Ashburton Courier: June 10, 2021

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NEWS 4 Ashburton Courier, June 10, 2021 www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz ABATTOIR PROCESSORS LICENSED Book your processing now! •Beef •Venison •Sheep •Pigs -scalded •Alpaca •Wild game Forall your processing needs PHONE 308 3464 73 WinslowRoad 2387783 The smiling face of John Driscoll will be missed at Community House Mid Canterbury when he retires soon. Familiar faceathubretires Dream Horse ReviewedbyRowenaHart Dream Horse tells the real-life story of Jan Vokes, a small-town supermarket/pub worker who decides, with the help of afew locals, tobreed aracehorse. We see them as they gaze inwonder atthe birth of their foal, and again when they try and get their horse (Dream Alliance) ready to compete, and inevitably overcome various obstacles along the way. This wasset in asmall towninrural Wales. The locals who were part ofthe plan were very original characters. It was fun with lots of laughs and sentimental moments. Andthe racing scenes were fantastic ...lots of close up shots of the horses and of course the crowds reactions. After awin the whole town came out to celebrate...brass bands and all. Everyone ended up in the pub singing their hearts out ...always with my my my Delilah really getting everyone going. But best scene of all wasthe Welsh National Anthem sung before the big Grand National Race ...a soprano and the crowd singing together was tears in theeyesstuff! Areal wintercharmer. bookings ph 307 1230 www.regentcinema.co.nz 2380035 2387931 2379950 MICK.JENSEN @ashburtoncourier.co.nz JohnDriscollisendinga16year association with Ashburton service hub Community House Mid Canterbury and retiringasits manager. The 67yearold has beenaleading light in the hub’s success and development over the years and is leaving with it in avery healthy position. Community house is hometo26 tenants and anumberofcasual users, many of which deliver health, wellbeingand other valuable services forthe district. John has lookedaftertenantneeds since September 2017 and for seven years beforethat was chair of the charitable trust that overseas the facility . He led the charge to get tenants in the currentbuilding on Cass Street in 2016, the site of the tragic Winz shooting. ‘‘Getting in thethe building was a real coup,’’ John said. Agrantof$500,000from Ashburton District Council and other funding had enabledthe purchase andrefit. John said community house was a local successstory and real community asset. There had been challengesand frustrations getting to where it was today,but it hadall been worth it. Water purifiers Home &Office–Underbench and Benchtop Reduction of nitrates and heavy metals •Giardia safe •Asbestos safe He firstput up his hand to get involvedwith the communityhub through his involvement with Birthright. The hub was then called the Ashburton Resource Centre but later changed its nametobetter reflectits purpose. It is anotforprofit communityfocused facility that provideslow cost rents. ‘‘We do runonthe smell of an oily rag to keep rents down. ‘‘I’vebeen known to go round turning offlights to keep thepower bills down,’’ John said. Power andcleaningweretwo of its biggest expenses. John said his officedoorhad always been open because he had a passion for talking to andmeeting people. Born andbred in Mid Canterbury Johnis athird generation farmer. He took over the familysheepand crop farm atNewlandsin1984. ‘‘I borrowed at 5% to buy it andtwo years later the ratewas up to 26% and with penalties 33%.’’ Financial struggles anddraught conditionscombinedand he was forced to sell up. He walked away with little more thanhis stock 6000lambs worth just $11 each at the time. John said losingthe farm wasvery tough pill to swallowand hard ARTHUR CATES LIMITED 26 McNALLYSTREET, RIVERSIDE INDUSTRIAL PARK,ASHBURTON TEL 308 5397 www.arthurcates.co.nz mentally. He had been very down,but received strong supportfrom his wife Alison. ‘‘I thoughtIhad failed. Previous generationshad passed downthe farm, but Icouldn’t do the same.’’ John had another stabatfarming, but the stress andmental anguish affectedhis health and after new hips andback surgeryhewas advised to do something different. Following alifestylechange he retrained as sewing machine mechanic withBerninaandstill keepshis hand in with repairs today. John said he lost his farm connections after sellingup, but made new friendshipsthrough Ashburton Rotary. Over the last 20 yearshehas taken on manyroles at the service club, including that of districtgovernor and on theRotary Foundation. Being partofthe service grouphas helped him correct astutter and built hisconfidence, he said. John is also the chair of the National Party’s Rangitata electorate and hasbeen involved with theparty formore than 25 years. Retirement at the endofthis monthwill mean more time with his eight grandchildren andfour children. Anew caravan purchase will also seehim and Alisonhit the road. Bird show The Ashburton Bird Club will host its long running annual show in the Tinwald Memorial Hall over the weekend of June 2627. The birds set to flock to the 53rd annual show will include budgies, finches, canaries and other breeds. There will also be bird, seed and accessories for sale. Nonclub members are also welcome to put birds up for sale. Entry to the show costs $5 and is free to those under 16. The show runs from 1pm until 4pm on June 26 and from 9am until noon the next day.
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz NEWS Ashburton Courier, June 10, 2021 5 Bike tracks wiped out by flood MICK.JENSEN @ashburtoncourier.co.nz Mountain Bike Ashburton has been left reeling after recent floodingwipedout most of the tracks on its Allenton river trail loop circuit. While the clean up continues aroundthe district,the volunteer groupfaces the prospect of repairing and cleaning up 11 kilometresof trackwashedout,orcovered in silt after the onein100 year rain event. Just onekilometre of the loop track has been left unaffected after the major rain event. Bike club members have toiled long andhard over the years to cutand maintain tracks andrecently completed anew section that took four monthsof hard labour. The skills park, where alot of workhas also been completed andhundreds of plants put in, escaped major flood damage. MountainBike Ashburton president James Reid said the survival of theskills park area was abig relief, but the bigger picture didnot lookgood. He said the muntedtracks were a‘‘kick in the guts’’ from Mother Nature and ablow for club volunteers andthe many people who used the bike tracks. ‘‘We’ve workedreally hard to create and maintain the tracks andnow some partsmay never open again.’’ An estimated 90 per cent of theAllenton track had been underwater. ‘‘Therewas aridiculous amount of water when Iwent for awalktotakealook,’’Mr Reid said. He said monthsofhard work cutting anew section of track from Mt Ash to the skills park had been wiped out in amatter of hours. There was amajor rebuild ahead andalotofsilt shovelling needed atfuture working bees. ‘‘We willget somesections openand up andrunning relativelyquickly, but sections thatneedmajor workwill just havetowait.’’ He said theclub hadlimited funds and relied on grant applications, volunteer labour and ‘‘mates rates’’ to get work done. ‘‘I don’t think we’llberiding full loops of the track again in 12 months time, which is just suchashame.’’ AGivealittle page had been set to raise funds for thetrack rebuild and can be found by searching under mtbashburton. Thereisnoset goal, butthe club estimatesitwill likely cost morethan $50,000tobring tracks back up to scratch. The popularloop track runs fromMelrose RoadinAllenton to the AshburtonRiverbridge. Other bike and walk tracks to Lake Hood andthe Hakatere river mouth havealso been heavily damaged by the flooding. Debrisand silt havebeen washedinfrom the riverand some track sections have sunk. Photos: Top, asection of damaged track on the Allenton loop, right, flood waters on the track. Dairy accounts for half district’s GDP Dairy farming makes up half the Ashburton district’s gross domesticproduct,which was $2.4 billion for theyearto March2021. Thedairy payoutfor the 202021seasonwas $1.1 billionand that is expected to rise by $91 million next season,onthe backofhigher production andfarmgate milk prices. Ashburtonmayor Neil Brownsaidthe fact that dairying washalfthe district’sGDP stressedhow important theindustry wasto MidCanterbury. Councillors received their quarterly inhouse economic developmentreportrecently. It stated thatagriculture andconstructionwere performing solidly, thoughit continued to be challenging fortourism andretail. Twogeneral themes across all sectorswas the ongoing difficulty in attracting suitably qualifiedstaff and increasing supply chain issues. Councilhas appointed Simon Worthington as itsnew economicdevelopment manager.RichardFitzgerald has been actingmanager since February. MrFitzgerald’squarterly report said while the last quarter of the March year had reported a2.1 percent declineineconomic performance, it did nottake intoaccountrecent high buildingactivityinthe residentialand commercial sectors. Richard Fitzgerald IN BRIEF NEW CITIZENS Ashburton District Council cancelled lastweek’scitizenship ceremony becauseofthe flooding emergency, but18new New Zealanders automatically became citizens and will be invitedtoattend the nextscheduledceremony on August 19. Thelatest batch of new citizens hail fromthe Philippines, UK, Botswana, India,Samoa, Namibia, South Africaand Ireland. They include two minors born here. FLOOD DEBRIEF Adebrief of flood emergencywork will be held once the risk fromthe immediate diasterhas passed. Ashburton District Council chief executive Hamish Riach saidthere would be an operational debrief involvingthosewho were partofthe civil defence emergency to discuss lessonslearned.Feedback would also be sought fromcouncillors on areasfor improvement. CREATIVE GRANTS Nearly $29,000 has beenallocated by the AshburtonDistrictCouncilto groups seekingcreative communities grants.Atotalof14 applicants seeking atotalof $41,800applied. The recipients included $3000 for the AshburtonArt Gallery, $3000for the AshburtonMulticulturalTrust, $3285 for ConnectingMid CanterburyCharitable Trust and $5336 for sculptor Hannah Kidd. FREEDOM CAMPING No freedom campingrulesare included in theAshburton District Council’s proposednew open spacesbylaw,out now for consultation. The district is covered instead by the FreedomCamping Act, which says freedomcamping is bannedinreservesand parks. Council staffsay there is no needfor afreedom camping bylawasthere werenobig issues here. YOUTH HUI Environment Canterbury’s annual Youth Voices Hui will be held at StaveleyCampfrom July8-10. Thisyear's hui willfocuson wetlands -investigating why they are valued and how we can protect and enhancethem.There will be a field excursionplus the usual interesting sessions,and time to connect withother young people. Hui themes include:Maori perspectives on the natural environment, landscape changes overtime andcollective and personal responsibilities. Theevent is for young people aged 15-24. Highgrove Frankie Seddon Knightsbridge $ 1450 $ 1799 $ 2699 $ 2895 Burnett Street,Ashburton l Phone (03) 308 5269 l www.redmonds.co.nz 2388281
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Page 35 and 36: HAY FEEDERS Benefits of our feeders
Page 37 and 38: free appraisal today 2389420 Delive
Page 39 and 40: Whiteware. At these prices. Whynot?

Ashburton Courier: June 10, 2021

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