Flaxmere resident Mark Davis was appalled when he first laid eyes on the Hastings District Council Gateway sign in Flaxmere Ave. He rallied the community and now the sign has been removed. Photo: Supplied via LDR
A Flaxmere resident says he cannot stop smiling now "the damn monstrosity of a sign" put in front of the suburb by Hastings District Council has been taken down.
Mark Davis, who has lived in Flaxmere since the 1970s, was appalled when he first laid eyes on the Hastings 'H' sign on Flaxmere Avenue.
"It just appeared. No communication with the community. It was just there," Davis said of the May arrival of the sign.
But he did not just shake his head and walk away. He decided to do something about it. He took to social media on 6 November.
He wrote he had lived in Flaxmere for many happy years and that he loved his suburb.
"But recently this monstrosity of a sign is upsetting. As people enter our village it says nothing about the people who are here or things that are on offer.
"We had no say in its design or placement. We have so many artists and designers in Flaxmere that could have done so much better. I would like it taken down and replaced with something beautiful from our own perspective.
"I am going to start the ball rolling by complaining to council. Respect to Flaxmere."
And complain he did.
"First they offered to change its colour but I just kept saying we don't want it. It means nothing to Flaxmere.
"It shouldn't have been there in the first place.
"It's a gateway sign which means they are placed on boundaries of regions cities and towns so people know when you leave one and enter one.
"We already know we are in Hastings. Other suburbs don't have them."
He went to a meeting attended by local councillors and community leaders.
"I did a big spiel about how ugly it was. Everyone already knew that. They said they would take it to the council."
The next thing he knew, on Wednesday, just over a month after his first post, the sign had been taken down.
A Hastings District council spokesperson said the sign was removed after feedback from the Flaxmere Planning Committee and the wider community via councillors Henry Heke, Te Au-Skipworth and Kellie Jessup. The yellow Paharakeke Flaxmere sign will remain in place.
The council spokesperson said the sign would not be replaced in the foreseeable future.
They said there were no plans to remove any of the other Gateway signs however, they intended to re-skin a grey sign on the Expressway after feedback.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said they had taken all the feedback from the Flaxmere community and made the decision to remove the sign.
"Flaxmere has its own proud identity and will keep its Paharakeke Welcome to Flaxmere sign, much like Havelock North has its own entry sign," she said.
It is not the first time the signs have caused a stir in the region.
In September 2024, Hastings resident Yvonne Lorkin said every time she drove past one of them "my toes curl in embarrassment that that's the image our authorities chose to represent us".
The total cost of all of the signs was $75,639. The cost to re-skin the grey sign and remove and store the Flaxmere sign would be $6100 plus GST.
The removed Flaxmere sign will be re-purposed at a later date.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
