Days after the shelter was repainted the side had been kicked in and old car tyres left inside. Photo: Blair Voorend
By Blair Voorend
Plans to spruce up Te Awamutu’s railway station are moving ahead but with repeated issues of vandalism its not going to be as people hoped.
Te Awamutu Community Board member Gary Derbyshire said he and a member of the public had been concerned for some time about the deteriorating nature of the platform, and the poor visual impression it left for passengers who pass through, and drivers who use Station Road.
The former Keep Te Awamutu Beautiful Society had carried out some planting of the bank opposite the platform many years ago in an effort to beautify the area.
But Derbyshire said that unfortunately, this work was not reflected in any improvement in the state of the platform or any structures as the land is owned by KiwiRail.
After some ongoing correspondence with KiwiRail he said they agreed with removal of rubbish and painting over graffiti.
But only days after the shelter was repainted the side of the shelter had been kicked in and old car tyres left in the shelter.
Due to the constant vandalism Derbyshire said that all that could be agreed was removal of the shelter and a freshening up of the sign, which he said, “is the best we are going to get”.
There has also been no commitment to repair the potholes or resurface the parking area at the station.
