Key Takeaways
- 59 central Rotorua garden beds are considered high-risk due to the increasing number of near misses with passing vehicles.
- The council has decided to replant these gardens with a combination of grass and lower-maintenance native plants to mitigate the risk.
- Traffic management for garden works is now outsourced, and recruiting continues for internal traffic management staff.
- The changes are expected to reduce shrub gardens by less than 1% and save $5000–$10,000 on maintenance annually.
- Councillors have voted to ask the community for feedback on the changes, which will happen at a suitable time after the replanting has started.
Introduction to the Problem
The Rotorua Lakes Council has been dealing with a growing concern regarding the safety of their gardeners working on the inner-city gardens. A staff report presented at the council’s meeting revealed that 59 out of 644 gardens were considered high-risk, with a significant increase in near misses between passing vehicles and gardeners. The incidents have risen from just one in 2022-23 to 14 in 2023-24 and 21 in 2024-25, with 13 incidents already reported in the current financial year. The most common incidents involved road cones being run over by large vehicles, such as buses or trucks, with Fenton St being the most common location for near misses.
Safety Concerns and Consequences
The safety concerns have become so severe that council works staff stopped conducting traffic management as part of their responsibilities from July. Traffic management for garden works is now outsourced, and the council is recruiting for internal traffic management staff. The council’s active and engaged communities manager, Rob Pitkethley, highlighted the severity of the incidents, stating that there were four instances where staff had to take evasive action to avoid being hit. The council’s chief executive, Andrew Moraes, emphasized the importance of prioritizing staff safety, and councillor Fisher Wang believed that they had found the right balance between maintaining the gardens and mitigating risk.
Council’s Decision and Community Feedback
In response to the safety concerns, the council voted unanimously to replace the high-risk gardens with a combination of grass and lower-maintenance native plants. The changes are expected to reduce shrub gardens by less than 1% and save $5000–$10,000 on maintenance annually. Councillors also voted to ask the community for feedback on the changes, which will happen at a suitable time after the replanting has started. However, not all councillors were in agreement, with Mayor Tania Tapsell voting against including community consultation, citing that the service changes were "insignificant" and did not want to waste constituents’ time on meeting health and safety requirements.
Broader Implications and Other Council Decisions
The decision to replant the high-risk gardens is a significant one, given Rotorua’s reputation for its public gardens and blooming streetscapes. The city has won several awards for its beauty, including the Most Beautiful City award in the early 2000s. A 2023 proposal to trim the city’s beautification budget by scaling back garden beds was opposed by 80% of respondents, highlighting the importance of maintaining the city’s gardens. In addition to the garden replanting decision, the council also voted to return the Rotorua Night Market to Tutanekai St and approved consultation on updated parking rules and off-licence trading hours. The council also finalized their 2026 public meeting schedule, marking the end of the year.
Conclusion and Future Steps
In conclusion, the Rotorua Lakes Council has taken a crucial step in prioritizing staff safety by replanting high-risk gardens with lower-maintenance plants. The decision is expected to reduce the risk of accidents and save on maintenance costs. While some councillors have expressed concerns about the impact on the city’s beauty, others believe that the changes are necessary to ensure staff safety. The council will seek community feedback on the changes, which will provide an opportunity for residents to share their thoughts and opinions on the matter. As the council moves forward with the replanting and other initiatives, it is essential to strike a balance between maintaining the city’s beauty and ensuring the safety of its staff and residents.
