Founding father statue halfway there

Charles Rooking Carter

The proposed statue of Carterton's founding father is one step closer to being a reality, with almost half the funds required for the project now collected.

Since the plan was approved by council in April, the Lions Club of Carterton has raised $45,000 of the $100,000 needed to erect a statue of the town's founder, Charles Rooking Carter, in Millennium Square.

The club received donations from a number of trusts as well as contributing a substantial amount of its own funds towards the project, and is now hoping Carterton businesses and residents will chip in to cover the rest of the costs.

Any person or business donating $1000 or more will have their name inscribed on a special plaque that will be placed in the square with the statue.

Club secretary and project organiser Allan Renall said he hoped businesses and long-term residents would take the one-off opportunity to contribute to the project.

"We think it's a great opportunity for all those people to get together and put something back into the town that they've had so much to do with."

The statue, along with the council's planned improvements in the square, would have a positive effect on business in the area, he said.

"Hopefully, it will get people to stop in Carterton rather than driving on through - and hopefully that will be good for business.

"It's a good opportunity to remember the guy that we can thank for being Carterton, if you like."

And so far response to the project had been positive, Mr Renall said.

Construction of the 1.8 metre bronze statue will take place in Auckland and will take between three to six months. It is hoped to be completed by June.