A new site has been chosen for a friendship garden to be re-established after it was mistakenly uprooted from the Auckland Zoo.
The Fukuoka Friendship Garden, gifted to the Auckland Council by the Japanese city of Fukouka in 1989, was torn out in December last year to make way for housing Tasmanian devils.
Auckland mayor Len Brown sent a formal letter of apology to his Fukuoka counterpart in February.
At a council committee meeting on Tuesday, it was unanimously decided to relocate the garden to the zoo entrance of Western Springs Lakeside Park at a cost of just over $1 million.
Councillor Cathy Casey, who is also chair of the Fukuoka Friendship Garden Steering Group, said she hoped there would at least be a sod to turn over in 2016 to mark the 30th anniversary of the sister city relationship.
Japanese Consul-General Kazutoshi Inadome attended the meeting and said he was very happy with the garden's new location, as more people will be able to see it now, and free of charge.
