Well, 2010 is rapidly approaching and that is when Waipawa turned 150!
So when 2010 gets here it becomes a time to reflect on the past and look forward
to the future… and maybe kick up our heels a little a celebrate.
As you probably know from reading my website, I'm heavily into Waipawa. So
it's probably no surprise that I have got involved with other enthusiastic
people, trying to sort out some fitting way to celebrate.
The 150th committee has formed several sub committees:
Sports and Recreation Committee - who are organizing several special
sporting events for 2010 (which as it gets a little closer and things get
finalized, I will add to this section of my website)
Beautification Committee - who have tree planting, and hanging baskets
in the pipe-line, plus some banners which will announce to the world that Waipawa is turning 150
The Rural Committee - who are organizing some activities with a
distinctly rural feel
Historical and Cultural Committee - who will use our Museum to promote
displays on Waipawa of the past, and other historic and cultural events
through the year
Waipawa Municipal Theatre Committee - who is looking at renovating our
town hall (which of course was built to celebrate Waipawa turning 50)
Special Events Committee -who are organizing a parade, concert and fun
'Birthday day” on February 20th (which was the day 150 years ago when Abbott
began selling off sections to begin our fantastic little town…. Also a ball
on
Gifts to the Future Committee - who are organizing a gift that can be given
to the town for this generation and future generations (there's a lot more
about this committee further on in this section as that's the one I'm
heavily involved with - so know most about)
If you want to help with any of these committees then drop me an email and
tell me what you're interested in and I will forward your name and details to
the appropriate committee.
Gifts to the Future:
Our town turning 150 is a special occasion in its life.
When Waipawa turned 50 years old the people of the town gifted the town hall -
not just for their generation to use and enjoy, but for future generations as
well.
When Waipawa turned 100 years, the gift to the town was our town swimming
pool.
And now that Waipawa is turning 150 years old, our committee feels that it is
important to carry on this tradition and for us to leave something that will be
long lasting and meaningful for us now, and for generations to come.
Nellie Jull Park
Nellie Jull Park was gifted to our town in 1935 and it quickly became the
focal point in our town's life.
In the 1930's Waipawa District High School in Waverly Street used its fields for
Physical Education, rose gardens and trees were planted, and the old play
equipment from the Domain was shifted down to the park to make the playground
(that play equipment is still there today).
Turning 150 is a time which will only happen once in our history and is an
important milestone. It is a time to remember our past and look to the future.
Our 150th Gift to the Future
Our idea for our 150th Gift is to upgrade Nellie Jull Park, by building a
Community Stage / Band rotunda, redeveloping the Children's Playground, putting
in new picnic tables, seating, drinking fountains etc… to make the park a more
vibrant and alive place!
The Band Rotund / Community Stage
Remember when we used to have Picnic in the Park… and we used a truck apple
trailer as our stage…?
Wouldn't it be great to have a purpose built stage where we can have concerts
and run other outdoor events any time we wanted?
Wouldn't it be great to bring back part of our town's past and make it a part
of our living future? (Waipawa use to have a band rotunda which was used for
weekly concerts when the town's park was the Domain - now called Don Allen
reserve)
Our Band Rotunda will provide a stage for such things as…
Picnic in the Park
Dance recitals
Open-air drama performances
Mini weekend concerts
School choir, band performances
Kapa haka
Story-tellers stage
Classical music
Country music
Rock, Pop or Hip-hop
Carols by Candle-light
And much more…!
The possibilities are only limited by your imagination
Our vision is that a community stage - which is built in the style of an old
fashioned Band Rotunda is built where the rose garden is now.
This Rotunda can act as a venue for all sorts of activities in the park.
With a purpose built stage we will have power on tap and no need to move staging
on and off a sometimes very boggy park.
Here's a little picture to help you to visualize what our band rotunda might
look like. The band Rotunda in this picture is from Carterton - and is
super-imposed on the rose garden in Nellie Jull Park… Our Band Rotunda will be a
similar style but will have three connecting sides of the octagon open as steps
(not just one like Carterton's). This will make the viewing space of our stage
bigger.
And don't worry the roses won't disappear completely… Our Rotunda will be 10m in
diameter but will have a 1 metre ring of roses around the edges where there are
no steps.
Upgrade of Children's Playground.
Some of the playground equipment in our park is over 100 years old!
It was shifted from the old Domain to Nellie Jull Park when it became the main
park in Waipawa.
Recently the current playground equipment has been assessed and much of it
can be retained and maintained to carry on bringing joy to our children. But a
couple of pieces of it has past its use-by date and has got to a stage where it
is considered dangerous and is broken beyond repair.
We are looking to add to our playground by integrating some new equipment in
with the old.
These pieces of equipment provide a greater range of activities for different
ages of children.
Oh… I forgot to say… We'll need some volunteers to help build the band
rotunda and the playground. - we're going with a supervised build option with
our playground to cut costs and to promote community ownership and togetherness.
So if you are handy with a concrete mixture, spanner or any other tools let us
know. You know the saying… “Many hands make light work!”
Birthday Banners:
OK, I'm also part of the Beautification Sub Committee… and I had this bright
idea in the middle of the night of having birthday banners fluttering down our
main street, announcing to the world that its our birthday!
When I brought this idea to the committee I then got given the job of designing
the banner and at first I had a lot of difficulty coming up with a design. A
suggestion was made to use the clock tower - so I sat down and did a drawing and
this is what I came up with…
And then, in the middle of the night (my main time for coming up with
creative ideas) another idea sparked into my head… so I drew a second design…
Since its Waipawa's birthday - why not have fun and have a cake?
After drawing up these I took them back to the committee.
Some like one…. Some liked the other… Some liked both.
I think I know which they will ultimately go with, but I thought it would be fun
to have a poll.
Which one would you like?
Clock tower………. Or……. Birthday cake
Fund-raisers:
Our Special Events Committee are a very keen group of people with fantastic
ideas which are going to make the main event in 2010 absolutely brilliant… with
parades, concerts, a ball etc…
But even leading up to 2010 can be fun too… and the S.E.C have been really busy
kicking off our fundraising.
Obviously we won't get any of these things done without money so that means
Fund-raising… I can hear you groan now - but stop - we can't do anything without
your support. I mean, money doesn't just grow on trees.
If you can help out we'd really appreciate it.
On Duck Day the Special Events Committee ran a raffle and with some of the
proceeds they are buying prizes for our first “Quiz Evening”
This is a really fun night out with your friends where you can pit your skills
and intelligence against other teams and perhaps come out the victors… and at
the same time you will be helping raise money for our 150th projects.
The first Quiz Evening is to be held on…
Wednesday, 12 November 2008 at Skinny Mulligans starting at 7.30.
If you have a team of 4-6 people why not enter a team?
It only costs $30 a team.
Go on have a go!
I will up date this as more 150th stuff is finalized. So keep an eye on this
space…
