North Canterbury News: October 29, 2020

NEWS
North Canterbury News, October 29, 2020
23
Plans take shape for ride
By ROBYN BRISTOW
Planningfor HanmerSpring’s latesthighflying
touristattraction is progressing.
Requests for proposals from potential
suppliers for afly ride are sought, and
work has started to gatherinformationfor
aresource consent applicationtothe
Hurunui District Council.
Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and
Spa generalmanager Graeme Abbot, who
backsthe fly ride to become alocalmustdo
attraction, says workisbeingdone to
get it running as soon as possible.
Another publicmeeting is planned to
keep people up to datewith what is
proposed for the ConicalHill­basedride.
‘‘There is plentyofwork going on,’’he
says of the projectthat will carry people
on an 850­metre gentle downhill ride
through ConicalHillforest, and provide a
view of the Hanmer Springs landscape.
It willtake nine minutes and will take
in the sights threetofive metresabove
the ground. Its top speedwill be afast
walking pace.
The projecthas been made possible
thankstoa$2.1 million cash injection—
$2m fromthe Government’s
infrastructure fund and $123,000from the
Provincial Growth Fund. It is aimedat
reducing the impact of the lack of
internationaltourists visiting the town.
The fly ride, which could be running by
springnext year,will createupto25jobs,
and give a$4m economic boost to the
regionover five years.
Mr Abbotsays the experience has been
designed to have minimalenvironmental
impact. It will will not fly over houses.
Boys’ day out ... Big brothers and their young friends enjoyed aboys’ day out recently.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
No-one is ever too
old to be amentor
By DAVID HILL
More ‘‘big brothers’’ are needed.
Big Brothers Big SistersofNorth
Canterburywants to hearfromprospective
bigbrothers to meet aneedin the
community, manager Ellie Le Gros says.
There are also opportunities for big
sisters, but big brothers seem to be in short
supply, she says.
‘‘There seems to be arealsocialphobia
amongmen aboutwantingtospend time
with achild,but themen we dohavewho
volunteer are outstanding and the
difference they make in ayoung person’s
life is astounding.
‘‘Wehadagoodrunafter lockdown and
we’vehadsome people coming in which
was really great, but we have also lostafew
andwewould like somenew mentors to
comeonboard overthe summer.’’
Mentoring not only benefits the young
people who need some extra support, as
mentors can make lifelong friends, Ellie
says.
A‘‘boys’ dayout’’ washeld recently,in
whichmentorsandtheir youngfriends got
together to do ‘‘boys’ stuff’’ on amentor’s
lifestyle block. They went on quadbike
rides, triedfour­wheel drivingandenjoyed
go­karting.Thedayfinished with a
barbecue.
‘‘The mentors don’tjustget to spend
timewith thekids; they get to meetother
menand make friends,’’ Elliesays.
❛The mentors don’t just get to
spend time with the kids; they
get to meet other men and
make friends.❜
—Ellie Le Gros
Thebig sistersdon’t missout,asthere is
an annual ‘‘girls’day out’’ for mentors and
theiryoung friends to enjoyactivities.
Thereare also get­togetherswith allbigbrotherand
big­sister matches.
Ellie and mentorco­ordinatorLaura
Biddlecombeare keen to hearfrom
anyone aged 18 and over interested in
being amentor.
‘‘No­one is evertoo oldand it canbe
ruralpeople, businesspeople, farmers,
young people at university.Itcould be
anyone andwealwaysneedbothmen and
women,’’Ellie says
‘‘They don’tneedany specialhobbies,
butit’sagoodexcuseif youlikeflying a
kite or fishingorgo­karting. It’sagood
excuse to be achild again.
‘‘A lotofchildren todaydon’t know how
to do thoselittlethings wetookforgranted,
like buildingdamsorsandcastles.’’
ContactBig BrothersBig Sistersof
North Canterbury at (03) 3107004oremail
northcanterbury@bbbs.nz.
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