A proposal to return a Rotorua reserve to the hapū of the man who gifted it to the city more than 60 years ago has been supported by a majority of public submissions. 

Rotorua Lakes Council proposed in October to classify Pūruru South Reserve at 35 Tarewa Rd as a Māori reservation and return it to Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara. 

A public consultation period closed late last month, , with 88 submissions received — 75 supporting the proposal and 13 against it. 

The reserve opposite Tarewa Pounamu (Taharangi) Marae was gifted to the council by the late Pat Ruhi of Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara in 1964 for a reserve and playground. 

In 2022, the council decided to remove the deteriorating playground, meaning the land was no longer being used for the purpose it was given. 

If returned as proposed, the land ownership would be transferred into a trust made up of members from the marae. 

Ruhi’s daughter, Mary Corbett, was the only person to make a verbal submission to the mayor and councillors at a hearing on November 25. 

She said the trust would “use the land for the benefit of the hapū and the community”. 

“The marae committee are thinking about the future developments … as a Māori, it’s always a thought about all the people, rather than ourselves,” Corbett said. 

Rotorua Lakes Council proposed to return Pūruru South Reserve on Tarewa Rd. 

Corbett told the hearing her father built tennis courts on Tarewa Rd because she and the neighbourhood children used to play tennis on the road, “when the traffic wasn’t as bad as it is now”. 

“The thinking for my father was that he needed a place to keep us safe and off the road, and his thinking in the tennis court, as well as in the park, was to create a recreational area where our whānau down Tarewa Rd could all go and play,” Corbett said. 

“Please return the land back to us.” 

Mary Corbett makes a public submission about Pūruru South Reserve during a hearing at council on Monday. 

Other submissions published in the agenda for the meeting supported the return, calling it the “right” thing to do and a “goodwill gesture” considering it was no longer being used for the intended purpose. 

During question time, councillor Robert Lee was assured the land would not be returned to one individual, which Mayor Tania Tapsell said had already been “highlighted in the report”. 

Councillor Trevor Maxwell recalled the popularity of the Tārewa Tennis Club and Councillor Lee said he once had been a member. 

A final decision for this project will be made on December 11. 

Why the playground was removed 

A council spokesman said that in late 2021, the Pūruru South Reserve playground was due for renewal but investments at Kuirau Park meant replacing it was redundant. 

“In 2022, a decision was made to remove the playground following consultation with the community and neighbouring residents. 

“The playground had declined due to age and as a result, it was becoming unsafe. There are also other public and private play areas and reserves nearby.” 

‘Progressive’ agreement 

An official agreement was signed between Rotorua District Council, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara and Te Paiaka Lands Trust in September 2022. 

The document acknowledged Pūruru South Reserve as a Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara asset connected to the Karamu Takina Spring — the source of the Rotorua Central water supply. 

Land associated with the springs was returned, along with two other pieces of land: Pururu North Reserve tennis courts and land at Tihi-o-tonga. 

A partnership was established to manage the spring, which went on to win best-tasting tap water at the 2024 IXOM National Water Taste Test competition. 

A lawyer for Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara, Jason Pou, said the Heads of Agreement had been progressive because it recognised the council and iwi as co-governors over the spring. 

Pou said by creating such an agreement, the council spearheaded “efforts towards a meaningful relationship” with Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara. 

“How many councils would allow for an iwi to co-hold the consent? 

“Nobody does that.” 

The lawyer representing Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara, Jason Pou is on the board of the Rotorua District Community Law Centre and is a trustee on a number of charitable trusts. Photo / George Novak 

He said it could cost councils millions of dollars to apply for resource consents and lose. 

“So what they’re finding is that if they work with Māori on these resource consenting processes, they can actually save taxpayers money instead of throwing millions at a consent and getting rejected in the Environment Court.” 

Co-applying with iwi meant the council was working with the iwi to obtain the consent, instead of just treating them as a party with an interest in the taonga. 

“That’s partnership isn’t it? 

“That’s a very progressive way of looking at something.” 

Pou said negotiations for the return of Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tūara assets began in 2019, and people including Te Arawa kaumātua Eru George and former Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick were instrumental in the process. 

Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.