Ashburton Courier: June 18, 2020
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Page 24, <strong>Ashburton</strong>'s The <strong>Courier</strong>, Thursday <strong>June</strong> <strong>18</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> MSA Petanque Club<br />
Our social days have started up again on<br />
Tuesdays last week we had with agood<br />
turn out of 24 and this week our<br />
Tuesday social competition started up<br />
again with 22 players taking part and the<br />
rest playing socially.<br />
Over the weekend, we played three<br />
club competitions that had been<br />
deferred because of the lockdown.<br />
Club drawn doubles was won by Ellen<br />
Pithie and Mavis Thompson. Runnersup<br />
were Peter Marriott and Richard<br />
Browne. Third were Francie Osborne<br />
and Johnny Wright. Fourteen other<br />
players took part.<br />
Club men’s drawn doubles was won by<br />
Richard Browne and Trevor Nish.<br />
Runnersup were Peter Marriott and<br />
Gary Hogg. Club women’s drawn<br />
doubles was won by Ellen Pithie and<br />
Karen Bensdorp. Runnersup were Jan<br />
Araopens up -virtually<br />
With the uncertainty and limitations<br />
that Covid-19 alert levels have<br />
brought to community events, Ara<br />
InstituteofCanterburyhas decided to<br />
switch its normal mid-year open day<br />
to aVirtual Open Week.<br />
Instead of a physical, on-campus<br />
event onasingle day, Ara will host a<br />
week of live Zoom presentations and<br />
sessions that anyone can join from<br />
anywhere.<br />
Participants will be able to attend<br />
information presentations on awide<br />
range of subjects including health,<br />
engineering, ICT, outdoor education,<br />
art and design, early childhood<br />
education and business. They’ll<br />
also be able to learn about student<br />
Guilford and Shelagh Field. Third were<br />
Betty King and Johnny Wright.<br />
Our next club games are on July 11<br />
and 12. The next tournament is at the<br />
beginning of August.<br />
Our AGM is Thursday <strong>June</strong> 25 and we<br />
look forward to agood turnout.<br />
Club drawn doubles from <strong>June</strong> 13 <br />
Winners: Ellen Pithie and Mavis<br />
Thompson. Runners up: Peter Marriott<br />
and Richard Browne. Third: Francie<br />
Osborne and Johnny Wright.<br />
Club women’s drawn doubles <strong>June</strong> 14<br />
Winners: Ellen Pithie and Karen<br />
Bensdorp. Runners up: Jan Guilford<br />
and Shelagh Field. Third: Betty King<br />
and Johnny Wright.<br />
Club men’s drawn doubles Winners:<br />
Richard Browne and Trevor Nish.<br />
Runners up: Gary Hogg and Peter<br />
Marriott.<br />
serviceslikepastoralsupport,financial<br />
supportand accommodation.<br />
Participants can also join in on<br />
question and answer sessions with<br />
tutors and students and learn about<br />
the studentexperienceatAra.<br />
Those wanting to visit campus to<br />
explore the facilities and classrooms<br />
can book to joinasmall group tour in<br />
the coming weeks.<br />
Virtual Open Week takes place from<br />
Monday 29 <strong>June</strong> to Friday 3 July,<br />
with most Zoom presentations and<br />
sessions taking place between 5pm<br />
and 8pm. Afull schedule is available<br />
on Ara’swebsite.<br />
Find out more about Ara’s Virtual<br />
Open Week at ara.ac.nz or call<br />
0800 24 24 76.<br />
My patch: Mt Alford<br />
Mt Alford track is afavourite<br />
walk for Rangitata MP Andrew<br />
Falloon.<br />
Car park and access to the<br />
track is from the end of Alford<br />
Forest Settlement Road, just off<br />
Scenic Highway 72, just 30<br />
minutes from <strong>Ashburton</strong>.<br />
The track is 4.6km in each<br />
direction, which for the return<br />
journey takes him alittle over five<br />
hours with afew stops along the<br />
way.<br />
‘‘The first hour is surrounded<br />
by luscious bush, crossing in and<br />
out of private land and<br />
Department of Conservation<br />
estate. Then comes open<br />
expanse, asteady climb through<br />
grassy areas with terrific views<br />
back over the plains and of<br />
surrounding mountains. The final<br />
hour to the summit is at times a<br />
bit rough and rocky, but you’re<br />
rewarded at the end with a<br />
stunning ridgeline walk to the<br />
peak.’’<br />
Andrew said amoderate level<br />
of fitness was required.<br />
‘‘Parts weren’t easy, and<br />
younger kids might struggle a<br />
little with the final climb to the<br />
summit.’’<br />
Dogs are not permitted.<br />
Access easements are closed<br />
from September 20 to October 20<br />
for lambing and calving.<br />
His favourite part of the track?<br />
‘‘The wander through the bush<br />
is anice way to start, and about<br />
half way up the track there is a<br />
MP Andrew Falloon on his favourite walk.<br />
picnic table with aterrific view if<br />
you are looking for an easier and<br />
shorter walk.’’<br />
He says the trickiest part of the<br />
track is at the end, rocky terrain<br />
without alot of scrub or grass.<br />
‘‘But take your time and you’ll<br />
get there.’’<br />
Andrew says there’s a<br />
fascinating history behind the<br />
track. ‘‘In <strong>18</strong>82 afellow from<br />
Christchurch claimed he’d found<br />
diamonds at Mt Alford.<br />
Unsurprisingly it started abit of a<br />
rush, with prospectors applying<br />
for 20,000 acres of land, and even<br />
Local news at www.starnews.co.nz<br />
asettlement called Diamond<br />
Town of 161 quarter acre sections<br />
planned. It all fell apart when the<br />
testing came back to confirm<br />
what was found was merely<br />
crystal.’’<br />
He says the Staveley Store, a<br />
short drive from the track car<br />
park, is agood place to stop for a<br />
treat on the way out. ‘‘Reload on<br />
calories with one of their<br />
excellent lamb sausage rolls.’’<br />
We’d love to hear about your<br />
favourite track or ride. Please get in<br />
touch with Linda.<br />
Clarke@ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Discover how to get the skills<br />
you need for the job you want!<br />
At Ara’s Virtual Open Week you can join Zoom meets with all our<br />
departments, participate inQ&A sessions with tutors and students,<br />
and book asmall group campus tour.<br />
5pm-8pm, 29 <strong>June</strong> –3July<br />
Join inat<br />
ara.ac.nz/open-week