Memorial to Tanya Burr, killed 15 September 2002

Our Memorial to Tanya outside her flat in Rotorua

Each time we've been to Rotorua, we have always ended up passing by the place she was killed. It has always felt odd that we didn't have anywhere in Rotorua to acknowledge her, unlike in Palmerston North where we can visit her grave and smother that in assorted flowers and decorations.

So on 27 May 2003, the day after her killer pleaded guilty, we decided to do something about it. I bought a bundle of silk flowers (also known to us nowadays as 'fake flowers'!), wired them into a bundle (with white roses at centre and purple ones surrounding them) and wired the lot to the power pole outside the flats. The greatest difficulty was photographing them afterwards, as the sun was in the wrong direction, as can be seen in the top photo. Then we (Anita, Emma, Kieran and myself) wrote messages on the pole as tributes to Tanya.

The one resident of the block of flats who we saw, was very supportive, so hopefully they will not be harmed by any possible annoyed locals who just want to forget her and the incident.

The decision to do this came after seeing many crosses (marking sites of road fatalities) on city roadsides around Rotorua that were bedecked with flowers. Palmerston North does not seem to do that inside the city area, but certainly does so on open roads. I figure that if Rotorua people obviously respect those (i.e. don't pinch the flowers etc.), hopefully they will also respect Tanya's.

No its not a spooky photo! Its sunstrike on the lens! :-)

The flowers are just visible on the left side of the power pole (i.e. away from the sun), with Tanya's flat being the one at this end of the block. The car was stolen from the carpark closest to the pole. The sign on the door of the flat asks people to take their shoes off before walking on the carpet. Aren't they lucky Tanya kindly gave her life so they could enjoy their new carpet (and drapes and nets)? At least that is what I assume their point is.