Council will trial a six month road closure at Kuirau Park from November in response to repeated damage caused by vehicles on the reserve that affects nearby residents, the community and is detrimental to the natural environment. This will impact the road section from the Tarewa Road entrance through to the central Kuirau Park roundabout.
Active and Engaged Communities Manager, Rob Pitkethley, says council have been working on possible solutions since June to ensure that Kuirau Park remains one of the premier geothermal attractions in Rotorua and a safe place for people to recreate.
“We want to preserve the recreational values and protect the natural environment of Kuirau Park, while ensuring that the public can enjoy this reserve safely.
Timing of the trial has been dependent on contractor availability to install rocks and gates in the area.
During the six month closure period, the reserve and environments will be monitored, and council will seek feedback from the community, iwi and other stakeholders regarding the trial closure to help inform next steps. Once the gates are installed, people will be able to provide feedback via Council’s Korero Mai | Let’s Talk platform during the six month trial period.
The rocks are currently being put into place and we expect the gates to be installed in early November.
The total cost for the project is approximately $45,000, and InfraCore is the contractor carrying out the work.
Mr Pitkethley says compared with alternative solutions, such as installing bollards or fencing the entire surrounds of the reserve, we believe this is good value for money.
“Gating the road section will allow flexibility in the future. This also allows restoration to take place as the area will be secure from vehicles causing ongoing damage.”