Some street name changes to be phased in at Turangi
Wednesday 7 November 2012, 7:33PM
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Fourteen street names and three reserve names are set to be changed, using a phased approach, following Taupō District Council’s decision to support the correction of errors made when the town was built.
The decision comes after many discussions with local hapu, who asked for street names to incorporate Ngati Turangitukua whakapapa as part of a board agreement following the 1998 Treaty of Waitangi Settlement. The changes will also correct some spelling errors made in the past. Council have also discussed the changes with other affected community members, residents and businesses.
Council agreed to change 14 street names and another three names will be changed subject to approval from emergency services. Three reserve names are also going to be changed, including McLaren Park. It also decided to find and create a different way to recognise the engineers – Dekker and Gibson and others – who contributed to the development of the Turangi township. The engineers had previously been named on street signs. The Council resolution required the recognition of these engineers be completed by March 2013.
Councillor and Tongariro Turangi Community Board (TTCB) member, Gary Keepa, says in requesting the changes the board was trying to allow corrections. “The board is just trying to do the right thing to correct the issues caused by the Crown,” he says.
The board was approached in 2010 by Ngati Turangitukua to follow through on previous board discussions to change the names. In 1963, the Ministry of Works approached the Turangitukua Marae Committee, asking them to put forward street names for Turangi. The hapu’s wishes were granted in part, however, it is understood the Ministry of Works removed the ‘Te’ off the front of several of the names and did not use some proposed names. They replaced them with the names of engineers who worked on the Tongariro power development. After review the TTCB recommended the changes to Council.
Local hapu say the dropping of the ‘Te’ from some street names and shortening others degrades the value placed on the names and what they mean to the community. Work is likely to begin on the changes by the end of the year. The new names will be phased in over a period of months.
The names will be changed as follows:
| Current name/spelling |
New |
| Awamate Rd | Te Awamate Rd |
| Aonini Rd | Te Aonini Rd |
| Arahori St | Te Arahori St |
| Dekker Dr | Kahurau Dr |
| Gibson St | Hangarito St |
| Herekiekie St | Te Herekiekie St |
| Kaheke Pl | Te Rangikahekeiwaho Pl |
| Link Rd | Piri Rd |
| Mitiotu Gr | Te Mitiotu Gr |
| State Highway 41 | Tokaanu Rd |
| Takinga St | Te Takinga St |
| Tautahanga Rd | Te Rangitautahanga Rd |
| Tod Cl | Wharepapa Cl |
| Tukehu St | Te Rangitukehu St |
| McLaren Park | Te Kapua Park |
| Cherry Tree Reserve | Te Koko Reserve |
| Crescent Reserve | Kohineheke Reserve |
| Ohuanga Rd | To start from the roundabout alongside the police station on the Club Habitat side to the T junction at SH41 |
| Subject to approval from emergency services: | |
| Iwiheke Place | Te Iwiheke Place |
| Whakarau Street | Te Whakarau Street |
| Wharekaihua Grove | Te Wharekaihua Grove |