Rae Waterhouse wants locals to come and enjoy the freely available beauty of Gilmour Reserve. Photo / Alison Smith
Rae Waterhouse wants locals to come and enjoy the freely available beauty of Gilmour Reserve. Photo / Alison Smith
Community advocates are throwing out a challenge to Waihi residents to spend more time at the park.
Rae Waterhouse is among those who've formed a new group to facilitate more events at Gilmour Reserve, which they say is underutilised by locals.
With a serene lake where waterfowl glide and preen, sculptures by local artists, landscaped grounds, a playground, an historic memorial for early miners, walks, blossoming cherry trees and a stage for outdoor entertainment, Gilmour Reserve should be busy, says Rae of Destination Gilmour.
"Destination Gilmour want to firmly entrench in the local psyche for people to come and enjoy the lake," says Rae.
"Instead of having to leave town, we want to give something back to our local people with free events in a torrid year for everybody.
"I reckon it's a tragedy that we have this glorious venue that doesn't get used a lot and folks need to take ownership of it.
"It's a jewel."
On the day the Hauraki-Coromandel Post visited to take a walk with Rae, a group of senior trampers arrived to enjoy lunch at the lakeside after walking the Pit Rim Walkway, and had travelled all the way from Pukekohe.
Visiting trampers from Auckland enjoy a picnic at Gilmour Reserve. Photo / Alison Smith
"It's the second time we've been here," said Annette Teague. "It's a lovely spot."
Frances Gibbon commented on the crescent shaped wooden chair where the dozen members of the group were able to all sit and eat their packed lunches.
"It's very sociable, I love this chair," she said.
Sadly, there was evidence of vandalism at the reserve. The Destination Gilmour group is reporting it to Hauraki District Council.
The Destination Gilmour group is reporting evidence of vandalism at the reserve. Photo / HCP
The group is working with local musicians to plan events that bring the community together during summer.
Already planned is a Miners Picnic on November 8, a Nostalgia Picnic on February 14 with Groove DJs, and a Teddy Bears and Dolls tentatively planned for March 14 at which the group hopes to have Steampunk groups from Thames and elsewhere coming along.
"We would love to hear from other local musicians/performers who might like to join in the fun and showcase their talent," says Rae.
-Email the group on: coachrae828@gmail.com.
WIN! To help spread the word, the Hauraki Coromandel Post is running a photo competition with a voucher to win, provided by the talented Laughing Potter Waihi. Email your photos for publication (with caption and names) showing how you like to enjoy Gilmour Reserve, to news@waihileader.co.nz by October 30. Make sure they're between 1MB and 5MB for print.
GILMOUR HISTORY Dug from humble wasteland by the Waihi Gold Mining Company in the late 1980s, Lake Gilmour may have started life as an ugly duckling, but it has since grown into a surprisingly attractive swan.
When gold mining in Waihi clunked to a standstill in 1952, dewatering also ceased and the groundwater returned to its original pre-mining level. As a result the collapsed 'Milking Cow' workings at the eastern end of Pukewa (Martha hill) filled with water creating a small lake, known as Mine Lake.
Remembered by some as a dreary lake with gloomy dark water surrounded by bush and old mine workings, Mine Lake was a popular public space nevertheless, not to mention home to a large number of waterfowl and ducks.
Therefore, when gold mining cranked into gear once more in the late 1980's, the Gold Mining Company at the time (Waihi Gold Mining) created a new lake (okay, large pond) near the Ohinemuri River in compensation for the inevitable loss of the one at Pukewa. - courtesy Hauraki District Council.
