Nor'West News: December 11, 2018

20 Tuesday December 11 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
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Pump track
likely for
next year
A NEW pump track for Shirley
could be installed by mid-way
through next year.
At a meeting on Friday, the
Papanui-Innes Community
Board said it was working with
the council’s parks team to
discuss options to get the project
over the line by the end of the
current financial year.
It was previously said that a
decision on funding would not be
made before the start of the council’s
2021-2031 Long Term Plan.
Papanui Ward board member
Emma Norrish said they were
also seeking support from
community groups, given the
benefits the park would have for
Shirley residents.
“With nothing planned in the
next 10 years, it is the perfect opportunity
to make it an appealing,
usable community space.”
By way of a petition, primary
school pupils in Shirley asked
the city council to install a pump
track at the Shirley Community
Reserve where they could ride
their skateboards, scooters and
bikes.
The petition was started by
pupil Shannon Smith and was
presented to the Papanui-Innes
Community Board in August.
Reunion for freezing workers
FORMER EMPLOYEES of the
Canterbury Freezing Works,
which opened on Belfast Rd in
the late 1800s and shut down in
2008, have reunited to celebrate
the 10th anniversary of its
closure.
Around 200 ex-staff members
met at The Bower hotel on November
17 to exchange stories of
their time at the freezing works
and reconnect with old friends.
Those who attended ranged
in age, with some guests having
started at the freezing works in
the early 1950s.
Loyal employee Hooch Fonotia
(real name John) who organised
the event, was a workhorse at the
freezing works for 45 years, starting
at the age of 18 and finishing
the day the plant closed its doors
for the last time.
Mr Fonotia said his time at the
plant had played a huge part in
shaping who he is today and said
the reunion brought back many
fond memories.
“The job always meant more to
me than money.”
“I made a hell of a lot of
friends.”
Mr Fonotia said: “It was a really
good feeling to see all sorts of
people, as many had gone their
separate ways and not seen each
other since the closure.”
Guests celebrated with a slice
of cake and were surprised by an
appearance and speech by secretary
of the New Zealand Meat
Workers Union’s Canterbury
branch Bill Watt.
Mr Watt said the get-together
was a great way to celebrate the
history and people associated
with a workplace that shaped
Canterbury’s economic and social
landscape for over 100 years.
“It was a really good function.”
Mr Watt said the event could
have potentially been “the last
hurrah” for some of freezing
works longest-serving employees,
making the event even more
special.
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REUNITED: (From left to right) – John (Hooch) Fonotia, Ross Blakley, Janine, and Graham Finiki
were just some of over 200 former employees of the Canterbury Freezing Works who reunited
for the 10th anniversary of its closure.
Fire rages, homes at risk
“There were some there that
may not to be able to do it again.”
Mr Watt said, in its day, the
Canterbury Freezing Works was
one of the biggest producers and
exporters of lamb products in
New Zealand.
Its closure in 2008 led to the
loss of 250 jobs.