Council signs on Long Mile Rd. Photo / Tracey McLeod
A Rotorua resident says a pile of signs left on the side of the road by the Rotorua Lakes Council is "not good enough" and the organisation should set a better example.
Tracey McLeod was on one of her regular walks through in the Redwoods forest about six months ago when she first saw old council Redwoods signs "dumped" on Long Mile Rd.
She said the signs were still there on Sunday.
A council spokeswoman confirmed the signs were removed in 2019 when work in the area was under way.
"[The] council are considering whether they can reuse or re-skin the signs and stockpiled the signs near the car park on Long Mile Rd until a decision was made."
The signs were "scheduled for relocation" this week, "until plans for signage can be finalised".
McLeod said it was a "funny" place to stockpile items.
"It's not good enough really. They've been there several months." She said it was a potential health and safety hazard and "messy".
Her view was council contractors may have left the signs there.
"You don't just dump them on the ground like that.
"Rubbish dumping is such an issue in the district as it is. You would think they would try to set an example."
Work to upgrade Long Mile Rd began at the end of February 2019 as part of the Whakarewarewa Forest development.
It was a collaborative project between Rotorua Lakes Council, Ngāti Whakaue, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, and CNI Iwi Holdings. The council manages an investment of $14.5 million to enhance and improve the area.
Of that, $7.5m was ratepayer funds, with the other $7m coming from the Government's provincial growth fund.
In December, some Rotorua locals were "disgusted" when a pile of hard rubbish, including meth pipes and condoms amid children's toys, were found dumped near an athletic field on Devon St.
At the time, council infrastructure manager Stavros Michael said while it was unfortunate, there would always be people who chose "not to do the right thing".
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