The Dannevirke Community Walkway's final completed leg in Victoria Ave.
The Dannevirke Community Walkway's final completed leg in Victoria Ave.
Nothing like a walk in the countryside taking in the fresh air, autumn tree colours, farm life and views of the Ruahines.
The Dannevirke Community Walkway is now complete and paid for, thanks to the Dannevirke Community Board.
Started in late 2014, the project to build a community walkway was a co-operation between the Dannevirke Rotary Club, Dannevirke Lions and the Dannevirke Community Board.
It was planned to go from Smith St in the north of Dannevirke along Adelaide Rd on the west of the town and then branch back into Dannevirke where it could link with Queen and Guy Sts to form a circuit for walkers.
The Smith Rd end of the Community Walkway in Autumn sunshine.
There had been a variety of hold-ups to do with regulations, the nature of the landscape, funding, and urban infrastructure like pipes, weather, Covid and construction materials, but its completion is now at hand with the final leg down Victoria Ave finished.
At its monthly meeting, the community board agreed after considerable discussion to meet the request from the Dannevirke Rotary Club Charitable Trust to pay the balance of $1150 owing on the project from its General Assistance Grants budget.
The total cost of the project approaches $100,000, the bulk of it being raised by donations from community sources. The largest contributor was the Monty Fairbrother Trust, with other substantial funds coming from the Eastern and Central Community Trust, Pub Charities, the Triathalon Club, Dannevirke Rotary, Dannevirke Lions and the Dannevirke Community Board.
While the community board members were strongly in favour of the project, they were concerned with the continuing maintenance needed because some of the early sections of the track had deteriorated. Its future maintenance was set for further investigation.
A survey of the walkway shows it is in pretty good shape — a little narrow in parts, but the surface is safe, according to a jogger, two walkers and a cyclist. They praised the variety of terrain and the care taken of it by residents nearby.
Colourful vegetation cared for by residents.
For project leader Chris Southgate it is a huge relief to see its completion. He said it had been a long process, but hoped it would become a well-used community facility.
He said he would like to thank Ernie Christison as the major contractor, at first doing it free and latterly pretty much at cost. Chris said Ernie’s goodwill towards the project was a major part of its progress and quality result.
He also thanked Terry Hynes, of Dannevirke Lions, who shared the management of the task and all the volunteers who came out to work and run fundraisers to pay for it.
Dave Murdoch is a part-time photojournalist based in Dannevirke. For the past 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.
