Based on TRM’s track record over the last 18 years, SWMBO will probably be in more trouble with the authorities (Toe-paw District Council) again…
TRM’s fascinating history of village warfare over signs on this SH1/Link/Piri Road corner has been posted before. Perhaps we should be more grateful as the skirmish has provided wonderful positive publicity for TRM at Council’s expense. A brief history of the signs is below to update anyone who imagines SWMBO is being unfair.
The $ excruciating pain so far was $1,500 for a resource consent for refreshing existing old signs with “Welcome to Turangi, Trout Fishing Capital of the World”. The original Tongariro River Motel signs were there before Toepaw Council even existed – over 60 years. Council then removed the “Welcome” sign and never replaced it as promised. Then they fined TRM $300 and then another $750 for adding offensive directional signage – “Turn left to Tongariro River”. Then they removed the nasty wording. All this is recorded in the self-explanatory photo history below.
Now we understand why the Brown-Town JAFA Mayor, Wayne Brown, refers to them as “drongos”. SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed is the Manager of TRM Signs Department) would never be so crude. But all this historic argy-bargy evidence should be considered when it is time to design a new image.
In the meantime TRM will remain the same friendly little motel, but will eventually change from Tongariro River “Motel” to Tongariro River “Mews”. That refers to new cohousing apartments proposed along Taupahi Road frontage. Seven new apartments are proposed on vacant land without affecting the existing motel, plus a major new ‘common house’ for the motel and apartment inmates to mix and mingle is proposed on the main access from Piri Road.
Above is the offending directional signage that Toe-paw Council removed “TURN LEFT TO TONGARIRO RIVER”. How offensive is that!
(The sooner they dump the RMA legislation the better. However I should confess I may have misled Toe-paw Council when – under the finicky RMA provisions – they insisted that we consult all surrounding property owners to fully acquaint them with TRM’s plans and specifications and to confirm their approval with signed support. Fair enough. But you can be sure there is always going to be one difficult bugger. We anticipated an objection from a bearded character next door who is well-known to Tongariro River anglers. He usually hides under the initials of “AB” on Sporting Life tackle shop blogs. I was prepared to meet his objection and sent SWMBO over to negotiate with a truck load of beer to bribe him? He had the audacity to request a full description of the new common house layout? She patiently explained the spacious double height 320m2 ground floor was for a blackjack casino and the upper rooms were designed for a high-class brothel. TRM received his immediate blessing and approval.)
Above is the Link/Piri Road corner with the new stone wall being built and signage with the blue sign advertising “units for sale” back in 2005… Council did not object to that mess until we replaced the three signs with “Welcome to Turangi – Trout Fishing Capital of the World”.
Above is the original motel being erected back in 1959 with the sign on Taupahi Road which was the main north-south road back then.
