Capital frays around the edges
The weeds are beginning to show between the cracks outside Te Papa. The flowers at Lady Norwood Rose Garden have seen better days.
As Wellington heads towards the end of the second week of lockdown, hints of a more-wild capital are beginning to show.
Mayor Andy Foster has asked people – if they can do so safely – to clear leaves in gutters outside their own homes as council focuses on essential maintenance.
Around the central city – largely emptied of people – autumn leaves lie deep in the gutters and thick on the footpath on Lambton Quay.
Weeds are sprouting through the gaps between the tiles in the Te Papa forecourt.
A spokeswoman for the national museum said only the essential work – looking after the treasures and the building – were continuing during the lockdown.
‘‘So the weeds will have to wait.’’
At the Wellington Botanic Gardens the roses in the rose garden are bedraggled and windblown. There is little sign of human life except for a discarded face mask. Grass in parks around the city is growing unusually long.
On Monday night, the Mayor said some people had contacted the council to complain about leaves piling up and blocking roadside drains.
‘‘Due to Covid-19, our crews are currently dealing with only essential issues, and sumps are trickier to access due to the number of cars parked along our roadsides. If you see a covered or blocked sump near your house, and you can safely clear it with a broom across the top, that’s going to help prevent localised flooding. Just don’t try and reach into any sump – that’s not safe.’’
Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said street and sump clearance work continued as an essential service but it was difficult to access some areas where cars were parked.
‘‘It’s obviously autumn so leaves are starting to drift into some shop doorways in the CBD – we are doing regular night footpath sweeping in areas like Lambton Quay, Willis and Mercer streets where the deciduous trees are really starting to drop their leaves now. ‘‘We’ve dialled back on grounds maintenance in areas like the Botanic Garden but we’re still emptying rubbish bins.’’