Ngongotaha people are yet to decide whether they want a controversial sculpture set up in the township.
Almost two weeks ago, the Rotorua Daily Post reported that the Rotorua District Council had given community group Progress Ngongotaha permission to look into repairing White Lightning with a view to re-siting itin Ngongotaha.
White Lightning, by Terry Stringer, was originally gifted to the people of Rotorua by the Rotorua Area Electricity Authority in 1987 and was sited in the centre of the city's CBD in the Tutanekai Mall. It was removed during the redesign of the City Focus and finally moved to the Castlecorp yard on Vaughan Rd in 1997, where it has sat since.
Progress Ngongotaha chairwoman Lynn Benfell said the Railway Park had offered space for the sculpture while it was being fixed, and local artist Paul Nicolai had contacted the original artist in the hope he would help with its restoration.
She said Ngongotaha was the site of the first powerline from the Arapuni hydro-electric power station about 1930 and she hoped the Ngongotaha community would get behind the project.
Early estimates suggest it could cost more than $15,000 to repair.
Mrs Benfell said she didn't want to say any more before the organisation met next month. The Progress Ngongotaha annual meeting would be held in the Ngongotaha Community Hall on School Rd from 6.30pm on Tuesday, July 15, to discuss the sculpture and other issues.
