Te Ahi Tupua on October 13. Photo / File
There is still no end in sight for the behind-schedule, over-budget Hemo sculpture and the council has been unable to supply its updated total cost.
On Tuesday, a Rotorua Lakes Council spokesperson confirmed the installation of the sculpture - which is more than three years behind schedule - was not complete.
The spokesperson also confirmed a date had not yet been set for the
sculpture's official opening.
However, a question regarding the updated cost of the sculpture was left unanswered.
On March 21 last year, the Rotorua Daily Post reported the cost of the sculpture had risen to $743,029 - an estimated $204,361 overspend.
The council's contribution had risen from $270,000 to $388,000 as a result and other project partners had helped with the funding.
The news comes as the council spokesperson provided answers to questions submitted by the Rotorua Daily Post under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
Asked if there had been any new challenges since the transferral and initial installation of the sculpture, the spokesperson said, "the challenge remains finalising of the installation".
Asked how much longer the council expected the fitting to take, the spokesperson said the council was "working on finalising installation with Kilwell".
There had been no additional costs as a result of the installation, the spokesperson said, which had cost a total of $388,000.
On Wednesday, it had been six weeks since the sculpture was transferred from Kilwell to the Hemo Gorge roundabout, on September 12.
On October 13, Rotorua Residents and Ratepayers chairwoman Glenys Searancke told the Rotorua Daily Post, in her opinion, the delays on the completion of the installation of the sculpture were "appalling".
However, Evolve chairwoman Kelly Shrimpton said at the time she believed the council was "just doing what they can to get it up".
Questions were submitted by the Rotorua Daily Post to the council October 13 regarding the installation of the sculpture for that article, but after requests for more time, on October 15 a council spokeswoman confirmed the council would not answer the questions, providing the attributable response: "The council has nothing new or further to add to the story you have already published."
The council did not provide any new or additional information for the October 13 article.
The Rotorua Daily Post then submitted the questions formally under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, which compels public organisations to respond to requests for information in no longer than 20 working days.
The council was also asked for the total updated cost of the sculpture to date.
The council responded to the request on October 21, but did not answer the latter.
On September 15, Rotorua Lakes Council operations manager Jocelyn Mikaere said the sculpture's inner helix had taken "more manoeuvring than expected" to get it in place as the tolerances were "very tight between the helices".
The inner helix was temporarily fixed in place within the outer helix in order to restore traffic flow on the day of installation, she said.
At the time Mikaere confirmed parts of the sculpture had been temporarily removed to finish installation of the inner helix to the base plinth, and it was expected "these tubes and the additional post installation inner to outer tubes will be installed over the next few weeks".
Last week deputy mayor Dave Donaldson said he was "keen as to see the finished product - lights included - and of course have another official opening".
The council was asked on Wednesday for further clarification on the answers supplied and for attribution for its comments, but did not respond by deadline.
The council initially refused to answer these questions, submitted on October 13. The council provided a response when compelled to under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
Once the unattributable answers arrived, the Rotorua Daily Post clarified the third question.
The Rotorua Daily Post also further asked for the total updated cost of the sculpture to date on October 15.
The six questions submitted:
• Has it been fitted correctly yet?
• Have there been new challenges since the last update just under a month ago?
• Has the sculpture had to be damaged or altered in order to get it into position?
• How much longer does the council expect the fitting to take?
• When has the opening and blessing been scheduled for?
• Has there been any additional cost as a result of the challenges in installing the sculpture?
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