Preserving history a big priority

CHANGES NEEDED: Ian Farley, the newly elected member of the Greytown Community Board in the February byelection, stands with the old and new streets signs to Balfour Street. The new sign is spelt wrong, and the old, correctly spelt sign is hung on the fence.

As part of Ian Farley's new role on the Greytown Community Board, he wants to preserve and showcase the town's significant history.

The figurine painter, who runs a successful miniature soldier business, Regal Enterprises, with his brother Allan, was elected in a byelection on Tuesday.

It was held because Kay Gray, elected in the 2013 local body elections, had to resign because of ill health - she died shortly after.

Mr Farley was going to stand in the 2013 elections but didn't want to run against Mrs Gray, an extended family relative.

"But this time I really did seriously think about it and spoke to Mike [Kay's husband] before putting in my application.

"He was very supportive for me to stand, it helped give me the impetus."

Mr Farley said he was a bit apprehensive and was "a bit relieved" when he heard the results. He received 498 votes and fellow candidate Margaret Cole, 412 votes.

He has not run for a public position before, but has been active in the Greytown Lions Club.

A fifth-generation Greytown resident, Mr Farley was inspired by his ancestors to enter local government.

"I've always been interested in local politics, my family has always been involved, my great grandfather was on the Greytown Borough Council."

He said he also became interested when he had success keeping the names of Greytown settlers alive, something he believes is important to the town's future.

Last year, he went to the community board to get the name of Pierce St reinstated.

When the Governor's Green subdivision was put at the end of Pierce St, the developers got approval from South Wairarapa District Council to rename it Governor's Green Drive.

But Mr Farley successfully fought to have the street name changed back, which is named after Pierce Cotter, an early settler in the town.

"I went to a community board meeting, presented who he was and why it should stay there."

"Towns only have history because of the people that are in them and what they have done.

"If you can't name these streets after them you're just trampling all over what they have done."

He said it might sound trivial but it is these people who built Greytown into what it is today.

"I want to keep the local history alive."

Mr Farley believes there are many historical sites that could attract more visitors to stay and spend in the town.

"Everybody wants people to come to Greytown and make it thrive."

He said there were lots of historical places outside of the centre of Greytown, like a rifle range site at Papawai, that could be marked for tourists.

"There was a rifle range out in Papawai that the army used from 1915 onwards, there were machine guns firing out there into Jury Hill.

"There was a big military presence.

"As a historical site you'd at least like to have it marked and make sure it's remembered."

He said the industrial area was also important to the town.

Mr Farley will be sworn in at the first community board meeting of the year next week.