Background Info

The Rotorua Cemetery Reserve, located on the corner of Te Ngae Road and Sala Street, was originally gifted to the Crown by the people of Ngāti Whakaue for cemetery purposes.

In 1995 the classification of part of the Cemetery Reserve was changed from Local Purpose (Cemetery) Reserve to Recreation Reserve following a public notification, submission and hearing process. The purpose for the change in reserve classification was to enable a lease to be granted for a short hole golf activity. The lease for the short hole golf activity ended in 2020.

Council would like to use the site previously occupied by the short hole golf activity for memorial and cemetery purposes including memorial gardens and additional sites for ash interments.

The change in reserve classification is required to enable the use of the reserve for this purpose and would also appropriately recognise the purpose for which the reserve was originally gifted by the people of Ngāti Whakaue.