Plan to beautify and protect strip
THE barren median strip in Stuart St will once again be filled with flora, but this time the Dunedin City Council is taking steps to protect it.
The last time council tried to beautify the area was in June last year. A vehicle was then driven along the median strip, destroying about $10,000 worth of toothed lancewood and native tussock which had just been planted by a council contractor.
DCC staff were shocked and angered by the irreparable damage.
DCC asset and commercial manager Merrin McCrory said council was now planning safety improvements to the median strip.
‘‘We’re looking at a combination of barriers and planting for Stuart St.
‘‘This work is expected to start after an Aurora cable has been upgraded.
‘‘The safety improvement work is likely to be done next year.’’
Cr David BensonPope was so outraged by last year’s damage, he called the culprits ‘‘brainless morons’’ and considered offering a reward for information leading to their identification.
The culprits were never found.
At the time, he said it was a mindless waste of ratepayers’ money — money the DCC did not have a limitless supply of.
‘‘It’s important to make the city look as attractive as we can for residents and visitors alike, and here we’ve got these brainless morons who think it’s acceptable to drive over plantings and trees — in this case, $10,000 worth.’’
Yesterday, he said he was pleased something was being done to beautify the area again, and that it would be protected this time.
However, he said rather than large barriers, he would have preferred to have bollards placed intermittently among the plantings.
‘‘That would be less intrusive and all that was needed to discourage truly moronic behaviour.
‘‘A bit of simple protection, some solid bollards in amongst the plantings would enhance the area that used to be quite attractive, and has been allowed to deteriorate for quite a while.
‘‘I don’t know what is proposed, but I’m assuming it will be tasteful and appropriate,’’ he said.