Around the motu : Diane McCarthy in Whakatane

The future of the Whakatane Sportfishing Club and two iconic local businesses are up in the air as decisions are made around the location of a floodwall to protect the town. Whakatane is getting a second airline next year. Residents around Sullivan Lake are bracing for another stench-filled summer due to past inaction of the District Council in maintaining the man-made lake. And, the 25-year-old chinaberry trees that line either side of the main Whakatane shopping street may have a short lease on life. Local Democracy Reporter - Diane McCarthy is with the Whakatane Beacon