry Page, said he would recommend council remove litter bins only if there was a clear indication that park users had bought into the idea.
"Savings could potentially be substantial but this is dependent on the willingness of users to support the concept and the council's success with education around the initiative.
"However, the emphasis is not just about potential savings but is also about environmental sustainability and increasing waste recycling. The council is fully aware that Rotorua is a tourist destination and that the look of the city is important to our economy," Mr Page said.
He said he acknowledged that some people would continue to dispose of their litter on reserves.
"This happens at the present time even though litter bins are provided," Mr Page said.
 
BIN-FREE PARKS TRIAL:
- Centennial Park, Tihiotonga Domain (Tree Trust)
- Murray Linton Park
- Pullar Park (west)
- Elliott Park
- Ray Boord Park
- Sheaf Park
- Warwick Dr Reserve
- Lake Okaro Reserve