Selwyn_Times: August 09, 2023

Wednesday August 9 2023 Selwyn Times
• By Daniel Alvey
RATEPAYERS have forked
out almost $18,000 to repaint
Springfield’s donut over the past
two-and-a-half years.
And that cost will be even
more, because another repaint is
planned for this summer.
Springfield Community
Association chair Graeme
Dawson said the problem was
an ongoing issue that needed a
better solution.
“The paint they put on it
doesn’t work, and it lasts three
months. It’s a bit sad really.”
Dawson said they want a
solution to the paint issues that
is going to last.
“It’s the council spending
ratepayers’ money.”
The donut has been repainted
four times since 2020 at a cost
of $17,864.57 and will likely be
repainted again over summer,
but this time the district council
believes it will last.
“The nature of the donut
and its construction presents
challenges for maintenance,
and we have reviewed the whole
process around painting the
donut including preparation,
epoxy and paint products, to put
together a plan for repainting
the donut this financial year,”
said district
council reserves
operations
manager
Jonathan
Crawford.
“This
work will be
completed when
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Flaky icing: Cost of repainting
big donut hard to swallow
AY CARAMBA: The Springfield donut has been repainted four times since 2020 at a cost
of $17,845.57. Right – it was originally installed to promote The Simpsons Movie. ​
Jonathan
Crawford
the weather warms and includes
work to address a range of issues
that should improve the longterm
maintenance of the
donut.”
Dawson said the donut makes
people stop in the town.
“It does attract a lot of people
stopping to take photographs.”
The original donut was only
ever designed to be up for six
weeks when it was installed
in 2007 as promotion for
The Simpsons Movie, but was
popular enough it got
a permanent spot in the
town.
However, in 2009, an arson
attack left it burnt beyond repair.
For three years a tractor tyre was
put in its place until 2012, when
it was replaced with the much
sturdier concrete version that’s
in place today.
NEWS 3
Highland
games
a finalist
in event
awards
THE HORORATA Highland
Games is a finalist in this year’s
New Zealand Event Awards.
The Hororata Community Trust
developed the highland games in
2011 and it has been running ever
since, with the 12th games to be
held on November 11 this year.
The Scottish festival with
a uniquely Kiwi twist is a
community-led event with
over 200 volunteers helping out
annually.
“We are excited to have been
announced as a finalist in this
year’s New Zealand Event Awards,
this is the third time the games
has made the finals of these
awards,” Hororata community
trust executive officer Cindy
Driscoll said.
“The games would not have
the diverse range of activities
and entertainment without
our competitors, entertainers,
stallholders, and clans.”
The winner will be announced
on November 9.
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