Concerns about the vandalism and the need for a long-term surveillance solution were discussed at a board meeting in February, after chairperson Mary Murdoch requested a solution from the council.
Murdoch said she was told by the council’s general manager of information, engagement and community development, Chris Clarke, that the IT team had looked into surveillance for the area but found CCTV would be too expensive.
“Council staff said that it would be very expensive and there’s privacy issues and a whole lot of things that would make it quite difficult to do, so we’re going to come up with a local solution,” Murdoch said.
A Mackenzie District Council spokesperson said Clarke and the IT team had undertaken a high-level, informal assessment of existing surveillance in Twizel but that improvements would not be achievable in a cost-effective way.
They said the council planned to assess the site and explore other options to prevent damage, including the possible relocation of the tree.
Murdoch said she had since contacted the Twizel Mistletoe group, which owned the tree and decorations, to discuss the matter.
“They definitely want a solution,” she said.
“We need lighting and security cameras and the Community Board will be working alongside the likes of [the] Mistletoe Group to find a workable, affordable solution.”
She said low-cost initiatives such as sensors and floodlights would be considered.
Mistletoe Group chairperson Karan MacDiarmid said she supported surveillance in the area.
“I think surveillance in that whole area would be great and actually having someone monitor the surveillance or even whether it’s people walking around ... till 3 in the morning.”
The board agreed to add the surveillance project to the follow-up action list for future discussion and implementation.
Vandalism of the Mistletoe Group’s decorations had cost more than $1000 in repairs in recent years.
That included repairs for broken decorations, snapped branches, and cut string lights.
Mistletoe Group chairperson Karan McDiarmid supported surveillance in the area, including in-person monitoring.
On New Year’s Day, Mackenzie District mayor Scott Aronsen said damage done by a large group of youths who climbed the tree was “mindless and disappointing”.
The tree was damaged three days later, prompting its removal.
MacDiarmid said volunteers took time out of their holidays to remove the tree.
“We had to pool our resources and get people there to help get it down because we couldn’t leave it up there in the state it was, with broken branches and baubles.
“It should be able to stay up there for everyone to enjoy.“
The group purchased the seven-metre tall Christmas tree in 2022 after the community raised more than $25,000.
“The whole community bought this tree and it wasn’t just $25,000. It’s all the energy that went in and, of course, we’ve got to keep fundraising for breakages,” MacDiarmid said.
“It takes a lot of people to get that tree up ... it’s not that easy.”
MacDiarmid said they would review the damage ahead of the next Christmas period to ensure repairs were completed before the tree is reinstalled.
The tree was also damaged on New Year’s Eve 2024.
Claire Taylor, local democracy reporter
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
