With its foliage fading as fast as memories of New Zealand's Rugby World Cup triumph, Dunedin's flowering rugby ball - at a cost confirmed yesterday at $40,800 - is soon to be dug up and placed in storage.
Developed by the Dunedin City Council, the 3m-high, five-tonne creation was put in place in early September for the World Cup.
Its final cost included fencing and lights, assets that would be reused, council parks manager Lisa Wheeler said yesterday.
Ms Wheeler said council staff needed to consider what that alternative use might be.
"How it will be used, and what for, is yet to be decided."
It took more than six months to construct and was planted in front of the Dunedin Railway Station, where it flowered, then withered.
Ms Wheeler said the ball would be removed at the same time as the bedding displays around it ended their flowering period, which would be in the next couple of weeks.
The structure would be put into storage at a council shed at Tahuna Park until an alternative use could be found for it.
