Tokoroa’s Pine Man is back after treatment
The iconic Pine Man of Tokoroa is back three months after being removed for urgent repair work.
The much photographed wooden sculpture, carved in 2004 by Peter Dooley, was removed from the town’s State Highway 1 Talking Pole forest in July due to dry rot. But his return has come at a whopping $10,000 over the South Waikato District Council’s already $19,000 unbudgeted estimate.
He’s also been reinstalled in the same location despite some councillors and Tokoroa residents calling for him to be relocated after Councillor Arama Nga¯ po¯ raised concerns in 2019 over the sculpture’s chainsaw pointing into the head of another carving.
The council, however, has defended the spend due to ‘‘how popular he is. . . and [that he’s] loved by many’’.
Parks and reserves manager Phil Parker said the extent of the rot was much worse than initially thought.
‘‘In a report to the council on July 8, staff had estimated funding of $19,000 for the repair. It was an estimation as the full extent of the damage could not be fully determined until the Pine Man was removed to be assessed thoroughly,’’ he said.
‘‘The reason for the increased $10,000 additional spend was due to the amount of damage that the Pine Man had actually incurred. The repairs, including complete rebuilds of certain sections of him, simply cost more than the initial estimate.’’
Damage took place due to holes, originally drilled for oiling, becoming entry points for moisture that led to internal rot. As a result timber needed to be replaced or filled before retreating and the oiling holes were filled and sealed.
The carving also developed significant cracks due to exposure to the elements with its left arm and shoulder, sections of its head, rear of its torso and under its left boot needing to be completely re-built during the restoration. Despite the significant cost, Parker said he was thrilled the restoration went well.
‘‘Having the original artist Peter Dooley doing the restoration was extremely beneficial and the council is very appreciative for his time and care,’’ he said. He also thanked the raft of local businesses that helped make it possible.
‘‘Many of those involved either donated or heavily discounted their involvement as their way of ensuring the South Waikato community got its beloved Pine Man back,’’ he said.
‘‘For those wondering about the green colour, it’s not because he’s still feeling a little off-colour, he’s quite healthy. It’s because he has been re-tanalised to ensure he is protected into the future and can stand pride of place in our Talking Pole forest for another 17 years.
‘‘The green will fade over the coming months and, once the tanalisation has been absorbed, he will be given a fresh coat of brown stain.’’
He said the decision to reinstall the sculpture in the same location came down to safety.
‘‘Reinstating this iconic sculpture as soon as possible was very important. Relocation was never resolved through council,’’ he said.
‘‘Safety is paramount given the level of interest people have in photographing the Pine Man and being photographed with the Pine Man. The number of road access points in and around some of the suggested areas would have made taking photos of him and with him unsafe.’’
Council staff are currently working through a review of the council’s Talking Pole Strategy to capture maintenance and condition assessments of existing poles, development of new poles, removal of older poles and end of life options as poles reach the end of their natural life.