Rotokawau Virginia Lake Supporters Group makes plea for volunteers to help

Rotokawau Virginia Lake. Photo / Bevan Conley

Twenty-five years since its inception, the Virginia Lake Supporters Group has succumbed to fewer volunteer numbers, with tedious tasks and upkeep becoming a bigger job than the current group of volunteers can handle.

Rotokawau Virginia Lake Reserve is one of Whanganui’s best-kept recreational and sightseeing destinations, home to a bird aviary, botanical garden and amphitheatre.

But the entirety of its surrounding walkways, treelines and tracks are regularly maintained by the supporters’ group, who are “moving on with time”, according Virginia Lake Trust chairman Terry Coxon.

Coxon said he had seen the number of volunteers dwindle heavily.

“We’re now actually left with nine full-time volunteers, who are mostly retirees,” Coxon said.

Coxon said many of the nine have ailments or fall ill when it’s time to pick up the shovel or hedge-clippers.

“Two Thursdays a month is all that we ask for. We usually work from late morning until early afternoon,” Coxon said.

“The work isn’t that demanding. If our older members can achieve the amount of work they do in those short hours, imagine the younger group. We’re reaching out for anybody.”

Newly painted fence an example of just some of the work volunteers do. Photo / Terry Coxon (supplied)

An example of the work completed by the small team is the rededication of the entry gates into the reserve at the rear on Virginia Road.

“The fence repaint is a proud example of what the team could achieve, as the fence was heavily dilapidated and rotten,” Coxon said.

“We need to increase that back to former levels to effectively keep the lake as pristine as possible for the many citizens and visitors who enjoy its peaceful and tranquil ambience.”

Over the last four or five years, a team of about 15 were regularly on the roster, carrying out weeding, planting, trimming, draining, track maintenance and many other tasks.

Anyone interested in helping can contact Terry Coxon on 027 445 0460.

This report was produced under the Public Interest Journalism initiative, funded by NZ on Air.