Tree felling in Rangipoia Place. Photo / Laurilee McMichael
Tree felling in Rangipoia Place. Photo / Laurilee McMichael
The pain and the pleasure.
Some Tūrangi residents are living in a construction zone as 94 trees are removed as part of a project to replace crumbling kerb and channelling.
Taupō District Council was awarded $6.5 million from the Government's shovel-ready fund and work on the Tūrangi Street Revitalisation Project began in February.
With the deciduous trees a blaze of autumn colour, some residents expressed regret that a number of the trees being removed are in their prime. Others have acknowledged while the trees are beautiful, they were planted in an unsuitable spot.
The sheer number of trees being removed has also drawn fire, with some saying 94 trees is too many for Tūrangi to lose, and without the trees it won't be the same.
Rangipoia Place resident Harriet Tukukimo said every tree in her street has been removed, but says there are already plenty of trees in people's gardens for everyone to enjoy. Her overall impression is Rangipoia Place will be "absolutely gorgeous" when the project is complete.
Tree felling in Rangipoia Place. Photo / Laurilee McMichael
She says she won't miss having to rake up the leaves that fall each autumn, and hopes Rangipoia Place is replanted with evergreen trees, similar to urban street plantings in her old town of Wainuiomata.
On Facebook, many residents commented about the benefit of less shading from the former trees, and how more light now gets into homes.
Harriet says the contractors are very busy working on the kerb and channelling, and expects it will take a while to complete the work.
"It used to be a bloody mess. It's a big mess now, but it will clean up nicely," said Harriet.
Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board chairman Clint Green said the replanting would not necessarily be tree-for-tree and would follow the advice of Taupo District Council staff.
"Enough trees will be replanted to keep the look of the street," said Mr Green.
With much speculation around the species of trees to be planted, Mr Green said council staff have compiled a list of trees with a small growth habit and put out an online replanting survey for Tūrangi residents.
People can state the street they live in and vote for the species they like. He said people have also been getting in touch with tree requests, and these preferences will also be included in considerations.
Mr Green said there is plenty of time for residents to have their say as planting is planned for spring.
Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board chairman Clint Green. Photo / File
Rangipoia Place is the first street to have trees removed and work has begun on kerb and channelling. Clint said an effort was made to get in touch with every resident and home owner.
"The trees were cut down and most of the feedback has been positive. We had one absentee owner who was upset because they were not forewarned."
Clint said there has been "kickback" to the tree cutting from a group of residents who don't live in the streets where the street revitalisation works are taking place. He said their concern is about a negative effect on Tūrangi's treescape arising from the loss of 94 trees.
The revitalisation project is to remedy damage to kerb, channelling and footpaths, to protect underground services, and to address stormwater pooling. However, Mr Green said the overwhelming feedback has related to positive aspects from the trees being removed.
"Homes have more light and get more sunshine. The previous trees generated a nuisance level of leaves. It's largely a positive response as people feel the environment has improved."
The Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board was presented with three different options for dealing with the trees and went with option one, which was removal and replacement of 94 trees. In the other two options there was the possibility to save some trees but not all, and it would have cost more, meaning less money to spend on kerbing and channelling.
Mr Green said it is hoped the entire revitalisation project will be carried out in the next few months, however he said bad weather may halt the project until spring.
He said the best thing about the revitalisation project is there is no cost to the ratepayers, as the project is completely funded by the Government. The shovel-ready fund application was prepared by council staff when the country was in Covid-19 alert levels 4 and 3 and was drawn from the existing Taupō District long-term plan.
