PHOTO/FILE
332 votes for winning design
KAREN COLTMAN
[email protected]
The dull, greyish brown paint favoured for the Carterton town clock repaint got more than twice the votes of famed rainbow pattern option.
But should this dull brown be lit up with an array of lights as the designers intend, it will be far more diverse than the dark horse presented [pictured right].
The successful concept designers, of RobinsonCrimp Limited are adamant that stage lighting of the clock was integral to why this “blank canvas” was chosen, they said in an August email to council staff.
“Imagine a yellow wash for daffodil day, cancer awareness, of pink for breast cancer awareness.
“Imagine a glowing cycle of the rainbow colours to celebrate diversity – the possibilities to create and transform the night-scape using LED lighting on the clock tower as a canvas abound”
But at Wednesday’s council meeting, it was clear that although lighting was possible for all three designs there was no budget for this.
There is also no timeline for when the clock would start ticking again.
Designer David Robinson is a member of the council’s placemaking advisory group that new mayor Greg Lang is a member of, but Robinson and his partner Gregg Crimp have decided to leave the group.
“The pushback from the committee is tiring and frustrating,” Robinson said.
“But we will now enthusiastically work to see the entire scheme we have designed realised and that means lighting. It has always included lighting.
“It was never to be a dull 1960s colour paint with no lights to create the feeling of diversity we were after.”
He was pleased the councillors honoured the people’s decision.
Before the result was made public, many people urged the council to accept the vote as legitimate regardless of any tampering or talk of unauthorised promotions.
All councillors spoke before the vote and all said that although there were some mistakes that the low-cost consultation and vote method went well, and the result should stand.
Only 625 votes were received [17 per cent of eligible households].
- Votes for the current white scheme: 179, for the rainbow paint 114, and for the brown with a yellow clock face 332 votes.
This is rubbish as we all voted on the lighting factor, adding to the appeal of the town. Where do the extraordinary amount of rates that we pay go to?? We should get something for our money ffs!!