10 October 2016
Lake Te Ko Utu's historic gates will be moved to a more prominent place as part of the redevelopment of the entrance way into Cambridge.
The gates were gifted to the community by the Cambridge Domain Board Committee in honour of Thomas Wells, the board chairman who helped develop the domain and Lake Te Ko Utu. They were originally commissioned to mark the park entrance.
The redevelopment of the roundabout near St Andrew's Church means the gates can now be moved so more people can see them.
More than 300 people had their say on the future of the gates via Waipa District Council's facebook page, or at a session on site in July. An overwhelming majority of people wanted the gates moved.
Council also asked for feedback about what should be in the middle of the new roundabout with most people wanting a feature tree. As a result, a Japanese maple tree will be planted to match the avenue of trees along Hamilton Road. Feature trees at the Queen Street intersection will include lime trees and Chinese elm to complement existing trees in the area.
The roundabout and median islands will be a mixture of hard paving, gardens and grass.
Council intends tendering the work before Christmas, aiming to get construction underway early in the new year. The job is likely to take between three and four months.
The historic gates will be removed before Christmas and will be taken away for specialist refurbishment before being reinstalled in their new location.
Media enquiries, contact Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of Council) 027 5077 599
An artist impression of the new location of the Lake Te Ko Utu gates.
