Sign In / Register
The historic garden located at the corner of Hill Street and State Highway 1 has been temporarily removed by Watercare as part of pipeline upgrade.
Watercare senior project manager Dirk Du Plessis says restoration is expected to start in March next year, with the aim of returning the garden as close as possible to its original condition.
“We are digging a 4.7-metre-deep shaft to allow the installation of a 5km growth servicing pipeline,” Du Plessis said. “The location was carefully selected to allow the shaft to be installed safely while minimising disruption to traffic, pedestrians and the surrounding community. However, to carry out this critical work, the garden needed to be removed.”
The pipeline will be brought into service in two stages.
The first section will be installed by the end of this year, while the remaining section will be completed by December 2027.
An Auckland Council contractor removed the perennial plants from the site.
“We recognise that this garden is valued by the local community and we are committed to reinstating it once our work at the site is complete,” Du Plessis said.
The situation sparked discussion on Facebook, with many residents expressing disappointment over the decision to remove the garden.
Some comments included: “Where’s Mr Koses’ roses?”, “That garden was famous!!!” and “Yeh I thought this was so sad to see as well. I always liked that pretty garden.”
However, other residents supported the decision, including Rodney Local Board deputy chair Ivan Wagstaff, who commented on social media:
“We’ve reached the point where delaying the sewer pipe isn’t an option anymore. It needs to happen now or we face more s*** in the river and no one wants that. The garden will be replanted asap and the river will be clean. Please support all the workers doing their best to sort out our sewerage issues.”
